Back catalogue: Minimal/Tech House

Review: For the 42nd stop on the decades-long journey through worldwide DJ culture, Global Underground has pitched up in Berlin and handed over the reins to Patrice Baumel, a Dutch DJ/producer with an impressive track record. The resultant two-disc mix-up is staggeringly good, with Baumel choosing to represent a wide variety of techno and tech-house sounds with occasional diversions into more melodious or off-kilter fare. Wisely, the Dutchman has also chosen to offer up tracks that span the decades, contrasting classic material from the likes of Swayzak, Matthew Dear and Chateau Flight (whose brilliant "Cosmic Race" stands out) with newer cuts from such artists as Shlomo, Steve Moore, Adam Port, Ripperton and the ageless Phil Kieran.

Review: Following acclaimed contributions from Mandy, DJ T, Dixon and Jesse Rose, the fifth instalment of Get Physical's "Body Language" mix series comes courtesy of Chateau Flight (aka Gilbert Cohen and Nicolas Chaix). "Body Language Vol. 5" is a discerning, rich and tasteful celebration of the best in disco, techno, electro and house in all it forms and it's a joy to listen to, from start to finish. This is one Get Physical chartered flight you should not miss.

Review: The fully mixed version of Confidence Man's debut Fabric mix record is here on CD. In contrast to the selectors' LP version - also sold by us - this full version is a seamless, singular slab of optical laser-read musical licence, espousing the central vibe-theme of Confidence Man's message: have confidence. Well, except for want of a receiving ear, we find ourselves tentatively able to confide in Confidence Man's Fabric mix ("better than therapy" joke happily dodged) as a substitution in the meantime; for it too shows us that real, authentic, and boundless confidence can, believably, indeed, be found in bouncy dance exclusives available on CD only. Among these are Patrick Prins' kitsch chipmunk banger 'Fiesta Conga' and Cygnus X's steezy-cheesy trance stutterer 'Positron'03'. With both many a throwback and a present promo in tow, Confidence Man dice up and dole out a small slice of their huge stash of their patented auricular confidence dust.

Review: Celebrating 25 years of Der Dritte Raum, pioneering producer Andreas Kruger presents 25 EINS, a collection of classics and hits, all reconstructed (except "Plasmatica," 1992). This release marks the first in a series of anniversary albums, set to continue with ZWEI. Released on Sven Vath's iconic Harthouse label, 25 EINS captures Kruger's signature blend of techno, trance, electro and house. With timeless tracks and modern productions like "Polarized Echoes," Kruger's distinctive sound continues to captivate generations of ravers worldwide.

Review: Though his career has taken many turns over the last decade, DJ Koze has remained that most illusive of creatures: a minimal-minded producer with an ear for a melody. This fourth full-length, packed to the rafters with big-name collaborations (Apparat, Caribou, Ada and Matthew Dear all feature), continues his move towards the home-listening sphere. So, while many of the heady rhythms and shuffling grooves hark back to his stripped-back past, Amygdala impresses with its woozy songs, genre-straddling fusions (see the modern soul meets deep house of "Homesick" or the steppy, tropical vibes of "Marilyn Whirlwind") and homely atmosphere.

Review: British singer-songwriter Elderbrook is best known for the vocals on 2017's 'Cola', a Grammy-nominated single with CamelPhat, but now he shows a much broader range of sounds with his new album Another Touch which he bills as "a journey of personal discovery." It builds around themes of life's love, loss, ups and downs but essential is a collection of very accessible and feel-good dance-pop hits for large-scale clubs. The production takes the form of lots of catchy and melodic house and tech grooves while his vocals are a mix of falsetto and more moody sung-spoken deliveries. It's an album that very much chimes with the crossover dance sound of now.

Review: Floating Points' new album, Cascade on Ninja Tune pushes the cult producer's sound into all new territories. The eight tracks, each up to eight minutes long, allow his to explore sounds and grooves in full form while a subtle homage to Manchester runs through the album. Tracks like 'Afflecks Palace' featuring harp melodies and electronic bleeps, and 'Key 103,' named after a beloved local radio station, is another delight. Nearly a decade after his debut Elaenia, Floating Points has masterfully integrated his experimental ventures beyond club music into these expressive dance floor creations and remains in a class of one as a result.

Review: Orbital's debut and self-titled album (also known as the green album) is a classic example of the UK rave sound in 1991. Featuring the hits 'Belfast' and 'Chime', this important piece of electronic music gets some loving attention in the form of being remastered for the first time since release. But that's not the only thing - this CD edition also comes with a bonus CD featuring rarities and remixes from the time. What better way to celebrate 25 years of this amazing band and its cherished history for their role in helping create the sound of techno.

Review: The creative partnership between Tiga & Hudson Mohawke expresses a mutual love of "hardcore romance," a liminal state where the bounds between euphoria, melancholy and the raw power of friendship disintegrate completely. Recorded in Los Angeles from 2019-2023, these commonalities ebbed and flowed through various recording sessions, culminating in their debut album - L'Ecstacy - the sounds in which "all come from the same place, the same musical universe," in Hudson Mohawke's own words. Referencing the album's locus of bouncy elasticity and cinematic gloss - "we're building a particular kind of zone where it all fits together. A place lost in time." With guest appearances by luminaries like Abra, Channel Tres, and Jesse Boykins III, as well as album artwork by Wolfgang Tillmans, the result is delivered with "no apology, no cynicism, no irony, no winking."

Review: Kompakt's Total 24 compilation is the nest episode in the label's amazing series. This cd version opens with Hamburg's Ada remixing Heiko Voss, followed by Jurgen Paape's vibrant 'Chee-Caruso.' Newcomer Deer Jade delivers the frolicsome house track 'Jukurpa,' while Jonathan Kaspar's 'Are You' captures the euphoria of his DJ sets. Hardt Antoine impresses with his dynamic style, and Sascha Funke pays homage to German showbiz with 'The Heck.' Tee Mango joins with his unique sound, and Joyce Muniz teams up with Sara Blum for the uplifting 'Beats & Lines.' Gui Boratto collaborates with Darren Emerson on the captivating 'The Shell,' and Rex The Dog offers the heartfelt 'Laika.' Raxon's 'Beskar' showcases his Star Wars inspiration, and David Hasert and Nicone's 'Wasting My Time With You' is a highlight. Reinhard Voigt's quirky 'Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)' features various animals, while Argia's 'Love Keeps You Running' blends groove and pop. Wassermann's track concludes the compilation with a touch of Arabian Nights magic. Total 24 is a diverse and engaging collection that exemplifies Kompakt's ability to curate exceptional electronic music.

Review: Global Underground launched the Select mix series as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations. The format is deliciously simple. The team behind the label selects a bunch of great tunes, and then edits, rearranges and mixes them together into two seamless, thrill-a-minute DJ mixes. This second volume boasts 31 tracks and remixes from artists as diverse as Joris Voorn, The Orb, Florian Kruse, Rex The Dog, Bookashade, Purple Disco Machine and Tube & Berger. Six of the tracks have never been heard before - though they haven't specified which - making it a journey of discovery as much as pure entertainment.

Review: In the comprehensive press release accompanying the latest Cocoon compilation - "R", the eighteenth compilation in their alphabetical series - there's a lot about blurring the boundaries between different genres of techno. The basics, though, are pretty simple: like its' predecessors, the club-focused set boasts 12 cuts selected by boss man Sven Vath. There's plenty to enjoy from start to finish, from the stylish, '80s new wave pop-meets-Euro-techno vibes of International Anything's "The Future Is Here", and the driving tribal drums and sweeping, alien-sounding chords of Inigo Kennedy's "Black Light", to the moody Dutch techno freakiness of Ambivalent and Alden Tyrell's "War Island", and the sparkling electronics, positive vibes and skewed drum machine hits of John Heckle's superb "Fantasy".