Back catalogue: Minimal/Tech House

Review: In celebration of their tenth birthday, Selador marks the occasion in style with a four-track collaborative EP, featuring tracks from 3D, Robert Owens, Olivier Giacomotto, Quivver, Dave Seaman, Hernan Cattaneo, Argia, and Jepe. The opening track, 'Known Love', is a deep, pulasting house tune that feels like an instant classic, perhaps thanks to the soulful, pop-tinged vocals - think LCD soundsystem meets Four Tet. 'Snailblazer', the second track on the EP, takes a much darker turn, with a chugging, EBM-esque feel. Full-bodied and complete with obscured vocals, this is the kind of track to pull out your bag when it's time to really get stuck in. On the B-side, 'Napkin Knowledge' draws on the glistening synths of eurodance, yet still securing the melodies to a grounded bassline and rhythm section. 'Salitre' is the perfect closing track, rising up in a gleaming, ecstatic melody, before delicately returning to ground level. A varied yet firmly cohesive collaborative release - the perfect way for Selador to kick off their 2023 catalogue.

Review: Hot Creations has now been rolling out the club friend, crowd pleasing jams for over a decade and well over 200 releases. But still they manage to unearth new names and potent sounds to keep people going back for more. It's Jay Farina and Quinzi who combine on two slammers here. First up is 'Pumpin The Junk', a fat-bottomed house cut with robust drum wallops, raved up horn stabs and a sleazy vocal. On the backside is a more tribal cut. 'The Buzz,' which layers up the percussion with steamy and sizzling summer intent next to a potent vocal that has got summer Ibiza classic written all over it.

Review: Ultimo Tango are feeling the current trance-powered moment with this killer VA split release, which opens in style with the proto-typical 1990 throbber 'That's The Choice' from Italian duo Q Words. Needle originally released the A2 track 'I.J.O.' in 1994, when the trance sound was more firmly established, but that doesn't stop this highly-desired track from happily skipping between house-minded uplift, technoid exploration as well as trancey immersion. F*O*X released 'Once More' in 1993 - another one-shot project lovingly gathered up and revived on this essential record for any Italo-trance devotees looking to avoid monumental secondhand prices.

Review: French duo QR Code steps up with their first-ever release here, and it also happens to be the first-ever release for new label Sweet Notes. There is a rich fusion of prog, trance, spaced-out breaks, house and tech on all these tracks, with opener 'Mindless Dance' being a nice buoyant opener to immediately get you on your toes. 'Nixie's Trap' then slowly shifts up through the gears with its twisting and turning bass and synths before 'Spacetime' brings old-school 90s bass with dusty breaks and chopped-up vocals for a good old party. There is lush ambient pad work on the closer which makes it suited to 5am zone outs.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Brawther and Tristan Da Cunha's Dungeon Meat label is back with another massive platter of heavyweight house, this time from Dutchman Dennis Quin. He wastes no time in getting down to business with 'Naimus' layering up rock-solid kicks and steel-sharpened hi-hats with yelping vocal stabs for an energetic rave-up. After that comes the equally high octane and sweat-inducing 'Buzz Cracked' before 'Switch The B' brings a raw and naughty hint of garage swing to its monstrous drums. These tunes have already been road tested at places like NYC Downlow and Houghton Festival to great effect, so there is no doubting their ability to make an indelible mark.

Review: Dutch producer and DJ Dennis Quin takes things into his own hands once more here with a new EP of rock-solid house grooves on his self-titled label. These are tracks that are well-informed by what has gone before but is never too slavish to house history. They follow on from big outings on the likes of PIV, Cecille, Defected, Jerome Sydenham's Iconic Ibadan and Kaoz Theory (he has also collaborated with Kaoz boss Kerri Chandler) and feature the swinging bulk of 'Temptation', busy drum breaks of 'Ascending', dark energy of 'Odyssey' and sleazy vibes of 'Love Fiyaa.'

Review: Brawther and Tristan Da Cunha's Dungeon Meat label is back with another massive platter of heavyweight house, this time from Dutchman Dennis Quin. He wastes no time in getting down to business with 'Naimus' layering up rock-solid kicks and steel-sharpened hi-hats with yelping vocal stabs for an energetic rave-up. After that comes the equally high octane and sweat-inducing 'Buzz Cracked' before 'Switch The B' brings a raw and naughty hint of garage swing to its monstrous drums. These tunes have already been road tested at places like NYC Downlow and Houghton Festival to great effect, so there is no doubting their ability to make an indelible mark.

Review: Two And Half Records make the decision here to try and rid the A and B-side distinction on records that we are all very familiar with and instead they refer to each face of their latest 12" as 'dance' and 'listen.'' It makes sense frankly and is often how things go anyway. Swiss duo Quismi kick off this one with twitchy and narcotic tech house with an old school bent. French artist Groenogen then gets wild with bright melodies and grinding synths, r&b vocals and high speed tech funk on 'Twinkle Dance' while ILyes offers the tech silkiness of 'Starting Now.' On the flip is a trio of less direct, more experimental sounds that sure do offer plenty to get lost in on headphones.

Review: Waage is a firm favourite amongst dub techno fans. The Icelandic producer has long been turning out icy and atmospheric rollers for the heads and here he works alongside a fresh name, Quantal, who is sure to go on to big things. Here they land on Thule Records, a legendary label in its own right with roots going back to 1995. They kick off with the textured dub of 'WQ1' which has glitchy sounds paying over the rolling drums. 'WQ2' is much more smooth and streamlined, with an underwater current that sweeps you off your feet, then 'WQ3' leans into the wind with hypnotic techno drums and vamping chords that melt the mind. Last of all comes 'WQ4', a timeless dub with infinite horizons and the most frictionless drum loops.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Waage is a firm favourite amongst dub techno fans. The Icelandic producer has long been turning out icy and atmospheric rollers for the heads and here he works alongside a fresh name, Quantal, who is sure to go on to big things. Here they land on Thule Records, a legendary label in its own right with roots going back to 1995. They kick off with the textured dub of 'WQ1' which has glitchy sounds paying over the rolling drums. 'WQ2' is much more smooth and streamlined, with an underwater current that sweeps you off your feet, then 'WQ3' leans into the wind with hypnotic techno drums and vamping chords that melt the mind. Last of all comes 'WQ4', a timeless dub with infinite horizons and the most frictionless drum loops.

Review: Dave Seaman (Brothers In Rhythm) and Quivver (John Graham) are two long time heavyweights of the progressive house and trance scene for over 30 years now. The pair join forces on the Balance label to share a DJ mix. This version features unmixed tracks that were used in the mix by both including two original productions they wrote together to make this collaboration even more special. Both of those, 'Make It Disappear' and 'Mushroom Embargo' kick off this double vinyl version. What old head can't spot a Quivver bassline when they hear one?! Highlights also include Dave's heavy driving remix of 'Low Burn' by Underworld, Ben Archbold's epic 'Psychedelic Halo' and Timo Maas's bass heavy remix of Polaroit's 'Apart'. For those long time fans of Balance mixes, you have another winner here!