Back in stock: Minimal/Tech House

Review: Clock Poets returns with Surrealism, a three-track various artists exploration of minimal techno and micro-house. Dan Andrei's 'Si Un Ecou' is a stripped-back, bass-heavy roller that is simmering with tension before erupting into modulated synths. Root's 'Apophis' delivers swing-heavy micro-house with shuffling drums and growling synth textures which nod to the genre's golden era. Clock Poets' 'Galaxy' on the flip is a sprawling 14-minute live-recorded jam rich in intricate sound design to end with a classy touch. Surrealism masterfully balances moods and textures here and makes for another refined entry in the Clock Poets catalogue for lovers of thoughtful, hypnotic dance sounds.

Review: Club Vision's tenth release celebrates a deep creative bond with Atimpuri who presents his standout new EP, Epic Wave. The A-side opens with 'Critical Moments,' a euphoric house cut radiating warmth and positivity that you cannot escape. The title track follows and delivers a hypnotic trance journey driven by energetic drums and an unforgettable lead riff. On the B-side, 'Morning Crying' channels classic 90s house with lush pads and a bold bassline, while 'Smw' offers a dreamy breakbeat closer rich with strings and immersive effects. Blending past and present, Atimpuri crafts a sound that's both nostalgic and forward-thinking here.

Review: LEGRAM VG & Rubber Ducky Records have come together for this playful Game of Tunes series, and the third entry in it offers four more wafty tech house delights. Baldov's 'Dance Connection' is a balmy and breezy opener with some warm synth injections to soften the rickety tech beats. Sif B's 'Small World' is a bubbly cut with sci-fi motifs and Buenaguas's 'Music Or Noise?' Marries distant cosmic pads with sparky synth sequences that make for some nice colourful combinations. Alich's 'The Evidence' is the best of the lot - a pent-up, garage-tinged kicker with ass-wiggling beats and acid prickles. Pure heat.

Review: Dark tech house's current Olympic torch-bearer, Inermu, present the seventh edition in their very own vari-prod vinyl series. A polysemous production outfit whose guises vary, this new one from Dexter James and Dominic Aquila presents a hard-nosed heater from the lockoff London crew. With most of their releases having been housed on black labels so far, this one is an exceptional whiteout, with lemni-skating delays and conga-happy tribal drives resounding across 'Tougher & Darker' and 'Music For Dark Rooms'. 'No Other' completes the record with a downtime B-side, with subtle pad swirls and taciturn talking drums working well as substitute basslines.

Review: OGE White has released plenty of great slabs of wax by the likes of Philipp Boss, Hollow Fraud and Natalie Gardiner, and this time out it is the returning Enzo Leep who impresses with four tunes in collaboration with Giralda. 'Beat Goes On' starts things off in jazzy fashion with some manic chords dancing drunkenly about the piano next to a jumble of percussion and weird samples. 'Aroa T Lo Miro' then kiss it fresh with more breakbeats, steamy vocal samples, high-speed beats and a funky mood, then 'Hell Or Heaven' has a dry, percussive rhythm that is marbled with characterful vocal stabs. 'Conscious Of My Conscience' is a surefire winner with its seductive 80s soul vocals sampled from a well-loved duo.

Review: Alex Font follows up on a successful run of double pack drops on acme with a charming new 12" for Purple Print. As ever, the minimal tech house standard bearer straps his ideas to sleek, refined grooves, but it's the musicality which marks this record out as an essential purchase. 'Hablame De Ti' is cast in melancholic synth refrains and forlorn vocal murmurations which drip with pensive mood to take the dancefloor somewhere deeper than usual. 'El Instrumento Del Barrio' has its own sentimental story to tell, this time led by expressive piano work which glides over the steadfast rhythm section. Meanwhile scene stalwarts Arapu and Brawther are on hand to deliver on-point remixes which amp up the club-ready appeal of this standout EP.

Review: "Listen, man..." goes the schematic guiding voice on 'The Blueprint', the opening track on this eponymous EP from label debut artist Inner West. Leading us by the ear through its tricksy minimal truncations, the new Portal Records signee follows up recent gyratory funks form Tommy Vicari Jnr. and Jah Mex, operating in similarly techy, minimal blue veins as theirs. Ensuer 'Dream Reality Sector' titularly alludes to the corporate manufacturing of dreams, evoking this through stark minor seventh chords and deeper persuasions, whilst the following 'Good Time' ensures ours is indeed real good, through undertowed basses and emphatically hip vocal "yeah"s. 'The Message' concludes the EP on a rule-breaking hip-hop piece, with programmable funk basses and furthermore knowing utterings, from an implied street vernacular source.

Review: Ukraine-born, New York-based Kurilo's latest release captures a period of deep personal reflection and movement. Drawing inspiration from his time in Berlin and his tours around Europe, the music balances the frenetic energy of big cities with moments of solitude. 'Clarify That' opens with a direct, no-nonsense groove, setting the tone for a release that doesn't linger on nostalgia but instead pushes forward. Tracks like 'Save Kit' work with subtler textures, allowing bass and percussion to breathe, while 'Hanging Around' and 'Slender Machine' explore more unconventional rhythms and sonic space. There's an honesty to the music that doesn't shy away from exploring different tempos and feels, capturing Kurilo's evolving sound and sense of placeiwithout falling into any easy or familiar narrative.

Review: Contemporary bass music up-and-comer Pîrvu returns to Meander with a clever take on breakstep, breakbeat and electro, the 'Skylark' EP. With the little brown job of a bird held firmly in mind - its avian grace matched well by the light, but also hot-winged determination of the title track - we find ourselves compelled to dance with both light and hot footing in equal measure. Following that up, there's 'Edge Of A Strange Euphoria', with its phat FMs and murky narration proving that some if not most states of ecstasy are mixed bags, provided they do the proper job of challenging our inner status quos. Finally 'Zuzu' ends things on a franker note of gaslamp-lit acid, with Dan Andrei also lending a hand to produce a neat 4/4 version.

Review: Upcoming UK talent Joe Rolet gets the nod for this third 12" from the new Synkroniq still nascent label. He does a superb job of introducing his signature tech house style which is designed for both body and head. 'Central Lines' has a lovely bobbling bassline that is loose and infectious. There is a little more grit and menace to the bass of 'Acton Digital' and the EP highlight might then be 'The Serpentine.' It's fleshy, warm, the sort of groove to pull you in then amaze you with its star gazing chords and smart vocal samples. 'Glassblowing' is a busy closers with layers of static, finger clicks and balmy pads.

Review: ?aru is a non-profit label from Romania that sits at the sharp edge of the minimal underground. This new double pack of striped back tech gems will see all proceeds donated to dog shelters and NGOs supporting stray pups. Sensek opens with a slithering and groaning groove, 'Machine Morality,' for shadowy afterparties and Gringow brings a haunting melody to 'Towards The Dark & Cold.' Broascka's 'Epitelius' is an abstract affair with microscopic details scattered over a deep, dubby grove and Dragomir closes with two cuts - 'Alone With You' is a woozy late-night roller and 'Illusions feat Adina Oros' is a blissed out downtempo sound for the post-club hours.

Review: The no-nonsense Holic Trax crew have got two superbly assured artists together on one fine 12" here. Ibiza based talent Tucillo and Fat East magician Took Tamura both have already long since proven their credentials and here they draw on their vast reserves of creativity for a varied EP that opens with the pulsing minimal house of 'Golden Ring' before 'Salvadanaio' gets deeper and more dubby, with mysterious chords slowly hypnotising you. 'Stella' picks up the pace with fatter, fleshier drums and modulated synth texture and last of all is a breezy, super cool and smooth deep house cut 'Joint Soft' (Japanese Napolitan edit).

Review: Harry Wills, known for his classy and distinctive house productions, returns with the 'Heads & Volleys' EP on Salty Nuts, offering four varied tracks perfect for different moods and times. With each track, Wills shows his unique ability to craft sophisticated yet groovy soundscapes. The title track, 'Heads & Volleys', sets the tone with a deep, minimal groove featuring a demented piano line and an ominous house vibe that builds tension. It's a late-night groover that'll keep dancers locked in. Next, 'Cruisin'' delivers a big, driving bassline paired with a mellow keyboard atmosphere, creating a smooth yet energetic track ideal for winding down or starting a set. On Side-2, 'Encounters' brings a catchy vocal loop that gets stuck in your head, riding atop a groovy, classic house foundationiperfect for peak-time moments. Closing out the EP, 'Gliderite' shifts gears with a wicked acid house influence, featuring a rolling bassline that's edgy, addictive, and full of attitude. Each track on Heads & Volleys delivers something different, proving once again that Harry Wills knows how to craft house music for any occasion with depth and style.