New releases last two weeks: Minimal/Tech House

Review: The fledgling WEorUS label rolls out more stylish, minimal and tech here from a trio of artists. Andrade goes first with 'Kubernetes,' a driving minimal house cut packed with hefty groove. It is followed by 'Content Security Policy' which is a slick, rhythm-forward roller that locks you into its flow. Flip to side-B and get swept into Dragosh's 'One Way,' a deep, hypnotic workout that's all tension and release and rounding off the trip is Fabrizio Siano's 'Control Your Emotions,' a poignant, late-night burner that delivers introspection through rhythm.

Review: Formerly known as AI Robot, Calin Dumitrescu refound his human side under his own surname as alias, having found residence in local labels Atipic, Particular and Unutrei since 2020. His debut for Myriad Records finds the third EP in the UK label's catalogue, with the headshaking chords and feverish acids of 'Acid E' helping synthesise a pharmaceutical drug we didn't know could or should exist, while 'Lucid Dream Gone Fucked Up' implies the necessary disturbance of a dream we'd never want to wake up from, by the intrusion of mechanic breaks, spy-vs-spy basses and creepazoid pads. The final two, ending on the perc-heavy 'Play Pause', contrast the A with a celebratory mood.

Review: Astonishingly, 18 years has now passed since Gilles Aiken - probably more celebrated these days for his work under the alternate Desert Sky alias - first offered up off-kilter tech-house tracks as Edward. Last year, he impressed with a wonderfully deep and unctuous EP on deep house imprint Smallville; here, he makes his bow on another must-check label, Kalahari Oyster Cult. In keeping with the imprint's love of all things trippy and otherworldly, opener 'Tentacle' sees him wrap chiming lead lines, psychedelic synth motifs, weird noises and layers of percussion to a chunky, locked-in house groove. Aiken then goes off piste via a skewed, druggy and at times dreamy tech-house remix of Trybet's 'Moodsetter'. Arguably best of all though is impossible-to-pigeonhole flip-side 'Dr Octo', which is immersive, unsettling, tactile and eccentric in equal measure.

Review: The Space Trace label keeps quality high with this fourth outing on wax. Eric Os is on the button for this one with 'Underworld' first to lure you into its world with gently broken bets and moody pads setting an eerie tone. 'Stereophysical' is more jacked up with fizzing synth lines and warped pads over future house beats and 'Elusive' bringing some trance energy to its flashy, bright synths. 'Electrodreammachine' is a wonky electro workout with withering sci-fi motifs, puling synth sequences and raw hits. 'Feeling Real' and 'Cherry Red' complete the EP with more blends of house, electroclash and sleazy guitar riffs.

Review: London label ENDZ marks its 60th edition with Scottish producer Gaskin at the helm, a man who's been steadily making his mark with a knack for raw, no-nonsense club cuts. This is peak-time energy - the opener 'Inspired Eyes' moves like a coiled spring, tight percussion snapping against a rolling low-end that feels primed for sweaty basements and strobe-lit corners. 'No Limits' ups the ante, all rugged bass pressure and crisp two-step momentum, while 'Across The Globe' takes a wider, more dynamic swing, fusing its punchy grooves with restless movement. ENDZ has always been about stripped-back, high-impact club music, and this latest entry is no exceptionia sharp, unfussy dose of dancefloor damage.

Review: Hastings-born prog/tech veteran Danny Howells' latest foray into the world of house music proves once again why he's a staple of the scene. Lead track 'Powershow' is a sprawling 12-minute exploration that encapsulates everything great about houseideep, soulful, yet endlessly driving. Following that is 'Stereodrama,' which shifts gears slightly, upping the ante with a raucous, percussive workout. It's a perfect reflection of Howells' deft touch for crafting emotionally resonant yet unrelentingly danceable moments. Finally, there's 'Earthlings X,' a track that might have been created years ago but still feels entirely of the moment. Despite being Danny's first release for Selador, it's aged like fine wineiits ever-present freshness matching its ability to still sound like a future classic. It's the kind of cut that seems to embody everything Howells stands for, the perfect intersection of intelligence, energy, and soul. Sounding both timeless and cutting-edge this is another feather in his already many-feathered cap.

Review: Veteran Russian producer Andrey Loud is back with another exploration of dancefloor minimalism with these three deep outings on Afterme. Precise production defines his style with tight drum loops and a warped bassline drawing you in while alien effects add the detail. A standout is the Ki.Mi. remix of 'Humanity' which reimagines the original with an extra bump in the drums and dry, textured hits. 'Shadow Tree' is a shimmering melange of silvery snares and hits with loopy bassline phrases perfect for cosy club spaces. 'Illustration' is a more introverted close with pensive pads and a moody atmosphere for the wee small hours.

Review: Romanian artist Mihai Pol has the honour of serving up the first outing on Griffith and brings his signature atmospheric minimalism to the fore. His sound is both organic and immersive as evidenced by 'Nineteen' with its silky synth tones and wavy, stripped-back tech beats. It has a cheeky character that is replaced by a more dreamy and whimsical feeling in 'Lazer' which has soft harmonies and bubbly pads soothing the drums. 'Little Bit' gets more gritty with a kinetic kick and hit combo and percolating bass that gets more loose and acid-tinged as it unfolds. Last of all, 'Electric Night' shuts down with classy chords from dub techno, rippling melodies that melt off to the horizon and a heady vibe that gets you thinking.

Review: Lisbon's Hubble Recordings present their sixth release so far, keeping firm to their artist-specific EPs approach following brilliant releases from Kaesar, Costin RP, Miroloja, Octave and Alex Pervukhin. The latest is from tech house hurler Sublee aka Stefan Nicu, whose flight-booking impulse is as strong as ever, here having stopped over from far-flung Romania. After a string of both digital and vinyl stopovers, 'Personal Universal' appears as the pendular follow-up to 2024's Rawax debut 'Simple Two', bringing hugely doubled vocal cantata to a fervent acid build on the title track, while ensuers 'Simple One' and 'Laculesdesample' bring fidgety synth double bass and unorthodox percussions. A personal universe we'd never want to leave!

Review: Swayzak is a micro house, minimal and techno duo, aka James S Taylor and David Brown from the UK, whose name alone will get many older dancers hot under the collar. Their craft was second to none during their peak and here we get a reminder of that with a new outing on Rawax. 'Floyd' is a jazzy dancer with live claps, spinning hi-hats and louche grooves all topped with synthetic synths that never quit. 'Doobie' is a more deep sound with late-night headsy vibes. The drums are supple, the synths squeal and spoken word mutterings add a human touch. Two well-realised and effective cuts from Swayzak.

Review: After a years' hiatus, we're hit round the face with the return of Germany's Telum, as though a repressed memory had come back to haunt us. Making up chapter 13 in the Telum story, this big-hitter record compiles three unknown authorial knowns onto a bite-sized but palette-testing green label. 'Track 1' riffles away with its high-fantasy sound design, while 'Track 2' hurtles through implacable FM harmonics, and 'Track 3' mobilises the very same set of sounds for a brilliantly breathable, nocturnal knee-nudger.