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Review: "As others subdivide and categorize we bring things back together, opening things up more freely and allow a closer connection to the music that I love and the sounds and textures that many of my DJ sets journey through" That's how M_nus boss Ritchie Hawtin describes the ethos behind MinMAX, a new label compilation that draws together material from artists on the main label and offshoot PLUS 8 and offers plenty of minimal and maximal techno thrills - hence the title. This triple vinyl edition of MinMAX features a mixture of new and exclusive material from Mathew Jonson, Julien Jewel and Tripmasters along with more familiar tracks that feature on the more expansive CD and digital editions.

Review: Troy Pierce continues his mission up river into the heart of darkness, with arguably his most accomplished collection of tracks to date. Made up of music composed almost exclusively on the road, the "Gone Astray EP" is driven by choices and ideas that would not normally have surfaced in a typical studio environment. It's an innovative, ambitious project, not least because it tackles so many abstract themes in one sitting, often taking more than one mix to fully explore the hidden pathways that disappear off into this dense catacomb of sound. Minus present this deluxe package.

Review: Of the continuing themes found throughout the music released on Minus, one constant exploration is the relationship between sound and silence. Within the stripped down but dimensional outcome there exists a polarity that is neither controlled nor accidental, where life imitates art in between the notes. The act of finding inspiration from a sonic molecule or the inaudible space around that element is the nature of expansion and contraction. This is an excellent compilation.