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Review: Whoever is behind these STEDIT drops is striking upon pure gold, bringing a legitimately underground techno crunch to the pop edit practice. Having previously tackled the likes of Brandy & Monica and Ultra Nate, now two of the biggest pop divas of all time are getting some low down and dirty reworkings which tread the fine balance between earworm familiarity and the heads down moodiness of a locked-in dancefloor. 'Slow' becomes a slippery acid abstraction peppered with all kinds of sonic freakery, while 'Justify My Love' becomes a brooding, steadfast workout tipped towards the minimal crowd.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


Vade Mecum welcomes Soft Traffic for a debut release here and it is one that suggests the producer has a soft spot for the warm, deep and heady end of the dubbed out techno spectrum. Those are certainly all the words you would use to describe the quiet brilliance of opener 'Find Ya' (feat Prince Morella) which is icy cool and hypnotic. On the flipside, 'Night Drive' is another sublimely soft focus and supple techno roller with infinite horizons and milky pads that dissolve your soul. A superb debut.

Review: After many years turning out 12"s, Klasse Wrecks has decided to serve up a first-ever 10" and they give the honour to Mr. Ho. His '000 Baby' is a delightfully widescreen sound - a post-rave mix of comedown electronics, dusty breakbeats and soothing ambient pads with some smart vocal samples drifting like wispy clouds. On the flipside, we're treated to and OM Unit remix that beefs things up and speeds up the drums. The percussion too is more defined and the energy levels ramped up with deft 808 bass and searching acidic leads. A nice yin to the A-side's yang.

Review: The Det 313 label is kicking off the new year with a bang and dropping a pair of brilliant new EPs on the same day in late January. This one is a reissue of the esteemed Gary Martin's 'Pimping People In High Places' on 10". It's the Woodword Ave alternative mix that kicks off and is a rough and ready percussive techno looper with hefty basslines underlapping and propping up the floor. 'The Medusa Touch' is a more wily and synth laced-late night jaunt with mystic energy and acid details that make it a deep and dramatic cut with real dynamism.

Review: We'd be hard pushed to think of any labels out there right now that are doing a better job of serving up deliciously deep and detailed dub techno than Echo LTD. For this one, the in house crew takes care of a pair of sublime new sounds that take you to the ocean floor and keep you there. 'Echo From The Outer World' opens with gently echoing chords pacing about the mix over a rolling and rubbery low end with shards of light beaming down from above as if the sun has just shone through some clouds. 'Minimalism In Dub' takes things back even further with more liquid rhythms and smooth drum rotations. So good.

Review: It's hard to refer to Cocoon without calling it 'mighty' because the now 20+ year old label run by Sven Vath is one of European techno's most prominent. It is synonymous with colourful parties all over the world but still does a great job of serving up fresh sounds too. Two mainstays combine for this one with Defekt and Extrawelt cooking up 'Cell Sync' which is dark and menacing, with rigid drum loops and menacing synths. 'In The Space Of' has more molten synth modulations layered up to a ghoulish effect over slamming drums. It's peak time stuff, for sure.

Review: Chivalry returns to their own self titled label with another two track techno EP that is straight business. It comes on 10" and features a pair of untitled tracks which speak to the pure dedication to the music that Chivalry has always shown. The A-side is couched in dub, with fleshy low ends and plenty of reverb adding real weight to them sooth drum loops. A fancy synth lead up top brings subtle cosmic hints as the echoing hits ring out to infinity. On the flip is a more dark and physical track with dusty breakbeats churned up next to a rasping synth loop and slapping snares. Two tasteful and effective tracks.

Review: This new and unique one-sided 10" is a companion to the PMA EP by B-2DEP'T released on this Saisei label earlier in the year. It's as raw and frazzled as electro gets frankly, with B-2DEP'T heading off to the depths of the galaxy where snappy snares ride on crispy drum breaks. There are occult-like synth lines weaving their way in and out and a dark filtered vocal bring the menace and paranoid energy that keeps this one so enthralling. It's the second vital offering from this artist this year.