Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Emerald's 25th outing takes the form of another superb compilation with four artists who have already released on the label and plenty of new names making an equally good impression. ANNE kicks off with the deep, thudding kicks of 'Coral Reefs' complete with lush hits to smooth the groove. There is more weight and intensity to the oversized hi-hats ringlets on Mike Konstantinidis's 'Apocalypse', DJ Plant Texture layers in plenty of gritty and grime to his gritty 'Swingers' and Jarrod Yeates goes for a twisted after-party vibe on his intense and unrelenting 'Sesh Gremlin', with many more highlights besides.

Review: OMEN Recordings's next release is a big one that unites Axkan and Duellist on the same slab of wax. They take care of one side each and we're told the inspiration for their sounds was making a "shared response to the turmoil of global conflicts." Duellist kicks off and suggests with his offerings that he is anxious, unsettled and in fight mode because 'Oxidative Stress' is front-foot techno with monstrous bass energy. 'Stains Of Time' is another one with brash drums and perc and plenty of tension, then Axkan offers the hypotonic loops of 'Warfare' and broken beat menace of 'Thermobaric.

Review: Menacing EBM and dark synth billows from a Netherlands hinterland; our heralds speak of an esoteric encampment by the name of Espectro Oculto, said to be the remote incantators of an unstoppable curse in sound. Six shadowy emissaries have been sent to spread the pestilence; Trenton Chase, Martial Canterel, DJ Nephil, Exhausted Modern, Fragedis and Happy707. Clearly, the faction have recruited only the best, trusted and yet most nefarious of spies from as far-flung regions as Czechia and Argentina in the administering of such a sordid sonic plague. We're left most quivery at the centrifugal doom drones of Exhausted Modern's 'Fear Of Focus', across whose breakdown banshees are heard wailing and snarling, and Fragedis' 'Landing In Reality', a lo-fi techno freakout and sonochemical anomaly, channeling militant two-way radio samples and hellish FM synthesis.

Review: Dagobert & Kalson deliver the third instalment of their serial Stellar Mode project, which sticks out like a rogue planet amid a sea of drab and unremarkable stylistic orbiters. This four-track cosmic fulguration consists of two tracks by each artist, and is notable for its ultra-glossy action-packed ambient breaks content; they've just done something wonderfully extra to the sound here, treating each element like exoplanetary objects of study and refinement. As Kraftwerkish sequences and ambient soundscapes collide with planetary ring systems of bass and plucksynth, what's not to love here?

Review: Dajusch brings the rave to CROWD here with some feral techno beaters that will get floors going mental. 'No Mas' is lit up with euphoric vocals and trance-y pads that are impossible to ignore. 'Ambition' has barreling beats that fizz with texture and are topped by nimble chords that dance about the mix. 'Split' is another one overflowing with energy and dusty analogue edges while '36G' shuts down with a tunnelling lead and bouncy low end. This is full fat techno with real machine soul.

Review: Here is the third and final chapter of the 'Systema Naturae' series on Berlin-based 012, with fresh deep techno visions from newcomers such as Daniel(i) from Belgium (Whispering Signals) who ventures into foreboding and murky territory on the off-kilter journey of 'Carabus', and there's the return of Greek producer Alex Tomb who gets into some hypnotic minimal techno on 'Paradisaea'. Elsewhere, Leipzig-based Kontinum pushes into full mental overdrive on the strobing cut 'Octandria' and finally you have the collaboration between Mary Yuzovskaya and label head Claudio PRC titled 'Marmor' which perfectly nails that ethereal Sound Of Rome vibe.

Review: Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun unite for a bold four-tracker here that draws on all their decades of experience to push the boundaries of trance and techno. This self-titled release is nostalgic without sacrificing innovation and opens with 'Find The Missing Letter,' a dub-tinged techno builder with hypnotic synths. 'Digits' follows with relentless beats and dark, robotic energy. The sultry 'Do It All Night' anchors the EP with a seductive groove, while 'Ants' closes with mid-tempo warmth and acidic undertones. Combining Darwin Chamber's engineering expertise and DJ Spun's club culture mastery, this one is perfectly pitched for dancefloor mayhem.

Review: Trident is dropping a couple of top EPs this month. One is from Derrek Carr, and one is this double white 12" that finds Deltamaxx and O En One join forces. They take us on a storytelling trip through cosmic techno that varies in mood and tempo. 'Conexxion' rides a nice rubbery, bumpy groove with incidental and wispy synth sounds, then 'Delta Pavonis' seems to soundtrack a beach party up amongst the stars. There are darker, more heady cuts like 'Donnager' and icy electro cinematics on 'Isonoe' to make for a worthy collection of sounds that work on the dancefloor and beyond.

Review: Much loved doom monger emo kids Depeche Mode have always been ripe for remixing by new generations of electronic music artists and so it is that there 'My Favourite Stranger' gets a series of re-rubs here on Columbia. Tech house mainstay Boris Brejcha remixes first and elongates the grooves with mournful pads up top. The Ela Minus remix of the same tune brings some extra textured and darker moods and the best is saved till the last if you ask us. The Lond Island Sound remix is high speed and tinged with electro synth work as the moody vocals echo about the mix to trippy effect.

Review: Seb Taylor is a veteran of the UK's coastal psychedelic and goa trance circuit, operating under many a name but none doing so much justice to the sound as that which came out as Digitalis. Madrid's Organic Signs know this, and have set about paying tribute to Taylor's influence with a sequel release to 1998's The Third State LP. Its psycho-spiritual successor, The Fourth State now makes up a pair, both of which are ascendant trance trouncers, aural aids for the psychonaut music fan's life's work of escaping systems of global social control.

Review: DIMDJ's newest 12" seamlessly fuses techno, electro to ambient and house, with opener 'Next On Next' proving to be a deep, heavy analogue production that features expertly sequenced toms and rave-inspired claps, creating a rich, driving beat. 'The Path' follows with its electro-machine aesthetic, brimming with mechanical warmth and rhythmic intricacy. 'Cashe' rounds out the side with vintage electro-funk vibes, blending futuristic melodies with timeless grooves. Side-2 shifts into more atmospheric territory. '10th Of May' is a dreamy balearic gem, wrapping ambient house textures in a sun-soaked haze. 'Crash' slows the pace, offering heavily processed downtempo with a reflective, cinematic feel. The EP closes with 'Ampi 00 Patern', a haunting piece of alien ambience, evoking the eerie stillness of a distant, uncharted planet. An inspiring journey through DIMDJ's artistry, weaving diverse moods and styles into a very enjoyable trip into melodic electronic music.

Review: Named after the classic Czech sci-fi animated film of the same name, veteran producer DIN returns as the nextmost focus of the Coming From Returning To label, who offer up a fresh reissue of his 1992 techno classic. Then five good years into the alias (DIN was formed in 1987), producer Pupka Frey began making his distinct brand of electro-disko as a personal exploration of futuristic and analog dance textures. This EP is an 'artificial' alt soundtrack to the movie, which was otherwise histrionic and over-funky for the tastes of most techno enjoyers. Highlights here have got to be the glassy 'B-Minis' and the opening 'Travesty' (the tune's ironically anything but).

Review: You might well have caught two thirds of Dina Summer lurking around modern minimal wave circles as Local Suicide, but now they're pressing on into further sinister synthscapes as Dina Summer. Following their standout debut LP Rimini in 2022, the trio are back with a seductive new EP that sees them strutting into 2024 with some of their best material to date. The synth hooks on 'Unter Strom' are towering triumphs of pop-minded sound design, with some discernible Italo throb happening in the low end. 'All Or Nothing' is a fierce and formidable peak time slammer, while 'Excess' is the kind of supersized electro-goth workout you'd equally expect from Miss Kittin & The Hacker.

Review: More funk for your trunk! Brussels most provocative player DJ Elephant Power stampedes back into the mix with more subversive, fully uncategorisable gold. Pick a genre, any genre and we guarantee you won't be thinking of what's here as we gently melt from the nifty ravey breaks the opening title track to the sleepy, woozy tension of the finale cut 'Infinity'. In between we have bumping bewitching house ('I Got You') and strange slow-mo electro ('Shades'). Thinking of sleeping on this? Tusk tusk tusk on you.

Review: The DJ Producer goes in hard here with a special one-sided 12" that uses all of its almost 11-minute lay time to pack in as many hardcore references, sounds and motifs as possible. It is a head-spinning, ear-tickling medley of legendary status that comes as a massive tribute to DJ Hellfish and the 100th release of his Deathchant label.
It's an absolute bomb of a tune, packed with energy and intensity, rave sirens, caustic pads, distorted bass and chopped-up shout-outs. Brilliantly mad.

Review: After over 20 years of collaboration, Reggie Dokes and Red D continue their musical journey with a new release on Reggie's renowned Psychostasia label. Their first joint EP was released on Red D's We Play House Recordings and launched the label's celebrated U.S. Series. On this latest offering, Reggie showcases his signature deep house style with melancholic tones and solid beats adding up to a timeless deep house vibe. Meanwhile, Red D channels his Detroit roots into a swinging techno track reminiscent of Scan 7 and featuring a vocal homage to an Underground Resistance classic. It don't get much more authentic than this.

Review: Belgian techno bossman Insider has unveiled a masterful remix of the equally iconic Belgian classic by Dr Phibes, aka Bruno Sanchioni from Age Of Love, on the esteemed Diki Records Classics label. This exclusive 12" showcases two distinct versions on nice white vinyl: a high-energy, pulsating techno mix and a deeper, UK-inspired interpretation. Both capture the era's essence and have been crafted akin to the way that producers from techno's golden age wild, but with a contemporary edge. First class tackle to get modern floors in a big old state.

Review: After lurking on the internet as an outlet for Dreamlogicc's solo and collaborative work, cheeky Peak Time Dance Music launches its physical imprint with a half dozen tracks of drum-driven madness. Drawing raw rhythms and rugged sound design from gqom, integrating elements of electro, grime, and techno, these flexible beats absolutely stomp. While the core sound remains, the moody grooves from his Kimochi Sound releases and bassy halftime from Main Drain Studios take the back seat here: it's a 12" for the club.

Review: Dsum's latest outing Double Distance on Back Door comes on clear vinyl and is another celestial electro voyage. Opener 'Protons' has all the energy of the particles it is named after while 'Running Around' is a deft blend of melancholic chords and silky electro drums. The title cut is an introspective one with pristine electro soundscapes imbued with plenty of thoughtful pads and a touch of acid. 'Nebula' takes off a little more of a pace but never forgoes gorgeous ambient melodies and closer 'Silent Spreaders' is a suspensory bit of interplanetary ambient with synth sequences riding up and down the scale to beautiful effect.

Review: The House Of Web is a new project that brings together music with a range of international origins across two EPs. They feature material originally by Takuya Sogimoto on this label in 2020 and 2022 as well as some unreleased cuts from 1994 and 1995. Dynamo Dreesen & Robotron go first as Dynatron ahead of a debut solo EP on SUED that is due soon. Then comes Dresvn aka Dynamo Dreesen & SVN, YPY aka Koshiro Hino from Osaka and a member of the Japanese band Goat, plus the next level beat maker A Made Up Sound. All four of these cuts offer superbly fresh takes on techno.

Review: Shout out to Greek powerhouse Kinesthetik Recordings for making it all the way to a half a century of releases there. They celebrate in the best way they know - with more tranced-out sounds from artists in their orbit. Giorgio & Andreas open things up with 'Nice One' and its thudding tech drums and cosmic synth lines. Diskinesia gets much more raw and moody with the edgy drums of 'Back & Forth' and Interphase then drops a pair of industrial tech thumpers. Giorgio & Andreas reappear with a raw, roughshod and deep groove and Marcelino Sanchez's 'Motive One' offers dub techno to close.

Review: The young but already impressive Headset label is back with a third outing and it is a various artists affair with a distinctly futuristic edge. Kami O's 'Blutak' rides on lurching rhythms that sway up and down with great force as percussion percussion and wiry electronics bring it to life. smiff's 'Blinker' is a broken beat with thudding kick and hits and clanging metallic sounds while Sweet Philly's 'Acid Siren Tool' is a raved-up jam ready to blow up the dance floor. Dubmonger & 9 Tails Fox tap into an old school,. high energy judge sound with darting rhythms and drilling sub bass nailing you to the floor on 'No Profit.'

Review: AD 93 is fast approaching a century of releases and helping them on their way is this fresh 12" from TSVI and DJ Plead. It brings plenty of bouncy to the party with elastic opener 'Triple It' layering up big kicks and hits with playful bass. 'Swanky' is another blend of Afro rhythms and UK funky, fizzing synths and heavy bass and 'Gallop' picks up the pace with a more lithe and loopy groove. 'Breath Work' flips the script with Eastern string melodies and percussive beats and 'Twos & Fours' is a fourth and final fantastically inventive sound that will stand out in any set for all the right reasons.

Review: Phonotheque Records presents Juan Dairecshion (a pseudonym of Juan Bozzolasco) with 'El Metodo' for its eighth release, laying down an extremely well-crafted, tenebrous techno, house and tech house spine-tingler for the sensitive ear come nervous system. The Uruguayan producer is said to possess a broad range, flaunting an ability to indulge both club-ready rhythms and darker, deeper moments, and this is more than laid bare on the exposition 'Low Pression', coining a brilliant new cognate of "pressure" while opting for a kickless, sinister tension, its space-age SFX and eerie percussions landing the tune somewhere between Roswell and a New York alleyway. Things get more orthodox from there, though the record never once lets up on its eerie dance dramatics; 'Nostalgico', 'Re-progre', 'UBM' and 'It's All About Love' are the increasingly ethereal highlights among them, as the record grows weirder and weirder, hollower and hollower.

Review: Minimal wave pioneer Das Ding aka Danny Bosten is back after ten years on Electronic Emergencies with a nicely curated collection of archival tracks sourced from early 80s tape recordings. Working with friends in a bedroom studio in the Dutch countryside, Das Ding crafted raw, experimental music with cheap analogue equipment that drew on new wave, early EBM and proto-techno. Listening back now these sounds are unmistakably Das Ding and this clear vinyl pressing preserves the original lo-fi atmosphere with meticulous remastering by Ruud Lekx. A real triumph of the DIY spirit of the era.

Review: Marie Davidson's sixth studio album finds her collaborating with Belgium bossmen Soulwax - previously responsible for the massive rework of her 'Work It' track - and Pierre Guerineau. It follows her fiery single 'Y.A.A.M. (Your Asses Are Mine)' and the intense club track 'Contrarian' and marks a return to the dance floor but reimagined with the artist's signature sense of evolution. Blending the techno punch and spoken-word edge of Working Class Woman with the melodic pop structures of Renegade Breakdown, City of Clowns delivers a striking sonic fusion that is inspired by her pre-pandemic roots yet shaped by fresh antagonism, all while Davidson confronts a new foe: Big Tech.

Review: Scott Monteith returns with his first solo Deadbeat album in five years having recently collaborated with the likes of Sa Pa, Om Unit and The Mole. As ever, Monteith's long-standing dedication to dubwise experimentation drives his music forward on this new set, and there are some welcome threads that run further back in his career. 'Brick Stick Blick Blade (Anger II)' features a vocal flow from Black Noble Oluokun, who first collaborated with Monteith on the 2007 album Journeyman's Annual. That's but one standout element in an album rich with soundsystem immersion and techno propulsion delivered with the meditative poise that we always expect from Deadbeat.

Review: Some 24 years into his career, we know exactly what to expect from Scott Monteith AKA Deadbeat - namely trippy, off-kilter techno heavily informed by dub, underpinned by rhythms that frequently eschew the obvious. Inspired dually by the "five stages of grief" and "the act of speaking one's thoughts aloud alone by oneself", Kubler-Ross Soliloquies - his first solo set in five years - has a defined structure and purpose, within which Monteith giddily goes in all manner of different but loosely connected directions. Compare and contrast, for example, the moody, twisted steppers-techno of 'With Grand Trepidation (Acceptance I)', the hypnotic, spoken word-sporting deep dub techno of 'Huey Lewis Voters Dub (Negotiation)', the skittish headiness of 'Tough Love (Anger I)', and the polyrhythmic, Livity Sound-esque 'The Double Bong Cloud (Denial I)'.

Review: M>O>S Recordings are no strangers to the long player format, having previously issued impressive long players from D'Marc Cantu and Morphosis, but with the label surpassing ten years of activity it feels the right time for founder Aroy Dee to grace us with his own debut album. If you've read up on Dee you'll know he's also an architect with a specific interest in the sprawling structures of Asian cities and this has bled into the aesthetic of MOS as a whole; it's certainly present on Sketches with his own city based illustrations adorning the cover art and an urban sensibility running through his productions here. A doleful serenity is present throughout much of Sketches, though tracks such as "City of Others" and "Ashes To Ashes" fit snugly into the canon of great MOS floor burners.

Review: Swiss-born Deetron (aka Sam Geiser) unveils his debut album 'Twisted' on Belgium's esteemed Music Man imprint. As proven by his constantly expanding catalogue of productions, Deetron is capable of creating tracks that sit happily within the context of a DJ set (something he understands very well), whilst avoiding landing in the often throwaway category of 'DJ tools'. As with many of the more dynamic turntablist-styled techno and house DJs, Deetron took his early cues from hip-hop, before being won-over by the early sounds of Chicago and Detroit. His DJing - then still in its infancy - followed this influence, steering his 'career' in a more 4/4 direction - eventually landing him a resident spot at reputed Zurich club, Trax. Deetron's production career developed in tandem, as is often the case. Early work for labels such as Phont and Intec through the late nineties and 2000, saw Deetron finding his audience (including a string of International club jocks) and developing his own sound. In the last few years, Sam's production touch has graced labels including Cosmic (as Karakter), Ongaku (the 'Lorraine EP'), SLS and the classic Detroit styled 'Miss Suave' on Intec which has become a dancefloor anthem all over the world. Born in Bern, Switzerland, music was a constant in the Geiser family home. Sam's father's activities as a jazz musician ensured that he was surrounded by music from a very early age, sewing the seeds of his own musical interests. But it was hip-hop that encouraged this to flourish into an active involvement in music, during his teens. Sam soaked-up the music of Gangstarr, A Tribe Called Quest and Prince Paul like a sponge and was quick to realise the role of the turntable within this context, taking up DJing in 1992. Early hip-house producers, such as Todd Terry, also captured his attention and Sam began to make the transition to more 4/4 orientated sounds - picking up on the now classic output of Chicago and Detroit based electronic musicians and introducing this into the sets he was, by now, playing around his home town, and further a field in Switzerland. A meeting with Stefan Riesen, head of the fledgling Phont music, led to the release of Deetron's first single - as Soulmate, in 1997 but possibly the most fruitful partnership of his career so far is that with Belgium's Music Man label. Beginning with the 'Dolls For a Diva' 12" in 2001, and including several more 12"s and a superb mix CD that acts as ample testament to Sam's skills behind the turntables, Deetron now releases his first artist full length album. Combining Sam's love of house, classic techno, electro, Latin and jazz influences, 'Twisted' is a beautiful journey through an electronic landscape littered with orchestral sweeps, delicate pads, sublime Robert Owens-esque vocals, dancefloor beats and heart tugging strings. Featuring guest appearances from Subject Detroit's DJ Bone, LA based singer Ovasoul 7, vocalist and guitarist Justin Chapman, who is also one-half of the Atlanta-based DJ/production duo KemeticJust and the one and only Paris The Black Fu from the Detroit Grand Pubahs 'Twisted' is a dancefloor journey from beginning to end. From the opening bass rumble of 'Twisted Memories' to the old school Chicago vox stylings of 'Life Soundtrack' and the Drexciyan wiggle of 'Isotope' to the demented refrains of 'The Afterlife', Deetron shows us that techno can still conjure moments of beauty whilst still keeping us on the dancefloor.

Review: Dettinger's Oasis, originally released in 2000, is an ethereal symphony of ambient textures and minimal techno. Its unique blend of orchestral elements, effects, and occasional beats creates a captivating and strangely peaceful sonic landscape. Each track offers a hypnotic journey. 'Oasis #2' pulsates with a gentle rhythm, while 'Oasis #3' transforms Balearic melodies into grainy memories. 'Oasis #4' showcases Dettinger's experimental side, merging techno with abstract soundscapes, while 'Oasis 6' infuses dub influences, adding a touch of warmth and groove. The album's appeal lies in his ability to fuse the organic and the electronic. Orchestral swells soar above pulsating synths, creating a sense of drama and allure. The result is a sonic oasis that transports listeners to a realm of serenity and wonder. Fans of Wolfgang's Voigt's Gas project or labels like Mille Plateaux, Staubold, RasterNoton and others may already know this masterpiece, but if you don't, then do not miss this.

Review: Die Sexual exist in the world of Adult, of Gary Numan on a night out at Kit Kat Club, Cabaret hedonism, phallic and yonic electronic beats, rhythms and other noises. Elektro Body Musique, the title a play on electronic body music, or EBM to the cool kids, takes the bull by the horn with savage, hyper-lascivious futurist club music that makes you feel like the voyeur and objectifier in equal measure. 11 tracks owe as much to dystopian cold wave as electroclash and synth pop, basslines warbling and bouncing beneath blunt instrument kick drums and savage key stabs, all topped with the kind of energy-inducing snares we often worry were left in the glory days of these sounds. Immediately dark, alluring, and suggestive, it's a strong case for giving in to temptation.

Review: Digregorius is back on the My Own Jupiter label with an adventurous double album that features plenty of rather epic electro workouts. Many of them even have adventurous track titles such as opener 'Morfogenesis Incluye Yachay & Monada Y Pleuroma', which is a dark and broody scene setter that drops you deep into outer space. 'Vegetal' has intriguing melodies and busy rhythms flecked with Latin percussive flair and soundtrack motifs. 'Invierno Mesmerizing Incluye Nocturnalia Y Session De Espiritismo' is a mind warping mix of talk box vocals, chattery drums, busted kick and wonky synths. The hard to define madness continues across a land more wild and wonderful electro experiments.

Review: Back in the autumn of 2023, Bedrock co-founder John Digweed delivered Futuro, a four-disc mix made up entirely of new and unreleased music. On this two-disc sequel, 20 of those tunes get the remix treatment, with Digweed presenting them via a pair of typically smooth, evolving journey style DJ mixes. It's typical Digweed/Bedrock fare all told - think deep, immersive and gently melodic blends of 21st century progressive house, tech-house, deep house and (whisper it quietly) colourful neo-trance. There are some surprises though, such as the dub-flecked, tops-off techno hyonotism of Digweed and Nick Muir's rework of David Morales' 'Diridim', Spencer Brown's gorgeous and tactile revision of 'Alraegadir' by Rodriguez Jr, and Loz Goddard's progressive breaks re-build of Digweed and Muir's 'Futurascent'.

Review: If you like acid, and you like it deep, then keep reading. Dircsen has put together an album of just that for Gated across four sublime sides of wax. Helical Structures operates at the intersection of those sounds and more, with a range of different tempos explored from the unhurried 'Fragments' which spits out random hits and has a nice lo-fi edge to the more high pressure acid of 'Helical Structures' with its undertone of bass lead menace. 'Jack In The Head' is a more classic acid cut with nods to the Chicago pioneers and 'Synthetic Rhythm' (Know Where mix) is perfect for both body and head.

Review: Drivecom's latest release, a 2xLP album, feature new tracks meticulously reworked from 2022-23. This collection is a sonic homage to past works like La Hora de las Maquinas and The Source by Boris Divider, yet it features a modern production twist. The album kicks off with 'The Way You Feel Me,' blending electro and synthwave with moog bass and arpeggios reminiscent of Arpanet. Following this, 'Letters From A Sleeper' evokes a postnuclear future with its prominent synthline. 'Distante' introduces slower BPMs, combining J. Carpenter-inspired synths with vintage digital rhythms. On Side-2 'You Know What I Know' recalls the signature sound of La Hora de las Maquinas with its sequential prophet's arpeggio. 'Sin Mirar Atras' stands out as a deeply introspective piece rich with vintage synths and reverb. 'Your Light' reappears as a future electro classic. 'Recursos Infinitos' offers a Tangerine Dream-esque instrumental interlude before the dark, dystopian 'Cenital' channels Vangelis' Blade Runner. The title track, 'Memories From The Dust,' merges 80s digital keyboard sounds with the album's overarching themes. The closing track, 'Out of Sync,' features intentionally misaligned synthlines recorded in one take.

Review: Although instalments are few and far between (the last one dropped eight years ago), Terrence Parker's From The Far Future album series contains some of the Detroit veteran's finest work. The latest volume - Part 3, fact fans - continues this trend, mixing weightless, deep space ambient with a wealth of Afro-futurist techno and tech-house works that make great use of impeccably programmed, loose-limbed rhythms, twisted synth lines, and aural textures that are genuinely cinematic in sound and vision. The plentiful highlights include warehouse-ready club cuts 'Unconditional Love', 'Spectrum of Light' and 'Out of Darkness', and the ambient sprawl of 'Remarkable Wanderer'. Sci-fi techno at its finest.

Review: DJ Bone is a Detroit titan. He plays on the decks with high energy and next-level skill that few can match - which is why they call him the Terminator. He pulls no punches in the studio either, crafting all killer no-filler club weaponry as exemplified here by his new album Further. This is top-level techno on his own Subject Detroit label with lashings of machine soul, futuristic ideals and evocative atmospheres. Some cuts sink into deep inner grooves and take you on a mindful trip and some are more wildly expressive, but all of them bang in the club.

Review: DJ Cypher pops up on our radar for the first time here and the indelible mark he makes too. This new album is visceral and coruscated electro funk with dark low ends and ripping acid lines all making it a high-impact assault on your senses. 'Freetwo' in particular is devilishly potent and textured. 'Second Voice' is a barrage of kinetic drum programming and throbbing bass and 'Freeone' is a silky, lithe workout with slamming hits and alien bass energy. Brilliant stuff.

Review: To mark 15 years since its original release, DJ Hell's landmark Teufelswerk long player returns as a very collectable limited edition triple vinyl set that also includes a poster of the original cover and a special hype sticker. When it was released in 2009, Teufelswerk made an immediate impact and over time has remained a pivotal work thanks to its brash and inventive collision of techno, ambient and experimental sounds. It features collaborations with artists like Bryan Ferry and explores the contrast between Day and Night so looks to, and does, balance euphoric dancefloor highs with immersive, cinematic atmospheres that make a longer-lasting impression. It's proven to be a timeless, genre-defying classic.

Review: DJ Shufflemaster (real name Tatsuya Kanamori) first saw fame with Tresor's release of the 'EXP' album all the way back in 2001, at a time when the Berlin clubbing institution was already aiming to shine a light on techno scenes beyond its own walls. Vastly ahead of its time, the tracks on the album (now once more called to our attention via this reissue) are what we'd have considered ourselves more liable to encounter in the UK in the mid-2010s; tracks like 'Onto The Body' have a broken beat feel to them, and many tracks verge quite readily off the edge of 4x4 kick drum orthodoxy. A compressed and washy techno album drawing on every influence from dub to Brummy sound.

Review: DJ Sotofett is one of those producers who operates on his own plane. His sounds are like no other, his ideas are weird and wonderful and his execution is always exceptional. He is a producer who does things in his own playful way and that bears out on this new 12-track album. It's couched in electro with 80s Nintendo console vibes and a fusion of analogue and digital synthesis that makes for a jubilant celebration. Along the way, things shift from acid-infected beats and catchy electronic pop to avant-garde electro cuts. Vital stuff.

Review: DJ Sotofett returns with a double 12" packed with eight hard-hitting, underground techno tracks. Featuring frequent collaborators LNS, L.A. 2000, Ronny Nyheim, and Zarate_Fix, this release is a direct nod to the no-nonsense techno nights at Berlin's iconic Tresor club, where Sotofett holds residency. Each track is crafted with pure dancefloor energy in mind, moving through dub-driven techno, acidic overtones, and percussive basslines, all delivered with a raw, uncompromising edge. WANIA mk1 is a masterclass in DJ-ready versatility, perfect for those who love their techno stripped back and potent. Standout cuts include the bombastic, percussion-heavy Preparation and the 909-vocoder-fuelled My Spirit Is In Techno Music, both of which exemplify the release's dedication to the underground essence of the genre. With alternative mixes from WANIA mk2 making an appearance, the album offers both continuity and innovation, keeping true techno fans hooked from start to finish. Sotofett's attention to detail in programming, mixing, and mastering is evident throughout, making this a must-have for DJs and clubbers who live and breathe the core of real, unfiltered techno music. WANIA mk1 isn't just an album; it's a statement for those who value authenticity in their club experience.

Review: J Trystero's Cantor's Paradis on Fergus Jones' FELT label is a 45-minute drift through ambient dub terrain that leaves you mesmerised. It draws on the spacious design of artists like Huerco S. and Civilistjavel!, and unfolds in a dreamlike haze of blurred melodies, submerged textures and subtle, ever-shifting rhythms. Trystero filters the DNA of '90s dub techno into soft, iridescent tones here to craft soundscapes that feel both ancient and futuristic. Tracks like 'Untitled 6' briefly emerge with dubby definition but the album thrives in ambiguity. It's a deeply immersive record that's hypnotic, calming and subtly emotive so perfect for late-night solitude or introspective mental wandering.

Review: Veteran electrohead and former artist on the Rephlex Records roseter DMX Krew's Ed DMX takes the well-known story by Jorge Luis Borges of The Library of Babel, said to contain all the different languages of the earth. Some deep philosophical thought has gone into the album's concept, but we'll leave that to Ed to explain. Instead, we'll tell you that from beginning to end there's plenty of the kind of trademark 80s synth playfulness in evidence, with a generally more mellow and soundtrack-related rather than frenetic and dancefloor-filling vibe in evidence, even on faster tracks like 'The Combed Thunderclap'. Still, Ed knows what he's doing when it comes to this kind of leftfield electro gear, and it's a rewarding, never boring listen.

Review: A sprawling, typically irreverent effort from the ever-prolific DMX Krew. With each unfolding track, Edward Upton charts a new tributary in the Detroit-Berlin-Sheffield pipeline, from the grouchy technoid stomp of 'Bathtime Bobby', to the hazy chillout room introspection of 'Escape To 92', to the dazzled machine funk of aptly named elektro quest 'Desperate Measures'. Another thoroughly satisfying entry in the ever-growing DMX catalogue, Spiral Dance is a sizzling hotplate of timeless electro wizardry.

Review: Dark Entries welcome back the inimitable Doc Sleep aka Melissa Maristuen for a superb new album of ghostly and ethereal house and techno. This is a welcome follow-up to last year's ambient and IDM exploration, Birds, and shows another side that draws on Maristuen's years of queer clubbing. It fuses aspects of New York house, Berlin techno and West-coast breakbeats and is "a love letter to the West Coast's magnificent natural landscape, the light of the Pacific sunrise." That is reflected in the sublime synths and silky rhythms which manage to both move your body but also captivate your mind. It's another cracking album from the Doc.

Review: Having previously mined Drexciya's back catalogue for four superb compilations (the Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller series), Clone has decided to reissue the Detroit electro legends' final studio album, 2002's Grava 4. It remains a superb set, moving between deep space explorations (the superbly atmospheric ambience of "Cascading Celestial Giants"), rolling, intergalactic electro ("Drexcyen Star Chamber"), intense dancefloor work outs ("Drexcyen R.E.S.T Principle"), glistening IDM ("Hightech Nomads"), and fusions of Sheffield bleep aesthetics and Cybotron style rhythms ("Gravity Waves"). In other words, you'll struggle to find a better electro album. If you don't own an original copy, you should grab this reissue sharpish.

Review: Released in 2002 as the Drexciya project was forced towards an untimely finish with the passing of James Stinson, Grava 4 remains a high-point in the legendary Detroit electro pioneers' catalogue. As ever, the magic of the record lies in the balance between experimental, provocative sound design and fully physical, instinctive machine funk. Stinson and Gerald Donald were able to say a great deal within the parameters of their project, and Grava 4 remains leagues ahead of what most people think electro can be. Just marvel at the likes of 'Gravity Waves', which feels like the truest representation of the genre without ever following a pre-existing formula.

Review: Vladimir Dubyshkin has released all of his music on Nina Kraviz's trip. There has been just five EPs over five years but in that time he has honed in on a fine signature sound and plenty of them have become underground hits. Now he serve su a fulsome scone statement in the form of this debut album. It is a fine and surreal journey through sound with his deft synth craft front and centre. There is plenty to love here from the Theism the Tank Engine them tune on acid that is 'The Rothschild Party' to the warped dub techno pop of 'Adrenochrome Breakfast' via the thrilling jungle closer 'We're Not In The Wonderland Anymore, Alice'.