Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Cristian Sarde (aka. Mamosato, Samo) teams up with fellow techno tussler Bakked for an off-piste non-label release, sharing inverse sides of a single furtive black label record. Veering minimal, moving, and moribund, both staples of the Italian dance musical underground share what is implied to be their deepest, darkest and most exclusive thoughts, strictly for heads only; 'Love Tea' is an unusual track, fusing an almost early-noughts dubstep wriggle against an otherwise taut house groove; a move we don't see coming. Bakked meanwhile brings 'Effect171', on which a raw MPC-style jam - pleated with analogue rimshots and backsliding chords - is sown as the underlying field line onto which a dreamy sampled vocal admission, "I don't mind talking about it", may be heard. Both artists sound to have indulged a weirder side to their crafts, hence the labelless aside, and we love to hear it.

Review: There are plenty of electro overtones to the brain of techno that Savtsenko kicks out here for his latest on Kinetic. 'Auto Pilot; is a raw, textural banger with corrugated basslines surging to the stars. 'Come Again' has hammering kicks and more slinky baselines this time with raw punk energy and 'Seductionizer' also brings great texture and a rather hellish vocal edge to slamming electro-techno low ends. There is no let up on 'Detox' with its slithering synth gurgles. A vivid and vicious EP, for sure.

Review: The third Trip release features extended acid narratives from SOUR, the mastermind behind Florence's Warehouse303 club. The producer invites you into his hard-hitting and 90s-referencing acid odyssey from the off, with 'Six Times Three' weaving intricate basslines, deep distortions, and mesmerising synths into something that hammers home the groove but is never austere. After that dancefloor delight, "Mainframe' delves deeper into trippy realms with more warped acid, subdued rhythms and fizzing synth textures. It's a superb exercise in making a maximal impact from minimal elements and is one that we thoroughly recommend.

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: Ste Roberts, under his STEDIT alias, has been building a reputation for taking beloved classics and flipping them on their head. This latest release is no exception. Two synthpop anthems, once the defining sound of an era, have been reimagined, reworked, and unleashed across dancefloors all summer. It's not about the big-room bombast or predictable edits that cater to easy thrills. No, Roberts is more nuanced than thaticrafting something that feels at once familiar and alien. The first rework, Depeche Mode's 'It's No Good,' is a masterclass in restraint. The track's dark undertones remain, but Roberts pulls it into a gritty, subterranean space. It's a slow burn, keeping the tension tight while the vocals float above a relentless, pulsing beat. Then comes the flipiHuman League's 'Don't You Want Me.' What was once pure pop joy is now something altogether darker, more elusive. Roberts has stripped it back, laying bare the iconic vocals against a stripped-down, funky groove that simmers beneath the surface.

Review: An up and coming producer and more known for his dub techno roots, Stojche shifts gears with three tracks of futuristic techno. Bringing a harder, more pounding techno sound to Mutual Rytm, the title track, 'Stomping Ground', hits with catchy chords and a strong, dancefloor-ready rhythm, complete with infectious hooks that keep energy levels high. Side-2 begins with 'Oberheim' a percussive, melodic builder with a heavy beat that captivates with its addictive groove and some gorgeously dynamic layering. The EP closes with 'Consequence', a spacey, floaty track that lays beats over a shimmering, providing an outstanding end to a great release.