Back in stock: Techno (All)

Review: ALIEN FM / RELEASED 1995 ......definitive original broadcast double LP From the minds of Keith Tucker and Blak Tony 430 West records / Direct Beat were pushing the Detroit techno and electro sound to new heights with the original members of Aux88 doing aliases from every member this gem is no exception. Keith Tuckers and Blak Tony's work from the early nineties are master classes on the art of doing something different conceptually and musically. Electronic vocals on this lp. are classic as Tucker and Tony show from the start with the Art of illusion.......and nightmare. Pulsating arps and infectious bass lines round out the first two sides. Side two Infinity and Optaphonic Opera gives you a window into the styles of what was to come from Optic Nerve. Keith Tuckers solo project. This double LP has been sought after for a very long time.......

Review: Earlier this week the label found a box of Aux 88's 2009 set Mad Scientist in a dusty corner of their warehouse. This was a stroke of luck because, quite simply, it's brilliant. At the time of recording, it was the legendary Detroit electro act's sixth studio set and marked their comeback from a four-year hiatus. Rugged, robust, sci-fi seeped and unashamedly Afro-futurist, the set combines occasional ambient interludes and funk-fuelled numbers with the kind of hard, aggressive, acid-fired electro hedonism that the Motor City outfit has always done so well. As a result, it should be considered one of their strongest albums, as well as an essential collection of throbbing, strobe-lit dancefloor cuts.

Review: One of the genre's funkiest groups, continuing where Cybotron, Model 500 and Drexciya left off and heading to a style all of their own, Aux 88 aka Tom Tom (Tommy Hamilton) and Keith Tucker (DJ name DJ K1) give two tracks from their classic 2009 album Mad Scientist an inaugural outing on vinyl, getting electro fans everywhere dribbling with instant Pavlovian desire in the process, no doubt. 'Voice Modulation' is slower, heavier and steadier, built around a shuddering b-line that anyone with a pulse will find hard to resist. 'Mad Scientist' the track, meanwhile, is faster and, with its vocoder-ed vocal delivery from Tucker, gives a good flavour of what makes the Michigan pair a vital live act as well as a legendary studio prospect.

Review: Detroit duo Aux88 always danced to a different drum than their Motor City peers, developing a ludicrously weighty trademark sound that put massive, mind-mangling analogue bass and gut-punching electro beats at the heart of the action. "Direct Drive", a 1995 release that has long been hard to find (hence this much-needed reissue), is one of the best examples of their distinctive sound. The title track (side A on this edition) is little more than a raw, thrusting bassline, snappy machine beats, spacey pads and occasional Kraftwerk samples, but it's brilliantly floor-friendly and brilliantly executed - Detroit body music for those who like their club cuts sub-heavy. Elsewhere, "Aux Express (DJ K1 Mix)" is a bouncy electro jam and the short "Bytes" tracks are wonky vocal samples for creative DJs.

Review: Analogue pressure from Bufobufo, who stops over in Japan for Cabaret Recordings after earlier international stints with Art Of Dark, Partout and Furthur Electronix. His second single for the label, founded by So Inagawa and DJ Masda, proffers a hypnotic blend, binarising the mood with the sliding melodes of 'Watercourse' and 'Armour Plated' with comparatively sparse and gritty perc-slaps of 'Wood Ant' and 'Cinnabar'. That strange but difficult-to-nail split between of hypnotic intrigue and immediacy is well and truly nailed.

Review: Tom Carruthers is a genuine prodigy - a prolific producer of undeniably excellent techno, electro and house music whose expertly authentic nods to dance music's shared part belie his youthfulness. He's released on L.I.E.S in the past but has mostly put out music on his own Non-Stop Rhythm label. Here he makes his bow on the reliable Craigie Knowes imprint with a predictably good four-tracker. Predictably he's delivered the goods, first joining the dots between Joey Beltram, Chiago jack and LFO on 'Rhythm Control (XTC Mix)', before layering mind-mangling analogue electronics atop a heavy TR-909 techno beat on 'Zeta Wave'. 'Revenge' is moody, rolling and hypnotic, while 'Psyche' sees him once again pay tribute to his favourite genre of all, turn-of-the-90s bleep & bass.

Review: Derral is a young and exciting producer based just outside Barcelona. But if you didn't know that and were to judge purely off his music then you would assume he was some Italian producer from the 90s who had been digging in his archives for some unreleased material. These are lo-fi, dreamy house tracks with a real sense of bang but also quality emotional depth. 'Tree Man' is particularly glorious with its neon details and old school piano chords while 'State of Mind' brings a touch of acid to a jacked up Chicago house beat.

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: DJ K-1's (Keith Tucker - AUX88) re-release for modern electro heads on the Direct Beat Classics label (including unreleased track from 95).

Review: Foehn & Jerome's Hermanngirl EP delivers four standout tracks perfect for house club sets. On Side-1, the title track 'Hermanngirl' offers a smooth blend of tech and minimal house, ideal for late-night or early-morning sessions. 'New Kontrol' follows with a techy, uptempo vibe and a wicked bassline that makes it a tech house bomb. Side-2 opens with 'Mrs Eleven' (Tell My Wife mix), which seamlessly blends techno and house with a catchy melody that will stay with you. The final track, 'He Was A Boy,' features an infectious acid line and a great bounce and bubble, making it a perfect dancefloor filler. This EP is excellent and ideal for fans of minimal and tech house. These underground tracks are what DJ's search for. Check these out!

Review: Helena Hauff's distinctive musical vision has made her one of techno and electro's most unique and celebrated selectors, and it's this side of her work that's showcased on "Kern Volume 5: Exclusives & Rarities", a triple-vinyl set that focuses on the numerous hard-to-find and previously unreleased tracks featured on her new DJ mix for Tresor. As you'd expect the quality threshold remains thrillingly high throughout, with Hauff focusing on fuzzy and scuzzy heavyweight slabs of electro, techno, ghetto tech and industrial-strength hardcore. Amongst the unreleased highlights are tracks from Umwelt, Machino, Galaxian, L.F.T and her good self (alongside Morah), while crate diggers will note the inclusion of rarities from Esoterik, Andrea Parker and David Morley, and DJ Godfather and DJ Starkski.

Review: Set your radars to the cosmos and prepare for intergalactic take-off at the hands of this new one from K1 and Marty Bonds on Puzzlebox. It's timeless and cinematic electro from the off, with 'Cosmic Flight' (K-1 Navigational mix) layering up neck-snapping drums and bass and squelchy acid lines for you to ride on. Add in some smart spoken words and you have dance floor fire of the highest order. The track also comes as a bass-paella on the flip, while 'To Fly' (Marty Bonds Interdimensional mix) is a more minimal electro cut with lush digital synthesis and smeared astral melodies.

Review: A sense of patient propulsion runs through this one, as Kozstum threads trance-adjacent synthwork through dubby, shuffling frameworks. 'Rasalhague' is all glowing pads and understated swing, while 'Tiaki' steps deeper into low-slung, post-tribal terrain, the drums barely rising above a whisper. 'Alien Agenda' ups the tension with its echo chamber atmospherics and slow acid seep, before 'Avior' opens out into a big-room closer i poised, melodic, and richly psychedelic. The German DJ's years behind the decks show in the pacing: each track keeps something in reserve, stretching the floor's energy rather than blowing it out.

Review: Millsart is an alias of Jeff Mills which the Detroit tech pioneer and cosmic ambient maestro uses to explore some of his most melodic sounds. 'Theme From Star Child' is a lush soundscape with rich piano chords and glowing synths all over a mid-tempo beat that is perfectly inviting. 'Satori' is more percussive with loopy drums and scintillating hi-hats dancing over the beats. 'Love Warrior' is a broken beat trip with orchestral melodies and sustained chords that all glow like distant stars. Last but not least is the jazz-dancer 'Starlight Trance Dancer' with its rippling keys bringing future soul to the supple rhythms.

Review: Optic Nerve's - or Keith Tucker's if you prefer - Fragments EP is the last of the year from the Puzzlebox label and is a lush and futuristic techno offering that lands on limited white vinyl. 'Linear Motion' is powered by a sleek and propulsive deep techno bassline with solid stabs and majestic arp sequences. 'Echoes' is just as dreamy in its melody but then becomes a hefty techno stomper and 'Metallics' brings rich bell sounds, peak time drums and real class to any DJ set. 'Sequence in Time' is the closer with its hyper speed, icy melodies and twisted synths all making for a scintillating sound.

Review: Coorreente Belgium delivers a compelling slice of modern techno with 'Interlink', a four-track compilation that dives deep into rhythmic exploration and sci-fi atmospheres. Each cut offers a unique perspective, yet together they create an excellent and cohesive experience. Orbe's 'Jaxa' kicks things off with a spacey, melodic groove. The track's sci-fi techno aesthetic is underscored by rhythmic intricacies, creating a sense of forward momentum through the cosmos. It sets the tone with a blend of dreamlike melodies and pulsing beats. 'Refraction' by PTTRNRCRRNT follows, venturing into tribal territory with creative, off-kilter rhythms. Alien-esque warning sounds weave through the mix, adding a sense of unease and mystery that keeps listeners on edge. On Side-2, Deluka's 'Axis' plunges into subterranean techno with a deep, hypnotic vibe. Elements of trance filter through crisp production, guiding the listener on a spacey, introspective journey that feels both grounded and ethereal. Jorge Flukso's 'Synaptic' closes the EP with a nod to classic underground techno. Its dynamic, brooding build recalls the raw energy of Surgeon's warehouse bangers. The track's evolving layers and relentless drive create a late-night atmosphere perfect for dark, crowded dance floors. 'Interlink' is a well-curated snapshot of techno's diverse spectrum, balancing the cerebral and the physical with finesse. If you are one that thinks techno has been over-saturated the last decade and that there is no good techno coming out anymore then I would check this EP out.

Review: UK rave pioneers Orbital are revisiting their early 'Brown Album' EPs with the launch of a new and ongoing Orbital LEDs ('Limited Edition Drops') series. These 12"s are being re-issued with newly commissioned artwork by Intro. This one was originally released in September 1992 and is one of the group's most famous because it contains their most iconic track 'Halcyon' which blurs ethereal vocals with hypnotic breaks that define 90s dance music and still get huge reactions to this day. The EP also includes 'The Naked and the Dead' which is a darker techno track, plus 'Sunday' and the previously unreleased dub version of 'The Naked and The Dub.' Essential.

Review: Priori's 'Pareidolia' EP proved a big hit so it makes sense that the Midgar label now drops a selection of remixes of it. The hi-fidelity master Forest Drive West delivers two remixes, including one mesmerising half-time twist up of 'Hazard' and a more slow, wonderfully murky techno workout. Montreal's Maara transforms 'Memory Palace' into a dub techno delight that will have you floating above the floor while Notte Infinita adds a seductive drum & bass vibe to the title track. Last but not least, Amsterdam's Upsammy brings a typically innovative and playful touch that makes 'Glass Shards' a lively rhythmic workout.

Review: Hallowed Ground is a six-track compilation that showcases the depth and variety of Detroit Techno, featuring renowned artists and fresh talents alike. Opening with Scan 7's 'Detroit Built The First Techno Museum,' the track sets a sophisticated tone, rooted in the city's rich musical history. Inohs Sivad's 'Sxerendade' follows with a house anthem highlighted by sultry vocals, adding a layer of sensuality. EM-i-Cee's 'Bounce Glxtch' offers a techy groove, providing a perfect transition to the flip side. AUX88's 'This Is What U Want' delivers crunchy electro beats that will resonate with fans of classic Detroit sounds. The compilation continues with Scan 7's 'I Am From Detroit' (Dre Brown remix), a fresh take that keeps the city's spirit alive. Man With No Name's 'Devil His Due' takes listeners on a Drexciyan electro journey, adding an intriguing edge. Scott Avery closes the set with 'Sxerenade' (Low-Key Seduction mix), wrapping up the compilation with a smooth, seductive vibe. Hallowed Ground is a compelling collection for any techno enthusiast.

Review: Luigi Tozzi is a revered techno artist who has a pretty special live show. The way he crafts that informs how he records in the studio which means his music always feels lived-in and impromptu - you never quite know how it is going to unfold. This new outing on Hypnos backs that up - it's full of lithe rhythms and dubby undertones, with ever-evolving synth lines up top taking on various aquatic, alien or more organic forms. 'Sentient' sets the scene then 'Amphibia' further trances you out and 'Uterus' rolls ever deeper. 'Reptilian' is a more textured and dark closer.

Review: After putting it on hiatus three years ago, Detroit electro legend Keith Tucker has decided to bring back the Puzzlebox label he launched with Anthony 'Shake' Shakir way back in 1995. He's at the controls for this comeback release, which astonishingly is also the sometime Aux88 member's first solo single since 2015. He kicks things off with "Modular World", a creepy but funk-fuelled slab of intergalactic electro that boasts whispered vocals, spacey sounds and the same up-tempo energy levels as Aux88's 1990s output. Over on the flip it's all about "Schematixs", a bleeping and unearthly affair that sits somewhere between Kraftwerk and Egyptian Lover.