Back in stock: Techno (All)

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: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Minimal house legend Thomas Melchior and Montreal's Flabbergast duo bring their skills to remix Calcio Club's cool System Check EP. Melchior is one of our favs when it comes to silky, deep, minimal house and here delivers a remix that retains the original's groove while smoothly transitioning into lush synth vibes. Flabbergast's Guillaume Coutu Dumont and Vincent Lemieux have a sound just as distinctive and offer two remixes that push micro-house's limits. Their tracks feature mind-bending effects, Moog-style synth hooks and a burst of percussion that all lead the remixes to a new level of dance floor ecstasy.

Review: The Swiss producer and mastering engineer, now rooted in Lisbon, Chlar returns with an evocative slab of techno that feels both ancient and forward facing. With over a dozen EPs under their belt, this latest four-tracker solidifies his mastery of atmospheric, rhythm-heavy sound design. Side-A opens with 'Altitude', a primal and hedonistic tribal techno cut that recalls the spirit of Blueprint Records or early James Ruskin. It's a raw, driving rhythm that feels carved out of stone, a cavernous groove echoing through the walls of a rhythm cave. 'Serac' follows with a deep bassline and a futuristic, yet organic pulse that balances modern machine funk with a ceremonial, ritualistic undertone. There's a timeless quality to the way it moves. Side-B begins with 'Lamin', perhaps the EP's most cinematic piece. It's clean and spacious, yet cloaked in tension, like an alien landscape where mystery simmers beneath the surface. 'Phantom Grid' closes the record with a no-nonsense percussive workout, all warehouse minimalism and skeletal intensity, perfect for peak-hour darkness. It's atmospheric, confident and comes with a big dose of sonic storytelling. What more could you want from your techno?!

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Disguised returns to TRSN with an exhilarating EP that includes standout remixes by MYLE (aka Julian Muller) and Levzon. The Berlin-based duo TRSN is admired for their dynamic and hypnotic soundscapes and continues to captivate and find new creative ground here following the success of their debut album and a remarkable first set on Boiler Room earlier this year. Across this 12" you will hear their signature blend of energy and depth, great use of vocal hooks and fine grass of how to get a 'floor in a frenzy.

Review: Releasing techno that's built for both deep listening and the cavernous expanse of a warehouse dancefloor is something Tresor has prided itself on for over three decades now. The latest release delivers a powerhouse of raw, underground energy with 'Life' by DJ Plant Texture from Bari, Italy, a release that feels perfectly at home on the label. Side-1 opens with 'Ripetitivo' (Stretch Mix), a frantic, sci-fi-infused cut driven by intricate percussion and a relentless tribal groove. 'Seq21' follows with hypnotic, heavy underground techno, pulling the listener into its deep, looping vortex. Closing the side, 'Cycles' introduces a rolling bassline and ravey intensity, demanding attention while maintaining a deep, driving rhythm. On Side-2, 'WTT' (Dub Mix) stands out as a massive bangerideep, tribal and hedonistic with an incessant pulse that locks dancers into its grip. Finally, the title track Life delivers a pounding finish, embodying the raw, uncompromising energy that defines this release. An intense experience that balances hypnotic depth with peak-time firepowerianother essential entry in Tresor's legacy of underground techno.

Review: Ten EPs in under this name and the German producer uses his background to land an important EP with this highly revered techno label. These four tracks hit with urgency but never feel one-note. There's real movement and contrast throughout, keeping things charged without being too fast. The opener, 'Fast Process', comes out swinging. It's all steam and steel, driven by a stomping kick and razor-sharp percussion. But just above that intensity floats a swirling melodic line, adding a ghostly presence that hangs over the chaos. 'Miami Nights' digs into a different groove. The low-end rolls heavy, while tough chords and tribal elements give it a more grounded, earthy energy. It's relentless but rooted. On Side-B, 'Clap Your Dubby Hands' explodes with percussion. It feels wild and physical, the kind of track that could lift a set straight into overdrive. There's a rawness here that nods to his early schranz days without feeling stuck in the past. 'Ultra Eight' pulls back just slightly, going deeper and more spaced out. It's colder, more introspective, like the soundtrack to some strange, distant city. Together, these cuts hit hard but leave plenty of air to breathe.

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: Classic Detroit for those that know: a repress on Puzzlebox here by the one-and-only Keith Tucker under the lesser known Optic Nerve alias. The third and final installment in 1995's Wave trilogy features the brooding Motor City futurism of "The Gateway" on the A side, which treads a similarly ghostly trail as fellow scene veteran Suburban Knight. Over on the flip, there's some majestic strings on the evocative deep cut "Light Span" followed by the funked-up hi-tech soul of "Nebula 7". Trilogy - Wave 3 was originally released on the seminal, 430 West affiliated label Direct Beat. Tip!!!

Review: Unknown artistic exigencies from Planet Rhythm, on a new techno EP sunny-side-down flip of Groove Armada's 'Superstylin''. On the word-playing 'Super Groovin'', MC M.A.D.'s unmistakable vocals are lent an extra filling-out, as tranches of dub-technical motifs outpour from the centre mix. 'Just Won't Do It' eases up on the productive accoutrements, reducing the mix to a sustenant piping of 4x4 kick and organic pulsation, though the track makes ironic reuse of the acapella from Tim Liken's 'It Just Won't Do' in the breakdown.

Review: Soft Traffic is an alias for a well-known digi-dub producer who recently turned heads with an outing on Made Mecum. Now they land on the mighty Sushitech with a super limited, hand-stamped 12" featuring Prince Morella. It opens up with the silky smooth 'Meltem I', a liquid dub techno roller with chords rippling out to an infinite horizon as vocal muttering up top heighten the immersive trip. Part II is more icy and underwater, with rhythmic synth undulations and smooth-as-silk drum rotations locking you into a meditative state. Last of all is part III, an ambient sounds scape with subtly suggestive rhythms as you float in an underwater cavern. Classy stuff.

Review: Rotterdam-born but Berlin-based producer delivers a killer techno odyssey, crafting a set of deep, cinematic club tracks with an ominous edge. 'Glimmerfall' beings with a subterranean energy, its pounding German beat driving through layers of dystopian synth textures. The raw, mechanical intensity evokes images of vast, industrial landscapes reminding us of classic Tresor-era James Ruskin. 'The Last Glow' follows with a relentless acid assaultiaggressive, hypnotic and unrelenting, its squelching 303s carving out an electrifying, high-pressure groove. Side-B dives into cinematic realms with 'X1 Shift', a track that feels like the soundtrack to a mysterious alien world. Pulsing bass and intricate sound design create a dramatic, tension-filled atmosphere, as if exploring the depths of an uncharted planet. Closing out, 'Synk C' is a stellar production with a killer groove and immersive depth enhanced by meticulous sound processing. It's a track that feels both expansive and tightly controlled, balancing dancefloor power with artistic precision. A dark, gripping record with serious sonic weight, this is techno built for the late hoursimenacing, sophisticated and ultimately unforgettable.

Review: First released in 1999, Swayzak's 'Floyd/Doobie' shook the British duo's catalogue. Though it wasn't 'Bueno' or 'Fukumachi', this deep house cut was the next best choice for followers of the then burgeoning tech house circuit. Swayzak were already favourites on this and the deep house scene, and had clawed in acclaim for their involvement in both as early as 1993. One particularly prolix bio deems them the incipients of "1st wave 2000-era progressive deep minimal", which is too analytic even for us manic categorisers. No, we prefer to take these two big-hitters as they are: brimming with enthusiasm for a gadget-packed future, 'Floyd' fizzes and twitches with the pulsing blurts of a saw synth, as if to suggest constant magnetic stimulation from above. 'Doobie', meanwhile, hears our protagonist disrobe the techno utility belt, returning to a wireless home, so to gaze out over a subtly detuned chord landscape set to munching percs.

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.

Review: Greek producer Stelios Vassiloudid has been making techno moves since the turn of the millennium under a range of different aliases. Here he appears as himself with four supercharged dub techno cuts for Dubwax. 'Lie In Wait' is a really tight, taught affair with pinging kicks and icy hi-hat ringlets. 'MIA' is more warm and vibes with a soulful core and underlapping bass waves. There is a more minimal and abstract sound to the curious dub bumps of 'Reverse Engineer' that encourage you to be at your most fluid. 'Grains' shuts down with grainy lo-fi pads, vinyl crackle and sparse kick that soundtrack an underwater jaunt. There is plenty of subtle variation to these rhythms which makes it a dead handy dub EP.

Review: This dynamic UK born producer returns with the third release on Moving Pressure Records, delivering a deeply hypnotic and percussive techno experience. Known for his precise, minimal yet groove-heavy sound, Wise crafts four cuts that are both functional and grooving. On Side-A, 'Relax' is a tribal-tinged stomper, driven by rolling percussion and a stripped-back, looping groove that feels built for the late-night hours. 'Chomp Chomp' follows with a subterranean pulse, where deep basslines and eerie, alien atmospheres create a mesmerising, heady effect. Side-B continues the journey with 'Cave', a pumping, evolving builder that slowly unfolds, layering subtle textures over a locked-in minimal grooveithe kind of track that sneaks up on you. Finally, 'Deep Under' lives up to its name, offering subliminal, well-crafted techno with clean, rolling momentum, perfect for deep dancefloor moments. Rene Wise once again proves why he's one of the most exciting names in stripped-down, groove-oriented techno, delivering a tightly produced, hypnotic collection that will satisfy both DJs and discerning listeners.