Review: There's lots to get your teeth stuck into on this new and blistering collection of electro from Adepta Editions. And don't let the title fool you - it's not all accessible summer festival fare, in fact none of it is. It is all head down and serious tackle. 7053M4R14's '4 N3W HUM4N' is a driving, dark, visceral sound with raw breakbeats powering through the cosmos. Rec_Overflow offers a moment to catch your breath with some slower, dubby rhythms on 'Pocket Dial' and Pauk explores twitchy future synths capes and post-human transmissions on 'Shiawasena Fukushu'. Promising/Youngster shuts down with a sense of optimism and hope with the airy melodies and slithering electro drum patterns of 'Arbey.'
Review: Certain parts of Canada's proximity to techno birthplace Detroit means the country has always had its own fresh take on the sound, right back to the early Richie Hawtin days of minimalism. Over a quarter of a century of releases now, Aquaregia has kept up that tradition. Behind this latest missive is 747 who opens with lashings of acid and coarse, chattery percussive over jacked-up drums. There is a more psychedelic edge to the loopy synth patterns and softer acid of 'Suffocating In Stardust' then 'Iron Tears' gets gritty, tense, and douses you in melodic fireworks. Last of all, 'Deep Space Opera' takes a more widescreen approach with misty-eyed synthscapes and soft, gently pitch-bent acid.
Review: This new solo outing from Aussie talent Ad Nauseaum has it all - acid, rave, techno, hardcore and more. 'Omega System' sets a pretty brutal tone to get things underway with filtered synths and blazing acid lines searing about the mix over raw, hard, flat drums. 'Alpha System' is even quicker and brings serrated synth madness to video game motifs and slamming kicks. Last of all is 'Always Acid,' a track that was made back in 2004 but doesn't sound in any way out of date. It's another one to blow the roof off any party.
Review: AgainstMe makes a powerful debut on 47 with four tracks of deep, spiralling techno rooted in Berlin's famous underground energy. The Greek producer showcases his signature multi-dimensional sound design well here as he fuses dynamic rhythms and immersive atmospheres with great precision. Each track builds on a foundation of undulating basslines and intricate textures, which takes you on a trip through shifting sonic terrain. From hypnotic momentum to cavernous depth, there is a balance between raw propulsion and detailed production that makes for a bold, immersive statement that positions AgainstMe as a key rising voice in forward-thinking techno.
Review: There is a murky underworld feel to these new techno sounds from Ireen Amnes. They come on the cultured KR3 label and soon hook you in as 'Images Of Us' is both deep and moody but dynamic and impactful. 'Surrounded' flips the script with more industrial drums and an unsettling sense of urgency then 'October' daisy it back to cavernous dub 'scapes with lonely vocal musings. 'KTO' brings lithe broken beats and 'I'd Rather Be Sleeping' is a suspenseful ambient sound.
Review: Formerly run by both Michael Wollenhaupt and Conrad Protzmann, the Ancient Methods project is now run solo by the former producer, an artist who is clearly intending to keep the sound of the project going strong. This EP, however, launches the new Parsephonic Sirens label, and the sounds are very much grounded in something altogether more surreal. The opening "Remember Me" is a chilly, frost-bitten ambient affair, whereas "Born Of Ashes launches with a mean, fiery techno blow that sounds like the inside of a jet engine. On the flip, "I Am Blazing Sound" rolls out its deafening techno punch with melodies reminiscent of something Middle-Eastern, leaving "Now Come Closer" to offer a more traditional 4/4 stance in the most poignant of German fashions.
Review: It doesn't seem like the hard techno revolution is going anywhere any time soon. AnD (techno) is a label making sure of that and its sixth missive from the boss is another one to make the eyes water and the heart race. The white knuckle slammer that is 'I Got So Much' kicks off and then 'Screeching' does just that with a terrifying sense of anxiety and menace. 'Your Energy' is all glitchy sounds, squealing textures, hard techno drums and twisted sirens and the final part of this techno equivalent of a Monster energy drink overload is the rip-snorting 'On A Mission.'
Review: Chiwax welcomes Andrew Red Hand here for his third outing on the revered house label. We're told it is one of his most intimate and personal releases and there sure is plenty of deep and pensive energy to 'In The Cemetery (part III)' with its snappy electro rhythms but long-sustained and introspective chords. 'Summer Nostalgia' is raw, punchy techno and 'Autumn Nostalgia' gets more banging with a brazen bassline and celestial synth glow. 'Sorrowful Joy' closes down with a celebratory air in the happy chords but the betas remain heady.
Review: This is the first in a new collaborative series between Derailed Records and Planet Rhythm who have teamed up for a new vinyl series that launches with Rotterdam's ARKVS. 'Sonus' rumbles with low-end threat and fizzy static that locks you in the moment. 'Deviate (feat Ronald Nels)' is more sparse with claps echoing out to an event horizon as supple acid tones linger in the air. 'Amphibian Velocity' layers up gurgling synths and pent-up drum tension and 'Crashing Rhythms' is a punchy but deep closer and a fourth and final evocative and sophisticated offering which gets this series underway in style.
Review: Smiling Phases returns with its second outing and hands it over to Parisian producer Arve, who clearly has a deep understanding of many different genres as the two tunes he serves up go way beyond the predictable. Opener 'Pyroclast' is a fast and physical one that blends radiant house grooves with deep, disruptive rhythms and myriad cosmic synth lines that swirl around the mix. 'Tephra' is another busy workout with pumping drums and an array of different synth textures spraying around the groove. On the B-side, 'Pyroclast' gets a remix by Belgian producer DC Salas, who takes it into retro-future 90s trance-techno territory and Italy's Paolo Mosca, who injects warmth and depth as well as a little cosmic mystery.
Review: The ASHPPE series has been nothing if not unhurried. It started several years ago but always results in essential outings when they do come. The fourth transmission from the techno talent emerges from subterranean shadows with three tracks aimed squarely at the club. 'Judge' is tightly looped and edgy without letting you settle and 'Deeper' then brings muscular broken beat patterns, glitchy textures and raw hits into a futuristic techno soundscape. 'The Box' brings bright and shimmering synth smears to more contorted and twisted drum patterns that demand your more inventive moves.
Review: Leeds-based label Turnend Tapes showcase the wide and very assured skills of Malmo man Martin Abrahamsson aka Bauri across a choice selection of five tracks from the more thoughtful and atmospheric end of the techno scale. That's not to say there aren't grooves aplenty going on. Opening track 'Zoom0036' has some irresistibly shiny, downbeat electro moves, offset by a touch of Autechre-like ghostliness. 'Jody' comes on like Drexciya at their perkiest, with a soupcon of Air Liquide's cheeky phasing, while 'Sunrise (take 2)' has the majesty and simplicity of Aphex's first 'Ambient Works'. Flip it over for 'Easter Sunday', where streamlined polymetric machine funk and solar flare arpeggios do a merry dance, before 'Feeling Reprise' finishes things off with spiralling half-speed beats and yet more melodic grandeur rising out of the mix. Abrahamsson has a long, impressive pedigree with more alter egos than you've had hot dinners, but this is up there with his most original and confident efforts. It's a Flow-brainer.
Review: Rinse France branches out with a brand new label of its own and who better to inaugurate it than Paris-based Beatrice M. The producer makes a knowing nod to dubstep's golden era on this debut with the first version of 'Magic.' It is built on steppy rhythms with seriously wobbling basslines that are all-consuming. Glitchy effects and shimmering synths finish it in style and leave you dreaming of dubstep dances gone by. The B-side is a Techno Mix that reimagines the original with a driving four-on-the-floor rhythm and plenty of richly atmospheric pads.
Review: The man behind legendary London underground techno bash Lost, Steve Bicknell is back on KR3 with a nine-track LP that helps mark the label's fifth anniversary. Bicknell delivers seven of his raw signature sounds here and they combine the physical drive of techno with plenty of heady and atmospheric pads, all of which are frazzled, dusty and imperfect across four sides of wax. The first three are all intense and unrelenting deep techno odysseys with shadowy corners and unsettling sounds that bring a menacing presence. Side D shifts the tone with a 15-minute ambient piece that is tribal, luminous and meditative with cosmic signifiers and deep space energy, all keeping your mind locked in the moment.
Review: We shall never apologise for our love for the work of Steve O'Sullivan. His contributions to the world of dub techno are second to none. They are also mad consistent both in style and quality which means they never age. Here he steps up to Lempuyang with his Blue Channel alias alongside Jonas Schachner aka Another Channel for more silky smooth fusions of authentic dub culture and Maurizo-style techno deepness. Watery synths, hissing hi-hats with long trails and dub musings all colour these dynamic grooves. They're cavernous and immersive and frankly irresistible and the sort of tracks that need to be played loud in a dark space. In that context, you'll never want them to end.
Review: Bruce is back for the second release from Poorly Knit and it's an experimental three-track for more out there dancefloors. 'Belly (Two Mississippi)' has hurried drum loops that flap and underlap beneath tortured pads, shrieking elephant trumpets and ghoulish vocals that really are unsettling. 'Burned Alive (More Gauze)' as you may guess from the title, is another freaky bit of rhythm and sound with distant alarms, mangled vocal fragments and a dub underbelly. 'Hot One (Chapped Lips version)' is a wispy and minimal soundscape full of paranoia and intrigue. Play loud, but only if you dare.
Review: A Berlin native with Ukrainian heritage, Chontane returns with his third release on his own TANE label. This four-tracker showcases his favoured sense of rhythmic intensity and intricate groove work, all imbued with raw percussion, hypnotic basslines and evolving textures that make for subtle but impactful techno weapons. 'Magallanes' opens with chunky drums and builds into a dense rhythmic crescendo, 'Turn the Tables' amplifies things with more hurried drum patterns and deep bass that twists and turns to keep things moving then 'Cycle Break' explores tribal grooves and metallic textures. 'Set A Dot' delivers a relentless forward motion with skittering percussion and sharp synths for those moments when you're utterly lost in the rave.
Review: BCCO's second helping makes a full EP debut for Cirkle, a Greek talent with more than two decades in the game behind him. And he shows that with some nice stylish variation across these four cuts. 'Velar' is urgent and hubby but muscular techno with banging percussion driving it home, while 'Unfolding Memories' is more deep with an impish lead darting about them to bring some sense of the unknown. 'Shadow Runner' is loopy, head-wrecking, panel-beating techno but the best of the lot might be the closer, a smoother counter to the rest which taps into the deep, hi-tek soul vibes of Detroit's finest.
Chris Coco - "Yawa Ze Asfos" (instrumental) (4:02)
Jake Slazenger - "168B" (3:47)
Global Goon - "Untitled" (4:39)
Ruckus (4:47)
Jodey Kendrik - "Thanx" (5:56)
Gavin Masih - "Unknown Track 1" (6:55)
Monika Subrtova - "Alata" (7:08)
Review: Furthur Electronix's first two Furthur Journeys Into compilations tune plenty of heads and shift plenty of copies. The third one keeps the quality levels high with more explorations around the periphery of underground electronics. Chris Coco opens with a soothing synth sound before Jake Slazenger brings crystalline synths and abstract modulations to the mid-tempo '168B.' There is more pace and twisted acid energy to Global Goon's untitled contribution and then old school jungle comes to the fore on the super stylish and atmospheric Gavin Masih cut. Monika Subrtova's 'Alata' is a serene and widescreen ambient synthscape that brings things to a suitably poignant close.
Review: Concept Werkstatt is an experimental project, not defined by identity but by pure sound and vision. It offers a space, say the eponymous producer behind the beats, where music exists for its own sake, free from ego and expectation. The first transmission is a useful one that taps into tool-like techno. The opener is in a hurry to get you under its spell with dusty drums and fluttering percussion. 'Stahlwerk 102' is more raw with unsettling vocals beaming in as if down a badly tuned radio and two flip-side cuts keep things wonderfully weird.
Review: Bristol label-turned-blog Innate launches a new sub-label, Innate Editions, which it says is dedicated to timeless UK techno, IDM, electro and ambient music, and it'll all come on heavyweight vinyl to boot. The first release revives Connective Zone's Palm Palm, a millennium-era cult classic and Ben UFO favourite that first came out on Mark Broom and Dave Hill's Unexplored Beats in 2001. Now, this long-out-of-print, expensive and hard to find gem has been remastered by Jamie Anderson and so sounds superb with many lavish electronic layers, richly emotive melodies and dynamic drums that lean on UK techno, IDM, and deep electro. Sounds as good now as it ever did.
Review: Patrick Conway is back on ESP Institute for a third time and the returns are as brilliant as the first two outings with plenty of emotional depth on display. Opener 'Loss' sets a melancholic tone with a repeating high piano note guiding a poignant chord progression, angelic voices and a modulating synth all sinking you in. That contrasts with a gritty rhythm section made from corroded dancehall elements all bathed in saturation for added authenticity. On the B-side, 'Silencio' explores negative space and rhythmic dialogue using anthemic synth stabs to unify the more meandering melodies. When chaos and order synchronise with force like this, there is fun to be had.
Review: Techno doesn't come much more pure and effective than when it is served up by the Planet Rhythm label. At the helm of this fresh serving is Creznight. He goes straight in at the deep end with the muscular drum funk and tightly lopped vocal fragments of 'With You' which soon get you banging the walls. 'March on Mars' is just as direct but funky with warm and punchy kicks triggering percussive rolls and smeared synths. 'Backstab' shows no let up in the drum pressure but does have a more deft melodic touch that allows in some light and 'Instinct' shuts down with more well designed loops, a hint of 90s minimalism and a taught bassline that keeps things moving at pace.
Review: The Crime Partners duo from Nantes, French, are no strangers to this label, having dropped plenty of heat here before. This new EP is another one primed and ready for the club: 'Pumping Bush' bursts out of the blocks with musical drum funk and classic dub chords smeared over the top. 'Raindrops' is a grainy and monochrome dub techno driver with endless reverb to get lost in and 'Deep Cover' is an unsettling pumper that keeps you on edge with its nervy synth loops. There is more upright and punchy techno fun on 'You Got Our Vibe' and 'Keep Pushing' while 'One More' is a great and gritty warehouse banger.
Review: Cyclic and Random combine their creative forces on what is a deeply atmospheric new EP of club-ready techno for Notta. 'I Am Happy, As Am I' gets underway with celestial synths up top and more rugged rhythms down low while the mid-section is defined by sustained drones.'Speak Dirty' sinks it grainy, smoky dub techno territory and if it rolled for days you wouldn't mind such is its depth. 'DddSP' keeps things airy with more optimistic chords floating over another set of grainy dub drums with tons of reverb. A Tm Shuffle dub shuts down with a more upright groove that hints at something playful is to come.
Review: Notta's fifth deep dive in moody techno underworlds is a coming together of Cyclic and Random and they both marvel in the details. 'I Am Happy, As I Am' is super cavernous but has rays of synth light and distant microbials glowing bright to keep you attention. 'Speak Dirty' is a more traditional dub in the Berlin style and 'DddSP' then get all liquid and watery as it ripples out to infinity all around you. 'DddSP' (Tm Shuffle dub) hits heavy and rocks back and forth on its heels to mind-melting effect.
Review: After the first in this new Mellow Bangers series got us nice and twisted we're delighted to have the follow-up from Italo Moderni. Cryk kicks off with an eerie blend of Italo arps and dark wave drums with electro overtones on 'Double Crash' then the moodiness continues with the depraved bass warbles and crashing hits of Fragedis and his 'Disco Nicotina.' Antoni Maiovvi brings a lightness of touch to his delicate arps and celestial harmonies on 'Stopping Power' and Adrian Marth layers plenty of sugar and pixelated synths into his loopy 'Modernism.'
Review: Death, taxes and quality techno from Planet Rhythm are the three sureties of life. The label that maintains a high laity output and never strays from its blueprint is back with more functional and well-formed sounds, this time from Mattia Dambrosio. He opens with a cut doused in static, fizzing synth lines and with a funky, mid-tempo beat on 'Spring.' 'Ossidiana' dials it back to allow the dub chords and deep roaming bassline room to lure you in then 'Domani' mesmerises with silky synth sequences that glow bright above an implied rhythm. 'Stabs' is an upright and warm techno pumper with Detroit chords and 'Warmer' then takes you way down deep into cavernous underground dub worlds.
Review: Dashiell has been road testing these two tunes in his sets for a while, and they have always done a job. They finally arrive on wax courtesy of Foul Play and are sure to get dropped all over the place this summer. 'dfuse all the tension' is the right mix of driving tech but wonky minimal. The bassline is drunk and all over the place while the lead synth has a retro video game feel, and some crisp melodies and refracted vocals finish it well. On the flip, 'da nastiest' is faster and more direct with some turbocharged and bass-driven tech house characterised by another sleazy vocal and phased synth lines that bring a playful twist.
Review: Drei Vinyl launched back in 2023 and has slowly but surely amassed a respectable catalogue of various artists' releases. This sixth outing is the most straight-up techno offering yet and it opens with one of Spain's finest in Eduardo De La Calle. 'Deva5Vyasa' is heady and otherworld loop techno perfection with synth daubs and conscious vocals peppering the rubbery kicks. DJ Shufflemaster brings more texture to the raw, percussive madness of 'Axiom' and Tensal layers up unsettling and anxious synth murmurs with rising drum tension on 'Thermal Cycler.' Pergo's 'Lume' is a brash, industrial closer full of urgency.
Review: Karol Mozgawa is Polish techno talent Deas, and he brings his class to Planet Rhythm here, although it's Ferdinger remix of 'Dissociation' which gets things underway. It's a speedy and supple techno pile-driver with euphoric chords sure to elevate the 'floor. '8 AM' is much more mechanical and industrial with unrelenting drums and textured hooks peeling off the beats. 'Dissociation' in original form is a classic bit of soulful hi-tek Motor City goodness and 'Error' closes with some raved up synth madness and super-sized hi hats.
Border One - "Organoid" (Jeroen Search remix) (5:47)
Review: Binar's fifth outing looks to a selection of talented remixers to add their own spin to some stylish techno originals. First, it is Decka's 'Alignment' that gets reworked by Efdemin, who we haven't heard from for a while but are glad to do so now. He flips it into a straight-up and smooth techno pumper with fuzzy pads softening the edges. Next, Amotik brings some urgent synth pulses and hunched-up drum funk to 'Remains Mystery' and The Lady Machine remix of 'Run' is all fat, drunken synths tumbling about with jacked-up drums and analogue hits. Jeroen Search brings some signature future cosmic energy to his take on Border One's 'Organoid.'
Review: Long-time Portuguese techno veteran Dextro delivers a cultured EP on Mutual Rytm that shows his mastery of hypnotic minimal. Known for his deep roots in simplicity and authenticity, Dextro's productions span a range of groovy to intense techno, always guided by intuition. 'Covil Dos Abutres' features frictionless beats and sci-fi motifs reminiscent of classic Jeff Mills, while 'Correct Incorrect' adds rubbery, dub-infused grooves with delicate melodies. 'Vida E Morte' offers a funk-laced, minimal techno vibe with a late-night edge and 'Element One's atmospheric pads really make a mark. 'Beautiful Day' closes with sonar-like synths over skeletal rhythms.
Review: Philoxenia Records boss man Luigi Di Venere continues to blur the boundaries between traditional genres with a new EP that takes its inspirational cues from the multidimensional nature of sound waves. The title reflects the depth and motion captured in the EP's stunning artwork by CGI duo muzzin+samiri while the opener is a tribute to early 90s Frankfurt EBM. 'By Means Of Music' is a more funky vibe with New Beat undertones and real warmth. 'Got Momentum' brings a French house edge and on the flip, Cromby transforms' Got Momentum' into a euphoric UK peak-time anthem, and Cycle_2 reimagine 'By Means Of Music' as a psychedelic techno trip.
Review: Chicago has many legendary figures, but one who stands proud among many is DJ Deeon, a low-end legend and widely considered to be the true Godfather of ghetto house. He dropped this EP originally back in 2013, and it is one of many that soon became classic, which is why it gets this remix from Chiwax. 'Happy' perfectly summarises Deeon's sound - booming and heavyweight kick and drums, smart samples looped perfectly and big hooks. 'The Truth' speeds things up and brings that Ghetto sleaze, and 'R U Sure' is a more minimal sound that still bangs like a heavyweight. 'Gigabytes' is full of caustic synths and blending melodies that bring sheer chaos to the club.
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: American label Communique Records is the parent of the iconic sublabel Country Western which it has now revived for a series of cultured reissues. This one comes from Brian Douglas whose Singularity EP from 1996 has been re-sourced directly from the original DAT tapes and carefully remastered. For those who have dug deep enough, this one has long been a favourite that brims with hi-tek machine soul. 'Torn Apart' is a hurried deep techno cut marbled with squiggling electronic sounds and smeared pads, while 'Rising Sun' is more manic thanks to the unhinged acid line that busies about the mix. 'Magic' is a raw, hard-edged stomper and 'First Time' brings some tripped-out and pixel-thin synth whispers next to chords that could well have inspired Omar S.
Review: Italian turbo talent Earwax brings his techno perspective to this new one from the Dolly TS series. 'Upstairs Downstairs' soon sweeps you up with its buoyant and bouncy techno drums and wavy cosmic synth lines. 'Protection' then gets more dark and heads down with a menacing low-end throb and increasingly edgy percussive through-line. There is comic tension and turbulence to 'Key Of Life' with its unsettling and eerie synths and banging drums, and last of all is 'At The Door', which races on with hints of original 90s techno rawness. Very useful, high-functioning techno.
Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan - "Extremely On Line" (5:36)
Review: Exxtra Beats Records backs up its commitment to pushing things on with a new four-tracker of minimal and tech cuts. Edo Ecker's 'Extraluxxo' has warped synth lines that encourage introspection while the snappy beats make you move physically. Leff's 'Future Problems' has hazy and positive arpeggios that toot away over sustained chords and move at a nice inviting pace. Little Sea offers the snappy drums and gurgling acid lines of 'How I Wanna Feel' while Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan's 'Extremely On Line' is a snappy and upbeat cosmic tech cut with wonky lines adding the charm.
Review: Swedish label Borft has been digging in its archives again to assemble another volume of what it sees as its most classic cuts. And we don't disagree with these, which are taken from releases that originally landed between 1998 and 1999. Egglady's- 'Prinsessan Och Agget 1' is well-swung and deftly dubbed out with lovely analogue drum sounds cutting through. Nikolas Rowland's 'Headspin' is another smooth one with molten chords and a firm low-end drive. 'Puffy Nipples' from Kord is a wonky number with an unhinged charm and stomping groove that will stand out in any set while Crinan closes with the classy and raw house, dub and tech fusion that is 'Suit 61'.
Review: After his recent releases on X-Kalay and Craigie Knowes, Melbourne's Escape Artist returns to Phonica where he has previously released his well-received Energy Breakthrough EP. Once again here he shows his love of serving up euphoric and energetic cuts with the A-side, 'Forgot Who I Was,' building great intensity with delicate melodies and a shifting bassline. The B-side, 'Remembering', offers a contrasting yet complementary vibe that keeps on with the previous track's two-step rhythm while evolving into a more uplifting direction with ambient techno elements and acidic breaks. It's potent stuff.
Review: Belgian DJ and producer FAiG has been making techno for decades under several different aliases for plenty of top labels. His latest on Planet Rhythm is another hefty slab of subversive sonics with 'South West' layering up streamlined drums and bass with rickety percussion that pans about the mix as distant synths flesh things out further without ever detracting from the rhythm. 'Logg' is more unhinged and urgent with manic synth loops and alarming sirens getting your hackles up as the drums bump on. 'Deep Within' is stylish 90s techno with funky claps skating over the pumping drums and silky bass. 'Taro' runs out with sub-aquatic and dubbed out loopy deepness. It's simple but done well and impossibly effective.
Review: Sardinian duo Enrica Falqui and Claudio PRC bring their respective signature sounds to this new collaborative EP on the Swiss label Adam's Bite. The two experienced studio hands kick off with 'Synapse', which has an enthuse, throbbing low end that forms the foundation for expressive synth craft. 'Amygdala' is named after the mass of grey matter in our brains which is involved in the experiencing of emotions and pairs deft, curious melodic waifs with chunky tech drums. 'Receptor' sinks back down into a moody, heads down and dub tech roller and 'Lucid Dreams' brings the sort of synth colours and low-end tension that will keep you awake all night.
Review: Dookuzot is the entrancing debut from Floid & W92 aka Woody92, and it's released on their own Omen Wapta imprint. Across eight tracks, they craft a labyrinthine soundscape full of shadowy textures, tribal rhythms and eerie, dissonant tones that feels both ancient and futuristic-an ambient-techno blend that channels family history into sonic myth-making. Standout 'Maushe' hints at dancefloor tension, while 'Veriyou' is seriously deep and heady as part of what is a haunting, high-definition journey through imagined realms and moody post-human worlds.
The Dichtomoty Of Telling Everyone Everything (Loggsplitter remix) (5:53)
Review: Following the success of last year's Walks, Group Listening returns with a new 12" for PRAH Recordings. The title and artwork both explore themes of decay, expiration and musical renewal and the music was in part inspired by a small DIY festival in Bristol. Paul Jones explains the title represents a radical, open call for change while 'Tell Everyone Everything' is a layered, intense synth soundscape with destined pads and nimble chords that lock you in the here and now. The release also features remixes by Ancient Plastix and Loggsplitter who bring sub-aquatic dub and mind-melting rhythmic intricacies.
Review: INDEX:Records founder and self-styled 'DJ and sound engineer' Conna Haraway finally makes his vinyl bow following a couple of low-key cassette and digital download releases. According to the Sydney-based imprint handling the release, Theory Therapy, the wonderfully titled Spatial Fix was partially inspired by the Glasgow-based artist's 2024 tour of Japan and South Korea. You can hear that in the subtly far eastern melodies and ambient techno style textures of ten-minute opener 'Freon', whose grooves would undoubtedly have impressed the late Andrew Weatherall, and the hushed, semi-abstract, deeply layered wonder of 'Switchback'. Elsewhere, the stretched-out, immersive and meditative '1702' joins the dots between low-tempo ambient techno and dub techno, while 'Patent' is deep, otherworldly and suitably sub-heavy mutant dancehall.
Review: After a top first appearance in the series, Dutchman Tammo Hesselink returns to the Mantis project with another deep, immersive release full of his signature hi-fidelity sound design and meticulous drum patterns. Blending dub's echo-laden atmospheres with industrial percussion and the sparse textures of minimalism, his sound design is as distinctive as ever as once again, rather than relying on melody, he sculpts emotion and intensity through texture, space and rhythm. Metallic hits and reverberant effects create a physical, tactile experience that is both abstract and structured, designed for powerful sound system delivery while rewarding close listening. Hesselink offers a cerebral yet visceral trip here.
Everything Is Illuminated (Andre Kronert remix) (7:48)
Everything Is Illuminated (7:42)
Still, The World Is Dark (9:43)
Review: For those who crave dark, detailed, and tightly tuned techno, check this one out from Stephan Hinz. He lands on Odd Even with four cuts packed with tension, immersive atmosphere and precision-crafted sounds for peak-time floors. 'Beneath The Roses' begins with potent kick drums tightly stacked under sizzling synth work and 'Everything Is Illuminated' and 'Still, The World Is Dark' ring more dark, grainy moods for the dead of night. On remix duty, Andre Kronert flips 'Everything Is Illuminated' into a relentless, stripped-back roller that locks you in from the first bar. This one's built for heads who like their techno raw.
Review: EC Underground is back with more inquisitors of low-end heavy sounds on Bass Scene Investigation vol 1 and again digs deep into the worlds of electro, techno, breakbeat and IDM. The compilation kicks off with the skittish percussive patterns of Illektrolab's 'Making Heads Dip', then heads into moody ground with ADJ, Pablo Funk brings some menacing synth work and Errorbeauty gets all weird and trippy with some mad electronics. Francois Dillinger offers a dystopian electro sound full of irresistibly jacked-up drums. A fine investigation indeed.
Ahnonghay (Kevin Saunderson original Reese mix) (7:04)
Review: Inner City's time on Network Records produced a run of timeless recordings that merged their signature vocal soul with the underground grooves of Detroit. This reissue of 'Ahnonghay' highlights that early golden era and finds the legendary Kevin Saunderson return to his techno roots in some style. The tune was originally released under his seminal Reese alias and marries that raw Motor City energy with sleek electronica that embodies the early techno blueprint. This 12" pressing includes the original mix alongside two standout remixes: Carl Craig's atmospheric reimagining and Dave Clarke's gritty UK techno take. All in all, a vital snapshot of techno's early evolution.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.