New releases last four weeks: Techno (All)

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: 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: 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: Jordan GCZ brings a unique jazz-infused approach to techno on his latest release, which is a third for the good folks at Rawax. He has a complex sound but one that always remains buttery impactful in the club and pairs cerebral ideas with physical grooves, and all of it's crafted with an array of outboard gear and vintage synths. The opener blends melodic nostalgic charm with dusty house beats, while 'Timbit Acid' is an off-kilter acid workout and 'Beaver Tail' weaves together a tapestry of intricate synth patterns and glistening pads. Last but not least, 'All Dressed' offers a soul-infused take on mid-tempo techno that is deep, groovy and compelling.

Review: Details - for now, anyway - about Respite remain shrouded in mystery, but this is the second release on their own label. It's a quietly profound exploration of minimal to kick off with as 'Track 1' layers up subterranean kicks with wispy melodic curlicues that get you in a dream state. 'Track 2' flips the script with bulky kicks that are in your face and softened by more swirling ambient pads. 'Track 3' is pure late night sub submersion coated in vocals crackle, dust and static that feels somehow intense despite being such a sparse sound. 'Track 4' allows some more light-emitting and radiant synths to cut through the murky atmospheres and it has a moving, uplifting effect.

Review: Recorded and released after the crossover success of 'Born Slippy [Nuxx]', Beaucoup Fish remains Underworld's most commercially successful album. The third and final set to be recorded with then third member Darren Emerson, it has fewer rough edges and in-your-face grooves than its predecessors whilst still retaining the band's rave-igniting sound of the 1990s. Now remastered and reissued on CD for the first time since 2017, it's a set that has aged well. For proof, check the woozy slipped deep house of 'Cups', the breakbeat-powered, acid-fired peak-time insanity of 'Shudder/King of Snake', the rushing release of 'Push Upstairs', the heady ambient bliss of 'Skym' and the drum & bass-influenced warmth of 'Something Like Mama'.

Review: Karl Hyde and Rick Smith continue to offer-up remastered CD reissues of gems from Underworld's vast back catalogue. Here they return to 1996's Second Toughest In The Infants, a set - co-produced with then third member Darren Emerson - which cemented their growing status as one of British electronic music's true headline attractions. While not as admired as its predecessor, it remains a fantastic full-length excursion - an inventive and frequently inspired collection of peak-time-ready epics that borrow liberally from progressive house, techno and spacey drum & bass (see 'Banstyle/Sappy's Curry'). It also contains a number of genuine stunners, not least the bustling 'Confusion The Waitress', the acid-fired insanity of 'Rawla', and the trance-inducing early morning hypnotism of 'Air Towel'.