New releases last four weeks: Techno (All)

Review: As are many a contemporary eupho-breaks artists, mysterious rave artist Inner Lakes (a favourite of the likes of Art Of Dark, Junction Forest and Earth Dog) is apparently obsessed with notions of ecstasy and endo-stimulant energy, and his new topup for Timeless' catalogue is no exception to this rule. With the rulebook part ravaged and part preserved in formaldehyde, 'Dr4go' and and 'Konga3' indulge rah-inducing, wackout vocal experiments of a hyperactive calibre, and the A-side is especially creative in this regard, its impactful verbiages smeared over stretch-delays so obscure that we're left to interpret - rather than force the recognition of - what has just been said. "Its my... grah!?"

Review: Two decades deep into his career and still pushing forward, this seasoned German DJ delivers something that feels both timeless and fresh. The original version of 'Kingston Riddim' is a smooth, sun-soaked affair. Drawing from island dub but built with a crisp, modern hand, the track is full of warm organic textures and laid-back swing. The chords are clean and expressive without feeling too polished. There's a breezy confidence to the groove that makes it feel effortless. It's the kind of track that could slip into any set and feel right at home. Sato's interpretation dives into deeper territory. The bass rolls in thick and heavy while the chords get more tangled and echo-laced. There's a submerged quality here, like the track has been dragged through deeper waters. It's moodier than the original but still carries that same rooted sense of rhythm. This is one of those rare records where both sides hit in different but equally effective ways.

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: SnPLO hears Bay Area "hazy leftfield club cut" purveyor PLO Man entertain an outlet for more irreverent productions. He also might just be your local gaffer's favourite techno artist, with most every release so far connoting exposed circuitboards and copper micro-components in its imagery (visit https://tracksplease.com for a visual lowdown). New EP 'The Cocaines', though, breaks from this trend as a manic and nonsensically charged homage to the white stuff: the third EP on his Pin sub-imprint, it brings burbling, vocal tract emulative minimal techno sound design and sniffy post-dub jolters ('C') to white wax, and that's not to mention the eccentric liner notes: "Slightly Goldeneye yeah cause it was the inhanced highlight the bluer graphic is a bit low rez but i think it was just always that way Adds to the sketchy how does it feel takin em for a drive? dude the 10" like outlined. Seductive."