Review: The recent resurgence in interest in mid 1990s ambient techno has been one of the most positive trends of recent times, primarily because it has resulted in reissues of some long-forgotten and genuinely overlooked gems. A Positive Life's sophomore album Synaethetic, which was originally released by Beyond Records in 1994, falls into that category. Offering a suitably intergalactic, heady blend of undulating, psychedelic acid lines, ambient sound washes, bubbly beats, far-sighted sounds and stretched-out epics, it's an album that's as close to the original ambient techno blueprint as you're likely to find. If you love that style, it's a genuine must-have.
Review: Childhood Intelligence present an authoritative retrospective of ADSR, the Canadian outfit who teetered between electro, trance, techno and electronica from the early 90s onwards. Originally a duo made up of Todd Nickolas and Dominic Paterson, ADSR released a broad sweep of records on labels like Floorshaker and Cargo, and now their finest work has been gathered together on this double pack release which puts paid to the sharks and gets the tracks back in the hands of real fans. Balancing club structures with an ear-pleasing approach to composition for the home listener, this is a perfect document of ADSR's valuable contributions to the open-ended 90s scene.
Eternity (Armin Van Buuren Rising Star mix) (9:20)
Eternity (Thrillseekers Eternal mix) (7:17)
Review: To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dutch titan Armin van Buuren's legendary trance anthem 'Eternity,' Music on Vinyl has hooked up with his Armada Music label to release all four versions of the track on vinyl for the first time ever. Armin has remained a dedicated servant to trance even while it fell out of favour but it is now very much back in vogue so this one is sure to get back into heavy rotation again. Originally released in 2000, 'Eternity' is a joyous and uplifting sound with lashings of Ibiza sunshine, bright melodies and rushes of euphoria all making it irresistible.
ODESZA - "This Version Of You" (feat Julianna Barwick - Joseph Ray extended remix) (6:31)
Parra For Cuva - "Mimose" (3:47)
Agents Of Time - "Zodiac" (7:10)
Gorgin - "Heartbeater" (4:58)
Tao Andra - "Dream On" (6:42)
ANNA & Rebuke - "Ignite" (5:42)
Binaryh - "Daemon" (6:17)
Paul Roux - "Baby Baby" (3:45)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
Global Underground present the next release from the nextmost DJ to grace their City Series. ANNA's dynamic sound encompasses multiple styles and genres, from ambient through house to techno, and encapsulates the effortless chic and vibrant nightlife of one of the coolest cities in Europe - Lisbon. This modish Portuguese metropolis has always enjoyed a certain notoriety, but this has perhaps not been felt so intently more than in the last five years or so. ANNA now fleshes out Lisbon's essence, capturing its descending narrow streets, castellated jetties and glorious sunsets with a progressive house, trance and techno mix that satisfies all possible ends of a newfangled tourist's dream.
ODESZA - "This Version Of You" (feat Julianna Barwick - Joseph Ray extended remix) (6:31)
Parra For Cuva - "Mimose" (3:47)
Agents Of Time - "Zodiac" (7:10)
Gorgin - "Heartbeater" (4:58)
Tao Andra - "Dream On" (6:42)
ANNA & Rebuke - "Ignite" (5:42)
Binaryh - "Daemon" (6:17)
Paul Roux - "Baby Baby" (3:45)
Review: Global Underground present the next release from the nextmost DJ to grace their City Series. ANNA's dynamic sound encompasses multiple styles and genres, from ambient through house to techno, and encapsulates the effortless chic and vibrant nightlife of one of the coolest cities in Europe - Lisbon. This modish Portuguese metropolis has always enjoyed a certain notoriety, but this has perhaps not been felt so intently more than in the last five years or so. ANNA now fleshes out Lisbon's essence, capturing its descending narrow streets, castellated jetties and glorious sunsets with a progressive house, trance and techno mix that satisfies all possible ends of a newfangled tourist's dream.
Review: Fans have been waiting a while but finally Anyma's debut album is here in the form of Genesys. The artist best known as one half of Italian melodic techno duo Tale Of Us pulls together music that goes all the way back to singles like 2022's 'Angel 1' with Innellea, as well as 'Consciousness' with Chris Avantgarde, and 'The Sign' with CamelPhat, as well as his hugely popular 'Samsara' with Sevdaliza. All of which showcase his unique take on synth laced, emotive techno and stylish hooks that work in the club and beyond.
Review: Techno sorcerer Stephan Bodzin returns with his latest LP. In the last year, he glanced over unfinished material in his musical archive, and while spending time in Brazil, he selected 17 favourites and completed them to present on this album titled Boavista. With the aim of painting 'musical pictures that conjure up very real emotions in the listener', it features the typical style of dancefloor drama you have come to expect from the German producer such as the saucer-eyed epic 'Lil', or the strobe-lit rush of 'Astronautin' to the oncoming sunset euphoria of 'Nothing Like You' (feat Luna Semara) and the bittersweet affair River' towards the end.
KFR - "There Is Something I Can't Find" (feat Mayah Alkhateri) (3:29)
Slim Soledad - "Vai Toma Na Rave" (3:22)
Manni Dee - "Break Me" (feat BODUR) (3:47)
Schacke - "Control Freak" (6:06)
Otta - "Mao Na Parede" (5:39)
Anna Lann - "Silver Plug" (5:59)
TINKERHELL - "Cross Ways" (5:15)
David Lohlein - "El Baile" (4:33)
Isaiah - "Lone Soldier" (4:40)
Dj Babatr - "Kick The Floor" (4:42)
Ilya Gadaev - "Pleasuredom" (5:21)
MarcelDune - "Run & Dream, Kiss & Bye" (4:09)
SCNTST - "Feedback" (4:02)
Baseck - "Let It Go" (3:15)
DJ WIFI - "Like 2 Ride" (3:20)
AERO NOVA - "B1te" (3:12)
Boys Noize - "Sireneh" (3:08)
Review: Boys Noize has been tearing up dance floors and serving up arresting electronic assaults for ages, often on his own self-titled label. He branches out here though with a new one, Ones & Zeros, which he has said is a "concept label reflecting new modes of creative and subcultural circulation". it launches with a bumper compilation featuring 22 blistering sounds across six sides of wax. Two of them come from the bas himself, one is a collar with Locked Club, and elsewhere new school and more established names like Skee Mask, Safety Trance and Manni Dee all offer up the sort of high impact tracks that will always be useful to have at your disposal for when the rave really is ready to peak.
Review: "Remembering is not the opposite of forgetting," Casey MQ sings at the start of Later that day, the day before, or the day before that, his new LP and Ghostly International debut. It's a phrase fittingly misremembered from something the LA-based, Canadian-born composer came upon, as he spiraled into unconscious and subconscious-led writing sessions at the piano. Musing on the joys of the selective-amnesiac tendency of the creative flow state, MQ makes riveting use of classical-synthetic composition - piano parts run through copious effects chains, vocal parts run through subtly humanised, formant-shifted and note-bent pitch correctors - to produce a sublime amnestic union. But to forget is also to forgive: hence the word 'amnesty' and its common root with amnesia. This is a profoundly forgiving record, with 'Grey Gardens' and 'Me, I Think I Found It' finding a profound space of acceptance for the days coming and going, for solitude and for new leaves uncovered in amnestic carvings-out and turnings-over.
Lost You Somewhere (Evolution Symphonic Rehearsal) (3:55)
From Blue To Green (Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (5:00)
Sunstroke (DC Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (4:56)
Leaving Town (Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (5:29)
Red Skies (Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (5:08)
Sunstroke (Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (4:47)
Offshore (DC Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (7:52)
The Drive Home (Symphonic Rehearsal mix) (5:42)
Review: Chicane's 1997 album Far From The Maddening Crowds not only reappropriated a famous Thomas Hardy literary title, it also helped lay the groundwork for a new form of breaks-driven trance music. Now on Modena comes a brand new version of the album, its Symphonic Rehearsals version: a full rerub consisting of total string versions of each track, with brand new string compositions written and performed by Joe Duddell (whose extant performance credits also include James, Elbow and Daughter). The new versions are utter tearjerkers, and not merely for the nostalgia value either; all build on the originally subtle apogees of the original LP, and remind us of why it was so well-received as a landmark release in the first place.
Review: Uplifting trance is very much back in right now but before there a scene to revive, Nicholas Bracegirdle, a.k.a. Chicane, was one of the artists very much at the forefront of the first wave. Behind the Sun was his second studio album and it came back in March 2000 and truly secured his status as a worldwide star. The album gave rise to four hit singles 'Saltwater,' 'Don't Give Up,' 'No Ordinary Morning' / 'Halcyon, and 'Autumn Tactics. Both 'Saltwater' featuring Maire Brennan and 'Don't Give Up' achieved remarkable commercial success, topping the UK Dance Singles Chart and the latter in particular soared into the top ten on singles charts across Europe and North America. Pressed on 180 gram audiophile vinyl for this reissue, it is well worth copping.
Review: Most dance heads will know the Chicane name if only for that one mega hit the producer had back in the day. But he was about so much more than that had produced a number of other great records that showed British electronic music producer, real name Nick Bracegirdle, was no one trick pony. Far From The Maddening Crowds was his debut album way back in 1997 and it has long been heralded as a classic. It is steeped in Balearic bliss, sunrise-friendly ambient chords, trance laced grooves and uplifting melodies that take you there White Isle in an instant.
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