Delsin Holland At Juno Download

Review: Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann has a formidable reputation as a remixer, but this writer feared that he had bitten off more than he could chew with his latest project. After all, he was tasked with reworking one of the standout cuts from this year's best techno album, and these doubts only intensified when the original with its menacing bass swagger, layered, reverberating noises and chilling vocal were replayed on this remix package. Thankfully, Dettmann has risen to the occasion; "Definition 1" doesn't stray too far from the original, with a swinging bass and a focus on Middle eastern horn riffs prevailing. It's on "Definition 2" that he really deserves kudos: upping the tempo and combining layered, Basic Channel dub chords with the plaintive vocal, it's a near perfect mix of techno and electronic torch song soul.

Review: At a time when classic-sounding techno is at a premium, Boris Bunnik aka Conforce is one of its main proponents, right? Wrong. It would be too easy and simplistic to dismiss the Dutch producer as merely revisiting the sounds that were current during the mid-90s, and Escapism, like his other releases for Clone, Rush Hour and Delsin, does much to dispel any pre-conceived notions about him. One of the common themes and sources of inspiration on the album is Bunnik's love of swirling, ambient textures. Spacey melodies unfold all the way through "Aquinas Control" as a dubby, rippling bass takes hold, while on the title track, glassy percussion and shuffling 808s provide the electro backing to Bunnik's atmospheric chords. There are times too when it sounds like Conforce has completely immersed himself in electronic music's reflective, esoteric side and the evoactive, shimmering synths of "Timelapse" could have been part of a long lost sci-fi soundtrack. On other occasions, Escapism sounds earthy, grainy and twitchy, especially on the detuned textures of "Diversion" or "Revolt DX", which sees Bunnik drop a gained, jarring rhythm track. However, the real highlights occur when Bunnik occupies a place where all of these sounds meet, like the ghostly pads and forceful bass of "Elude" or the hushed tones and uplifting synths of "Ominous". It's also where you'll find this year's most eloquent articulation of techno escapism.

Review: An interesting pair of remixes on this release, which sees two big producers reinterpreting seminal material from legendary ambient techno producer John Beltran. Kassem Mosse & Mip Mup collaborate on a rework of "Brilliant Flood", adding deep bass and a bumping drum machine workout over the top whilst maintaining the hazy, hypnotic quality of the original. It adds a rough, lo-fi quality that is sure to appeal to fans of Mosse's other productions. Sven Weisemann's remix is a completely different prospect, turning in a nine-minute reworking of several different Beltran productions, which is pitched somewhere between ambient and techno, and even displays a leaning towards modern classical. Not one for the dancefloor necessarily, but sublime listening nonetheless.

Review: On What Have We Learned, Lebanese producer Rabih Beaini is presented with the same dilemma that every other electronic music artist with lofty intentions faces - namely how his music can make the successful transition to a long-player format. Unlike most of his peers however, Beaini manages to imbue What Have We Learned with a common narrative, despite flirting with a range of tempos and arrangements. That unifying bond is a sombre, atmospheric mood. It's tempting to posit that Beaini was influenced by his residency in Venice - but many of his previous releases have also had a similarly somnambulant quality. Irrespective of its origins, this gloominess is audible on the opener, "Silent Screamer", where a resonating bassline underpins an arrangement that skirts loosely around the edges of conventional house music. It also plays a central role on "Too Far". Featuring freaked out Gothic vocals and tumbling keys, its grungy, primal rhythm makes the connection between modern techno grime and industrial gloom. Yet What Have We Learned isn't a depressing or demanding listen and although his music is pitched at the outer limits of dancefloor centric electronic music, its ethereal tendencies will draw listeners in rather than repelling them.

Review: Mike Dehnert and his Fachwerk and MD2 labels have been at the forefront of 90s-inspired techno for the past few years - but will his consistently high strike rate translate to a long player? Thankfully, Dehnert sticks to what he knows best, resisting the ill-advised urge to position himself as a versatile all-rounder. Apart from the brief, abstract "Intro", the dreamy ambience of "Kontextfrei" and the hissing static noise of "Outro", the album centres on the dancefloor, but manages to avoid repetition. And while the dubby bass, scuffled beats and clanging percussion of "Infix" is indicative of the Berlin producer's abeyance to the Basic Channel/Chain Reaction axis, Framework widens his scope; "Beatmatching" is an uplifting vocal-sample heavy groove and this new-found playfulness is also audible on the rave riff sampling "Teilfolge" and the purring bassline and synth melodies of "Quattro". Dehnert may be operating in a new format, but Framework proves that when it comes to techno functionalism, he is peerless.

Review: Delsin's masked crusader returns with his fifth EP on the ever reliable Dutch imprint. The three tracks on offer here showcase Redshape's sure hand with vintage production, with "Future Shock" a veritable analogue stew of swirling computer game bleepy synths and shuffling drum programming. "Kung Fu" sees the producer pay homage to the jacking sounds of Chicago, while the crunchy stomp juxtaposed by intergalactic synths of "Manhattan" pleases our ears immensely. Top release.

Review: For those of you that remember "Energize," Yoav's underground anthem from five years back, then news of his revival will be a source of great pleasure to your soul. Many have been perplexed by his disappearance during the past few years, left only with his seminal track's appearance on compilations from Ame, Carl Craig and Delsin II. But now, the Israeli producer makes a welcomed return with his fifth full length single, the Love Dubs EP.

Opening with "Higher State," Yoav gets off to a hazy start. Dramatic synth lines topple over lazy house beats as the track winds itself along, gaining momentum as it goes. 80s influenced synths flash across the track to add yet more drama in this rolling workout. "Lovedub" takes the listener on more of a freestyle jam, as a simple filtered bassline moves along as disjointed beats shuffle forward. The real fun and intrigue however, lies in the spacey keys that cascade over the track beneath. "Soul Surrender" finishes things off in a grittier, more driving tone. With the beat cranked up and the driving, deep bass set to work this is more of a heads down number that gets moving. A simple melody breaks the drama of the track, leaving the listener locked in the groove instead. Top stuff, and yes, it was worth the wait.