Lunar Disko At Juno Download

Review: The perennially excellent Irish label Lunar Disko goes conceptual to celebrate the tenth release in a peerless discography, with regular contributor Automatic Tasty on board to "tell a tale through his machines of a lonely Wicklow field from dawn till dusk". Across this neat release the erstwhile Automatic Tasty works through various musical moods to successfully fit the imaginary periods. Thus the A Side draws on bright analogue textures amidst playful think break on "Field In The Morning" with the mood increasing in upbeat tone on "Field In The Afternoon". The flip slowly plunges towards the dusk the bubbling clouds of "Field In The Evening" while the mysterious acid-tinged "Field by Night" neatly leads us into the darkness.

Review: This may well be the strongest release on Lunar Disko yet. Created by Wicklow-based producer Jonny Dillon, it moves from cheeky, Cassetteboy-ish sample silliness ("Keep Your Receipt") to glistening, "On"-era Aphex-ish electronica ("Small Hours") via a series of glistening, synth-laden jams. There's great beauty on show throughout, from the classic break and fluid synth combo of "Beannach Mhar", to the Italo-goes-IDM rush of "Over The Hill". Arguably the strongest cut, though, is "Tropic Exchange", which sounds like an unlikely hoedown between Global Communications, Orbital and Bottin. Like the rest of the release, it sounds simultaneously dated and gloriously fresh.

Review: ARP-obsessed disco/house/techno fusionist Mario Pierro returns with an EP of intergalactic grooves and menacing sci-fi disco. Lead cut "Night Theme" is unashamedly dark and menacing - vintage synth-wave disco bristling with cosmic intent, acid squiggles and stargazing swagger. "Lunar Lander" is a touch jollier but still curiously spooky, all drifting female vocal samples, wobbly bottom end and glassy-eyed Lost in Space electronics. Both tracks are good, but for real thrills check out the included Rude 66 remixes. These slow the pace to little more than a brain-melting pulse. As a result, both mixes sound creepily threatening and eerily grandiose.

Review: For years Texan techno has secretly cultivated a microhabitat of beats, bleeps and stepped rhythms. Bubbling beneath the surface is Submersible Machines, who debuts here on Irish imprint Lunar Disko. "Blue Hole" unashamedly plugs the deep sea dwellings of Drexciya with snappy snares, shimmering arps and synthetic whale songs. The pulsating bass arpeggio of "Braving The Benthic" dominates spacey pads in a predatory version of Kavinsky's 2007 new school electro hit "Testarossa Autodrive". "Cold Sleep" oozes Conforce-like sensibilities while the tracky arrangement of "Upwelling" embraces playful chimes and spiralling melodies. Squelchy bass lines and ballerina music box keys dance upon ethereal chords in "When The Whales Fall". The electro resurgence is upon us; all hail Drexciya and Convextion.