Token Belgium At Juno Download

Review: Token never does things the conventional way and this release by Ctrls is testament to the Belgian label's championing of unorthodox techno. While "Socket" is a peak time affair, powered by a rhythm that is lean and functional, cavernous soundscapes threaten to submerge it. On "Social Vector", a pacey funk bassline is in the foreground, but whirring and clicking away in the left field are shards of glitchy percussion and unexpected stops and starts. "Encrypted Sex" completes the package and here too Ctrls don't forsake experimentation, with a sawing bass supporting subtle percussive elements and a series of drops.

Review: The Survival EP sees Go Hiyama in typically uncompromising form for Belgian Imprint Token. The Japanese producer has been at the forefront of his country's industrial techno scene of late and these four pounders cement his position. The title track takes no prisoners with jackhammer drums pummelling the abrasive synth lines, stopping only momentarily for the lean rubber bassline to get stretched out before twanging back into action. Schizophrenic percussion dominates on "Tokyo View" with discordant scratches the so called melody upon which paranoid sirens sound out on what is the standout track. "First Hind Leg" throws frenetic synth shapes over galloping hi-hats whilst "Second Real" challenges the recent Mike Dehnert release in the distorted abrasions stakes.

Review: Inigo Kennedy discards with the deepness shown on recent EPs for some thoroughly dirty techno on his latest EP for Token. Heavily road tested on his worldwide DJ travels, "Revenge" and "Scatter" operate on different levels, with the former building layers of dubby rhythms over the foundation worrying drums. It's peak time business which contrasts with "Revenge", a dystopian trawl through skittering percussion, IDM soundscapes and bass that sounds fit to burst. Remix duties are undertaken by perma busy Blawan, commissioned to tweak "Revenge" after Kennedy realized the two had a mutual appreciation. As with the recent productions from the SoYo hero, this is brutal techno dominated by those unique drum sounds.

Review: Having played an integral part in the early UK techno scene, Inigo Kennedy returns to Belgium's Token imprint to deliver an old school sounding piece of experimental techno. Twisted melodies, wonky rhythms, subtle FX and a light industrial atmosphere give the track an early Warp feel but it maintains a modern day sentiment through some slick production. Marcel Dettmann gets hold of the remix, readying "The Shard" to take on a long, dark and smokey night at Berlin's Berghain.

Review: John Malkovich and Daniel Day-Lewis have garnered the reputation of being actor's actors. Ashley Burchett aka Phase is proving to be a producer's producer, certified by commissioned mixes from the likes of Robert Hood, Dave Clarke and Ben Sims, as well spots in Resident Advisor podcasts by Surgeon and Carl Craig. Since 2007 Phase has been channelling his burrowed beats and jarring analogue riffs through Belgian and techno genuine imprint Token. A mastering engineer by trade, Burchett achieves perfect equilibrium in his mix downs where no sound or artefact dominates the other. Shifting crackles and resonating textures cosy up to looped rhythms of "Binary Opposition (Process 1)" which Phase substitutes for more melodic yet insidious soundscapes in "Binary Opposition (Process 2)" - handing the likes of Dettmann and Nodge some early afternoon Berghain fodder with two tracks harbouring the longevity needed to fuel their legendary Sunday sessions.

Review: After a barn-storming 2011, the dense, bristling techno of Xhin returns to toy with your senses. This four track EP for Token delivers just what fans of his recent LP will be looking for; dark- primal rhythm tracks with enough vitality to keep from getting dull. The unforgiving broken stomp of "The Realm" is enough on its own, let alone when it has great rips of tone and melody pulsing over the top. There's deeper moments offered too, in the spacious sound bath that is "Elliptic", but really it's the smack down of the other three tracks that will deliver the goods for existing fans.