Bestsellers last 8 weeks

Review: The Boddika-helmed Nonplus unveil Think & Change, the label's first compilation and what a way to mark such an event. Calling on a cast of the great and the good of contemporary techno and bass music, Think & Change arrives sporting some thirteen tracks, a statement of how far Nonplus has come since its emergence in 2009 as an outlet for the Autonomic family of artists, gradually mutating into a more wide ranging approach, with material from Actress, Kassem Mosse and Basic Soul Unit ensuring a reputation as one of the most respected labels in the bass music diaspora. The highlights on this compilation are many, but you should be checking Four Tet's contribution "For These Times" (easily his best, least fussy club track to date) "Bad Chicago" from Martyn, and Kassem Mosse's excellent "Broken Patterns".

Review: Tom Rowlands is the spectacle-wearing-half of the Chemical Brothers and he debuts his solo work on Erol Alkan's Phantasy Sound. Rowlands merges new school styles of throbbing and jacked-up house - replete with marching snares, curdling cow bells and cut vocals - with powerful stylings of EBM. Pitch that against a synthesiser that sounds like its being hung, drawn and quartered and you have Rowlands' title track "Through Me". Meanwhile, the chainsaw synth of "Nothing But Pleasure" dominates the track, which builds into a druggy drop made for party-harder dancers moshing like they were at a Rage Against The Machine or Justice concert - harking back to the days when French electro labels Institubes and Ed Banger ruled.

Review: Ahead of a forthcoming new album for Brainfeeder, Martyn drops this killer induction into Steffi's recently established Dolly Dubs imprint. The offshoot launched in relatively low key fashion late last year, with Swedish producer Staffan Lindberg at the helm. The addition of Steffi's compatriot Martyn is however big news, with the three track Newspeak EP the Dutchman's first proper release since Hello Darkness, the single that bookended his album for Brainfeeder in March of last year. Long term devotees of the 3024 boss's output should be familiar with the sub heavy snap of the title track which featured on his Essential Mix for Radio 1 last Spring, whilst lead track "Oceania" is a rolling, broken treat.

Review: Although it has only one release to its name - Happa's Beat Of The Drum - London club night turned record label Church is looking to be an imprint to keep close tabs on, especially on the strength of this second EP, from young London producer Rumah. Although his debut from last year demonstrated an atmospheric, syncopated style of bass music, "Stutter" shows a marked progression into swung techno styles, with a weighty track full of concrete rhythms and glassy synths; "Murmur" is similarly powerful, throwing acid flecks and sunken vocals into the mix. Meanwhile, Apes & Seb Wildblood offer their own take on "Stutter", tempering some of the original's more ferocious attributes with some subtle dub techno elements, while James Fox refixes "Murmur" into a slinky, mid-tempo house groover, whose swelling synths offer something considerably deeper.

Review: Paganini drops a heavy, functional EP for Sven Vath's label. The title track sets the tone for the release, a dark, slamming affair characterised by heavy, concrete beats and hissing percussion. A similar approach applies on "Fire In My Arms", but here the central riff drones like a strike craft moving in to drop its deadly payload.
"Polyester" is more straightforward, as a rolling groove drops and builds again, powered by metallic drums. "Hot" sees Paganini revisit the approach on the title track with insistent vocal samples littered in the arrangement, while "Parallel" features a vocal snippet intoning "I'm stretched" over a belching acid line.

Review: Next month sees Freerange boss Jimpster return to the album game with Porchlight and Rocking Chairs, this release acts as a neat teaser for what to expect. Lead track "Rollergirl" pumps in arpeggio like a night drive scene from a '80s music video clip, while breathy male vocals whisper in the tracks background. It's a melodic piece fuelled by muted tension and soft aggression. Accompanying it is "Hold My Hand", a track featuring all the Jimpster trimmings; deep piano chords, spoken word vocals, chromatic synth loops and soft, yet thumpy drums.

Review: Richie Hawtin's label has long been associated with the minimal sound, but this release frees itself from that sound. The title track is stripped back, but it serves up a new take on classic electro thanks to its shuffling 808s and woozy, reflective synths. Tale of Us return to a more conventional approach on "Discochord" but they still avoid hiccupping mnml sounds and the squelchy acid line is accompanied by atmospheric synths. Finally, "Lost City" is more grimy and nocturnal, but again the menacing 808s and reflective synths make it sound a million miles away from the label's trademark sound.

Review: Hard techno's Germanic beginnings may have given the genre it's unforgivingly industrial edge, but it soon spread across the globe faster than a HAARP electrical storm. Stepping up to the mantle with the likes of Presk and Blawan, Abstract Division have built a monolithic slab of near-impenetrable beats from their home in the Netherlands. It's as challenging as it is beguiling; the minimal sounds of "Collision" break through the colossal build and washed-out claps of "Comprehend", pulsing like the techno nights worth remembering. When the house revival begins to crumble, you know where we'll be.

Review: From the label who gave us Gorgon City and Rudimental comes another exciting new act, DVWLX (or David Wilcox as he's known to the taxman). Taking the bass flavours of labels such as Pets and Dirtybird but dropping the tempo down a notch or two, "Not Another Love Song" oozes a classy sense of timelessness. "Get Out" is darker and deeper again with a lovely succession of reverberating, dubbed out textures; think 2020 Vision's early output and you're not far off. "Just Like That" takes us deeper again, nodding at formative progressive sounds while maintaining a slight cheekiness with cool VonStroke style diced vocal hits. As far as debut records go, this is near-on faultless.

Review: The ever-correct Prime Numbers series is still going strong, this time bringing together a thoroughly eclectic range of producers to lay down some solid club fodder. Adesse adopts the tenderest approach, bringing a soft African lilt to a subtle arrangement of light drums and poignant chords. Truss is certainly in no mood to chill on "Redbrook", going for a big room techno flavour that favours rigid beats, acid parps and epic swathes of organ. Massimo Di Lena is on a far more twitchy tip, with a snagging assortment of percussion and some woozy synths that leave one feeling wonderfully dizzy.

Review: One of the more driving cuts from Robert Hood's epic Motor: Nighttime World 3 from last year, "Drive (The Age Of Automation)" finds itself getting a welcome single release. The original is about as Detroit as you can get, where a moody motorik bassline gives way to suitably sci-fi synths, combining a musical take on Detroit's automotive history with a Blade Runner aesthetic. Token artist Phase obviously revels in the opportunity to provide two brilliant reworks of the track; the "Nocturnal Mix", which isolates the original's bass stabs and incorporates them into a rolling juggernaut rhythm tailor made for the warehouse, while the "C-Box Mix" opts to keep the melodic elements but pare them back with the producer's trademark sharpness.

Review: It seems incredible to think that despite his nearly 20 years of production experience, Dave Sumner hasn't released a full Function album until now. Thankfully Incubation proves it's been well worth the wait with the Sandwell District member really stretching his legs out for one of those techno albums that is most definitely an album experience. This nine track set bristles with great ideas and murky atmospherics, combining dystopian sci-fi soundtrack textures with the precision techno he's become known for. There are robust dancefloor tracks - see the murky acid techno of "Against The Wall" and sweaty "Modifier" - but also moments of intense, melodic beauty, from the crystalline bliss of "Counterpoint", to the dreamy hypnotism of "Inter (album version)".

Review: It's hard not to admire Ben Sims' ability to reinvent himself. On "Something", he delivers a typical slamming tribal groove, but it features noisy, crashing percussion and a vocal intoning 'there's something inside', which is culled from the kind of hardcore record that he used to play back in the day. Sims' own remix features splintered rhythms and insistent claps over hammering beats, while his choice of remixers is also of a high quality; Truncate's take features merely a snippet of the vocal over hammering beats that lead into a deep chord sequence, while the Rivet version is more stripped back and laced with bugged out acid lines.

Review: Rocking up to his regular home at 50 Weapons, Bambounou brings yet more of his playful, experimental bass music to bear with this rock solid three tracker. There's a great focus on wild, disorientating noises hammered into solid rhythms, whether it's the metallic swirls that slop around the insides of "Filled", or the jerky tap drips that inject the funk into "Brim". Aside from the spicy sounds, there's also plenty to hold onto, not least with the whopping great chord stabs that also inhabit "Brim". Having said that, "Boarder" is more intent on plunging you into a bizarre soundworld of bold VHS synth drones and snaking percussion that seems intent on dodging the groove at all costs.

Review: Irish producer Chymera has always excelled at fixing twinkling melodies to heavy, club friendly grooves, and this EP for Dirt Crew is no exception. Both "Disc" - with its proto-house synths and crystalline arpeggios - and "Isa" follow a similar path. It's the latter, though, that most impresses, working darting synths and beautifully crisp melodies around robotic drums and a bold bassline. While clearly inspired by techno and deep house, it should also appeal to those who enjoy the "scandolearic" sound of Oslo. Mark E remixes the latter, indulging his passion for vintage analogue house while retaining Chymera's tactile melodies.

Review: DMX Krew is back with a twisted, body-morphing collection of tunes on his own Breakin' Records, the label which the man has been curating since the mid-90s. Once again we're treated to a beautiful cocktail of electro deluge and machine-drum psychedelia; "Honeydew" is a classic DMX cut with enough funk to leave you roasted on the floor, while "Dramatic Exit" heads even further down the rave era thanks to its slippery beat layout and nostalgic melodies. "Sppoookey" is an AFX-reminiscent hurter, complete with plenty of acid licks and gritty-as-hell drum programming, whilst "Apple Grid" takes a bouncier approach to things and "Superficial Appearance" blends far-out acid trickles, heavy snares, DMX grit and spits it back out into a luscious deep house belter...something only the man is capable of.

Review: Expert attention to detail across all visual and sonic elements is present and correct once again on this sick release from the Avian nest with label co-founder Shifted at the helm. Originally spread across two 12"s for the physical release, The Cold Light is presented in its entirety across this digital EP. "Cold Light Sektor A" is all about the contrast between elements as the near incandescent lightness of those dubby chords battles with the growing weight of Shifted's sludgy rhythmic arrangements, while "Sektor B" opts to burrow down a plinking locked groove making it a perfect DJ tool. The swarm like "Sektor C" meanwhile is a repetitious and mind numbing groove of techno, deviating only slightly in variance throughout the track's entirety; "Sector D" turns up the freeze in a production which can be likened to a subdued Mike Parker - whom Shifted remixed recently - as cold Sandwell-style bleeps flutter and hum under Shifted's now trademark four to the floor style.

Review: The father and son team Rick and Tevo Howard has dropped some joint classics in recent years and it's nice to see them back together on wax courtesy of the Bio Rhythm label. Overseen by Paul Du Lac, the Dutch imprint demonstrated impressive form in its short life to date, calling on Jamal Moss, Albert Van Abbe and Crystal Maze for some excellent releases. The House Room EP has Rick and Tevo dropping an original cut that brings back the warm feeling of those early Beautiful Granville releases, whilst Du Lac gets the chance to show off his own production prowess across two remixes with the latter Acid Dub a real jack hammering joy.

Review: South London Ordnance's rise has been nothing short of meteoric over the past year, and now he officially joins the aristocracy of bass music with his debut release for Scuba's Hotflush. "Revolver" is pretty much the most refined example of the current wave of tech-bass, pairing steely, swung beats with a roaring sample sounding like a dying jet engine, before moving through a multitude of dubbier techno moods. On the flip, "Transmission Funk" is perhaps the lightest thing he's produced contrasting pulsing bass and severe plate glass tones with shimmering background harmonics, all held together with his signature structural scaffold of firm kicks and sharp, rolling snares.

Review: The first of two samplers heralding the forthcoming Nonplus label compilation Think and Change arrives bearing two heavy hitting tracks not to be found on the compilation proper. First up, Boddika & Joy Orbison's Sunklo hit "Mercy" gets the VIP treatment from Boddika; the result is a peak time tool which strips the original down to its barest components but still maintains the juggernaut-like quality of the original. It's joined by a fresh Kassem Mosse track in the form of "Broken Patterns", a typically tough production from the Bosse which combines and endlessly stomping 4/4 rhythm with cascading string plucks and rattling synth textures.

Review: Zero confirms what this writer had long thought about Subjected: he inhabits a world where darkness reigns. Indeed, the tone on Zero is predominantly bleak; from the white noise of "M" and the slowed down, scraping rhythm of "Vx800" to the hammering drums and slamming rhythm of "Tool 1", the wild analogue yelps of "SD 1" and the searing bass and stepping rhythm of "Vault 101", the album is not designed to chill out at home to. But that doesn't mean it is throwaway or disposable, and alone the epic chord builds and sheet metal percussion of "Concept 3" is more powerful than a warehouse full of drone albums.

Review: Tresor chalk up a whopping 260 releases with Sleeparchive's A Man Dies In The Street Part 1. Roger Semsroth has always constructed dense techno from minimal means: dusty white noise, a handful of bleeps, solid drums and simple sequences melded into new forms by heavy doses of repetition and austere atmospherics created from the waste products of cycling parts. Spooky bleeps only make up the even half of the EP, with "2" dinging endlessly like a quantised but malfunctioning train crossing, while "4" sees Semsroth inject more life into his short wrung tonal bursts. "1" and "3" however are the remit of ringing metrical's, with Sleeparchive seemingly paying homage to Regis' mid '90s style of hard and grubby techno, similar to "He/1" and "He/2".

Review: Creeping ever closer towards their third year of existence, Modularz have remained steadfast in their aesthetic approach, deftly combining the dynamism of straight up techno with an intricately textured approach that has proved enduringly rewarding. Label boss Developer once again features prominently on their tenth entry, contributing four cuts. The expansive bassline to the opening track "Sequence 85" practically consumes you, with "Sequence 88" markedly sparser, allowing the rigid percussion and booming kicks centre stage. "Mover Of The Mercury" meanwhile combines linear, tribal drumming and bleak, distant drones, while "Gaining" is imbued with a surprisingly funky character a la Gesloten Cirkel, as dark synth horns snake around precision drums. The producer's allies put in a fine showing too; last seen on Mote Evolver, Spaniard Psyk adds further balance with the subaqueous dub techno of "Transito", whilst the unknown quantity Rhomb is on electrifying form with the Mike Parker-esque "Reboot". Elyas' "Camberwell" may seem to take its name from one of South London's more picturesque locations, but the slamming techno stabs and granite drums are anything but polite, recalling Shed's Equalized material; Ascion rounds things off with the trippiest cut of the release, as savage waveforms twist themselves around abstract atonal beeps.

Review: Always open to teaming up with like-minded souls for their releases on Osiris, the ever-prolific Kryptic Minds are on the prowl once more, this time with the equally active Killawatt in tow. Kicking off with the brooding and short-lived "Swung Operations", it's business as usual in the Osiris camp with plenty of industrial clangs and booms meeting with punchy digital percussion. The bleak tones continue apace into "Reaching Through", even as some discernable melody comes pulsing through from a dub techno chord, but the beat does more than enough on its own, working a rapid kick and sizzling hat to deadly effect without ever going overboard. "Cunning Juncture" finds equal worth in the minimal approach, bringing a measured amount of techno influence into the dubstep framework with sterling results.

Review: The adoption of a new name and a new sound by Marcus Intalex has been one of this year's success stories, with his rattling brand of warehouse appropriate techno under the Trevino moniker gracing labels as diverse as [Naked Lunch], Apple Pips and Craig Richards' The Nothing Special. With a forthcoming debut on Klockworks on the way, Trevino returns to Martyn's 3024, the label where this new name was first established. Then appearing on a split release with Instra:mental, Trevino comes through with a full release in Tactical Manoeuvre EP which brandishes three tracks that showcase the different styles and sounds of the producer. The murky warehouse vibes of the title track make it the Juno favourite here but all three productions here are clearly the work of a producer in a rich vein of form.

Review: Machinedrum, Blawan, the collaborative Third Side project and new name Kobosil remix tracks from Barker & Baumecker's brilliant debut LP Transsektoral. Up first is Machinedrum, who replaces the broken beats of "No Body" with a bassy four-to-the- floor hum-drum, starry synths and a compatible resonance that successfully maintains Barker & Baumecker's previous garage vibe, and upstart Kobosil removes any melodious element from the original "Silo" and reworks the drums suitably for peak time Berghain action. Blawan's re-command of "Crows" sees ritualistic drums swagger clumsily in and out of time to orc war-horns that sound like they're rung in the midst of battle, while Third Side then turns "Schlang Bang" inside out by buckling down on a single looped-up sample. Sometimes remix additions can be a little underwhelming, this ain't one of them.

Review: The "Jupiters" remixes are finally available on digital format and this time it's a strictly UK affair, with Happa and Jamie XX on remix duties! Happa's re-interpretation of "Jupiters" is a thumping beast of a track, where a startling bass drum churns its way across a militant percussion - violent hi-hats and snares all round, coated graciously by the most ominous synth stabs to have ever appeared on a Four Tet record! Jamie XX's take on "Lion" is a calmer, sub-heavy parade of swinging drums and mutating bass lines, growing in ferocity with every new bar.

Review: This young DJ /producer is one of 2012's most promising new artists - take one listen to Water Jump and it's clear why he is so hyped. "Reception" uses a mutant, noisy take on Chicago house basslines to brutal effect, while "Drone Logic" also revisits the past to create a new vision for the future. There, heavy drums roll in and an old school progressive house bassline - one that sounds more Guerilla than Digweed - is chewed to pieces by bursts of electronic feedback. But it's "A Quiet Life" that really stands out. Underpinned by a splurging bass, haunting angelic voices breeze in as psychedelic drums that have little bearing to traditional house / techno structures explode through the speakers.

Review: The Fear Of Flying label's co-owner BLM returns with his first new material in some time on the label of cult London party Secret Sundaze with a three track EP that feels significantly darker in tone than his releases for Tsuba and Underground Quality. "Sudden Death" is a hefty piece of loop techno that would put Skudge to shame, whose chugging bass and clattering percussion is contrasted with some softly placed keys. "Chemistry" is another weighty production whose dimly lit dub chords slowly emerge from the gloom before leading into an unexpected section of gentle 303 and spoken word vocal, while "Brick" is a lighter jam whose swelling synth waves catch a restless bassline and looping chords in its wake.

Review: Len Faki is no stranger to Ostgut Ton having mixed the label's third and possibly hardest sounding Berghain CD back in 2009. Whilst the Berlin fixture has remained resolutely busy since then, Faki has remained absent from the OSTGUT catalogue numbers. Basement Trax Vol 1 signals Faki's return to Ostgut colours in impressive and diverse fashion. Lead track "Btx1" is dominated by the heavily processed treatment of some orgasmic sounding female vocals submerged deep in the mix and smeared greedily across the channels chased by whipcracking percussion. The flipside accompaniment "Btx2" is a tougher version with the tribalistic percussion gradually consumed by the vastness of Faki's string arrangements, while the final version "Btx3" sees Faki present a swirling mass of ambient calm. How good would it be to hear this at 2pm on a Sunday in Berghain?

Review: Like the best labels, the 3024 operation overseen by Martyn seems locked onto it's own trajectory, slipping out records as and when they feel appropriate instead of regularly churning out material just so you know they are there. The label's first release of 2013 is a sampler that shines the light on the talent bubbling in Canada right now, securing original productions from recognised names like Kevin McPhee, Bruce Trail, Nautiluss and Gingy (no Bordello) The skewed take on techno that's so popular right now is evident across all three tracks with McPhee's "Version 5" a searing delight.

Review: This German label has won its reputation by straddling the house/techno divide, but there is no such ambiguity on Chosen 3. Focusing heavily on harder sounds, it opens with Rebekah's remix of Chris Page's "Derailleur", a steamrolling, fist-pumping affair, littered with belligerent chord stabs. Advanced Human's "Satellite Club" is in a similar vein, its dark drums and soldered iron riffs sounding similar to Jeff Mills. The Jeroen Search take on Egor Boss' "Inversion 2.2" isn't short of high-paced thrills either, and its doubled up claps and tracky rhythm provide a hard-edged basis for Boss' ghostly synths; the release highlight however is Dax J's "New Beginnings", a chord-heavy groove that throbs and filters to infinity.

Review: The first release of the year for Hessle Audio sees the long-awaited release of "Raw Code", a live favourite of the sets Peverelist and Kowton perform with fellow Bristolian Asusu as part of Livity Sound. It's been high on the request line for some time, having featured in acetate form on mixes dating as far back as the label showcase for Benji B's Radio 1 show from February of last year, securing it a place on Ben UFO's recent Fabriclive mix. The lead track sports the kind of instantly recognisable string bursts that have characterised Kowton's recent crop of grime influenced techno productions, together with a bouncy yet mechanical groove dominated by weighty sub bass. It comes backed with "Junked", a slower, decidedly more broken production reminiscent of the experimental rhythm tracks present on Pearson Sound's Clutch EP released last year. Essential.

Review: Comeme is one of the most brilliantly unpredictable labels and Beating PC shows why it is held in such high esteem. "Puqui" unfolds with psychedelic chords drawn out over a low-slung groove, the synths veering into the realms of tripped out. The title track sees loose drums combined with a languid funk guitar, while there are further surprises on "Eat Me", where a dubbed out bassline and lost vocal intoning 'what are you doing here' is fused with dreamy synths. It's a similar situation on "Voy a Ver", where darker guitar riffs chimes in over a groovy disco rhythm. Maintaining its unpredictable edge, "Berberecho" is a faster, jacking affair with a rubbery bassline and squelchy bleeps.

Review: Gerd Janson's Running Back open their 2013 account with a label debut from evergreen producer Oliver Ho under his Raudive alias. Ho's garnered something of a chameleonic reputation over his 15 year recording history, demonstrating little interest in focusing on one sound or genre. Most recently seen fronting the spiky three piece band The Eyes In The Heat, Ho returns to the Raudive name that scored a great History Clock 12" for the four track Traffic EP. Fitting in snugly on Running Back, expect muscular EBM and house workouts with the detuned pianos and manipulated vocals of the title track likely to garner considerable attention.

Review: The Loch & Hill EP sees Steffi vocalist and Panorama Bar resident Virginia debut proper on Ostgut Ton. Perhaps best known to the world for her vocal contributions to Steffi's 2011 album Yours & Mine including the ubiquitous "Yours," Virginia is nevertheless a seasoned DJ and producer in her own right, having emerged from the Munich scene to take up a residency at Berlin's Panorama Bar in recent times. She's also grown into something of a producer under the tutelage of Steffi, most recently remixing the amusingly named "Shit On Me", a track Virginia vocalised on last year's Third Side LP . The Loch & Hill EP contains four vintage-leaning house productions with a modern sheen that clearly demonstrate her Panorama Bar experience; "Neurosis" for example is succinctly described by the label as a "playful, uplifting night-time jacker", while "Shifter" brings more explicit Detroit influences to bear with its elastic synth line and rumbling techno bassline.

Review: It's hard to believe that Sweden's Drumcode has been going since 1996, but Adam Beyer's imprint celebrates its fifteenth birthday this year, and as part of the celebrations the label have released this essential 28-track compilation. Instead of looking to the past, as is usually customary with this kind of collection, 15 Years of Drumcode focuses on the newest work of the label's current roster alongside new material from some well known names from the label's past and special contributions from some bonafide techno legends. Highlights come in the form of Slam's powerhouse "Temperance", and the percolating, acid tinged textures of Jesper Dahlback's "No Control", the pulsating robo-techno of Patrick Seich's "Structure", and the dubby atmospherics of Mauro Picotto & Riccardo Ferri's "Asteroids".