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Review: The influence of Basic Channel and Chain Reaction can be heard on Traces, but unlike most dub techno, it sounds increasingly faint. The closest relation to the chugging, scuffled sound pioneered during the early to mid-90s comes on "Eruption", where gasping percussion and driving, metronome drums provide the basis for soulful synth lines and well-measured drops. "Motion 3" sees Fluxion adopt a jazzier approach with the drums in the background and sensuous chords to the fore, while for much of "Motion 2", Fluxion is in ambient mode, with widescreen sounds eventually giving way to a lazy rhythm. The Morphosis take on "Eruption" creates even more distance to dub techno, with squaling drones and crashing drums providing an unhinged counterpoint.

Review: Now regarded as something of a doyen for the UK techno community, Karl O'Connor aka Regis is revered with something approaching religious fervor in some circles. And it's little wonder; his brutal yet inherently funky and artful strand of techno brought together the worlds on industrial and DIY punk with pummeling 4x4 machine music long before any one else. Between 1994 and 2000, he delivered a string of uncompromising techno records comparable to the early output of Dave Clarke and Jeff Mills, and here the Downwards imprint looks back on those halcyon days with the first volume of a Complete Recordings reissue. Certified fans won't bother reading this review - it's buy on sight material - but lovers of contemporary techno looking to trace the genre's diverse origins should look, listen and learn from one of the undisputed greats.

Review: Red Axes cover a wide range of ground on Chile. The title track teems with robust tribal drums and is driven by a searing bassline, but it's the shimmering synths that set it apart. The Soft Rocks take also features the evocative synths, but on that occasion they are wrapped around heavy claps and a pulsing bass, while the Bobmo version of "On and On" is a jacking, squelchy groove with screeching riffs dive-bombing in and out. However, the release takes a really interesting turn on "Sun Goes Down". There, Red Axes do a fine approximation of Detroit electro as robotic vocals merge with shuffling 808s. "On And On" is also built on the drum shuffle, but its howling riffs call to mind the 1994 classic "Bells" by Hazed on Plus 8.

Review: On the title track, Stuart Li opts for a defined sound, and does a fine job of replicating deep Detroit techno, replete with a swinging, off-beat rhythm underpinning his dreamy pads. Li casts his vision wider on "The Long Way" and "Flying Through The Fog", with heavy drums, reverberating claps and warbling acid lines complementing the dreamy melodies. However, none of these tracks can prepare the listener for Shed's remix of the title track. Like his Wax project jacked up on steroids, the slamming, rock-hard beats have a distorted resonance and the shredded, mangled percussion adds to the intensity. Only the rave-like dreaminess that underscores the remix provides a hint as to the track's origins.

Review: Joachim Spieth shows that dub techno is an integral part of the German psyche on Sensualized. "Sensual" contains all those elements that Chain Reaction and Basic Channel pioneered - dubby beats, cavernous chords and epic basslines, but it's testament to Spieth's skills that it doesn't sound staid. The remixers also do a fine job of reshaping "Sensual". Jamal Moulay's take features harder beats and a more upfront, rolling groove, while Reggy van Oers pushes in the opposite direction, with dreamy chords unravelling over a languid groove. Best of all though is Brendon Moeller's take, where an eerie organ riff and swelling chords combine for an arrangement that's very much in the spirit of Maurizio.

Review: The second instalment of Form provides accurate snapshots from contemporary techno sounds and styles. In its original format, "Floating Point" is an austere, bleepy Sleeparchive-style groove, its sonic blips lent additional weight thanks to snappy, Klock-style percussion. Dutch producer Delta Funktionen brings a dubby approach on his rework, fusing it with a tunnelling, hypnotic riff, for a darker sound than is his wont, while "Magnetic Field" is a dark, industrial-tinged sound scape. There is also a look to the past as Ben Sims drops an acid-coated, loop techno take on "Shifted Reality" - but in the main this second volume is a forward-facing collection.

Review: Maxwell and Tejada make a welcome diversion on their latest Palette missive. Although "Where's The Cable?" will satisfy those who can't get enough of their detuned hooks, slinky, ice-cold minimal rhythms and bassy climaxes, the most rewarding results occur when they go down a less travelled path. "Whoops There It Is" is a killer warehouse groove, its gurgling acid sequence and grainy FX making it sound like the bastard offspring of Absurd Recordings and Moustache Techno. But the biggest surprise is on the title track, where the duo's floaty melodies weave their way in and out of a purring electro bass and shuffling 808s.

Review: Take The Plunge sees Dave Huismans return to the A Made Up Sound moniker for the first time in a year, following the superb Fever album under his 2562 alias. Huisman is known for his particularly unique productions, but "Take The Plunge" is perhaps his most mind-bending yet, combining his signature garage-inflected techno rhythms and combining them with syncopated samples, chopped and distorted beyond all recognition, while their pneumatic drill-like quality pans across both channels at irregular intervals. The (digital) B-Side sees "Anger MGMT", which, despite its name, is actually less aggressive then its counterpart. With the same kind of clattering, ramshackle beats, it is a slightly more straightforward techno track, albeit with dub influenced bass and scaffold pole percussive qualities providing its flavour. The EP closes with "Take The Plunge (First Thought)", a beatless version of the original which regardless of its abrasive jackhammer tones, actually has a bizarrely soporific effect. Another fantastic EP which is further proof of Huismans' unique genius.

Review: It's been twenty years since the Black Dog released its first record, and in that space of time their fans have been through more line-up and style changes than a US R&B act. From breakbeat rave through poly-rhythmic 'intelligent techno' - this writer's favourite incarnation, it must be said - through their film soundtrack, ambient and industrial stylings, tBD have covered a wide range of ground, enchanting, sometimes baffling, but always demanding our attention. What is most striking is that apart from Luke Slater, they are the only act from the UK's golden age of techno that still sound relevant, something they have achieved by not standing still for too long. The Liber series revealed their love of 80s industrial, but it also showcased Italo, moody electro and techno without breaking a sweat. Now tracks from the series get the remix treatment from some of contemporary electronic music's most vital names. Sandwell District's take on "Dissident Bleep" is everything one would expect from the revered techno act, a tunneling, hypnotic groove, while newcomer Sigha's take on "High Rise Choir Reprise" opts for a diametrically opposed sound, the textures stripped away, replaced by a stuttering, plate-metal rhythm. Shifted and Perc also impress; the former's take on "Heavy Industry" sees a gushing filter wash over the Dog's bleepy techno and the latter turns "Bass Mantra" into a pounding, sheet metal rhythmic assault. It's not all functional, streamlined techno however, and, like the Black Dog themselves, a large part of this remix package's charms comes from unexpected moments like Richard H Kirk's shimmying, sax-infused take on "Greedy Gutter Guru" and the muttered vocals and murderous sub-bass of Blawan's version of "Black Chamber Order". Here's to 20 more years

Review: Timeless rolling, melodic techno from1991 is treated to a series of respectful reshapes. Both the Nostalgia and Rod versions are hard sequencing, analogue jackers, like the grainy Djax output from the early 90s, with Rod's slammig take just about shading it in the quality stakes. At the other end of the spectrum, Orlando Voorn delivers a gloriously widescreen ambient workout, while Vince Watson's rumbing drums provide a basis for the kind of airy Detroit melodies that the Scottish producer is known for. Samuel Session stamps his mark on Session with a foreboding bassline, but it's Legowelt who deserves most praise as his fusion of warm, trippy synth and bleeding acidic basslines sound more seductive than ever.

Review: Despite a long and fruitful career, there's been little for fans of Justin Robertson to get excited about lately. It turns out that this is down to the time he's been spending in the studio, adding finishing touches to the debut EP from his new alias, Deadstock 33s. Stranger is an excellent EP, featuring tracks that mine many of Robertson's influences. There's the warped, acid-laden vintage techno pomp of "Stranger" - all analogue drums, weird noises and original Bugged Out strut - and "The Sound Face & Mind", a curious but rather brilliant fusion of '80s electro rhythms and cascading synths. For the most part the remixes are great, too, with Eskimo Twins 303-attack and Daniel Avery's deep electro standing out.