Review: Hex celebrates its second anniversary with this exhaustive hard techno compendium. Rebekah sets the tone with the pummelling, ebm-themed "You Be The Leader" and Cleric ramps up the intensity on the deranged jack of "The Puppet Master", before AEIT brings this sound to its logical conclusion with a pounding, visceral banger laced with feedback on the ominously named "12 Gauge",
There are some less intense contributions, with Rommek's "Mezcal Worm" drawing on a niggling electronic groove and sawtooth bass. But in the main, this is a compilation full of high-octane thrills as the dark trance and grainy, concrete weight kicks of AnD's "Fearless" so effectively demonstrate.
Review: Perc's Tracks Of... has become the unofficial annual state of the hard techno nation synopsis, and 2020 is no different. It features label favourites such as AnD, Manni Dee and Scalameriya, who contribute linear, driving tracks (Dee's "The Wolves" and "Exploit Me, I'm Yours"), crunchy industrial bangers ( Scalameriya's intense "Plothole") and searing acid workouts (AnD's "Morning Sesh").
But this year's edition also welcomes newer names to the stable such as Ghost in the Machine and Tymon, who impress with the visceral "Breaking the Seal" and the broken beat "Woodman" respectively. The compilation also collects tracks that veteran producer The Advent's released this year on the label, with the lean rhythm of "Scorched" and the jacking "Planting Seeds" - a follow-up to the 1997 track "House Seed" - really standing out.
Review: Following on from 2018's first Forever split release, Perc Trax delivers a blinding second instalment. The chilling strings and pounding kicks of "Morning Sesh" by AnD set a frenetic pace for the release, but it can't compare to the intensity levels on Tymon's "Woodman". While it is considerably slower, the rough drums, skewed percussion and driving rhythm all come together to make for an exhilarating piece. D.A.V.E. The Drummer from the veteran Stay Up Forever collective drops a similarly inclined banger in the shape of "133.33000000000001", while Mickey Nox's "Filtered Metal" is all about the pounding kicks and bursts of white noise. Maintaining the peak-time sound, Keepsakes' "I Breathe Slow & Watch With Gusto" weaves chopped up vocals into its ghetto techno backing.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.