Review: Techno powerhouse Alan Fitzpatrick teams up with Reset Robot to deliver a varied, impactful release. "Feel The Rhythm" is a tough track, with the duo layering a repetitive vocal over pounding kicks and rasping hi hats. In contrast, "Phantom" sees the pair go deeper, with melancholic hooks unfolding over a similarly weighted rhythm track, while on "Moon Bird", rickety percussion is fused with lush synths without the signature Fitzpatrick drums losing their dance floor lustre. Label owner Marco Faraone also delivers a remix of "Rhythm", which sees him toughen up the drums and add a layer of driving percussion to the original arrangement.
Review: The return of Reset Robot this week with a release on the esteemed Poker Flat Recordings. The alter ego of British producer, engineer and DJ Dave Robertson, the Portsmouth-based artist follows up some terrific material on Drumcode, Mobilee, Hotflush and his own Whistleblower Records with this killer three-tracker. The smooth tech house bounce of "Tired Voice" is less austere than Robertson's usual main room bangers. Likewise, the glassy-eyed and bittersweet deepness of "Meig" follows in suit, until "Jinx" signals a return to form on this slinky and hypnotic melodic techno workout that's aimed squarely peak time dancefloor.
Review: A most trusted producer over the years with a sound that's evolving into something more progressive and synthy for this particular release while maintaining that classic Reset Robot reboot - this EP's lead track is its most intriguing. With a touch of techno-pop be-it electroclash weaving its way through "I Wish You'd Never" there's no denying its trancey and rave roots. Dipping deeper into straight up big room acid techno for "Time Loop", the whiplash of rip curling synths in "Fluid" peel over ephemeral atmospheres and the dusty thud of drums. And for the that serene bonus, Truesoul caps off this release with a "I Wish You'd Never (dub)", steering the original toward something arpeggio-driven over vocal-led.
Review: For the latest instalment of We Are The Brave, label owner Alan Fitzpatrick hooks up with Reset Robot aka Dave Robertson. Fans of lean club techno will be familiar with Robertson's work under this alias for labels like Truesoul - and the pair's opening salvo, "Angstrom", is a steely, grinding rhythm that's supported by cheese-wire percussion. Robertson flies solo on "Lucky Pig", where doubled up claps dive-bomb in over a hammering rhythm track, while Alan Fitzpatrick's own "The Light" is just as forceful. Built on his signature breeze block kick drums, the UK producer conjures up nightmarish synth scapes.
Review: Following on from the recent 2.1 compilation, Hotflush again shows why it is such an essential dance floor label. It features established artists like Agoria, who drops the discordant tones and spiky minimalism of "Helice" and Recondit with the deep, dubbed out "Channel" , alongside emerging producers like Glaskin with the twisted acid of "You Are Simply A Machine". No Hotflush compilation would be complete without its owner Scuba's input; here it takes various forms, including a broken beat remix of "Ruptured" by Surgeon, and the SCB sub-project dropping the sub-bass led "Rope". If that wasn't reason enough to buy Floor 2.2, there is also a fine techno track from the late, great Trevino.
Review: With Ibiza's extended summer season almost upon us, Toolroom has served up a suitably epic collection of cuts that it expects to be big on the White Isle this summer. Label boss Mark Knight has provided a trio of DJ mixes ("Poolside", "Club" and "Afterclub") and the unmixed tracks included all fit into these loose categories. There's not enough room to list all of the highlights, but we've been enjoying the funk-fuelled disco-house rush of Illyus and Barrientos' "The One", the sleazy, bass-heavy bounce of Max Chapman's "Steppa", the acid-powered tech-house-jack of Del-30's "Gravity" and the weighty, mind-altering thump of "Low End Theory" by Eli Brown.
Review: Dave Robertson aka Reset Robot returns to Hotflush after last year's Conflux release. The focus here is on tough club tracks with varying de-grees of abrasive sound. The title track is a chugging rhythm that is based on a potent update of the Hoover bass, which provides the basis for filtered riffs and a series of incessant bleeps. Despite this, its step-ping rhythm means that it maintains a sense of funk. "Idiolect" sees Robertson dive off into the noisy abyss with a grainy take on acid tech-no, while Wehbba keeps up the pressure with a stomping take on last year's Reset Robot / SCB collaboration, "Arp".
Review: Reset Robot aka Dave Robertson is best known for his work on Adam Beyer's Truesoul imprint, and now makes his debut on Hotflush. "Slippery Jack" is a mesmerising tech house cut that revolves around a building electronic riff and a pumping groove, while on the title track, the UK producer opts for a different approach. Dramatic chords swirl in like storm clouds over a relentless, hammering rhythm, while the break down is bigger than a motorway tailback on Black Friday. By contrast, "Arp" is a deeper affair, led by layered chords and a buzzing groove. Meanwhile, Scuba's own take on the title track offers another perspective, with its steely drums cutting through Robertson's chords.
Review: Adam Beyer's label notches up the seventh A-Sides compilation in as many years. In keeping with its approach of featuring well-known Drumcode artists alongside newer artists, Volume 7 shines a light ion emerging techno talent. This includes the deep and dubbed out "Portable Paradise" by Anna, alongside upcoming Canadian artist Weska with the searing acid of "Other Places" and recent Drumcode debutant Boxia with the dreamy but rolling "Final Call". These emerging artists sit alongside techno veteran Thomas Schumacher, who drops the eerie but jacking "The Unseen", Alan Fitzpatrick collaborating with Scuba's SCB offshoot to deliver the tough tribal techno of "Untitled" and Dutch producer Bart Skills weighing in with the ominous big-room monster that is "West Of The Moon".
Review: Dave Robertson returns with more heavy artillery with dancefloor reliability on his new one for Berlin institution Mobilee: now run solely by Ralf Kollmann after co-head Anja Schneider's recent departure after the better part of 12 years. Rest assured that the label is still going strong though, if this one is any indication. This is a rare appearance outside of Robertson's home turf that is Truesoul; Adam Beyer's powerhouse responsible for over a dozen of his releases in a mere six years. He offers up the driving and adrenalised groove that is "Creatures Of Time" which is perfect to make that transition into the peak time while the minimal DJ tool "Ibsen" relies on bare bones elements mainly its tight rhythm and 4 bar stabs to create tension.
Review: UK techno hero Reset Robot takes a break from his consistent output on Adam Beyer's mighty Truesoul imprint to unleash his sonic artillery via an alternate outlet. This time it's Josh Wink's equally prolific Ovum serving up his new Bark Orders EP. The title track is more of the same driving main room techno on the evocative tip, with a mesmerising melody, funky bassline and restrained yet sturdy rhythm patterns. Second offering "Croquette" features much more strength and attitude on this reduced and tunnelling cut that slowly introduces some amazingly hypnotic chords. It will no doubt case some strobed out moments on the dancefloor: be prepared for this! More dubbed-out, moody techno and house from a current scene favourite.
Review: Adam Beyer's Truesoul is back with yet another killer by label stalwart from the UK Reset Robot. Following up and equally brilliant effort for Germany's Mobilee, the release opens with the title track featuring eight minutes of haunting synth work and expertly programmed drums that build to a mighty crescendo. Next "Bil'am's Donkey" is a restrained and melodic tool that is perfect to create a transition for DJ sets while "Oak Ridge Capsule" hammers the message home in style on this atmospheric hypnotic techno journey.
Review: Reset Robot is powerhouse U.K. Producer Dave Robertson, whose release schedule has been reserved almost entirely to Adam Beyer's esteemed Truesoul imprint. Playing center stage for Berlin institution Mobilee this time around, "In The Eyes If No One" sees Roberson deliver yet another powerful and tunneling exercise in dark dancefloor dynamics. Featuring a massive chord progression throughout, this is high tech soul reminiscent of true masters such as Joris Voirn or Greg Gow and its absolutely killer.
