This Week

Played by: Juno Recommends Bass, Luun (Locus Sound)

Review: Long live team Alpha Pup, an excellently organised project that have moved onto the third edition of their epic '20/20' compilation series, exploring the most lethal reaches of underground bass music. Featuring hard hitting originals from the likes of Ivy Lab, Dismantle, Rocks FOE, Bakey and more, it's clear that the team have gone all out on this collection, with sounds ranging as wide as the hardcore inspired mysticism of 'Naananaana' from Rohaan, to the industrial techno-flavours of Ila Brugal's 'Cynical'. The whole project packs a punch, but our highlights would have to include both the intense metallic madness of Deft's 'OKURTHEEXPERT', alongside Manni Dee's monstrous 'Wet Slide' creation. Top work all around!

Review: The latest compilation on Soma's offshoot label Avoidant explores compelling variants of the electro sound. DJ T-1000's "Three One Three" starts the collection in atmospheric mode. Featuring steely percussive crackles and robotic vocals, it is reminiscent of fellow Detroit producer Juan Atkins' Model 500 project. NiKiT's "Ice Wave" inhabits a similar territory as a powerful sub-bass underpins crystalline synths. Mechanoreceptor's "Invisible Dynamics" delivers a bass-heavy groove and ELEKTROTECHNIK serves up a dystopian vision of the sound on the chilling, Rother-esque "Parasit". The compilation veers closer to conventional 4/4 tracks thanks to the industrial-fuelled electro-techno of Bloody Mary's "Surrender". Overall though, the focus on Planet Reborn is electro's more esoteric forms, as DJ Astrobee's ERP-sounding "Synccc" so wonderfully demonstrates.

Review: L.F.T. makes a bold statement with his latest six-track release on Pinkman, following a string of acclaimed releases on various labels like Mannequin and Return To Disorder. With Electric Vampire, L.F.T. crafts a sonic journey aimed squarely at the dancefloor, blending tough drums and raw basslines with spectral vocals and percussive quirks. The result is a fusion of Dutch electro heritage and horror-movie soundtracks, creating a synthetic super-highway where bright lights meet solid concrete underfoot. With heavy acid electro defining the sound of other numbers like "Cattle Beast", it's straight up Vampire techno in "Asche (Vox by Nils Fock)" with reflections of a Simian Mobile Disco sound in "Demonic Toys". Gritty but classy productions all round.

Played by: Juno Recommends Techno

Review: Following the release of his latest artist album, Laurent Garnier has commissioned an exemplary set of remixes. Drawing on a group of emerging producers, this collection moves right across the musical spectrum. Works Of Intent's take on "Reviens La Nuit" is a dramatic, deep techno track that swirls and builds seductively. Remaining in esoteric mode, Voltaire's version of "Tales from the Real World" is an atmospheric electro roller. In contrast, 22Carbone drops a smoky hip-hop take of "In Your Phase". Avision focuses on the dance floor for a dense, looped techno interpretation of "Le Swing Du Pouleto" and a droning, hypnotic version of "Liebe Grusse Aus Cucuron". Each remix makes for a compilation that's as varied as Garnier's multifaceted DJ style.

Review: To mark the fiftieth release on his label, Moustache boss David Vunk teams up with Tafkamp. Inspired by Chicago house and electro, this three-tracker has a definite dance floor focus. "The Jacker" is a relentless percussive workout. Powered by rolling snares and featuring repetitive vocal loops, it's in the same vein as the output on Crème Organization's Jak offshoot. "Acid Party" has a more club techno focus, but even here, Vunk and Tafkamp populate its robust groove with spiralling acid lines. The sound of the 303 is also audible on "Interzone" - on this occasion, it unravels over an old school electro rhythm as the pair reach for the heights again.

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Played by: Dave Lee ZR, Juno Recommends Electro

Review: Over the years, Joey Negro has delivered compilations focusing on a wide range of styles and sub-genres, including soulful disco, Italo-house, early U.S disco-rap, and Washington D.C go-go. Now he's turned his attention to electro, the style that did more than any other to inspire Britain's first wave of DJs and dance music producers. This "personal collection" contains a mixture of stone-cold scene classics - Aleem's Leroy Burgess-fronted "Release Yourself", Hashim's scene anthem "Al Naayafiysh (The Soul)" and Dwayne Omar's P-funk influenced "This Party's Jam Packed" - alongside deeper selections such as Kosmic Light Force's brilliant - and hard to find - L.A electrofunk classic "Mysterious Waves", and The Russell Brothers thrillingly intergalactic "The Party Scene".

Review: Fabrizio Mammarella and Rodion deliver a momentous release with Musica E Computer - recorded in the legendary Marche Synth Museum in Italy. The opening track "Iris" sets an exceptional tone, exploring eerie, metallic tropical landscapes, while others like "A Corrente Alternata" and "Un Segnale Di Speranza" showcase Mammerella and Rodion's unmatched partnership, crafting enigmatic, timeless earworms with driving basslines and arcane vocoders. Throughout the album, the duo seamlessly blends synthetic and organic sounds, offering a geographic coda to the Italian region's rich musical history. Musica E Computer culminates in "Una Nuova Era", a transcendent homage to the recording synth drenched studio the album was recorded in which makes for some Italorama to the fullest!

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, Juno Recommends Disco

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Juno Recommends Electro

Played by: Fear-E, Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Juno Recommends Electro, Juno Recommends Downtempo, AFTERLIFE, 4 Da People, Satin

Review: A legend in the house to be spoken in the same sentence as Ed Rush, Optical, Zinc and Roni Size, Bristol's own Krust takes it strangeways on Crosstown Rebels - and the label's third installment of album remixes. Diving back into that deep and hopeful sound of '90s drum and bass, breakbeat and soul is a rare UNKLE remix of "Hegel Dialect", that like Hodge's remake of "Constructive Ambiguity" lifts its inspiration of course from the halcyon days of hardcore, jungle and rave with ghostly atmospheres to boot. With a most fitting wildcard entrant to cap off this great remix series - that has so far included Masters At Work, Four Tet, Damian Lazarus, Batu, Calibre, LCY and Flynn - sweet New Yorkian house vibes and ambient percussion come through in DJ Nature's remix of "Deep Fields Of Liars". Krust & Crosstown equals result!

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Played by: Juno Recommends Deep House

Review: "Nu Groove Edits, Vol 1" pays tribute to the iconic NYC record label that has enchanted music enthusiasts for generations. This release features a curated selection of tracks expertly reimagined by contemporary industry figures and celebrated curators, putting a well-deserved spotlight on the artists who shaped Nu Groove into a cherished and influential force within the music world. At the forefront of this compilation is Rheji Burrell, the champion of the quintessential New York house sound. Alongside his twin brother Rhano, the Burrell brothers played a pivotal role in shaping and defining the signature Nu Groove sound. Under various monikers, four of which are featured here, they left an indelible mark on the label and the house music scene at large. The journey begins with Bruise, aka Christian Campbell, an underground pioneer, taking on Burrell's 'Secret Code' released under his Jazz Documents alias. This re-edit breathes new life into the track, infusing it with contemporary energy while retaining the essence of its original form. Next up, the anonymous Berlin duo Acid Jerks tackle the deep house gem 'Tech Trax Inc.' by the eponymous pseudonym. Their re-edit embraces the essence of the original track, enhancing its hypnotic qualities and taking listeners on a mesmerizing journey through pulsating rhythms and immersive soundscapes. House purist Phil Weeks works his magic on Houz' Neegroz's 'All Night Long,' featuring vocals from Quiana. Weeks' rework showcases his dedication to preserving the soulful essence of the original, infusing it with his signature touch and creating a dancefloor-ready anthem that pays homage to the roots of house music. Rounding out this diverse collection of reimagined tracks, the unstoppable production duo of Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon takes on the iconic 'APT. 2A,' originally released by Burrell as N.Y. House'n Authority. Their reimagining of this legendary piece is a celebration of the past, present, and future, encapsulating the enduring legacy of Nu Groove.

Played by: Juno Recommends Experimental

Played by: Juno Recommends Bass

Review: Jungle, rave and hardcore crossover for the ages has arrived on Exit like its 2006 all over again thanks to Shaun Lodestar's HomeSick project and this 1000dB Stare mini LP. Arriving on the legendary Exit label it finds a most appropriate home, taking listeners through a roller coaster of dark yet uptempo and old school referential UK and US rave inspired sounds - with touches of baile funk and electro next to acid, even fidget house and experimental drum and bass peppered throughout. And as the artist says of the record: this release is the result of six years writing break-heavy dance music. Time to celebrate.

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Review: For almost a quarter century, Delsin has been putting out some of the world's best electronic music. That situation didn't change in 2023. As this compilation demonstrates, the label still has an unerring knack of releasing music from the more esoteric end of the spectrum. Reedale Rise and VC-118A both deliver atmospheric strains of electro. On "Late Night Kyiv", Yan Cook pushes towards the dance floor to deliver an emotive tribute to his hometown. The compilation also consolidates Delsin's connection to Dutch artists. Steffan Robbers' Terrace project yields the emotive "Model A", while Eevo Lute co-founder Wladimir M drops the understated pulses and mysterious vocals of "Zie Het Onder Ogen / Y Faire Face". And Steve Rachmad shines as always, with the seductive Detroit techno of "Teknitron".

Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat

Played by: Juno Recommends Techno, Marco Giannini (Sticky Heat), WDDS

Played by: Chrissy

Played by: Juno Recommends Minimal Tech

Review: Dekmantel welcomes Theo Kottis with an EP of vibrant, melodically-charged house, techno, and electro, boasting a distinct '90s edge. Lighthouse signals a shift in focus for the London-based Scottish producer, reflecting a matured sound honed through a self-imposed creative reset. The title track, embraced by DJs like Ben UFO and Palms Trax, exemplifies Kottis' prowess in seamlessly blending club music's finest elements into a cohesive and potent whole. From the driving Reese bassline to the sharp 4/4 drums and Motor City pads, it's a techno hybrid of the highest caliber. The EP continues with "Warp", "Take Control" and "Distance", each showcasing Kottis' knack for crafting impactful club tracks infused with iconic '90s sounds.

Review: DJ Godfather dropped a series of EPs last year and he continues his fine run of form on The D Theme. The title track centres on insistent chord surges and a backing comprising urgent techno hi-hats and a swung electro rhythm. Both "Method To My Madness" and "Beyond The Wormhole" see DJ Godfather go down a deeper route. Based on wiry grooves and featuring outer space blips and bleeps and atmospheric synths, they could easily be part of Underground Resistance's catalogue. He returns to more familiar terrain with "Yo Feet 2 Slo". Based around a rumbling ghetto rhythm and featuring a simple but effective vocal sample, it's classic Godfather material.

Review: Ed Upton has long been one of British dance music's most prolific producers, with his latest album on Hypercolour - the typically vibrant Spiral Dance - marking his 24th full-length excursion as DMX Krew since 1996. Its' 13 tracks are typically vivid, inventive and entertaining, with the Bedford-born producer rushing between intergalactic electro ('Always Hats'), sub-heavy UK techno futurism (the bleep-influenced 'Bathtime Bobby'), house-tempo dancefloor IDM ('Spiral Dance'), Spacetime Continuum style ambient techno (the chill-out room friendly 'Back To '92'), synth-laden analogue cheeriness ('Is This Normal'), heady beat-free soundscapes ('Hammer Slowly Forming'), early Autechre style electronica ('Ankle Grinder') and sweaty acid house ('FM Assembly').

Played by: Juno Recommends Electro

Review: After a decade showcasing his wares on Bedrock, Stelios Vassiloudis has transferred to Balance Music. There's a lot to like about 'End Transmission', the Athens-based producer's label debut. In the EP-leading 'Single Version' form, the track is a genuine blast of squint-worthy audible sunshine: a slowly building ambient soundscape where shimmering pads and glistening guitars cluster sparse, laidback beats and warming bass that seemingly build in waves. Vassiloudis rebuilds it for the dancefloor on the 'Dub Variation', re-imagining it as a loopy chunk of weighty soundscape tech-house, but it's John Beltran's 'Sweet Sunny Remix' - a sublime, awe-inspiring ambient take tailor-made for spring runrises - that really sparkles. It's genuinely breath-taking.

Played by: Juno Recommends Deep House, Juno Recommends Electro, Philippa

Review: While Eli Escobar is a master at mixing up his output, his strongest releases tend to be those aimed fairly and squarely at peak-time dancefloors. He's on that tip here, first drawing inspiration from jacking Chicago house, old Dance Mania ghetto-house releases and far-sighted electro on 'Phreek' (where Amanda Blank's lead vocal catches the ear), before opting for a sweat-soaked warehouse party flex on early morning treat 'Touch, Want, Feel'. We're then treated to two takes on Steven Klavier hook-up 'Deep Down Inside': the dreamy, tactile and soulful nu-disco-meets-Balearic house flex of the full vocal original mix, and the synth sax-sporting Dub Mix. 'Body Free', a bleep-sporting NYC techno throb-job, completes a fine EP.

Played by: Thomas Schumacher

Played by: Gina Breeze