Review: Dutch imprint Bio Rhythm has been on fire of late, serving up thrillingly muscular and intense 12" singles from Africans With Mainframes, Marco Bernadi, Brassfoot and DeViere. Here, they introduce us to the previously unheralded Mirror Man, an alias for a "mean mother f*cker" who is better known under his usual pseudonym. Whoever's behind the project is clearly not happy, because A-side "Blood Is Truth (Metaphenethylamine Mix)" is a bleak treat, with stomach-churning electronics and druggy arpeggio lines riding a sturdy but hissing techno rhythm. Leaders Of The Wild Hunt go for a slightly more musically expansive approach on their remix, which boasts snappier drum machine hits, bittersweet chords, and all manner of melancholic melodies.
Review: Keith 'DeViere' Donaldson is a DJ from Boston whose productions are made using a lo-fi approach and which are intended to 'examine the social ramifications of technological expansion' That is an admirable intention, but viewed purely on a superficial level, Donaldson makes some fine house and techno. "Spesh'elle" is a rasping, visceral acid track in a similar vein to Jamal Moss - who has released Donaldson's music - while at the other end of the spectrum, "Upon You" is a mellow ambient affair. Most impressively though are "Takara" and "Spector", two dreamy, bubbling techno grooves that teem with the wide-eyed optimism of early '90s raves.
Review: Apron alumni Brassfoot, aka Tinto Brassalini, has been making all the right moves since his first appearance on Funkineven's label back in 2014 alongside Lord Tusk; along with a fine debut on UTTU he's committed two further 12"s to the Apron cause and slipped out some low-key cassettes with the unheralded J M S Khosah. Given his penchant for vintage electro motifs underpinning distorted percussion and wild electronics, it's no surprise to see Brassfoot has caught the cultured ear of Paul Du Lac who has duly invited the Londoner to contribute to his excellent Bio Rhythm label. At five tracks long, the Dreamstate Intercal 12" is quite the statement and the general corrosive feel of the music feels tight at home on a label that's championed the likes of Jamal Moss and Borft boss Jan Svensson.
Review: Marco Bernardi wears many musical hats, but still manages to release records that perfectly capture a variety of moods and styles. On Miracle Sign, his latest venture, he takes inspiration from deep, Detroit techno and the kind of tough beat track sound that is common to Mathematics. The title track is an inspired mixture of lush strings and airy chords unfolding over searing acid and rough kicks, while "60606" sees him dispense with musical elements for a distorted beat track. The EP closes with "We Only Have" - on this occasion, the rhythm isn't quite as rough, but it still rolls and pumps with all the power of a runaway juggernaut.
Shall I Do It (Mick Wills Reconstruction 1) - (7:37) 115 BPM
Shall I Do It (Mick Wills reconstruction 2) - (8:01) 116 BPM
Review: To date Paul du Lac's Bio Rhythm has focussed solely on issuing current music, lacing it's discography with some fine records from Villa Abo, Hieroglyphic Being, Tevo Howard and more. This latest release offers a distinct deviation as '80s New Beat curio "Shall I Do It?" by Dirk De Saever's project The Thunder Orchestra is reissued alongside a pair of recuts from the modern day edit master Mick Wills. The story goes du Lac caught Wills playing "Shall I Do It?" during one of his specialist DJ sets and the wheels were set in motion to grant it a new edition on Bio Rhythm. The original, a strange and undeniably foreboding slab of new beat, is complemented well by the pair of Wills reconstructions that toughen up the bottom end in a manner that will delight the more adventurous DJs out there.
Review: G String and Ma Spaventi join forces again for a release under the Crystal Maze guise. Deeper and more reflective than usual, this three-track release delivers tough and heavy drum tracks fused with musical elements. The title track is the pick of this crop, with tough 909 kicks and tough claps underscoring some beautiful, mysterious melodies and ponderous synth lines. "Off The Grid" sees the duo pick up the pace as heavy drums and hissing percussion take centre stage and serve to keep the haunting pads to a minimum, lingering in the background. The final track, "Encounter" is more off beat and revolves around a stepping rhythm providing a backdrop for flourishing synths.
Review: Paul Du Lac's ever-dependable Bio Rhythm label return with a six-track EP from the lesser spotted Frak side project Villa Abo. As Villa Abo, Jan Svensson put out two releases on Borft back in 1997 and also contributed to perhaps the most comprehensive album of locked grooves in RRR 500, released in 1998 by Ron Lessard's RRRecords. Fans of the oddball Swedes will be right at home here, with the gelatinous sounds of "Ruff Swing" and gruff acid of "From Askew To Eternity" nicely complimented by the aquatic electro funk of "Lover Thing" and skewed cyber-techno flex of "Dreams of Italy" - huge recommendation on this one!
Review: Bringing the jack without an ounce of hesitation, Clone regular Paul Du Lac is in the mood to dance on this new single for the equally box-jam friendly Bio Rhythm imprint. "Spank (Techno Mix)" is as forthright a floor-burner as you could ever wish for, all dizzying drum machines, rapid fire vocal murmurs and ominous bass that brings the heat like it's 1988. "Backstreet Boy" is even more stripped down, letting the beat do the talking with barely any other decoration to divert from the rhythmic command. "Who's The Mack" meanwhile goes in a touch slower, but still the emphasis is on restraint and groove rather than any showy compositional dynamics.
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: The Biorhythm experiments continue to impress the Juno review team with their lack for catalogue number protocol and unhinged techno direction, as that killer Sun God release is followed by some more Crystal Maze explorations from Ma Spaventi and G String. The duo is undoubtedly two of Amsterdam's finest exponents of the darker spectrum of edgy, unsettling techno and the Dissolved EP demonstrate their potency together is magnified innumerably. The title track is Crystal Maze at their mood setting finest with the rumbling undercurrent of bass and creeping textures threatening but never actually fully consuming the sparse 909 percussion that drives matter forward. Darkness descends further on the appropriately titled Dungeon Dub of "Dissolved" which wouldn't look out of place on a Milton Bradley release; such is the sense of descending dystopic dread that runs throughout. "Photon Sphere" operates in a similar dread filled mindset, though is much more percussively inclined.
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.