Review: Ellen Allien has commissioned remixes of tracks from her 2020 album, striking a balance between well-known and emerging names. Hadone aka J?r?my Bonnet delivers a thumping tribal take on "True Romantics", while on a deeper tip, there's upcoming Dutch producer Keith Carnal's version of "Walking In The Dark". Peppered with 303 lines, it features a wonderfully twisted vocal. Meanwhile, Matrixxman drops a jacking take on "I Can't See You", with acidic bleeps unraveling over tough kicks, while Allien has also tapped Lady Starlight for a take on "Hello Planet Earth". In the Lady Gaga collaborator's hands, it turns into a relentless, heads-down banger.
Review: On its third and final instalment, We Are Not Alone delivers more cutting edge electronic music from the artists who guested at the party of the same name. This volume is hugely varied, ranging from Ryan James Ford's uplifting deep techno to the underground pulses of Lada's "Kassi" and Heidi Sabertooth's "Innergaze". Sounding a more visceral note is Henning Baer's "Nightwing Microlight" and the hard-jacking analogue banger "Basic" by Truncate, while Setaoc Mass' "Silent Tension" is led by cavernous drums. Sandwiched in between these dance floor burners are more offbeat pieces, like Cosmin TRG's gentle, downbeat "Sourde" and the wonderful drones of "Chaos Transition" from Adriana Lopez.
Review: The second instalment in Bpitch Control's compilation series gets off to a rousing start, with Rebekah dropping a pounding, hardcore-influenced techno track, "Last Summer". The same intensity levels are audible on Inhalt Der Nacht's "In Lust Verirrt" and Tham's "The Third Kind" but deployed differently, with both acts using swirling acid lines and blustery filters to arrive at the same destination. While keeping the focus on the dance floor, ebm influences loom large on "Herzschlag Der Figur" from German trio Die Selektion. The compilation also embraces ghetto techno as Andrew Moore delivers the slamming "That Makes Me So Horny" and big-room 303 mayhem on Alien Rain's "Dream Interceptor".
Review: Amotik rose to prominence with a series of Eps and an album on his own imprint, and it wasn't long before his linear, hypnotic tracks caught Ellen Allien's attention. Daya, his debut release on Bpitch Control, sees him serve up more of the same crafty dance floor music. There's the title track's dense, tribal drums, while on "Aage", a similar approach is audible, as the Berlin artist drops a linear dance rhythm. On "Peeche", Amotik adds some chilling chords to his heads-down sound, while he changes tact on "Baya", where atmospheric synths swirl over a more gentle but still dance floor focused track.
Review: This is the first in a three-part compilation series on Bpitch, named after Ellen Allien's party. This volume is an uncompromising collection that takes influence from 90s styles: Allien herself drops the buzzsaw, Heckmann-style "XTC", while Lady Starlight's mesmerising, acid-soaked "Re-15" occupies similar territory. On "Force Majeure" Introversion channels the energy of early Drumcode for a bombastic, drum-heavy workout and Nocow's "Let Em Fall" sounds like man update on DBX's minimalism, with a pared back, jacking rhythm paired with time-stretched vocal samples. Bpitch also deserves kudos for showcasing original techno innovators, and the he compilation includes DJ T-1000's pile-driving "Frequency Kill".
Review: With a musical history that stretches all the way back to the early 90s, it's no surprise that Bpitch owner Ellen Allien has chosen to revisit the primal stomp of Chicago techno artists like Robert Armani and Mike Dearborn as inspiration for "True Romantics". Of course merely trying to copy a sound wouldn't be the veteran DJ/producer's style, and she covers this Djax-style tough rhythm with jittery, tranced out keys. There are no such niceties on "Hello"; instead of musical elements, Allien decides to drop a rough 303 line that runs riot over pounding kicks and a visceral rhythm.
Review: It's been a few years since Sunil Sharpe last released his smartly crafted high-octane techno. Perhaps surprisingly, he has chosen Bpitch Control as the imprint to make his comeback on, and Ellen Allien's label is to be lauded for putting out Etaci. Though it may be tougher than the usual Bpitch fare, this four-tracker nonetheless exudes smart and skillful production at every bar. It also underlines the fact that Sharpe has developed a highly distinctive style. Dissected vocals and a relentless bass collide gloriously on the title track and Timber" sees the Irish DJ/producer draw on bleep techno and hardcore influences to deliver a track that's as impactful as a right hook to the jaw.
Review: Bpitch owner Ellen Allien hands over tracks from her recent Alientronic artist album to be reworked. Apart from a new edit of "Love Distortion", which sees Allien remain focused on a pulsating groove, this is a collection of harder-edged interpretations. Terence Fixmer delivers a searing industrial take on "Distortion" which features noisy riffs, while on his version of the same track,
Introversion delivers a bruising, pummelling remix that has echoes of vintage Joey Beltram. Last but by no means least is the Regal remix of "Electronic Joy", which sees the fast-rising techno producer fuse merciless thunder claps with eerie vocal samples to create a dystopian masterpiece.
Review: This is Ellen Allien's eighth studio album, but she shows no signs of losing her edge, Right from the get-go on Alientronic, the listener is presented with the swirling ambiance of "Empathy", followed by the spiky electro of "MDMA". Fans of the Bpitch Control owner's heady techno will not be disappointed either, thanks to the inclusion of the frazzled "Bowie In Harmony" and "Love Distortion". "Electronic Joy" is also centered on the dance floor, but it sees Allien re-kindle her love of dense tribal techno, while "Free Society" revisits the glory years of German techno-trance. It serves to underline the fact that Allien's productions still have an edginess not tainted by the passage of time.
Review: The third set of remixes of tracks from Ellen Allien's Nost album feature an in impressive cast; first up is Detroit legend Alan Oldham. Known for his releases as DJ T-1000 and his iconic art for labels like Djax, this Motor City legend doesn't disappoint with his take on "Jack My Ass". Insistent, menacing chords swarm in over tough, dubby beats and driving percussion. It's not as intense as his DJ T-1000 work, but still packs a mighty punch. The Amotik take on "Mind Journey" ups the ante further with a slamming rhythm and wild tonal bleeps. In contrast, Eomac?s take on the same track is an eerie, slow motion affair, led by ghostly synths and rumbling drums, while on XDB's version of "Call Me", rolling house drums underpin sensuous vocals and spiralling acid lines.
Review: The third set of remixes of tracks from Ellen Allien's Nost album feature an in impressive cast; first up is Detroit legend Alan Oldham. Known for his releases as DJ T-1000 and his iconic art for labels like Djax, this Motor City legend doesn't disappoint with his take on "Jack My Ass". Insistent, menacing chords swarm in over tough, dubby beats and driving percussion. It's not as intense as his DJ T-1000 work, but still packs a mighty punch. The Amotik take on "Mind Journey" ups the ante further with a slamming rhythm and wild tonal bleeps. In contrast, Eomac?s take on the same track is an eerie, slow motion affair, led by ghostly synths and rumbling drums, while on XDB's version of "Call Me", rolling house drums underpin sensuous vocals and spiralling acid lines.
Review: Following the first set of remixes of tracks Ellen Allien's 2017 album - which featured Detroit luminary K.Hand amongst others - the Bpitch boss again casts her gaze wide and far. US producer Truncate delivers the loopy, big-room techno goods with his steely, percussive take on "Innocence", while Running Back boss Gerd Jansen turns "Call Me" into an early-90s themed hardcore meets house affair, its sirens wailing over raw break beats. FaltyDL is on hand to transform "Erdmond" into a spaced out, low-profile techno groove, replete with a command centre count down, while Raster Not on regular Kyoka goes for an frazzled, stepping take on "Call Me".
