Review:
It's hard to believe that the music on Belongings is almost a quarter of a century old. Released on 2000 & One's own 100% Pure label back in 1994, these tracks have held up extremely well to the passage of time. "It Belongs to Me" is a glorious, melodic roller that features dreamy, mournful synths underpinned by tough kicks, while on the "Reprise" version, the Dutch producer puts a focus on the original's glorious musical elements over a slower groove. "Crystal" is in a similar vein, with robust break beats underpinning 2000 & One's melodic outpourings, while on "Bowed", he returns to the dance floor with a wiry, bubbling rhythm track. Delsin, which also recently re-released the first two Lost Trax EPs, deserves kudos for this excellent reissue.
Review:
A Made Up Sound man Dave Huismans is not messing around on this 12", his first outing on Delsin for six years. Opener "Thin Air" may contain creepy melodies, strange samples and curious orchestral samples, but these largely play second fiddle to a booming techno rhythm. "All Out" and "Waybackmachine" also hit home hard, with trademark rhythmic madness and densely layered chords combining to create two hectic and intense broken techno smashers. Even the EP's most laidback moment, the noticeably deeper "I Repeat", owes its' power to a surging sub-bass line and some snappy post-dubstep rhythms, rather than its' faintly unsettling electronics and melancholic musical elements.
Review:
It's been a long time between drinks for Dennis Van Gemert, whose last 12" under the Area Forty_One alias dropped some three years ago. This second installment in the Nocturnal Passions series picks up where the last one left off, effortlessly joining the dots between classic Detroit techno, Drexciyan electro and glistening IDM. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the rolling, deep space bliss of 4/4 roller "Voyage" and horizontal, deep techno bliss of "Consolation", to the grandiose, intergalactic ambience of "Orbiting". Best of all, though, is "Nocturnal Passions Part II", a sprightly electro jam that gets just the right balance between dark foreboding and shimmering Motor City futurism.
Review:
For anyone who thinks that Dutch label Delsin has seen better days, there's this release. Recalling the label's most introspective techno soul - Dimension 5 and Future Beat Alliance - as well as the cavernous, hollowed-out house of Newworldaquarium, Passions for the most part eschews the dance floor. The title track is characterised by waves of trancey synths and plink-plonk beats, while the author goes deeper still on "Reminiscence" and "Nocturnal Passions 1'" both of which unfold with the melnacholic techno ambience that recalls Aril Brikha's landmark Deeparture In Time album. Like the best of Delsin's catalogue, this is timeless deep techno for the head and soul.
Review:
Artefakt is a platform for Nick 'Metropolis' Lapien, along with Robin Koek, to explore the deeper end of the techno spectrum and Universe follows the pair's debut under this guise on Delsin last year. Sound-wise, the pair are still in the same space as their first effort, The Fifth Planet. The resonating, bleepy techno of "Mirage" is offset by wonderfully atmospheric synths - redolent of Convextion. Meanwhile on the title track, Artefakt lay down a predatory bass as a backdrop for their melodic approach, with the floaty synths similar to the approach of contemporary artists like P.God. They slip into watery, fluid ambience on "Tidal", while the release ends to the hypnotic strains of a reworked version of "Mirage".
Review:
Since first emerging in 2014, Dutch duo Artefakt has earned a reputation for delivering spacey, melodious techno tracks that mines both classic Detroit techno, and British style 'intelligent techno' for inspiration. On this hotly anticipated debut album, they cast their net a little wider, including denser rhythms and more left of centre sounds amongst the starry melodies, intergalactic chords, and sparkling drum machine beats. It's a formula that consistently delivers results, from the undulating, tribal-influenced rhythms and emotion-rich musicality of "Entering The City", to the angry, acid-fuelled onslaught of "Return To Reason", via the sun-kissed electro brilliance of "Somatic Dreams".
Review:
Last year, Dutch producers Robin Koek and Nick Lapien impressed with a couple of contributions to EPs on Prologue and Tikita under the Artefakt alias. Here, they've been given a chance to showcase their sound further, via a debut release for the mighty Delsin imprint. As the title suggests, they're stargazing sorts, and all three tracks feel like they were inspired - in part, at least - by the original futurist ethos of Detroit techno. Of course, there are other influences - see the tumbling, intelligent techno style synthesizer melodies and acid flashes of "Transit", or the attractive depth and ambient chords of "From Our Mind To Yours" - but these simply serve to enhance the prevailing mood.
Review:
Artefakt aka Nick Lapien and Robin Koek have enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Delsin. They released one of their first Eps on the label back in 2015 and issuing their debut album on its sister imprint, Ann Aimee, last year. Now the duo makes a return visit to the main Dutch imprint. "The Blue Hour" is a malign-sounding roller, led by acrid riffs and heavy layers of reverb. By contrast, "Weltformel" is a wonderfully light and floaty break beat affair that captures their work at its most atmospheric. Somewhere in the middle of these opposites sits the title track, a deep, dance floor-friendly groove that features a fusion of airy synths and curling acid lines.
Review:
Earlier this year, early '90s intelligent techno pioneers B12 returned to action with a surprise single on Soma. Now a solo project from original member Steve Rutter, the B12 comeback gathers pace with a follow-up for Delsin. Happily, Orbiting Souls is every bit as enchanting as the records Rutter and then partner Michael Golding released on Warp some 20 years ago. Deep, melodious, spacey, musically complex and effortlessly attractive, the five tracks variously touch on electro ("Nautilus Horizon"), spaced-out machine funk ("It's My Blood"), classic Ambient House ("Two Stories"), downtempo IDM-jazz (the brilliant "Nothing"), and Aphex Twin style ambient-meets-techno madness ("Universal Alignment"). In other words, it's ace.
Review:
An interesting pair of remixes on this release, which sees two big producers reinterpreting seminal material from legendary ambient techno producer John Beltran. Kassem Mosse & Mip Mup collaborate on a rework of "Brilliant Flood", adding deep bass and a bumping drum machine workout over the top whilst maintaining the hazy, hypnotic quality of the original. It adds a rough, lo-fi quality that is sure to appeal to fans of Mosse's other productions. Sven Weisemann's remix is a completely different prospect, turning in a nine-minute reworking of several different Beltran productions, which is pitched somewhere between ambient and techno, and even displays a leaning towards modern classical. Not one for the dancefloor necessarily, but sublime listening nonetheless.
Review:
The legendary John Beltran returns with another masterpiece on Delsin. A master producer whose career has spanned everything from Detroit techno and electronica to Latin music, his attempt at ambient is equally well executed. The breath taking "Music for Machines" with its droning mechanical soundscape and beautiful transcending strings. "Orange Background" and its factory sounds accompanying a repetitive resonance. Beltran's emotive and sombre piano sound plays a large part and he does it tremendously on "Many Moments to Come" as well as the memorable "Love Suspended". All in all a brilliant effort and contender for one of the finest albums this year.
Review:
On previous full-length excursions - including a number of superb soundtracks to documentaries and independent films - Blair French used the Dial 81 alias. Here, the Detroit-based producer finally breaks cover, delivering a set of typically evocative ambient, experimental and downtempo electronica tracks for Delsin. Seemingly capable of teasing great beauty from droning textures, soft-focus samples and perfectly placed piano lines, French is clearly a talented producer. Through The Blinds makes for superb listening as a result, thanks in no small part to a succession of tracks that don't try too hard for attention. Melodious and blissful, but occasionally unsettling, French's take on ambient is up there with the best the genre has to offer.
Review:
Bleak has put out a series of EPs for DJ Deep's Deeply Rooted House label, and now turns his attention to Dutch institution Delsin. 'Subject Target' is the more understated of the two tracks on offer, with a dense, drummy groove underscored by skipping beats and a dreamy, somewhat lethargic chord sequence. There's a radically different approach on "Sixteen Crude"; Bleak sets course with an acid line and clicky percussion that spirals and builds, powered on by resonating, steely drums and a dramatic, sweeping synth. Like his work for DJ Deep, Chaos marks out Bleak as one of contemporary techno's most promising new producers.
Review:
Since adopting the BNJMN guise, UK producer Ben Thomas has graced a fairly impressive list of labels with his intricately sculpted brand of techno, and there's a definite sense that his best work is done when aligned with a Dutch label. After all, it was Rush Hour's excellent Direct Current series that brought BNJMN to wider attention with the classic Plastic World album from 2011. Having previously contributed a production to Delsin's 100DSR compilation series last year, the now Berlin-based BNJMN is granted a debut proper with the six track EP Coil. Spend some time with the EP and you'll come to the conclusion it's a confident assessment of everything BNJMN is capable of producing, with the pulsing, mind bending techno of the title track followed by more contemplative moments and some good old fashioned wall-shakers.
Review:
BNJMN's take on techno has never been fixed, though in recent times he's happily been focused on the more robust, forthright end of the style. Droid neatly fits into this category, with the track sitting somewhere between the dust-encrusted, distorted sound favoured by the likes of L.I.E.S and Lobster Theremin, the end-of-days intensity of Berceuse Heroique's output, and good old-fashioned techno funk. It fizzes, clanks and throbs in all the right places, with just the right amount of metallic pressure and mind-bending electronic chicanery. The accompanying remixes are strong, too. There's a bouncy, surging interpretation from Inland that should please all those who like 'no nonsense' techno, and a pulsating, EBM-influenced interpretation from Cassegrain.
Review:
Bnjmn rose to prominence as a house producer, but this mini-album for Delsin sees him straying further down an experimental path than before. "P-Tr" is a cold, glacial bleep techno cut, while "Womb" sees him lay down a linear, heads-down groove. Elsewhere, he departs from the dance floor as he displays eloquently on the noisy tones of "1987" and the tranced out, classical melodies of "Oder". But Bnjmn remains a dance floor producer at heart and nowhere is this more audible on "Microgravity". A rumbling, gritty workout, it connects his house heritage with his experimental techno present.
Review:
Hypnagogia is BNJMN aka Ben Thomas' first album in seven years, and it has certainly been worth the wait. Veering wildly in sounds from the atmospheric ambience of "Atoms Speak" and "Glowed" into the nightmarish tones and stepping rhythm of "Swarm", it shows once again that he is a versatile artist. While Hypnagogia also focuses on the dance floor, most impressively on the rolling, subtle filters of "Titan Dome" and the eerie "Hypnagogia" (part 1)" BNJMN's fifth album works best during its home listening moments. Even the more uptempo "InDub" boasts the kind of subtle production approach that works best when experienced from the sofa.
Review:
Dutch label Delsin's 100th release celebrations continue, albeit in a typically understated fashion, on this fifth instalment. BNJMN's beautiful but brief opener "Dive" sets the scene for the release as does the dreamy but serene "Radio's Mutterings" by Herva. While the pace picks up on Delta Funktionen's "Petrol", a fusion of robust broken beats and dreamy chords, the overall tone here is mellow and melodic. This is audible on Bleak's "Keep Me Close", where dubbed out drums and a trancey bass prevail, and on the standout track from John Beltran. The US producer may be known primarily for his home-listening sounds, but on "Return to Nightfall" he copper-fastens his dreamy, melodic textures to a pulsing, hypnotic groove.
Review:
Since Claro Intelecto's formidable Reform Club LP in 2012, the Modern Love staple has become a recognised component in Delsin's release schedule; last year saw Mark Stewart included among the contributors for Delsin's multi-faceted 100DSR/VAR compilation and the Dutch label also reissued his debut EP from 2003, Peace Of Mind. Now with this new Stanza EP, Intelecto shows Delsin for the first time how brutish he can actually be. Combining techno, electro, a bit of dub and a lot of industrialisms mixed with high powered Chicago house elements, "Remember" is the perfect example of his musical dynamism. "White Sun" is drizzly, smudged-out and a tricky, but rewarding mix for the DJ, while "A Nightmare Before Bedtime" is a gluttonous serving of disjointed house music. And for lovers of Regis style power techno there's "Blank CC".
Review:
Jeff Mills said nearly a decade ago that techno is being made for an aging audience. Regardless of whether this is true or not, what happens when the artists themselves start to get older - can they maintain their relevance? In the case of Mark 'Claro Intelecto' Stewart, the answer to this conundrum is simple; go back to your roots. The Manchester producer may have settled down, but creatively, Second Blood shows that he's as dynamic as ever. "Heart" marks a return to the first Claro Intelecto album, Neurofibro or the more understated sections of its successor, Metanarrative, with an atmospheric, ambient soundtrack gently unfolding, populated by muffled, half-heard vocals. The title track sees Stewart pick up the pace, but although the underlying bassline has a dark, resonating edge to it, the tempo is sluggish and the chords flutter about in a way that suggests the producer is seeking to tease out new directions for his sub-heavy techno. "Voyeurism" has no such ambitions, but sounds all the better for it; like the best tracks from the Warehouse Sessions series, its bass plays the central role, a fathomic, all-encompassing series of tones that steers the plaintive melodies on an irresistibly evocative path. Sometimes to stay ahead of the curve, you first need to take a few steps back.
Review:
It would be easy and unforgivably lazy to lump Claro's work in with the great unwashed of deep/dub techno. While Reform Club does sparkle and shimmer with epic strings, ghostly reversed chords and dreamy synths, it's the interplay between these elements and Stewart's unpredictable rhythmic dalliances that make his third album so rewarding. "Reformed" is a case in point: glassy percussion and sensuous string passages suggest an adept take on classic Detroit techno, but the underlying, resonating bass depicts an artist highlighting flaws and imperfections. In a similar vein is "It's Getting Late", where evocative chords unfold over a quirky bassline and the raw, Aardvarck-esque beats and breathy melodies of "Scriptease". But it's the tracks where Stewart appears to be sharing his own personal experiences that have the greatest impact. The atmospheric, chiming synths of "Still Here" has the same underlying sadness that Stewart articulated so beautifully on Metanarrative and the whistling sounds and serene ambience of "Quiet Life" elevate Stewart to the same level as great musical storytellers like Mark Hollis and Ian Curtis. The fact that be can bare his soul and document deeply personal topics without resorting to words makes his voice all the more powerful.
Review:
For those who follow the work of British IDM legend Claro Intelecto, the last few years have been frustrating, to say the least. It's been five years since his last album, and three since he released a single. Exhilarator, his fifth full-length, is certainly well over-due. Predictably the ong anticipated full length is also rather good. As usual, it offers a superb balance of dark and intoxicating electro, tuneful intelligent techno, bubbly IDM, glitchy post-ambient soundscapes, deep and bass-heavy techno shufflers and clanking, off kilter experimentation from the Autehcre school of electronica. It's atmospheric, impeccably produced and stuffed full of highlights. In other words, it's another great Claro Intelecto album.
Review:
Claro Intelecto, Gerry Read and Unbroken Dub feature on the first EP in a series of five from Dutch label Delsin primed to celebrate reaching 100 releases. Founded back in 1996, Delsin have undoubtedly slipped past this number if you factor in all the reissues, one off releases and their rejuvenated Ann Aimee sub label, but everyone loves a special edition release so lets not nitpick. You can expect material from Sawlin, Conforce, Redshape, Mike Dehnert, Delta and Newworldaquarium on subsequent 100DSR/VAR drops and the series is inaugurated in fine style here. "Fighting The Blind Man" is classic scatterbrained Claro Intelecto, whilst "Granny Bag" demonstrates that Read's wild side has not been tamed by his swift rise in popularity over the past year or so. Siberian producer Unbroken Dub manages to sound both calming and slightly foreboding on the excellent final cut "Spacing".
Review:
Kinetic Image sees the tireless Dutch producer known as Boris Bunnik offer up third album under the Conforce moniker. If you are starting to feel that Bunnik has dealt a deal with the devil that trades sleep for productivity you are not alone - Kinetic Image is his second album this year following the issue of a Versalife longplayer on Clone West Coast and let's not go into all the various EPs and 12"s Bunnik has put one of his various names to this year. Issued by Delsin, Kinetic Image sees Bunnik draw on the experience of his recent non-dancefloor focused output to deliver an album that moves away from regimented 4/4 beats and into slower, more surreptitious tempos. The subaqueous electro vibe we've come to associate with Bunnik still remains and the Dutchman's loyal fans will love this set.
Review:
Given how prolific he's been across multiple aliases these past few years, you can forgive Boris Bunnik for the lack of output that's characterised his year so far, with just the sole Versalife 12" for Clone's Store Only Series issued. A return to his main creative concern Conforce is most welcome then and the Depth Over Distance EP suggests the Dutchman's production powers are fully recharged. Opening with the title track, Conforce's talent for captivating spacious lines and crisp refreshing drum programming is on full display whilst "Plateau" veers off into abstract territory. Powered by supple arpeggios and powerful kicks, "Rendez-vous" feels like Conforce at his most floor focused whilst "Closer" ends proceedings on a haunting, ambient note.
Review:
Originally released back in 2010, Boris Bunnik's debut album as Conforce has stood the test of time. It helps that the type of music and influences that the Dutch producer draws on are timeless, it also has a lot has to do with his flair for production and subtle touch. This combination of skills is audible throughout on the album, but is especially noticeable on the deep electro of "First Impression", where rave whistles appear amid squelchy bass tones or on the acid bleed and warm chords of "Subtraction". Bunnik may be mining well-known tropes and paths, but it is to his credit that he manages to squeeze new shapes and sounds from them, as the ghostly techno groove of "Rare Education" demonstrates.
Review:
Like the debut release in this series, the second instalment of North to South sees Boris Bunnik explore heavy, industrial-leaning arrangements. The dreamy soundscapes that dominated the early iterations of Conforce are largely absent, replaced by the murky textures and tough, dub-fuelled kicks of "TKY". "Reverse" sees the Dutch producer veer into an even harder style, with dense drums and droning sound scapes prevailing. "P.O.D" has flashes of the Conforce of old both in its musical leaning and lithe rhythm, but his new-found love of nighttime sounds dominates. This is evident on the closing track, "Similar Twinkling Lights", where sparkling hooks vie for the listener's attention as a nocturnal bass churns away in the background.
Review:
At a time when classic-sounding techno is at a premium, Boris Bunnik aka Conforce is one of its main proponents, right? Wrong. It would be too easy and simplistic to dismiss the Dutch producer as merely revisiting the sounds that were current during the mid-90s, and Escapism, like his other releases for Clone, Rush Hour and Delsin, does much to dispel any pre-conceived notions about him. One of the common themes and sources of inspiration on the album is Bunnik's love of swirling, ambient textures. Spacey melodies unfold all the way through "Aquinas Control" as a dubby, rippling bass takes hold, while on the title track, glassy percussion and shuffling 808s provide the electro backing to Bunnik's atmospheric chords. There are times too when it sounds like Conforce has completely immersed himself in electronic music's reflective, esoteric side and the evoactive, shimmering synths of "Timelapse" could have been part of a long lost sci-fi soundtrack. On other occasions, Escapism sounds earthy, grainy and twitchy, especially on the detuned textures of "Diversion" or "Revolt DX", which sees Bunnik drop a gained, jarring rhythm track. However, the real highlights occur when Bunnik occupies a place where all of these sounds meet, like the ghostly pads and forceful bass of "Elude" or the hushed tones and uplifting synths of "Ominous". It's also where you'll find this year's most eloquent articulation of techno escapism.
Review:
It's not that long since Boris Bunnik dropped his most recent Conforce full-length, but already the man of many pseudonyms is donning the alias again. Predictably, North To South Part 1 is full of the kind of shimmering, melodious, futurist treats that sit somewhere between classic Detroit techno and mid '90s British intelligent techno. All four tracks are superb, making picking highlights somewhat tricky. Today, we're particularly enjoying the icy pulse of the B12-ish "Syncronized" and the classic Transmat flex of "Eclipse", but tomorrow that could change. Opener "Dark Days" - all rich, intergalactic chords, snappy snares and stargazing intent - is arguably the best of the lot.
Review:
Undoubtedly one of the most prolific Dutch artists currently working in electronic music, Boris Bunnik has put out a staggering amount of records in the eight years since he first surfaced. Presentism is his fourth full length under the familiar Conforce name and flips the script a little. Recorded following his recent move to Rotterdam, it sees the veteran Dutch artist blending glacial electronics, crystal clear melodies and spacey chords with elements of ambient, classic IDM and Detroit techno. As a result, it's a far more picturesque and set than his three previous albums, with an emphasis on mood and melody previously buried beneath industrial textures and razor-sharp rhythms. It could well be his best set to date, and that's saying something.
Review:
Boris Bunnik aka Conforce has been releasing music on Delsin for the best part of a decade, but the relationship continues to thrive. On this latest EP for the established Dutch label, Bunnik favours a largely expansive, cavernous sound. While "Celestion" is based on a lithe, wiry rhythm, it's the dubby chords that make it stand out. "Vessel" is even more impressive; it sees Bunnik drop the tempo but add an intangible sense of melancholia to his brooding chords. Although "Zephyr" is more stripped back, it too boasts an atmospheric feeling, articulated by its subsonic bleeps. "Aerial" closes out this exemplary release with its haunting synths and insistent but spacious rhythm.
Review:
Scientists recently discovered that Boris Bunnik can function on just one hours sleep a day, which goes a great deal to explaining how the Dutch producer is so damn prolific! He returns to the Delsin label under his widely regarded Conforce moniker for the four track Time Dilation EP, with the label describing it as "designed for deeper dancefloors". One listen and you'll agree as Bunnik seemingly plunges further down the dub techno wormhole for a more cerebral experience than his lauded Clone Basement 12" last year. There is room for a banger however, with "Last Anthem" combining ethereal ambience alongside prickly staccato stabs and an insistent kick drum that could almost be described as ghetto house-inspired.
Review:
Inspired by the harbour and industrial city scapes of his home town of Rotterdam, Autonomous is Boris Bunnik aka Conforce's most austere album yet. "Tidal Gateway" and "Fauna Of Estuaries" set the tone for the release with their ticking, disconnected percussion, dark bass and menacing sonic undercurrents. "Inland Current" sees the Dutch producer take influence from Norwegian pioneer Biosphere, creating a dark ambient sound scape, while on "ECCV Quay", Bunnik displays a somewhat lighter side as a chugging rhythm is fused with hissing electronic textures. There is also some dance floor techno on Autonomous, courtesy of the deep grooving "Harnessed Life In Programmed Form", but in the main, it focuses on the bleak, machine whirr of industrial automation.
Review:
Throughout the noughties, UK producer John Harvey delivered sporadic bursts of Detroit-influenced, atmospheric techno brilliance on Delsin under the D5 moniker. Here, the long-running Dutch techno imprint looks back on Harvey's often-overlooked career, gathering together a scintillating range of classic, lost and forgotten gems over a sumptuously packaged triple-pack. What shines through most is Harvey's effortless grasp of mood and melody, with each spacey, heart-aching composition coming smothered in classic Motor City melodies, supernova chords and glistening electronics. Whether heading for the dancefloor via hypnotic, rolling groovers, or showcasing his love of IDM and ambient techno for those feeling the post-club sofa vibe, Harvey rarely got it wrong. An essential purchase.
Review:
Amsterdam-based Italian producer Spaventi Dazzuro delivers a killer release for Aroy Dee's label. Lonely is not the place to look if you're in search of the new and unexplored, but it does see its author deliver two great hardware jams. "Lonely (Jerkoff Mix)" features the kind of raw, rugged drums Dee's mini-empire appears to hold an exclusive on; coupled with spacey synths and a grimy 303, it makes for a familiar but nonetheless intoxicating combination. Meanwhile, "Lonely (Crunchy Club Mix)" is a more jacking affair. This time, the drums are louder in the mix, but the way that the synth keys float over them makes it hard not to be seduced by Spaventi's unashamedly old school approach.
