Review: This release, a collaboration between two of European techno's most experienced practitioners, starts on an unusual note. "Spiegelkabinett", with its jazzy licks and offbeat rhythm sounds like an electronic update of The Durutti Column or 80s funk act A Certain Ratio. It proves to be a temporary distraction though; the title track is a straight down the line techno track, led by heavy kicks, shaking percussion and hiccupping samples. "Stringer Bell", presumably named after the character in The Wire, is a tough, firing affair, led by ticking percussion, detuned tones and surging chords. Completing the release are the tranced out synths of the Petar Dundov-esque "Millipede".
Review: Consistency is Kajioka's second artist album for Kanzleramt and consolidates a relationship that started over 12 years ago. As its title suggests, this long player does what Kajioka excels at, namely smartly executed club techno. There are occasional deviations from that script, like the ambient opener, "Patch" or "Minute 53", where beautiful electronic piano and atmospheric strings prevail, but in the main this is a no nonsense dance floor album. "Fast Forward" breathes new life into dub techno thanks to it forceful kicks; "The Ratchet" sees Kajioka toy with the wiry minimalism of Rob Hood and "Constant" teems with the kind of surging chords and dense kicks that acts like Technasia used to specialise in. If dance floor abandon is your main aim, then you need some consistency.
The Ratchet (The Persuader remix) - (6:11) 130 BPM
Review: Kajioka has enjoyed a long relationship with Kanzleramt, releasing the majority of his music, including an album, on the label over the past decade. Perhaps mindful of his long relationship with Kanzleramt, owner Heiko Laux has commissioned some high-profile remixes of Kajioka material. First up is former UR member Rolando, who turns "Retro" into an epic, widescreen workout, its chords billowing and surging dramatically over a pounding backing. Laux's own take on "Constant" is more stripped back, with a bleepy groove and firing percussion underpinning filtered chord sequences. The release also features Jesper Dahlback working as The Persuader and under this guise he turns "The Ratchet" into a sublime, graceful deep techno track.
Review: There was a time during the late-'90s when Kanzleramt was the undisputed ruler of German techno and Heiko Laux was one of its main artists. Then minimal house happened and electronic music's focus changed. However, time and tastes move in a circular direction and while Laux or the label never stopped releasing music, both are now back in the spotlight. In part this is thanks to Laux's killer EP on Klockworks. Haulin Ass sees him ramp up the energy further - the title track revolves around a bombastic bass and mad hoover stabs, while on "Onyx", he lays own the kind of slamming, raw techno that will rattle your brain at 20 paces. However, there is another side to Laux and both "An Elephant in a Silver Box" and "Lila 7" explore a world where brittle breaks, chilling synths and warbling acid prevail.
Review: Following on from the first remix collection of tracks from last year's Fernweh album, Laux calls out an impressive list of remixers for the second edition. Marcel Dettmann gets to grips with the title track, making an impressive fusion of an electronic bass pulse and tough, steely drums. At the other end of the spectrum is Steve Rachmad's takes on "Shimmer". The first version keeps the focus on the dance floor thanks to a robust drum workout, but it's the 'Basic' remix that impresses most thanks to its reflective synths. New school producer Yan Cook also drops a fine, stepping interpretation of "Neutron".
Review: Laux is one of those techno artists who has quietly released quality dance floor music for years. Best known for his releases on Kanzleramt, this remix package sees Laux ceding control to Rod and Steve Rachmad for four deft reworks. Rod supplies two versions of "The Silent Bass", which focus on slinky rhythms, jittery percussion and on the second version, reintroduce Laux's airy synths. Rachmad meanwhile, shows his experience with two sublime remixes. The Sterac version of "Hangin" unfolds over skeletal percussion and understated off beats, with these elements providing the basis for a typically dreamy synth coda. However, it can't compare to the Sterac Electronics' take on the same track, where a purring sub-bass gets cosy with a flurry of 808s.
Review: German techno label Kanzleramt returns to one of its long serving sons, Switzerland's Diego Hostettler to re-release his 2002 hit, "Two Times High." His original combines the energetic and rough techno power of his early kanzleramt works with the deep melodic flavour of his "The Persuasion Channel" album. "Hi Jacker" continues down this energetic route with plenty of old school, jacking Chicago references in its groove and bassline. "Three Times High Pt 1" is also on there, pushing even more energy and pounding us to the next level with thunderous kicks and raging bass.
Review: Kanzleramt is Heiko Laux's highly productive label, which represents a style of techno that always carries a bit of old school electro and house along for the ride, and here they release Diego's Thought Patterns EP. "Thought Patterns (Pt 1)" is a track of interesting contrasts, with warm and mellow pads - usually associated with the deeper end of hosue music - used to supplement a fast techno BPM. Flip over (metaphorically speaking) for "Thought Patterns (Pt 2)", another wild ride with frenetic percussion, high end chords and whistles.
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