Review: Fadi Mohem returns to Klockworks, this time to share a release with label owner Ben Klock. Inspired by 90s minimalism, opening track "Prefix" is a stripped back, bleep-laden affair. Powered by an angular rhythm and hissing percussion, it recalls vintage material from DBX. "Gateway" has a more contemporary flavour, as the pair deploy a swinging rhythm and lead-weight kicks for maximum impact. "Hydrocarbon" is much more visceral, with Klock and Mohem dropping the kind of gritty, swinging drums more commonly associated with Neil Landstrumm's 90s work. Shifting styles again to focus on modern sounds, "Prism" is a linear workout that resounds to hypnotic, clicking percussion.
Review: Stef Mendesidis returns to Ben Klock's label with another hard-hitting, angular release. "Stalker" centres on pounding kick drums and a low-slung, predatory bass, while on "Profiler", the emerging producer ups the intensity levels and tempo: focusing on growling acid lines and militaristic bursts of percussion, it makes for a lean, deadly effective club track. On a different note, Mendesidis goes deeper on "Wurlitzer Machinery", where woozy synths and subtle, filtered builds are woven together over a combination of break beats and dubbed out drums. It's only a temporary divergence however, and closing track "Sonica" is a jacking, acid-led banger powered by propulsive percussion.
Review: After a succession of releases for esteemed labels like Hayes, Hardgroove and Be As One, Vil & Cravo drop their debut release for Ben Klock's label. Klockworks 32 is a high-paced affair and it gets off to a frenetic start on "Fuck This Dub"; the duo combines a lean, linear rhythm with soulful vocal samples and hypnotic chord stabs to create an unusual, distinctive take on club techno. "Dubbd" also draws on the sound of the human voice, but on this occasion they fuse a looped vocal snippet with dense tribal drums. Maintaining the high pace, "Links" sees Vil & Cravo display a deeper side to their sound, with majestic synths sweeping over a tribal groove.
Review: Fresh from a release on Soma, Jo?o Rodrigues aka Temudo now scores another first, with an EP on Ben Klock's label. "2023" is a dense, industrial pounder with echoes of early 90s Jeff Mills, while on "Float Here Forever", Rodrigues draws on the gritty, looped rhythms of Steve Bicknell's Lost Recordings for inspiration. The 31st Klockworks release is one of the most visceral yet, and there is no let up on the abrasive approach on the Downwards-style broken beats and whirring analogue tones of "Group Dynamics", while the dense, heads-down groove of "Ashamed" brings this intense release to a close.
Review: Ben Klock's label marks its 30th release with a much-anticipated release from Cisco Ferreira aka The Advent. With a pedigree that stretches back nearly three decades and includes benchmark releases like Elements of Life, Ferreira is a worthy addition to the roster. "True State" kickstarts the EP with grimy tones underpinned by urgent percussion, while on "Foothold", he picks up the pace as moody stabs are fused with razor sharp percussion over a lean, driving rhythm. "Human Form" is just as dynamic: stripped back to basics, the combination of hollowed out drums, rumbling bass and scatter gun percussion is among the most distinctive music Klockworks has released so far.
