Review: For the second set of No Filter remixes, label owner Matt Edwards aka Radioslave takes on Faraone's "Addiction". This new version draws on grating synth stabs and a jacking, insistent rhythm. Combined with relentless percussion and a series of deft drops, it's tailor made for peak time use. The label has also tapped Gene Richards Jr, who has released on Faraone's Uncage, to remix "Frog Face" - and his version inhabits a similar space as the Radioslave remix: led by a firing groove that's populated by chopped up vocal samples and tweaked tones, it's sure to cause dance floor mayhem when clubs re-open this summer.
Review: A Sagittariun is best known for his psychedelic take on techno for labels like Craigie Knowes and his own Elastic Dreams imprint, but on this debut for Rekids, he changes tact. Opening track "Inner Frontier" sees him drop a dense, rolling groove, with only the arrangement's airy melodies hinting at the UK producer's signature approach. Meanwhile, on "Annihilating Rhythm", he ups the ante to deliver a metal-plated rhythm that resounds to spaced out filters and gritty analogue sequences. Meanwhile on "Timewave", he drops a stripped back, angular drum track that provides the basis for haunting keys and frazzled acid lines.
Review: Anika Kunst is a relatively new artist with just a few releases so far, but she demonstrates considerable prowess on this debut release for Rekids. The title track is a brooding affair that resonates to swirling chords and powerful kicks, while on "Tales From The Loop", she ups the pace to deliver the kind of layered, menacing techno that one would normally associate with Floorplan. In contrast, "Prism" is deeper, with Kunst dropping a rolling, dubbed out groove that's underpinned by insistent percussion. She returns to the peak time for "Constant Change", a dense tribal track that will appeal to fans of Mark Broom and Ben Sims.
Review: Rekids has recruited to two very high-profile producers to contribute interpretations to the first remix package from Faraone's 2020 No Filter album. Chris Liebing, best known for running and releasing on the CLR label, is given "No Drama" to rework. In his hands, it morphs into a mysterious, rolling groove that underpins mysterious synth hooks and has echoes of Detroit techno. Mathew Jonson gets the same track to remix. Favouring a more stripped back approach, he drops a complex rhythm that acts as the canvas against which he conjures up atmospheric synths while in the background, the faintest echo of a vocal sample is audible.
Review: Matt Edwards casts his eye to Latin America for the latest Rekids missive. While Confi-dential Recipe may be a new name, he cooks up a very tasty two-track EP. "'What You Think" is a superb piece of stripped back techno, revolving around a minimal rhythm un-derpinning a repetitive vocal loop. Like the most impactful techno, its simplicity is its most powerful weapon. "Drill" follows in a similar albeit slightly more intense vein - drawing on the influence of Luke Slater's Planetary Assault Systems sound, the Venezuelan pro-ducer's use of building metallic riffs and deft drops make for an impactful combination.
Review: Following releases on Feel My Bicep and Unknown To The Unknown, Cromby surfaces on Rekids with this fine four-tracker. "IXP-42" is a fine old school techno track, moving from subtle bleeps into a rolling snare-led analogue rhythm that takes influences from 90s labels like Djax. "Follow the Bass" is more frenetic, with Cromby laying down a snaking groove and layer upon layer of frenetic percussion. On "Relief", it sounds like the emerging producer is taking inspiration from the label of the same name to drop a primal, jacking track featuring a flirtatious vocal, while on "Vortex", he opts for a slightly more measured approach, but still deploys stomping drums and raw analogue stabs to devastating effect.
Review: Mark Broom returns to Rekids with a release that's tailor made for dance floor use. Mutated contains eight tracks, with each one clocking in around the three-minute mark. Designed specifically for DJs to get busy with in the mix, these pieces range in style from the high-paced, Rob Hood-style minimalism of "Changing" and "Form" to tracks like "Marker" and "Stranded", whose frenetic rhythms and building chords have echoes of classic Technasia. There are some deeper tracks too, with the chord-heavy "Mutate" standing out, but no matter which direction he pushes in, this release captures the veteran producer in peak-time mode.
Review: Having kept 2020 clear for the release of a debut album on REKIDS - Converge Part 1 - Jon Hester states his territory on the label in 2021 with its counterpart - Converge Part 2! The Chicago-born, Berlin-based transplant has had a good run in recent years following a succession of releases with the likes of Deeply Rooted, Transmat and Dystopian, with this LP adding another gold star to the techno producer's vintage yet futuristic sound. Heavily modelled on faster Detroit-styled techno with a touch of Chicago soul (best heard through the LP's melodies and synthwork in tracks like "Instant", "Contact" and "Wonder"), get your dubbier and percussive sessions from "Silver" to the broken beat drums in "Shadows" and minimal warehouse vibes of "Artificial Intelligence". Jon Hester is: Converged.
Review: Spencer Parker delivers his most distinctive and accessible release to date. The title track draws on 80s influences, including a pulsating Italo bass and electric piano keys, making for a dance floor groove that eminently hummable. Parker continues to draw inspiration from that decade on "Radio Waves (After Dark)"; featuring a repetitive vocal sample and snappy drums, this lean, linear affair also benefits from a throbbing bass. Meanwhile, on "The Work Out", Parker delivers a stripped back rhythm that provides the basis for a gloomy synth line that recalls New Order at their most pensive. Reflected through Parker's prism, it makes for a fresh approach to techno.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick is a busy man, and Immortal Daydream follows a flurry of releases on Drumcode, Hotflush and most recently, Rekids itself. This four-tracker sees the UK producer do what he's best at and delivers impactful club techno. "Everlasting" is shot through with dramatic stabs and underpinned by steely thunder claps, making for a powerful dance floor track. "Titan" also sees Fitzpatrick deploy musical elements - on this occasion it's a repetitive organ riff over a combination of relentless kicks and driving hi-hats - while "Droid Disco" marks a departure in style, with Fitzpatrick going deeper to deliver a seductive cacophony of tonal frequencies over a dubbed out groove."The Underdog" presents a further surprise, as the We Are The Brave boss deploys rich chords and crashing snares to deliver his own take on Detroit techno.
Review: The latest instalment on Rekids is a barnstorming affair from UK act KUSP. "Circulus" is a peak-time banger, centred on a jacking ghetto techno rhythm and the kind of wild analogue builds that Luke Slater deployed on his evergreen remix of Joey Beltram's "Forklift". "Fictus" is just as forceful, with KUSP dropping razor-sharp hi-hats and wild rave stabs over pounding kicks. The title track sees the intensity taken down a few notches; led by a series of thunderclaps and dramatic drops and builds, it's as effective as the previous tracks. "Troubadour" sees KUSP keep the pressure up, with a dubbed out backing providing the basis for chopped-up vocal samples.
Review: Following on from his evocative, at times rave-tinged material in 2020, Radio Slave returns underground for this heads-down EP. Similar in style and approach to the recent Floorplan material on Rekids, this four-tracker is punctuated by robust bass drums, spiralling chord sequences and militaristic percussion. "Variations V1", with its ticking hi-hats and doubled up claps, gets the EP off to a rousing start, while on the "V2", Matt Edwards takes the intensity down for a broken beat affair that has echoes of Fachwerk's catalogue. It's only a brief reprieve, however; "V3" is a storming affair, led by billowing chords and dense kicks, while the fourth and final version resounds to ominous synth stabs and niggling percussion.
Review: Following releases from Hemka, P.Leone, Shinedoe and SRVD, Rekids' sister imprint returns with more of its 'grittier, fully techno focused remit.' This instalment in the Reduction series belongs to Brazilian producer Marcal, featuring five powerful cuts in the vein of his contribution to the series' last volume. Hard hitting and hypnotic minimal techno in the vein of Robert Hood can be heard on "Sentinel" and "Rolling Sway" respectively, equally mesmerising is the heads down, peak time energy of "Jackie" and finally Marcal teams up with homeboy Alex Justino on the drum-driven percolator jack of "This Body" making for another great DJ tool.
Review: Theo Nasa has previously released material on Andy Blake's World Unknown, Suara and his own Alien Sound Trax imprint, and now brings his distinctive techno sound to Rekids. "Dubska" is a relentless, dub-fuelled roller, while on "World Dance", Nasa embraces breaks and bowel-busting sub-bass to deliver a wild rave workout. "Summertime Raving In London" is less frenetic, but deploys a powerful bass at the heart of its driving rhythm, while its evocative melodies will strike a chord with anyone who has partied in the UK capital. Despite its title, "Ninja Tune" has little to do with the label of the same name, and sees Nasa fuse bruising kicks with a ragga-style vocal sample. Rounding of this fine EP are the out-there 303 shapes of "Gabrielle Gabacid".
Review: Robert Hood follows his recent Nothing Stops Detroit debut on Rekids with a full-length artist album. It shows that when it comes to delivering linear dance floor techno Hood has few peers. This talent is audible on lean tracks like "Fear Not" and the pounding kicks and soaring chords of "Falling Apart". But Mirror Man also shows that within an album format. Hood is not afraid to cast a wide creative gaze. "Through A Looking Glass Darkly' and "A Shattered Image" are chilling electronic soundtracks, while on "System of Mirrors", the Detroit veteran drops a hypnotic slice of techno that resounds to a throbbing bass and waves of frazzled percussion.
Review: With records for Ovum, Pets Recordings and REKIDS of late, Mathias Kaden's quintessential festival sound makes it back to Radio Slave's label following last year's Liberate Drums EP. Delving into synthy, dub techno territory with "Substance" (DJ Pete we hope you're watching), the rest of the record finds itself rooted in classic strands of bigger room Detroit techno and European minimalism, alongside a touch of electro and industrial synth wave in "Control Your Mind" - thinned down and stripped back by Marcel Dettmann's remix. Littered with tougher elements of rave and banging tech house alongside solid bassline progressions in "Conviction" and "Anticipation" too, Mathias Kaden helps us remember what it's going to be like when festivals resume once more. Downloaded for Richie Hawtin!
Review: Ahead of a new album, which is due out at the end of 2020, Robert Hood delivers this blistering debut for Rekids. The title track revolves around a heavy, rolling bass and dubbed out drums, the perfect opening track for this dance floor EP. "7 Mile Dog" sees Hood up the pace and intensity levels, as a looped chord is fused with pounding kicks and a frazzled bass to create an intense peak-time track. "Ignite A War" resounds to a steely rhythm and a pulsating bass, with the veteran Detroit producer lacing the arrangement with insistent stabs for maximum impact, while on "The Cure", Hood drops a pile-driving track that centres on pounding kicks.
Review: Continuing in a proud tradition that stretches back two decades and includes artists like Anderson Noise and Renato Cohen, Marcal delivers a killer Brazilian techno EP for Rekids. Reduction Pt 1 follows his releases on Phobiq and Sam Paganini's JAM, and shows why this emerging artist is gaining recognition: "'Ainozama" is a fast-paced tribal roller laced with rave stabs, while on "Cherry On Top", he goes down a deeper route, with filtered chords and ticking percussion unfolding over a lithe rhythm. "Heart Race" sees him head down the kind of dense, bleeps route that Sleeparchive and Mike Parker usually inhabit, while on "Estado de Transe", a collaboration with Andc and Gabal, Marcal effortlessly straddles the tribal and minimal dimensions with considerable aplomb.
Review: Jon Hester follows last year's Momentum release on Rekids with this impressive debut album. It starts with the dramatic ambience of "Sending Signals", but quickly moves towards the dance floor with the piano key-led "Metropolitan". Continuing this musical, clubby approach is the equaling sax and snaking groove of "Haze" and the deeper, shuffling "Rain", which resounds to the sound of thunder rolling in. Hester is a talented, crafty producer and while Converge Part I is predominantly dance floor-focused, there is enough diversity on offer here to keep even the fussiest fan happy - as the rolling, "Dreamstate" and the dubbed out "Free' both effortlessly demonstrate.
Review: Marco Faraone follows last year's Don't Need You release on Rekids with this tough but soulful EP. The title track revolves around an insistent, chugging groove that resounds to insistent chord stabs and repetitive vocal loops. On "Want Me", the Italian producer toughens up his approach, and uses dense drums and an insistent rhythm to provide the basis for what sounds like a vocal sample from Aretha Franklin's soul classic, "Chain of Fools". Faraone changes tact once again on "Safari": it's a more linear affair than the others, and is based on a prowling electronic bass and a series of repetitive chord stabs that when combined, ooze menace.
Review: Matt Edwards originally released this EP under the Silent Witness moniker last year, and now re-issues it under his more widely-known Radio Slave alias. Inspired by the sound of early 90s bleep techno, the title track is based on a robust, lean rhythm track and features an eerie, repetitive tonal sequence that weaves its way through the arrangement. These elements make for an evocative track that never strays into retro territory. "Year of the Snake" sees Edwards opt for a slower tempo: while still drawing on the UK sound that gave the world artists like LFO, this time the bleeps unfold against the backdrop of mysterious synths and chugging, clanging percussion.
Review: Hybrasil follows last year's Afra EP on Matt Edwards label with this dance floor-focused four-tracker. The title track is a tough percussive workout that features rough industrial tones and a series of smart breakdowns. On "Hour Glass," Hybrasil changes tact somewhat, with droning synths underpinned by steely percussion and a driving rhythm, and all of these elements make for a mesmerising combination. "Ikigai" is just as impactful, but sees Hybrasil favour a more stripped-down sound, with bells ringing and chords churning against a metallic backdrop. Leaving the deepest cut to last, "System H" features hypnotic chords that surge and dip over doubled-up claps.
Review: Matt Edwards departs from the script for his latest Radio Slave material. Taking influence from old school hardcore and a cut and paste production approach, on "Stay Out.." he delivers twitchy, good-time break beats that are full of hip-hop and soulful vocal samples. It's quite a departure for the creator of linear techno tracks like "Grindhouse" and "Another Club". On "Wait A Minute", Edwards returns to the techno realm; while still containing a repetitive vocal sample that intones the track's title, the rattling percussion, tough kicks and driving rhythm all come together to form a deadly effective big room techno track.
Review: Up next on Rekids is David Natochen aka Chontane, who has previously put out music on labels like Them and Magic Power. It's not hard to understand why Healing has such appeal for Matt Edwards: "Nam" resounds to rolling, thunderous drums, skipping breaks and infectious vocal samples, making for an alluring warehouse techno combination. On "Leto", Natochen ventures farther down the break beat path, with a ponderous vocal sample unfolding over crashing breaks and eerie synth lines. "Exam" is deeper and more hypnotic as a busy drum workout supports frazzled chord builds, while "Gora" sees Chontane's approach applied to electro, with clipped drums supporting futuristic melodies.
Review: Radio Slave is releasing his second album in three phases - and this first volume of Radio Silence sure to impress techno fans of all persuasion. This is largely due to the fact that the Rekids boss has drawn inspiration from a myriad of sources; these include Jeff Mills at his most esoteric for the swirling sound scales of "Ghost" and the break beat driven "Cell", while on "Contact", he opts for a visceral, grubby techno banger. On "Zqu", we get to hear Radio Slave at his most intense, with a pounding steely rhythm prevailing, while he quickly shifts into compelling abstract mode for the eerie tones of "Command Z Av".
Review: As debut EPs go, Yves Thomas's first outing - on Rekids, no less - is not only rather impressive but also notably expansive. Over the course of seven varied tracks, the London-based, Bristol-raised DJ/producer/vocalist fully turns his hand to enveloping, slow-burn ambient ("Brain Dead"), spacey and dreamy breakbeat-house (the superb "MA1"), more robust and bass-heavy - but no less melodically detailed -dancefloor fare (the raw and weighty "River"), hypnotic late night fare ("Elephant & Snake"), jazzy intergalactic broken beat ("Callout FM"), drowsy electronica/synth-pop fusion ("Pilot") and immersive, acid-flecked deep-bruk business ("Birds of the Barbican").
Review: Saved boss Nic Fanciulli follows last year's "Understand" release on Rekids with this diverse two-tracker. The title track is a big-room slammer, led by insistent chord stabs and repetitive vocal samples. The use of sudden drops and builds throughout the arrangement guarantees that it will have maximum impact. On the flip side, "Werk (Move Your Body)" offers a very different proposition. It sounds like Fanciulli has been listening to loads of late 90s Gene Farris and DJ Sneak, with the result that he delivers insistent disco loops and shimmering strings unfolding over a tracky house groove that just keeps on building.
Review: Currently based in Barcelona, Raven has lived in a number of other different cities across the globe. She has also been influenced by a range of styles, as this debut for Rekids demonstrates. The title track sees slurred vocals unravel over pounding drums and powerful break beats, with atmospheric synths swirling up through the ether. "Saint" is based around a similar tempo, this time with Raven delivering a ghetto-style rhythm track that provides the basis for Raven's esoteric narrative about deities. "In2U" sees her experiment with deep house sounds, laying down a languid, layered arrangement, while on "BBGRL" Raven delivers a seductive downtempo track featuring her seductive vocals.
Review: Marco Faraone follows a series of Eps on Rekids with his eagerly-awaited debut album. Opening ambient track "Force Deep" and the languid break beats of "Iconic" both hint at a more experimental side to Faraone's canon. Meanwhile, the high-paced "Addiction", with its repetitive vocal sample and pulsating rhythm, as well as the rolling esoteric electro of "No Filter" present different deeper sides to this talented Italian producer's palette. At the same time, Filter is also a ringing endorsement of what Faraone does best and "Night Ride", "Frog Face" and the acid-heavy "Trust Me" see him shift back to the type of linear, drum-heavy track he excels at.
Review: Berlin-based Brit Matt Edwards started Special Projects as a techno focused series in 2017. Since then, it has gone on to host scene heroes such as Shinedoe, P.Leone, Dustin Zahn and the SRVD project he does with Patrick Mason. Three years later, Edwards finally graces the label for its twentieth release under his most revered pseudonym - Radio Slave. Featuring two club oriented workouts that are reliably heavy and functional: the first being the hypnotic 'plink plonk' of "Command Z" which is reminiscent of classic Purpose Maker aesthetics, followed by some serious tension and suspense on the M-Plant tribute that is "Command X" - packed full of bleepiness and claps on the kick galore.
Review: While many contemporary producers are mining rave influences with varying degrees of success, few have got the knowledge and sense of history as Mark Broom. This release showcases the UK veteran's expertise: the title track features wild hardcore stabs, filtered heavily and unfolding over pounding kick drums. On "Insta", the Beardman boss goes for a similar approach, only this time, sirens flow over a wobbly bass. "Midnight" is deeper, with celebratory piano lines building gradually against the backdrop of tight percussion and skipping beats, while Broom matches up old school synths with a warbling groove and evocative, looped vocals for the decidedly euphoric "Hear Me".
Review: The incendiary partnership that is Patrick Mason and Rekids boss Matt Edwards' SRVD project returns to the label for this tough two-tracker. On the title track, the pair lay down pummelling tribal drums, dense thunder claps and a searing, hardcore bass. These elements provide the basis for a vocal narrative about wearing black - presumably a reflection of the sartorial choices of the audiences that they play to. "USB" also takes influence from 90s sources, but on this occasion, the pair keep the vocals to a minimum, fusing time-stretched shrieks with pounding kicks and coruscating rave riffs that burn their way through the arrangement.
Review: Fred P delivers his second release of 2020 on a label that is tailor made for his tough but soulful sound - Rekids offshoot Stranger in the Night. The title track is a linear, driving affair; powered by a powerful bass drum and featuring a droning riff at its heart, these elements make for a hypnotic fusion. "Construction" also makes effective use of just a few sounds, with a murky bass coming together with dissected vocal samples and brooding synths to create an eerie sound. On "Alphabet City", the US producer goes deeper, with looped chords and sensuous strings unravelling over a jacking rhythm, while "For The Dome" is a beautifully evocative slice of soulful techno.
Review: Released last year, FBK aka Kevin Kennedy's debut album, More Stories From The Future was the culmination of a few years working with Rekids. Now the label has commissioned Len Faki to remix two tracks from the album. On his 'Hardspace' take of "I'll Sit Back", the Berghain resident pitch-bends the vocal sample and sets it against a thundering percussive track that is sure to have maximum impact in big rooms. Faki's take on "Hassling" is even more idiosyncratic; underpinned by his trademark kicks, it sees him layer firing percussion and plaintive chords again this backdrop that ensures the end result is deep but impactful.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick has released on some of the world's greatest techno labels, including Figure, Unknown To The Unknown and Drumcode - and thanks to this EP his catalogue also boasts anb appearance on Rekids. Surprisingly for Fitzpatrick, the title track is a deeper affair, as the ghost of Detroit techno past haunts his steely drums with evocative synth melodies. In contrast, on "The Forgotten", he opts for a pared back approach, with insistent electronic riffs bubbling up over a lean, wiry rhythm. The label has commissioned Luke Slater to rework "Step Away". Working under his Planetary Assault Systems guise, he strips away the dreamy synths to make way for a pile-driving techno banger that brings the release to a grinding climax.
Review: Shinedoe takes a break from her MTM imprint to debut on Rekids. Striking a balance between stripped back techno and soulful musical elements, Feelings is a subtle but craftily effective affair. On the title track, the veteran DJ drops a sinewy, wiry rhythm track, underpinned by wispy vocal samples, while "Roots Are Calling" sees her fuse insistent riffs with a tough tribal groove. "Nature Save Us" is deeper but still Shinedoe keeps a focus on the dance floor with an insistent electronic bass and a driving rhythm, while on the 'Beats Mix', she delivers dramatic drums, analogue yelps and wild thunder claps.
Review: The latest release on Rekids sees Letyago deliver two very different propositions: on one hand there's the title track, with its tough kicks, niggling metal-plated percussion and vocal snippets; coupled with whooshing filters, it makes for a compelling big-room track.In contrast, "Pump It" offers a radically different approach; underpinned by melodic chords and brittle break beats and laced with niggling acid, it's a deep,sensuous take on techno. The label has commissioned Mark Broom to deliver two remixes of the title track; the second take resounds to razor-sharp hats, thunderous claps and a spooky organ riff, while on the first take, Broom goes deeper, with a dubbed out version that draws on the heritage of Chain Reaction.
Review: Before Nina Kraviz was hailed the techno heavyweight she is today she surfaced with a unique brand of electro that fully realised itself in 2012 with a debut album for Rekids, Ghetto Kraviz. Following a selection of remixes from the likes of Steve Rachmad, Kink and French producers Alex Kid and Amine Edge, a rare run of coloured 7"s featuring two remixes from Chicago ghetto house OG DJ Slugo made their way out too. Today, and in tandem with a recent collaboration with alongside Paris Mitchell, DJ Slugo's two "Ghetto Kraviz" remixes enter the digital realm, with the epic 808 drum rolls of the second mix a masterclass in juke not to be overlooked.
Don't Stop No Sleep (Tale Of Us remix) - (7:30) 128 BPM
Don't Stop No Sleep (Roman Poncet & DJ Deep remix) - (6:51) 130 BPM
Review: Radio Slave's 2014 release gets the remix treatment from some of the biggest names in house and techno. First up is Robert Hood's version, where the Detroit veteran takes the original track's vocal loop and sets it against firing percussion and a barrelling techno rhythm. It builds up to a heady climax courtesy of some churning chords. Meanwhile, the Tale of Us interpretation focuses on letting the vocal unravel over a juddering kick, wiry percussion and dramatic chords - while the formidable pairing of Roman Poncet and DJ Deep head down a similar route, albeit one inhabited by garbled synth hooks and crisp claps.
Don't Stop No Sleep (Nightmare mix) - (2:30) 128 BPM
Review: Originally issued on Boddika's label back in 2014, "Don't Stop..." has remained fresh despite the passage of five years. This is largely down to its straightforward but effective arrangement and Radio Slave's subtle, powerful production. Drawing on a looped, hypnotic vocal sample, ticking percussion and understated kicks, it's a timeless piece of stripped back techno. "War Dub (Version 2)" also taken from the Nonplus record, follows a similar path, embarking down a path paved with subtle bleeps, steely percussion and intricate drums, while the Nightmare Mix of "Sleep" sees Matt Edwards embark on an even more reduced approach, guided by eerie tones.
Review: Since breaking through in 2016 with his Interstellar Systems EP for Berlin label Dystopian, Jon hester has since gone on to release with the likes of DJ Deep, Radio Slave and Derrick May. In four years the likes of Deeply Rooted, Transmat and Rekids have all released the American's music and this Momentum EP continues Rekids' techno assault in 2019 (see EPs from P.Leone, Roberto and the always faithful Phillipe Petit). Industrial beats all round, "Zone" sends in spiraling rhythms, claps washed in reverb and a relentless forward motion, and "Part 4" is a touch syncopated in comparison, its held together by a hypnotising vocal snippet. Same goes for "Beatwave" only with deeper atmospheres and bleep inspired notation, while a fan's favourite can be in the happy hardcore and contemporary rave of "Accelerator".
Review: Following on from his Afra release on Rekids, Berlin-based artist Hybrasil follows with his debut album. Like his previous material, it is tailored for the dance floor as the giddy tempo and building organs of the Radio Slave favourite "Hathor" and the urgent, Rob Hood-style synth loop and razor sharp percussion of "Ursa Minor" both demonstrate. However, this long player also shows that there are nuances to the Hybrasil style; "Ceres" is a deeper, more mysterious techno track that unravels to driving percussion, while "Orpehus" resounds to haunting vocals and chiming chords. Combined with his club-primed material, it means that Embers is a well-rounded release.
Review: Originally released to mark Rekids' one hundredth release, Radio Slave's "Another Club" now gets remixed. The label has tapped the fast-rising Charlotte De Witte to interpret the track, and the Belgian DJ doesn't disappoint. Underpinned by tough tribal beats and insistent acid sequences, it draws on the heritage of 90s European techno, but with a modern day feel thanks to the razor sharp percussion and flawless execution. Matt Edwards also delivers a version of the track, together with Patrick Mason under the SRVD alias. Focusing their attention on a dark siren riff and chopping up the original track's vocal sample, they deliver a pounding, rave techno bomb that's sure to cause mayhem wherever it's dropped.
Review: With releases on Figure, Ear to Ground and his own Knotweed imprints, it was only a matter of time before Philippe Petit showed up on Rekids. Anger sees him visit some of the 90s styles that makes Matt Edwards' label so distinctive; the title track resounds to an ominous organ riff that swirls in over a rolling rhythm, while on "Crystal Clear", Petit delivers a deeper take on this sound, with Bobby Konders-style synths accompanying a similarly insistent groove. "When We Meet" is a very different proposition within the Belgian producer dropping a lean, minimal workout that is led by rippling percussion and Rob Hood-style synth stabs, while Petit changes direction once again on the mesmerising deep techno of "La Floria".
Review: It sounds like Rekids has gone back to its roots. On Marco Faraone's third release for the label, a tough, sample-heavy house sound prevails; it's audible on the title track, where vocals are chopped up and layered over steely tribal drums, insistent thunder claps and ominous chord stabs. "Hardgroove Community" features a faster tempo, but some of the same elements - the looped vocal samples and tough kicks - remain at the heart of this arrangement. Meanwhile, "Survive" sees the Italian producer opt for a more tracky approach, with the track's name intoned in monotonous fashion over a heads-down rhythm. "Not A Crime" completes this old school-inspired EP, with churning chords and joyous screeches unravelling over banging drums
