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Token Belgium
Browse the latest digital releases on Token Belgium
Review: It's no coincidence that the title of Antoin Jeanson aka Antigone's latest release is also the musical term for a repeating motif or phrase. Over two versions of Ostinato, the French producer delivers a master class in techno repetition. Understated and subtle but spellbindingly hypnotic, the first version sees mesmerising tones unfold over a rolling, skeletal rhythm that skits at the edges of the dance floor. On the second version, the French producer is more direct; a percussive groove prevails, with Jeanson decorating the arrangement with fuzzy filters, magical chimes, bells and ticking percussion. Irrespective of whether you are listening to this release at home or in the club, the effect will be the same - euphoria through repetition.
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TOKEN 75D
08 Sep 17
Techno
08 Sep 17
Techno
Review: Kennedy has put out some corkers before on Token - 2013's Cathedral springs to mind - but the tile track on his latest offering for the label really ups the ante. Less upfront than usual, it revolves around a steely, stepping rhythm, while the spellbinding tapestry of hooks and melodies ensure it stands apart. There are elements of trance, 'Artificial Intelligence' and IDM all audible here, but the manner in which the UK producer blends them so seamlessly together will leave audiences reeling. "Glacier" is a mid-tempo affair, led by a stepping rhythm and gentle electronic pulses, while "Voyager" sees Kennedy at his most cosmic as he reaches for the stars over a pulsing groove, but it's on "Tornado" that he really causes a storm.
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TOKEN 74D
16 Jun 17
Techno
16 Jun 17
Techno
Review: German producer Johannes Volk runs the Lifeworld and Exploration imprints. On this new EP for Belgian techno imprint Token, he firmly wears his old school influences on his sleeve. This EP being a dedication to sorts to the hypnotic polyrhythms from the late nineties and early noughties. "Designing Evolution" creates some basic trance induction with its complex layers of steel drums, bongos and syncopated 909 hats all working in wonderful unison like early James Ruskin. The bleepy bell tones and sonar qualities of "Escapism" create wonderful style of suspense over a furious warehouse groove. "Cosmic Clockwork" is the EPs true standout which is reminiscent of Jeff Mills and Oliver Ho's finest moments on Purpose Maker or Meta respectively.
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TOKEN 73D
12 May 17
Techno
12 May 17
Techno
Review: Since debuting on Token five years ago, CTRLS has established himself as a distinctive voice in techno. Formerly a drum'n'bass artist, his ninth release for Kr!z' label refines the complex, rhythmic techno sound he has made his own. "The Shortest Path" kick starts the EP with a clanging, metallic groove, populated by shards of spiky percussion and set at a furious pace. "Rush Hour" is in a similar vein, but its beats are harder and grittier. As the release progresses, the Danish producer reveals a different side; "Crash" has an eerie, mysterious edge but is based on panel beating kicks, while "Highway" sees him explore a more conventional minimal sound. Add in two locked grooves and you've got another high-impact, CTRLS release.
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TOKEN 72D
14 Apr 17
Techno
14 Apr 17
Techno
Played by: Pagalve
Review: Ashley Burchett has been releasing on Token since its inception a decade ago, so the direction on Metropolitan comes as a surprise. The title track is more direct than is Burchett's usual appraoch, with a fizzling din riding an up-tempo, linear rhythm, heavy drums and cheese-wire sharp percussion. It sounds like SP-X going head to head with Robert Hood. On "The Absent Mind", there is another unexpected move; the UK producer delivers a metallic, clanging rhythm that fuses Chain Reaction's dubby repetition with the locked on, linear approach of the aforementioned Mr Hood. Only on "Fallen Columns" does O stay close to the stepping sound that he made his name with - but even there, the approach is understated and ghostly.
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TOKEN 71D
17 Mar 17
Techno
17 Mar 17
Techno
Review: Hotflush alumnus Sigha has long been a masterful exponent of dark and gothic techno, developing a signature style that puts pitch-black textures and paranoid atmospherics at the heart of the action. Metabolism is the producer's second full length, and his first since joining Token in 2015. The 12-track set is in a similar vein to his previous work, with the 12 tracks flitting between deep and intricate explorations, more forthright workouts, and clandestine cuts that shy away from easy categorization. It's a formula that guarantees consistently impressive results.
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TOKEN 70D
24 Feb 17
Techno
24 Feb 17
Techno
Review: Unlike most of the releases on this label, Tadeo aka Miguel Sar opts to open his latest release on Token with chilling, orchestral strings that comprise "On The Way To Reykjavik". The Spanish producer then proceeds to the dance floor, but again, delivers some surprises. There's the firing percussion and cold bleeps of "Long Time Ago" and "The Labyrinth", a drum-heavy, loopy affair, both of which are redolent of Jeff Mills rather than the grainy, knotted rhythms that Kr!z label is known for. On "The Globular Ray", Sar takes a leaf from Mike Parker's bass-heavy, tonal sound, while on parting shot "Ascension", he returns to abstract mode, drawing on the chilling shapes thrown by Jeff Mills.
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TOKEN 69D
27 Jan 17
Techno
27 Jan 17
Techno
Review: Time is Antonin Jeanson aka Antigone's third release for Token and sees the French artist deliver more pared back, expertly constructed techno tracks. On "Static", the rhythm is loose but angular, while powered by jangling percussion and dub blasts. Underneath this structure Jeanson adds a powerful bass that purrs with menacing intent. "Shadow Play" is a more conventional, straighter affair, evolving from a linear, pulsing groove, but once again he shows his skills with dubby effects setting it apart from the usual club techno fodder. "Walking Distance" is in a similar vein, but this time it features a detuned, noisy riff riding one of Antigone's pared back arrangements.
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TOKEN 68D
02 Dec 16
Techno
02 Dec 16
Techno
Review: "Surrender", the latest Inigo Kennedy release on Token, follows the unmistakable sound that the UK producer has developed almost exclusively for the Belgian label over the past decade. A busy, glitchy rhythm drives away while floaty, atmospheric synths soar and glide over the arrangement. It's hypnotic and spellbinding, but also manages to kick hard - and is not entirely dissimilar to his 2013 "Cathedral" release on the label. "Castles In The Air" is even heavier and harder; tough, distorted kicks and a mangled rhythm hammer away, providing the basis for Kennedy's airy, trancey melodies. It's another prime example of Kennedy's distinctive sound.
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TOKEN 67D
04 Nov 16
Techno
04 Nov 16
Techno
Review: Originally released during the early to mid 00s, Steve Rachmad's Scorp project was like a breath of fresh air for anyone suffocating under wave upon wave of dreary loop techno at the time. That's not to suggest that the tracks on this compilation are anything but DJ tools - and the steely minimalism and raw tonal repetition of "Atomitron" is reminiscent of Mills at his most uncompromising. However, they do possess a dynamism and energy that was almost alien to that period. Take a listen to the rattling snares and claps on "Energetix" or the relentless, pile-driving motion of "One Side" for confirmation that even when he's banging the box, Steve Rachmad is in a league of his own.
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TOKEN 66D
28 Oct 16
Techno
28 Oct 16
Techno
Review: It would be fair to say that Oscar Mulero is a techno purist. Over the last 16 years, he's built a solid reputation via singles and albums that rarely stray from techno's hypnotic, heavyweight roots. Hyperbolic Paths, his first single for Token since 2008, continues on this path. Its' four cuts are built around bombastic, full-throttle rhythm tracks, unsettling chords and undeniably trippy, looped melody lines. The standout track is arguably "Suborbital Trajecteries", which combines spacey, rising and falling synthesizer motifs with beefed-up, tropical-influenced techno drums and sweaty, constantly building percussion fills. The deeper and dub influenced closing track, "Eccentricity", is also quietly impressive.
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TOKEN 64D
16 Sep 16
Techno
16 Sep 16
Techno
Review: Very few can do po-faced, gothic techno as eloquently as the UK's dark lord Sigha, the Our Circula sound main man returning on Belgian hard techno imprint Token with the rather restrained "Christ Figures" which makes up for the kind of aggression most usually associated with him (and the label), with its exploration in tension, texture and functionality. Second offering "Puritan" explores the same path of dystopian hypnotism in the tradition of greats like Mike Parker or Donato Dozzy; strap yourself in for this one, it's one wild journey!
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TOKEN 63D
19 Aug 16
Techno
19 Aug 16
Techno
Review: Ashley Burchett follows up last year's Versions on Token with a second installment. This latest volume also shines a light on the UK producer's musical evolution. While the busy, rhythmic sound that underpinned his earlier releases is still audible on the rugged "Transantarctic (Polar Version)", it only tells part of the story. "Like a Light (Berlin demo)", with its insistent chords and scuffled dub beats tug at that city's musical legacy. The Substance remix of "Morodem" meanwhile, sees Burchett fuse a pulsing disco groove with cold steely percussion and a spiky rhythm. The final piece in this reinvention sees Burchett go back to Berlin albeit this time for the Klockworks-style dense workout that is "Behind the Sun (Re-Kon Dub)".
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PH 4532D
22 Jul 16
Techno
22 Jul 16
Techno
Review: Eschaton are back everyone: look out. The infamous collaboration between Ancient Methods and Orphx have decided to reign in terror once more on Belgian imprint Token so be prepared: this one is a one way ticket to hell and back! Starting out with the body bashing broken beat assault of "Deus Irae", they then serve up the slow burning post-apocalyptic anthem "Those Who Obey". "Answer My Prayer" definitely sounds more like Michael Wollenhaupt than anyone else: this is techno-doomcore like only he can create. Finally the hellish drone of "No Other Gods Before Me" ensures one seriously white knuckled duvet ride for you tonight!
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TOKEN 61D
06 May 16
Techno
06 May 16
Techno
Played by: Juno Recommends Techno
Review: Token has been home to all of CTRLS work since he appeared in 2012, and Nonuser solidifies what has been a very fruitful relationship. The follow up to 2015's Users (it's not hard to see a pattern emerging), it starts with "Vocabulary". Tight, steely rhythms provide a basis for bleak synths that break and burst like grey waves against a harbour wall. The title track is more of a heads-down affair, as the Danish producer realises his vision for looped techno, albeit one where razor sharp hats and a bleating siren cut through the dense rhythms. Finally, there's a deeper track, "The Wave". Based on a dense, percussive groove, those incremental progressions up and down the melody scale that will set spines tingling.
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TOKEN 60D
15 Apr 16
Techno
15 Apr 16
Techno
Review: French producer Jeanson Antonin aka Antigone represents the new wave of techno artists, and he has made his mark on labels like Token and Demented. Saudade is his follow up to his 2015 debut on Kr!z imprint and it showcases why he is held in high regard. "Night Adrift" is a tense, tough roller, its metallic drums precisely crafted. On the flip, he delivers "Hiraeth"; there, the rhythm is intricate yet also dense and robust, with a tonal bleep fading in and out of the arrangement and the listener captivated by the few elements that Antonin has seamlessly brought together to have such an impact.
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TOKEN 59D
11 Mar 16
Techno
11 Mar 16
Techno
Review: It only took Phase two years to follow up his debut album, Frames of Reference, but this second long player shows no signs that he rushed out a follow up. Ashley Burchett, the UK producer behind the project, draws on some classic techno tropes; the visceral, linear rhythm of "Blind Eye" has echoes of vintage Robert Hood, while the layered, hypnotic, layered grooves of "The Maze" sound like they came from Jeff Mills space station. However, there are many other moments where Alone is unmistakably the work of Phase. This is most audible on the hard-edged but futuristic "Increment", the insistent shuffle of "Spacialize" (sic) and best of all, "Remote", a bruising broken beat affair underpinned by a cavernous bass.
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TOKEN 57D
30 Oct 15
Techno
30 Oct 15
Techno
Review: Given his ability to mix the esoteric and ethereal with the bone crushingly intense, it was only a matter of time before Sigha released on Token. Indeed "Our Father" sounds like a perfect distillation of the aesthetic that drives Kr!z label. Hypnotic, crystalline synths break and splinter over a fuzzy low end and dense beats, and this fragile union is held together by blasts of jagged percussion. However, the UK producer departs from the script on "A Better Way of Living". One-note stabs unfold over dense tribal beats and a rough, filtered rhythm that recalls the best of Lost and Cosmic Recordings.
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TOKEN 56D
16 Oct 15
Techno
16 Oct 15
Techno
Played by: Marco Piangiamore
Review: One of the main reasons why Token has made its mark is because its owner Kr!z has championed artists who are either new or who have flown under the radar. Ctrls is probably the best example of the Belgian imprint's A&R policy. The Danish producer has been releasing strictly on Token since 2012 and Two Worlds is the latest addition to his small but respectable catalogue. The title track contains breathy, atmospheric textures but underneath there lurks a powerful stepping rhythm. It's not the most dance floor friendly track, but Token has given Ctrls the freedom to experiment. In any event, on the flip, Ctrls drops "Onto Them", a stripped back tribal affair full of heavy tribal drums and insistent vocal snippets.
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TOKEN 55D
11 Sep 15
Techno
11 Sep 15
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Paul Langley, Juno Recommends Techno, Gary Beck, Fed Conti, Resident Advisor, Cos BV (Car Crash Set), OPTICIAN
Review: It's been great to see Ashley Burchett finally get his dues in the last few years where he has kept on with a steady slew of killer releases. Most of them on Token. Versions is further testament to this but as the title suggests, showcases some revised and unreleased takes on previous efforts. And they're just as brilliant. "Flyby/Falling (Enhanced Version) is typical of Burchett with its slamming, cyclical peak time intensity. "Bulk (Unreleased Demo Mix)" is a stripped DJ tool with its chugging and brutal delayed beat accompanied by muted and syncopated percussion. "Obscura Mix 1" slams away in a funky and tribal fashion similar to an old James Ruskin or Oliver Ho cut. Finally "Mass (Stripped Mix)" does exactly what it says on the cover with this pummelling DJ tool.
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PH 453D
14 Aug 15
Techno
14 Aug 15
Techno
Review: One of the biggest releases to date on Token gets remixed by an all-star cast. However, in keeping with the Belgian label's approach, there is nothing predictable about this release. Kangding Ray's 'Dies Irae' version is slow and solemn, with heavy drums drawn out at 50bpm. Token has scored a major coup by securing a remix from Regis. The 'Human Host' version raises the tempo, but sees the Downwards boss remain in pensive mode, the layered chords giving way to menacing bass pulses. Dasha Rush's ''Requiem For Humanity" take isn't quite as bleak as its name suggests, although the dramatic piano swirls, crashing drums and muffled vocal samples conjure up a supernatural atmosphere. Finally, Efdemin pushes "Requiem" towards the dance floor with his bleep and clap-laden take.
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TOKEN 54D
06 Jul 15
Techno
06 Jul 15
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Dodi Palese, Joachim Spieth, Juno Recommends Techno, Alex Niggemann, Ben Klock, Resident Advisor, Marcel Dettmann
Review: Dust is Jeanson Antonin's debut release on Token and arguably it's his most impressive release to date. Kr!z label has given him a double pack format to work with and it allows him the platform to express himself. At either end of the release there are two beautiful soundscapes; "Anna Livia" bathes in sensuous textures, while "Blue Note" features slow-motion beats underpinning shimmering melodies. In stark contrast, "Neter", "Astragal" and "Artefact" are tough, metallic bangers that recall the distorted stomp of Joey Beltram and Jeff Mills. However, it isn't just a release of extremes and "Prime Mover" sees Antigone bring a house groove to his tough metallic production.
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TOKEN 53D
18 May 15
Techno
18 May 15
Techno
Review: The long-running fruitful relationship between O [Phase] aka Ashley Burchett and Belgian label Token continues on Tunnel Vision. More direct than the UK producer's previous releases on the imprint, "Vision" is a pounding, linear groove, its hissing filters sounding like the release of a thousand steam pistons and complementing the hard-as-nails metal rhythm. "Internal Conflict (Acts 1-3)" is less rigid; it sees Burchett deploy a rolling groove laced with a succession of tonal bleeps and 303 builds. It even features conga drums near the end, but despite
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TOKEN 52D
20 Apr 15
Techno
20 Apr 15
Techno
Review: And so the Token juggernaut continues, slaying all before it with some of the best club techno you are likely to find right now. Terra Incognita sees Spanish producer Tadeo debut on the label after a fine succession of releases in 2014 and at six tracks long Miguel Sar takes the chance to really explore his range. "Requiem" offers a foreboding beatless opener that is rife with tension, whilst "Deep Space" explores similar territory to the Something from the Sky series by Jeff Mills. From here Tadeo runs through various shades of dancefloor techno with the mind bending "Apollo 7" our pick!
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TOKEN 51D
16 Mar 15
Techno
16 Mar 15
Techno
Review: Formerly a drum and bass producer, Danish artist CTRLS has now become a key component in the Token operation. The descriptor 'component' is apposite here; like his previous releases on the label, Users is a mechanical, metallic release, sounding like it was forged in a steel foundry rather than a studio. "Incoming Data" is based on lithe, angular rhythms and cold, subsonic bleeps, while "The Disparates" is straighter and more banging. Despite being led by gnarly beats, it is shot through with jittery percussion. Neither can compare to "Externalizer" however, a track built on mangled drums and led by the kind of merciless rhythm that can by turns tingle and crush spines.
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TOKEN 50D
16 Feb 15
Techno
16 Feb 15
Techno
Played by: Maelstrom
Review: UK techno producer Makaton doesn't pull any punches and this release for Belgian label Token has no shortage of hard and heavy tracks. "Lead You Astray" sets the tone with twisted broken beats, lurching basslines and jarring, discordant riffs. It exudes a queasiness that is nonetheless strangely alluring. "Night #1" is straighter rhythmically, but sees Makaton spit out furious percussive bursts over a high-octane, fuzzy rhythm, while "Dstabilise" is an acid-fried broken beat affair. The only variable here is "Spit To Lubricate"; starting with dense, heavy beats, it eases into an evocative chord sequence that sounds like it was inspired by the ghosts of long lost hardcore tunes.
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TOKEN 49D
08 Dec 14
Techno
08 Dec 14
Techno
Various
Played by: Paul Mac, Paul Langley, Shadow Dancer, Ben Klock, Hypnotic Groove, Resident Advisor, Alan Fitzpatrick, Turbo Turbo
Review: Woof! If you are looking for a massive slab of techno, you won't find anything as hefty as Aphelion. A package of tracks from Belgian label Token, Aphelion is essentially a primer for the best in contemporary techno, featuring contributions from Surgeon, Rodhad, James Ruskin, Karenn and Planetary Assault System alongside some label regulars. You will have probably already heard "Fixed Action Pattern" from Surgeon - it's possibly one of this year's finest techno tracks - but it's got some stiff competition here with Ruskin in particularly funked up form on "No Trace". Aphelion is a real statement and proof of Token's current rank as a European techno powerhouse alongside the likes of Delsin and Ostgut Ton.
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TOKEN 48D
03 Nov 14
Techno
03 Nov 14
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Maelstrom, Shadow Dancer, Slam, Chris Liebing, Resident Advisor, Richie Hawtin, Cosmo Lopez
Review: After the success of Rodhad's Token debut, Spomeniks, it was only a matter of time before we saw the much-loved German return to the bustling Token, and for lovers of techno made to be played in a power plant this record is a no-brainer. Rodhad provides two versions of Humea, and the first is deep and bleepy with hi-hats that cut straight through the mix, while the dirt mix is heavier in bass with bleeps that are scattered not singular. Meanwhile label mainstay Phase provides this release with the one remix, which as you can expect is complimentary to the original and sleek as always with a nifty surprise breakdown.
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TOKEN 47D
29 Sep 14
Techno
29 Sep 14
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Rolando, Maelstrom, Juno Recommends Techno, Resident Advisor, Alert, DJ Ford Foster
Review: It seems like the last few months of 2014 are going to be quite big for a newly bearded up Surgeon with a series of enticing looking reissues of '90s material under the SRX banner due to commence soon, as well as an incoming British Murder Boys retrospective on DNS. First up, the UK techno legend makes his debut proper on Token with Fixed Action Pattern, a two-track single of distorted, broken beat techno tailor-made for the Belgian label. Essentially two variants of the same track, the original is exactly the sort of searing, peak time wall-shaker you'd expect when Surgeon meets Token, and it's complemented nicely by a dub version that the label quite aptly compare to Lee Scratch Perry dabbling in industrial electronics.
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TOKEN 46D
25 Aug 14
Techno
25 Aug 14
Techno
Review: Christian Wunsch and Oscar Mulero follow up last year's Vector Projection release on Token with another killer four-tracker. "SCFGM-08" eases the listener in with its cold bleeps and subtle percussive patterns sounding like a moody version of Sleeparchive. Before long though, the duo pick up the pace with "SCFGM-19". Faster and more percussive, its doubled up claps and blasts of noise sound like Shifted getting it on with Function. "SCFGM-14" follows a more reduced, visceral style of minimalism - not unlike '90s Rob Hood - while "SCFGM-16" ends the release in a similar vein, its lithe rhythm and intricate percussion making for a more subtle take on minimal techno.
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TOKEN 45D
23 Jun 14
Techno
23 Jun 14
Techno
Review: This fourth album from British techno veteran Inigo Kennedy - his first since 2010's decidedly ambient September Pieces - has something of a "catch-all" feel. You see, Vaudeville refuses to stick to one sound, style or groove, instead referencing the many styles of techno and experimental electronic music that have inspired the popular producer over the course of his 18-year career. So, there are murky, IDM-inspired techno floor fillers (the melodious but faintly foreboding "Requiem"), early British psychedelic techno ("Plaintive"), dense, darkroom grooves ("Vallecula"), classic Yorkshire bleep and bass ("Petrichor"), Kompakt-ish organic techno ("Winter"), and spooky, droning ambience ("Narrative").
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TOKEN43D
02 Jun 14
Techno
02 Jun 14
Techno
Review: Take a step back and assess the output from Token over recent times and you get the impression label boss Kr!z is fixing for them to become Belgium's answer to Ostgut Ton. Already this year, Token have debuted the Eschaton collaboration between Ancient Methods and Orphx's Rich Oddie, and had Rodhad and Robert Hood remix O [Phase] with an Inigo Kennedy LP on the way too! Before that Token call on Rrose and Rich Oddie to add some remix heat to the second CTRLS release of 2014, with stunning results! "Charge" finds Troels B. Knudsen in particularly nightmarish form with a production that's dominated by the searing tonal riff, whilst Rrose's remix reinforces his reputation for nihilistic big room techno. Orphx's Oddie reduces his version that focuses on self-modulating rhythms, caustic atmospherics and squealing effects.
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TOKEN 44D
26 May 14
Techno
26 May 14
Techno
Played by: O [Phase], Joachim Spieth, Juno Recommends Techno, Slam, Bas Mooy, Submerge, Resident Advisor, Inigo Kennedy
Review: It's not often we see Ashley Burchett try his had at ambient or experimental productions, so it's about time we did. "Medlab" introduces this EP, and for its brief 40 seconds it sounds like a purring space shuttle combing the outer-limits of an unknown galaxy. It sets the tone for the serious "Burden Of Proof"; although looping to infinity, its musical elements do vary to a point of actually being musical. "Out-last", the second of four ambient tracks, rattles and bends like a creaking door in an echo-chamber inside of a sunken submarine, while there's something sonically dismantled about the warped sounds on "Construct Of The Mind". Fans of Spherical Coordinates on Token will warm to the cool, dark and mysterious jungle sounds of the EP's title track, while Phase delivers what he does best in "Systems Theory". Something different from Phase and something new from Token.
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TOKEN 42D
05 May 14
Techno
05 May 14
Techno
Review: Belgian techno titans Token Records initiate the tease campaign for Inigo Kennedy's upcoming album Vaudeville with this two-track sampler. Kennedy's decade-spanning career has seen him produce under a number of aliases and for some respected labels, but he's seemingly found a perfect home in Token, having inaugurated the label back in 2007. Those familiar with Kennedy's production style will no doubt be salivating at the prospect of his forthcoming fifth studio album after spending some quality time with the two tracks here. Both show Kennedy's deft balance of heaving club-focused rhythms and experimental blend of melody and texture, creating something that doesn't sound unlike a contemporary Berghain-inspired update of the early '90s material of Warp and R&S.
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TOKEN 41D
14 Apr 14
Techno
14 Apr 14
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Luke Slater, O [Phase], Joachim Spieth, RADIAL, Juno Recommends Techno, Slam, Chris Liebing, Resident Advisor, Woo York, Nicole Moudaber, Rodhad
Review: Arguably the two biggest R's in techno at the moment remix [Phase], with Rodhad revealing a more emotive side to his techno, while Robert Hood delivers the goods like only he can. Rodhad's interpretation takes away some of the original low-end heard in "Perplexed", resulting in something that's groovy, but still tough, while noticeable increasing the blue-noted tones of the track. Robert Hood's love affair with "Dirto II" continues with the Detroit legend joining in on the cold temperaments for a clinical and percussively slicing remix. With rapid fire releases like this, it seems trying to match Token's dominance of club techno at the moment would be a futile act.
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TOKEN 40D
10 Mar 14
Techno
10 Mar 14
Techno
Review: When he's not making house music as 2400 Operator for Underground Quality, or industrial strength techno for Sonic Groove as part of Northern Structures, Troels Knudsen is Ctrls for Token. This latest Movement release is his fourth solo EP, all of which have come through the Belgian label, which now makes it safe to say he's as much a member of the Token family as Inigo Kennedy, [Phase] and the new Orphx and Ancient Methods collaboration, Eschaton. Each production on this three-track release sees similar beaten down drums of his Northern Structures project, although this time they're pitched against metallic screeches of contorted synths, and it's the Dane's strongest solo work yet.
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TOKEN 39D
17 Feb 14
Techno
17 Feb 14
Techno
Review: When it comes to techno, can it get any more serious than a collaboration between Ancient Methods and Orphx released on rock hard Belgian label Token? Well yes, as soon as you hear the music is does. "Age Of Iron" sounds like the sub-aqueous dub of Rich Oddie exchanging blows with an armoury of Ancient Methods percussion, while "Degenerate" is proper, rigid and heads down techno funnelled through a tubular filter. "Kali" features the same type of rolling rhythm, stop-start loops as what's heard throughout Regis' early work, only the frequency spectrums are sculpted to form a musical production, even though this is industrial techno, while "Seven Signs" croaks, clinks, and jangles like shackles scraping against concrete, sounding like something designed for dungeon clubbing - and, we might add, it's worth powering through the sonic malevolence for the drum breakdown alone.
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TOKEN 38D
27 Jan 14
Techno
27 Jan 14
Techno
Played by: Joachim Spieth, Marcel Fengler, Chris Liebing, Ross Alexander, Resident Advisor, Joseph Capriati
Review: Taken from his recent Frames of Reference album, Dirtro II has all of those qualities that make Phase such a distinctive talent. Tumbling, grimy drums, a pulsing bass and shards of glassy percussion unfold over a rhythm that skips in and out of time, lithe and limber but deadly effective. The release also boasts a remake from Robert Hood. Putting his Floorplan alter ego on hold, the Detroit producer delivers a banging version centred on heavy tribal beats and chord sequences that swagger menacingly. It's a long way from Minimal Nation and indeed Paradise, but that won't put off anyone who likes powerful, high-paced techno.
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TOKEN 37D
16 Dec 13
Techno
16 Dec 13
Techno
Review: Kennedy has beaten a singular path over the past few years, fusing the gentle, wide-eyed melodies of early 90s 'intelligent techno' with his own particularly brittle and complex rhythms. Confusingly, there is only a brief glimpse of this approach on his latest release. "VHSK 1" features the UK producer's trademark broken beats and those sweeping synths, filtered to infinity against a hail of dessicated percussion. Elsewhere, Kennedy shows a different side to his musical personality; "Pithead" is a relentless dance floor cut, its bass booming and skipping hats propelling it forward. There's a similar vibe on "VHSK 2", but on this occasion, dank acid provides the main focus for Kennedy's relentless rhythms.
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TOKEN 36D
25 Nov 13
Techno
25 Nov 13
Techno
Review: This year has seen respected Spanish techno Doyens Oscar Mulero and Christian Wunsch team up to create Spherical Coordinates, dropping a series of releases on their respective labels Pole Recordings and Tsunami - a split release which also featured Reeko and Mike Parker. The pairing align again on for a debut on Kr!z's towering Token label. Consider Vector Projection an EP of battle hardened club techno made for long nights in - Tracks "SCFLS-12" and SCFLS-17" typify this - but it's the chiming bells and silky grooves of "SCFLS-05" and "SCFLS-11" that define this EP.
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TOKEN 35D
04 Nov 13
Techno
04 Nov 13
Techno
Review: Over the course of ten tracks to appear on Frames Of Reference, the long-time coming debut album by Phase, the Englishman draws upon ideas he's been fine tuning for more than a decade. Of the fresh material is the rich bass and sinister crawl of "On The Edge", the haunted glass whistles of "Dirtro II" and the respective electro and dubby leaning "Just Another Dance" and "Shadow Caster". Rearranged riffs come via the LP's opening track "Binary Opposition (process 3)" which sets the tone for a heady mix of no frills techno undeniably designed for club play. It's an impressive debut which incorporates elements of muscular European rhythmics with passages of motor city mechanics and melodic tonality.
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TOKEN 33D
21 Oct 13
Techno
21 Oct 13
Techno
Played by: Joachim Spieth, Juno Recommends Techno, Bas Mooy, Systemic, Trevor Benz, Resident Advisor, Dubfire, Deep Dish
Review: It's been a busy year for Belgian imprint Token, with killer EPs coming from Rodhad, Xhin, Inigo Kennedy and the impending album from O [Phase]. Ctrls now presents his third EP for the label and matches his Northern Structures studio buddy Lasse Buhl with solo releases this year. As usual Ctrls has his Vermona drum machine cranking full tilt with the two tracks "Modular Framework" and "Displacer", with the latter reworked twice by Sleeparchive who turns it into something a little more stripped back and caustic. The Token techno machine marches on!
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TOKEN 34D
07 Oct 13
Techno
07 Oct 13
Techno
Review: As his recent Cathedral single showed, UK producer Inigo Kennedy is an expert in creating epic yet grainy techno grooves. While that release gave listeners the sense that they were reaching for unspecified heights, it also kept them tethered to the ground via concrete-strength beats. There's a similar aesthetic at play on "Collector". The rhythms are militaristic and dense, but again they support an eerie, building synth line that hangs like smog over the arrangement. The same approach applies on the title track; Kennedy's rhythms are slamming and filtered, but it's those synth lines, detuned and out there but also strangely catchy, that leave a lasting impression.
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TOKEN 32D
08 Jul 13
Techno
08 Jul 13
Techno
Review: So far this year, the Gent-based Token have been in suitably rampant form, issuing material from Inigo Kennedy and Xhin, reissuing a Mark Broom classic and unleashing Token Introspective, the label's first official mix that's been compiled by founder Kr!z, which arrived last week. Whilst most labels would stop momentarily to catch their breath, Token don't even countenance it and instead ramp up the expectation for the upcoming LP from label mainstay O [Phase]. Due out in the Autumn, Frames Of Reference is the long awaited debut album from O [Phase], aka South West Londoner Ashley Burchett and a taste of what to expect on it arrives in the shape of the On The Edge / Perplexed EP, with both tracks here showing true techno grit.
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TOKEN 31D
24 Jun 13
Techno
24 Jun 13
Techno
Kr!Z / Various
Review: Token has sensibly made all of the tracks from Kr!z debut commercial mix available in an unmixed format. The Belgian label has put out a wide range of music, and its owner represents its diversity well on this selection. With the inclusion of Xhin's twisted, abstract rhythms, the plaintive ambience of Inigo Kennedy's 'Obsidian' and Surgeon's electro take on Grovskopa's "Sex & Violins", the compilation shows the label's reflective side. However, Token is first and foremost a dance floor label and Introspective includes the insane drones of Ctrl's "Sockets", Rodhad's spooky "Spomeniks", the glacial trance of Inigo Kennedy's "Cathedral" and the deranged tonal assault that is Makaton's "Endless Revolt".
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TOKENCD 1D
17 Jun 13
Techno
17 Jun 13
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Juno Recommends Techno, Laylae, Resident Advisor, Laurent Garnier, Ø [Phase], Max_M, Recondite & Felix K, Inigo Kennedy, Joseph Capriati
Review: Thanks to his sets at Berghain and releases for the Dystopian label, Rodhad is very much a Berlin phenomenon. However, this release for Kr!z' Token label should see him reach a wider audience. "Buzludzha" starts up with dense rhythms and insistent bleeps, but it's the esoteric, spooky textures that lend it a mysterious quality. "Energomash" is a straighter techno tool, enhanced by dry percussion and effective acid builds, while the title track sees Rodhad really prove his mettle. Focused on the dance floor like "Energomash", its bleepy rhythm veers into a dreamy segue that sounds more atmospheric than a dawn stroll through a snow-covered forest.
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TOKEN 30D
03 Jun 13
Techno
03 Jun 13
Techno
Review: Belgian label Token dip their toes in the reissue game with this reissue of a Mark Broom cut from 2002. Originally released through the Coda offshoot of James Ruskin's Blue Print, "Two" apparently highest amongst Token boss Kr!z's personal favourite Mark Broom productions and the track still sounds immense some eleven years on. A classic example of Broom at his most relentlessly thumping, "Two" is given some contemporary context with a Syntax remix whose spacious textures and brushed syncopation offer a more serene accompaniment.
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TOKEN 29D
29 Apr 13
Techno
29 Apr 13
Techno
