Review: 2024 was always going to be a year of surprises, and the latest release on Rekids is testament to that. Man Power hooks up with the Paris-based Louisahhh for an unexpected anthem in waiting. The title track is an expansive deep house track. At its heart is a pulsating bass combined with Louisahhh's freeform narrative about the state of the world. As befits such a modern classic, Rekids has commissioned Deetron to deliver three remixes. The dub version is a joyous UR-style deep techno version, while the main version follows a similar trajectory, powered by thunder claps and outer space tones. Keeping the audience guessing, Deetron also delivers a 'Drum & Bass' version that focuses on high-paced techno, while the 'Bleep Tool' ends the release to the sound of glistening tonal bliss.
Review: Monty Luke's Nightdubbing project on Rekids was designed to showcase the Black Catalogue boss's deep love of dub-infused house and techno. This 13-track album combines previously unheard cuts with nine tracks previously showcased across a pair of EPs of the same name. It's a fantastic set all told, with highlights including the smacked-out electro-dub headiness of opener '40 Acres and a Terrabyte', the extra-percussive deep dub-house hypnotism of 'Bob Molly', the after-hours friendly minimalism of 'Star Storms', the Detroit-goes-dub techno pulse of 'New World/Old Future', the classic dub techno warmth of 'Dark Paradise', and the dub-wise deep house dreaminess of 'Avantgarde Dancehall'. Throw in a handful of tidy ambient and digital dub tracks, and you have a genuinely superb long-player.
Review: The second instalment of Len Faki's remixes see the storied techno producer tap his favourite artists to re-interpret his work. Luke Slater's Deep Heat take on "Shri Yantra" is redolent of his classic Planetary Assault Systems work, with firing percussion and dramatic break downs to the fore. In contrast, Amotik's version of "Make Me Scream" follows a heads-down approach, with haunting vocals wrapped into a bleep-heavy, rolling groove. In contrast, ANNA's remix of "Hymn" is a tranced out, big room track. At the other end of the spectrum, Modeselektor's interpretation of "Don't Be Stupid Day" is a moody electro stepper, led by waves of menacing low end.
Review: Wehbba is launching HIFN, a new 'platform' to connect music and literature. The first release from the artist himself was recorded while he was on tour. The title track is built on Wehbba's trademark tribal beats, with its pumping electronic rhythm and rolling snares providing the backdrop for rave stabs and buzzsaw riffs. It makes for a visceral, exhilarating affair. On "Frozen", the Brazilian producer opts for a more dystopian sound, with a synapse searing riff combined with a driving rhythm. And in keeping with the overall approach for HIFN, the release also features "Nitro Wordscape", where eerie textures and a mysterious vocal narrative prevails.
Review: Never let it be said that Robert Hood is letting his listeners languish in a sonic comfort zone. The veteran producer's latest EP under his own name starts with a jolt, as the title track deploys pounding, industrial drums and a chain metal rhythm. "Pathetic" is just as intense. Based on a relentless groove, it sees Hood deploy a spiralling chord sequence that filters its way to a spine-tingling finale. "Outsider" is based on a similar premise, but this time hollowed out drums support a niggling build. This release effortlessly shatters the assumption that Hood would continue to focus on the less abrasive, house-influenced Floorplan project.
Review: Sasha's latest single Fleuron Drift marks yet another milestone in the electronic maestro's illustrious career. Collaborating with Theo Kottis and Kassian for remixes on his own label (Last Night On Earth ), Sasha continues to redefine the boundaries of sonic intrepidation. The original track is a deeper journey, meticulously crafted with evolving synth layers and hypnotic drum patterns that culminate in a euphoric breakdown. Theo Kottis injects his remix with dynamic energy, featuring tech-leaning drums and glitchy textures for peak dance floor moments. Kassian's rendition then offers a quicker pace, blending funk-infused drums with soaring synth tension, promising to transport listeners yet more electronic bliss fit for a final night on this world. Drift away.
Review: SHDW's label marks its twentieth release with this weighty compilation. Drawing on some of the most respected names in techno, volume three is full of peak-time bangers. There's the lean, rolling techno of Chlar's "Inside Us", while Dax J showers the listener with waves of acid tones on the steely, peak-time "Celestial Dub". The Advent's "Randomized" is a bruising and quite brilliant industrial techno workout. While Blawan's hyperactive "Don't You Dare Squawk At Me" hovers just below the 160 bpm mark, not all of the compilation is as intense. Vocals are mixed with chiming chords on Gary Beck's "Fold" and Z.I.P.P.O's "Broken Game" is a deep Detroit techno track.
Review: Ostensibly a response to techno being 'in such a sorry and predictable state', Full Pupp's latest compilation goes off in a number of wonderfully captivating tangents. Label owner Prins Thomas' "Mere Apokalypso" is a tripped-out groove, while his take on Synk's "Tool Mix" is an acid-laced chugger. In contrast, JaddajaddaPlay's "Bird No Bird" goes down a percussive route. Despite the title, techno does make an appearance. Blackbelt Engh Rhythm Combo's "Frydenlyn" is a rolling tribal affair, while trance influences bubble to the surface on Christian Engh's dubbed out "Khonsu" and Karolinski's high-paced, melodic "Slutt A Mase Eg Har Ikkje Spelt Pa Ei Veke".
Review: Laurent Garnier and Scan X's label does a great job in showcasing emerging and established talent, and this split release is no exception. The brilliantly named Return Of The Luddites deliver the raw electro-techno of "Scream Into The Darkness". In stark contrast, Detroit techno-inspired tracks also loom large, courtesy of Skatman's string-filled "Tribute To A Dancefloor" and Squal G's more ominous "Waiting 4U". Mirroring Garnier's own wide-ranging tastes, the release also features the call and response hip-hop/drum'n'bass crossover of Joaquim Plossu, Salem Focus and Phoebe Train's "Theory Of The Tide". Taking the tempo down, Yes Basketball's "Next" is a slowed down, bugged out beatsy track.
Review: Twenty-three years since he initially released Dispatches on his own Geophone imprint, Mike Parker's debut album gets a timely reissue on Field. Listening to his debut album is a reminder of how it remains the corner stone for much contemporary techno. Parker's use of sparse rhythms is audible throughout, as is the cavernous, at times all-encompassing sound scapes he designed. While there are references to some previous techno canons - a hint of Plastikman acid in places, or echoes of Sahko's repetition - Dispatches really is in a field of its own. That it manages to still sound not just relevant but also revelatory is testament to Parker's unique talent.
Review: Acid house in sound but punk in nature, the title of Paranoid London's new album is a reference to "the cavalcade of c***s we find ourselves surrounded by". However, while there is despair there is also hope, and this long player is testament to the power of underground music. Arseholes...also demonstrates the importance of collaboration. Bobby Gillespie croons his way through the gentle tones of "People (Ah Yeah)". At the other end of the sonic spectrum, Joe Love and DJ Genesis feature on the gnarly, 303-led grooves of "Love One Self" and "Up Is Down" respectively. Somewhere between these polar opposites sits the evocative Chicago house sound of "Start To Fade" with Josh Caffe and Mutado Pintado's sonorous vocals on the pulsating "The Motion". Paranoid London proves yet again that when confronted by a***holes, music really is the only answer.
Review: As Peach Discs celebrates its 20th release, Saoirse graces the milestone with a five-track EP showcasing her signature tough yet sensual style. In the midst of lockdown, Saoirse crafted tracks like "Vampire Heart" and "Catfished" - each reflecting the emotional rollercoaster of the pandemic era. "Vampire Heart" then captures the hope of emerging from isolation before as the EP unveils sounds from the artist's 'tribal era' with tracks like "Mangomouse" and "Heated Cloud". Both delve into rhythmic depths, revealing Saoirse's natural affinity for percussion, downing her drumsticks for electronic beats.
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