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Review: Mark Broom and Ben Sims are among the UK's most experienced techno producers, so it's no surprise that this split release is of the highest standard. Broom digs deep into the hardcore scene for the raw breaks and rave stabs of "W.W.W.W.W.W.W.WORK", and also takes influence from the 90s for "Nothing To Do". Mixing vocal samples with horn stabs over a rolling groove, it sounds like an update of Earth People's NY house classic "Dance". Sims takes a different approach for the steely, visceral techno "Unity", while he goes deeper for "Snapshot '99". Led by insistent percussion and soaring electronic melodies, it is reminiscent of classic Detroit techno.
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HARDGROOVEDIGI 018
16 Dec 22
Techno
16 Dec 22
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Rolando, Juno Recommends Techno, Dave Clarke, JAK, Trevor Benz, Marco Bailey, DJ Ford Foster
Review: Sims and Degiorgio's Machine parties have reinvigorated London's techno scene and it's fair to say that the label is having a similar effect. At a time when their peers have either fallen into a minimal hole or are rediscovering their hastily assembled Goth pasts, the duo keep their heads down and focused on making deadly techno. The title track comes from Sims' studio and is a driving, filtered beast fuelled by razor sharp percussion. On "Strike 2", Sims notches up the pressure, with dark droning pulses joining the rhythmic heaviness. Degiorgio also acquits himself well; "Dark Fire" is like a distant cousin to "Strike 2", covered in splurging acid lines and ticking percussion, while "Dread" is led by tough drums and a brooding hoover bassline.
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M 03
01 Sep 14
Techno
01 Sep 14
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, S-File, Joachim Spieth, Shadow Dancer, Gary Beck, Chris Liebing, DJ Pierre, Trevor Benz, Resident Advisor, Detroit Swindle
Review: It's hard not to admire Ben Sims' ability to reinvent himself. On "Something", he delivers a typical slamming tribal groove, but it features noisy, crashing percussion and a vocal intoning 'there's something inside', which is culled from the kind of hardcore record that he used to play back in the day. Sims' own remix features splintered rhythms and insistent claps over hammering beats, while his choice of remixers is also of a high quality; Truncate's take features merely a snippet of the vocal over hammering beats that lead into a deep chord sequence, while the Rivet version is more stripped back and laced with bugged out acid lines.
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THEORY 042
22 Mar 13
Techno
22 Mar 13
Techno
Review: Ben Sims is in playful mood on this first installment of Volume 4. Putting his hard techno signature on hold but maintaining a high-octane approach, "Love & Hurt" is a slamming, rolling disco groove, peppered with a series of vocal samples ranging from the seemingly innocuous - "I'll take you in" - to the more provocative - "work this pussy". Sims has recruited KiNK to rework "Freaks", and his version is in keeping with the general tone of the Disco Trix series. Starting with a pitched down vocal and a tracky rhythm, the track culminates with a screeching diva vocal and churning, relentless filters.
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HARDGROOVE 016
16 Dec 13
Techno
16 Dec 13
Techno
Review: For the third and final part of Disco Trix 4, Sims again revisits his disco roots. "Raise Your Hands" is based on a larger than life rolling, filtered rhythm that houses samba samples, sassy stabs and loads of Spanish language vocals. It sounds like Sims took a few weeks off from making banging techno and spent his free time sipping pina coladas on the Costa Del Sol. Mr G's take on "Hands" is far moodier. Turning the original into a lean, jacking rhythm, he adds in thundering claps and jarring bleeps to create a relentless, heads-down workout for peak-time usage.
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HARDGROOVE 018
16 Dec 13
Techno
16 Dec 13
Techno
Review: The second section of Volume 4 sees Sims move from disco evangelist back to loopy terrain. That said, the UK producer's new version of his "Freaks" track isn't just standard one-note monotony, and in its new format, the rolling tribal rhythm features a female vocal claiming 'I'm gonna miss you right now' alongside the 'it goes like this' sample that was used on Run DMC's chart hit "It's Like That". Gary Beck's take on "Love & Hurt" is just as distinctive; over a slamming rhythm, he unleashes screeching riffs that are reminiscent of Daft Punk's 90s techno classic, Indo Silver Club.
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HARDGROOVE 017
16 Dec 13
Techno
16 Dec 13
Techno
Review: Sims has gone back to his roots for his second release on Hardgroove this week. The vocal version of "Dollar Bill Y'all" revisits the late 90s/early 00s period, with insistent drums supporting intense filter builds and a ponderous black vocal. The instrumental version sees Sims get busy with stabbing techno chords and a series of effective breakdowns, while his approach is more musical on "In The Middle". There, a hard funking track provides the backing for the kind of jazzy piano keys that made I:Cube's "Disco Cubizm" a classic. Sims also has a softer side and as "Reject" demonstrates, this is articulated through skipping drums and deep chords.
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HARDGROOVE 009
07 May 12
Techno
07 May 12
Techno
Played by: Millhouse, Matt K, A.Paul, Darkmode, Aaron Liberator, Juno Recommends Techno, Technopodcast.com
Review: It's slamming techno all the way as Hardgroove drops four killer remixes. Advent and Industrialyzer are the first to tackle "Welcome to the Club" and do so in a typically up-tempo fashion, with rolling, dense techno abandon. The duo is mindful of Sims's disco fixation and amid the intense, doubled-up beats; vocal snippets and subtle filters are audible. Sims's own version is more restrained, but only slightly, as a series of smart drops support his filters. It's a similar situation on his take on "Gotta Have House", but the bassline is darker and rumbling and the undercurrent more menacing. Finally, the Paul Mac take on "House" is the most distinctive remix, with a double bass and insistent, rolling drums fused with what sounds like a car alarm filtered through a space invader console.
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HARDGROOVE 008
07 May 12
Techno
07 May 12
Techno
Review: The ePM agency, label and distributor celebrates 20 years with a series of split EPs focused on techno, electro and house. First up is the techno release, with ePM attracting a stellar line-up to contribute. Robert Hood drops the eerie "Shadows", where menacing organs and steely percussion come together for a mesmerising slice of minimal techno. Ben Sims conjures up dense, tribal drums, interspersed with haunting wind chimes on "Xotnuc", while James Ruskin delivers the tough, steely rhythm of "There Was A Time". Remaining at the tougher end of the spectrum, the always consistent Mark Broom brings this part of ePM's celebrations to a close with the cavernous, pounding groove of "The Three Swords".
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EPM 90
28 May 21
Techno
28 May 21
Techno
Review: What happens when one of techno's harder proponents teams up with a champion of its most esoteric sounds? On the evidence of Theme, it sounds like seduction has prevailed over force. "Machine Theme" is based on robust, dubby drums, but it's the synths that move from mellow and understated to dark and forceful that really impress. That's not to say that Sims isn't represented here: his dub take on "Machine Theme" features dark, tonal bleeps and a ravey climax, while "Metal Works" is an ideal compromise. The rhythm is stripped back, the percussion hissing and insistent, but at its heart there's a sense of musicality that could only come from Degiorgio's hand.
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M 01
26 Nov 12
Minimal/Tech House
26 Nov 12
Minimal/Tech House
Review: For those who had assumed Sims was merely a loop techno producer, 0401 provides a pleasant surprise. The UK producer's love of slamming beats and dense, claustrophobic rhythms is present and correct, but on this occasion it sounds like there is a more fluid, dynamic approach at play. This is due to the use of rasping percussion and a malevolent filter that rises through the track. Former UR operative Rolando shows that he hasn't lost his magic touch on the remix of "New Blood". Coruscating drums and a wild acid line make for a thrilling combination, but Rolando hasn't forgotten his house leanings and the swinging rhythm also features a repetitive vocal sample.
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THEORY 0401
27 Feb 12
Techno
27 Feb 12
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, RocknRolla Soundsystem, Joachim Spieth, Juno Recommends Techno, Axer Rouf, A Made Up Sound (Clone, TTT)
Review: It's been a while since a Theory joint graced our ears but Ben Sims returns to his imprint to bring us a taste of his warmer, deeper take on techno. "New Blood" is all about the dubby chords and distorted hats, making for the perfect slice of techno refreshment in the context of tougher stuff to be found at this tempo. Meanwhile the Skudge boys get stuck into "Slow Motion", reducing the original to a heavily grooving beat workout with just a whisper of melody that gradually morphs into a nasty late-night steamer, bringing that touch of sexiness to techno that they do so well.
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THEORY 0402
05 Mar 12
Techno
05 Mar 12
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, RocknRolla Soundsystem, Joachim Spieth, Juno Recommends Techno, Gregor Tresher, Trebor, Posthuman, Mike Hindle - Immersed Audio, Submerge, Reilly Steel, A.Trebor, Jon Saigon, Carl Craig, Tom Dicicco
Review: After the rip-roaring reception that the Skudge remix of "Slow Motion" received, who better to raise the bar on this series of Theory 12"s than Robert Hood? Ben Sims' original track "Straight From Bolivia" is a stripped workout, showing his more minimal side but no less focused on tough techno principles. Robert Hood however takes "New Blood" and turns it into a fearsome peak-time smasher, working around a pneumatic groove and artfully looped vocal hits. It's a very housey kind of 'serious' techno, not unlike the last remixers for Theory (Skudge), and Hood nails it with ease.
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THEORY 0403
12 Mar 12
Techno
12 Mar 12
Techno
Review: Two of UK techno's most experienced producers go head to head on this new release on Sims' label. Allen Saei aka Aubrey has been making dance floor friendly yet esoteric techno for nearly twenty years, but "Centrifuge Azul" marks a shift in his approach. Screeching riffs and gritty beats are combined for one of Saei's most visceral tracks to date. There's a similar approach on "Neurosis", but on that occasion, wild acid lines and dark, noisy percussive bursts are combined over insistent filters. "Double Image" is heavy duty material too, with thunder claps and a buzzsaw bass dominating the arrangement. Try as he might, the heavy drums and insistent filtering on Sims' version of "Double Image" can't quite match this intensity.
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THEORY 045
13 Jan 14
Techno
13 Jan 14
Techno
Played by: Millhouse, Paul Mac, Detroit Grand Pubahs, RocknRolla Soundsystem, Daniel Romero, Slam, Hannah Wild, Felix Kroecher
Review: Ben Sims's label delivers a diverse but hard-hitting three-tracker. The label boss is first up and "Bite This" sees him sever the links with his loopy past. It's still a repetitive track, but as its basis Sims deploys a pulsing electronic groove and firing percussion, while a malevolent riff makes the transition from jarring and abrasive to atmospheric and eerie. Ritzi Lee travels a similar path on "Reverse Processed", where snappy percussion and a nagging bassline underpin metallic stabs and jarring riffs that reach out into the darkness. By contrast, Paul Mac's "Dry Run" is a more soulful experience. Despite the proliferation of spiky, metallic drums, it's the screeching, slightly deranged male vocal that stands out.
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THEORY 038
28 May 12
Techno
28 May 12
Techno
Review: Sims made his name as a DJ, but increasingly, his productions are proving to be impressive. The title track is a huge club track: based on steely, slamming beats, it features a whooshing filter and jarring, discordant riffs, while its 'in my life' and 'hardcore sucker' samples provide a reminder about Sims' own rave background. Orlando Voorn's "Search & Destroy" remix also mines the past and sees the Dutch producer drop heavy claps and evil siren riffs. Ritzi Lee's version is more restrained, featuring a walking funk bassline, and even the siren riffs that cascade in over the arrangement sound tame by comparison.
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THEORY 039
25 Jun 12
Techno
25 Jun 12
Techno
Played by: Paul Mac, Carlos Nilmmns, S-File, Joachim Spieth, Joris Voorn, Trevor Benz, Resident Advisor, Morgan Tomas, Lo-FI Funk, Jon Rundell
Review: After four solid years of tough linear club techno that's not budged from the morals Truncate set on day one, the first remix package for his music finally arrives. Mark Broom and Ben Sims - long-time stalwarts of straight club constructions - make a more than suitable choice to redefine these first few tracks. Sims takes on "Dial" and "Bodega", re-channelling the filters and adding extra white noise percussion to the former while reducing the bulky minimalism of the latter. Broom adds extra rim-shots, Chicagoan clutter and speckles of dub to "Jack" while Truncate himself chips in with his own tribal rework of "Concentrate" from 2011.
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TRUNCATERMX 1
26 May 14
Techno
26 May 14
Techno
Various
Played by: Juno Recommends Techno
Review: Ben Sims builds on the first Synchronicity instalment with another compelling collection of emerging techno producers. Kerrie and Szmer's contributions both draw on minimal techno for inspiration, with the former following an acid-laced path and the latter incorporating repetitive bleeps and haunting synths into the arrangement. The compilation takes a Detroit turn on Insolate's "Night Love" - a blurry, jittery slice of techno with shades of Juan Atkins and Terrence Dixon. Meanwhile, a deeper but still dance floor sound is audible on Private Press' "Wiadomo Driven", where bleeps and tones fly off the rigid rhythm at random. Reflecting Sims' own tough but diverse DJ sound, Synchronicity also throws out some curve balls, like the dubbed out "Rectifier Direct" from A Thousand Details.
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SYMDIGICOMP 002
29 Oct 21
Techno
29 Oct 21
Techno
