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FEATURED RELEASES

Vorm Variaties 2 Clone Basement Series Holland

Alden Tyrell keeps the pressure up with the second instalment in his Vorm Variaties series. "Sherman Paradox", with its heads down rhythm and soaring but sinister dub chords, is redolent of Fachwerk at its most utilitarian and has more in common with Berlin than the Dutch west coast. On "Angular", he continues to explore this approach; the percussion is razor sharp and the chords sweep in like dark storm clouds over a city skyline. It contains no trace of Tyrell's Italo-inspired past, but if you're looking for heads-down basement techno, then you have come to the right place.

Various

Rv Trax Vol 5 R&S

Hailing from different countries across Europe but united by label owner Renaat Vandepapeliere's love of percussive tracks, the contributors toVolume 5 deliver a fine dance floor compilation. It starts in introspective mode with the stepping rhythms of Tension's "Pure Black Skies" and Hala Bahma's "My: Emi", before moving into deep tripped out techno courtesy of Primal Code's brooding "Tridimensionale". On "Oracle", Optmst introduces a more accessible approach thanks to the use of dreamy vocal samples, while the human voice also makes an appearance on Hermetics "Escaping Samsara", with dreamy chants unravelling over an undulating tribal rhythm. It makes for a vivid climax to another volume of RV Trax.

Regis

Hidden In This Is The Light That You Miss Downwards

A mighty 19 years since we last heard a solo album from Regis on Downwards, Hidden In This Is The Light That You Miss sees Karl O'Connor return with a post-era defining sound. Stripped-back, heavy, and broken beat techno swinging with tribal percussion and industrial malice, it's tracks like "Cracked Earth", "Calling Down A Curse" and "The Sun Rose Pure" that should appeal most to hardened Downwards characters. Find slower, more malevolent numbers in "The Blind Departing", made harder still by the moans and gnarly bass in "I See Fire", collectively plotted through a album of loose narratives and beatless sound design in tracks like "Eros In Tangiers" and "Alone Of All Her Sex". Long live Regis!

Stelios Vassiloudis

Videotape EP Balance Music

Vassiloudis, who is best known for his work on Bedrock, follows last year's Crossroads EP on Balance with this immersive affair. "Building Better Worlds" is an atmospheric but driving track that resounds to layered textures and chiming melodies. Meanwhile on "Supermodel", he drops the tempo to deliver dubbed out drums and a brooding bass that provides the basis for dreamy synth lines. "Tunnel Vision" sees Vassiloudis focus more on this downtempo approach, as slow-motion beats are fused with shiny melodies and robotic vocals. The Greek producer's journey into the home listening realm continues on "Manual", where cosmic keys and guitar licks are fused with a chugging groove.

Ejeca

Everglade Last Night On Earth

Garry McCartney aka Ejeca returns to Last Night on Earth with a hypnotic dance floor EP. The title revolves around a brooding bass and hollowed out kicks, which he uses as a basis for uplifting melodies, tropical forest samples and haunting tribal chants. On "Your Mind", he ups the pace to deliver a pumping club rhythm that resounds to repetitive vocal samples and crisp claps. "Artmeis" sees him veer back towards a tranced out route, led by shimmering synth lines and dubbed out kicks. Finally, "Diskord" sees Ejeca display his techno credentials, with a pumping groove underpinning the kind of churning chord sequences that prevail on classic Force Inc releases.

Adryiano

Sensual Music 2 Dance To Cestraw

Adryiano Richter returns to his Cestraw label for its first release in three years. "Sensual.." gets off to an impressive start with "Frequency Damager", where Richter manages to combine the primal jack of Steve Poindexter with the kind of warbling, acidic undercurrents that used to populate Ian O'Brien records. The pace picks up on "Pl303 Style", with pounding kicks and a ghetto style rhythm underpinning searing 303s, while on "U Better Axumbody" a slightly more light-hearted tone is audible thanks to the use of high-pitched cartoon vocal samples and a tonal sequence that soars through the air like a deranged wasp.