Review:
This is a killer cross-generational collaboration. It sees Altern8 and Nexus 21 veteran Mark Archer join forces with Food Music and Unknown to the Unknown regular Shadow Child (AKA noughties survivor Simon Neale). They predictably hit the ground running via the razor-sharp TB-303 acid riffs and sweaty machine percussion of "It's Good", before enveloping a jacking TR-909 drum track in restless handclap fills and alien electronics on title track "Non-Stop". Super Rhythm Trax label boss Jerome Hill delivers a booming, bass-heavy acid house rub of the same track, while "Eye Feel" captures some of the restless energy and stab-heavy madness of Archer's legendary, rave-era history.
Review:
A bold statement against insular club culture, closed minds and lack of innovation, "The Choice" continues Catz 'N Dogz positive broadcasts with the help of Miss Bunty and three great friends on remix duties. On the Miss Bunty vocal, the track's bouncy acid groove powers along boldly to support her empowering lyrics, while the BETON Tribute To The Classics mix gets deep down and dirty. Madrid's Bawrut lets the drummer get wicked and man of the moment Adriyano gets his dusty classic house stomp on with the Super Relaks remix.
Review:
Dressed head to toe in a jump suit, Ejeca serves up an EP of chunky, tried-and-tested dancefloor treats seemingly inspired by everyone's favourite 1980s adventure game show. He first opts for a physical task on opener "Unloving", a boisterous, retro-futurist big room house workout. Crystal safely tucked in his pocket, he charges through the all-new Jacking Zone (see "Standard Acid House Track") before pausing to catch his breath in the Industrial Zone, where the psychedelic atmosphere and raw analogue grooves of "Crystal Maze" await. Paul Woolford dons his Special Request guise to claim another crystal via a typically hardcore-influenced, bass-heavy re-make of "Unloving", before Ejeca heads towards the Crystal Dome to the accompaniment of late night techno shuffler "ISWHATIS". Start the fans please!
Review:
With releases on labels like Roam and Shara Music, Mijo's star was already in the ascent, and this EP for Duro will only serve to consolidate his reputation. Based on a rugged rhythm and a low-slung bass, the title track resounds to niggling percussive ticks and dubbed out claps. It sounds like a refined, futuristic take on electro house. The label has commissioned a series of remixes that vary in sound and style: Paulor's take is laden down with dramatic strings and guitar power chords, while on the Dyor interpretation, a radically different approach prevails with lo-fi guitar riffs and hypnotic pulses providing a more refined flavour. Finally, there's The Chica's take, a cut-up version peppered with New York house horns.
Review:
UK producer Matt Cutler aka Lone delivers the final instalment in his Ambivert Tools series of EPs. Like previous editions, The London based producer borrows respectfully from classic house aesthetics while decorating them with a vibrant and contemporary edge - much like the tracks released on his acclaimed Magicwire imprint. The evocative and breakbeat driven "Pulsar" conjures up memories of the late '90s, sounding like an excerpt from Sasha & Digweed's seminal Northern Exposure series. "Oedo 808" goes down a solid electro bass route and the sensual latin house flair of "Blue Moon Tree" intoxicates you with its shimmering chord progressions and hypnotic bongo rhythms.
Review:
Adam Beyer's label notches up the seventh A-Sides compilation in as many years. In keeping with its approach of featuring well-known Drumcode artists alongside newer artists, Volume 7 shines a light ion emerging techno talent. This includes the deep and dubbed out "Portable Paradise" by Anna, alongside upcoming Canadian artist Weska with the searing acid of "Other Places" and recent Drumcode debutant Boxia with the dreamy but rolling "Final Call". These emerging artists sit alongside techno veteran Thomas Schumacher, who drops the eerie but jacking "The Unseen", Alan Fitzpatrick collaborating with Scuba's SCB offshoot to deliver the tough tribal techno of "Untitled" and Dutch producer Bart Skills weighing in with the ominous big-room monster that is "West Of The Moon".
Review:
For those of you lucky enough to witness it, seeing Andreas Baumecker own the room at one of his acclaimed sets at Berlin's Panorama Bar is an absolute privelege. A resident since 2004, he's what Ostgut Ton best described as 'a foundational part of the club's identity.' For those of you that can't get past the notorious bouncers, be assured that Panorama Bar 07 will no doubt distill the experience into one riveting continuous mix - that brings the experience to you. Featuring exclusives by the likes of Falty DL - the New Yorker going for a proper old school vibe on the sensual "Paradox Garage 01", Jinje (of Vessels fame) nailing some slinky and hypnotic nu-disco antics on "Big Skies" and Glasweigian duo Gen Ludd serving up some deep techno perfect for those heads down moments on the dancefloor with "Bloods Avalanche".
Review:
The unstoppable Paul Woolford returns. If the veteran Leeds producer wasn't busy enough churning out retro flavoured dancefloor weapons as Special Request, or bold house and techno on acclaimed imprints like Hotflush, Aus Music and Planet E - he's also found the time to make uplifting party house vibes recently for Edible and now Hot Creations. Fittingly, his latest offering is named House Hits Vol 1: a tongue in cheek albeit direct title for these two catchy and potentially anthemic classic house perspectives. The familiar bounce of "Story Of My Life" is reminiscent of The Windy City's first wave - think Ralphi Rosario or the like. There's a familiar vocalloop on the deep down and dirty acid trip "Don't Waste My Time" as well, which channels another icon of the same period's heyday - Trax Records.
Review:
As far as compilations go, this first edition of the newly created 'From The Dark' release series from Cultivated Electronics is definitely up there, showcasing some of the freshest sounds in modern bass music. This eight track selection delves into the darker, swampier side of bass production, including belters from the likes of Exterminador, Sync 24, Delta Funktionen, Alienata and more. Our immediate standouts from this one however have to be 214's glitchy expedition into arpeggiated madness in 'Rock Scramble', along with Versalife's moogy roller 'Infinite Velocities' and the spooky chops of 'GmBHZolhoff' from Stratowerx.
Review:
Despite being a new artist, Rene Wise captures the spirit of Mote Evolver perfectly. On "Wolf", he drops tough tribal drums and a visceral riff that climaxes and dips in intensity. "Broken Motor" is cut from similar cloth, as a rough, pulsating groove underpins noisy electronic riffs. "Loud Colours" sounds inspired by the 90s works of minimal house and techno artists like Baby Ford, with wired bleeps and doubled up claps sitting over a throbbing, heads down track. Rounding off this impressive debut is "Sprit Molecule", where Wise drops a tracky groove that supports warbling, indistinct vocals and hazy textures.
Review:
2018 has been a standout year for Rekids, with the label championing emerging artists like P.Leone and SP-X. This approach continues on Der Sturm. That said, Marco Bl?si and Luigi Urba, the producers behind the release, had already appeared on Matt Edwards' label last year with Himmel Und Erde and also supplied a remix of the epic "Grindhouse" track. Given free reign to do their own thing again, they deliver the title track's epic chords and pounding kicks - which draws on 90s techno heritage. "Zeit Des Erwachens" also features tough drums, but this time they are aligned to a darker techno stab, while on "Tr?nen Der Sonne", the pair keep the dance floor pressure up with a rattling percussive banger.
Review:
For his debut release on Lobster Theremin, ASOK aka Stu Robinson goes deep. The title track features rolling break beats, layered textures and a smokey vocal sample. "Frontier" is based on a similar approach, although this time the rickety 808s underpin a melancholic feeling and a brooding, dark bass that works its way through the arrangement. "Nowwhat" sees a flurry of dense, rhythmic activity, with Robinson dropping wired tonal sequences and eerie chords, while he closes out this atmospheric, moody release with "It's Over". Featuring the same type of vocals as the title track, it unravels over tight electro drums and woozy filters
Review:
Following last year's Where Are The People release, Addison Groove and Bim Sanga get together to deliver another Bags Inc release. Drawing on deep house textures and a ghetto 'work' sample, "D Question" is a tough, steely affair, designed with crisp drums and angular rhythms. "Seven of Nine" is more stripped back and sees the pair deploy a repetitive sample, albeit over a noisy, jacking groove. Changing tact again, the duo deliver "Bashton Valed", where a predatory bass underpins dreamy synths and strings that float over an acid backing. Rounding off the release is "Tanga Toll", which marks a return to a more pared back, jacking approach, albeit with the duo using a smart cut-up technique.
Review:
Long-serving DJ Justin Cudmore has put out releases on labels that have been affiliated with his DJing such as Interdimensional Transmissions and the Bunker. However, he now widens his gaze with this debut on Phonica's White offshoot. Like those previous Eps and his own DJing, the sound of Chicago and in particular acid, looms large here. "Twisted Love" resounds to a rolling , drum-heavy backing, breathy vocal samples and some of the most tweaked, tripped out 303 lines known to humanity. On "About to Burst", the mood is not as intense, but Cudmore still manages to imbue the spiky, percussive arrangement with the type of wired acid action that will get spines tingling and pulses racing.
Review:
Hot on the heels of the first Fachwerk compilation comes this follow-up instalment. The German label's contribution to underground techno has been considerable over the past decade, and this compilation showcases all aspects of its sound. On one hand, there's deep, dub techno bombs like label owner Mike Dehnert's "KEME" and the swirling chords of his "Dico B1" track, while at a different end of the spectrum, Roman Lindau opens up with the vocal-sampling house track "Adipeux" and the filtered "Sonnerie". On other occasions, Fachwerk offers up a more stripped back, linear take on techno mainly due to Sascha Rydell's contributions - but this release successfully brings together all of these strands in one cohesive manner.
Review:
With releases for esteemed techno labels like Komisch and Time To Express to his credit, Rekids might not seem like the most obvious home for SP-X. That said, Under New Light is part of the label's Special Projects series, which is designed to shine a light on underground artists. It gets off to a frenetic start with "Dystopian Lotus", where pummelling drums and SP-X's trademark snappy percussion underpin the kind of eerie synth sequence you might expect to hear on a Carl Craig record. "Breaths of Separation" is more frenetic and furious, with SP-X dropping lead weight kicks, pitch bent hats and gated synth stabs, while "The Orbiter" sees this highly talented artist return to the concrete drums and militaristic percussive volleys that pervaded on his previous Eps for a rousing climax.
Review:
Despite begin one of the leading lights in modern electro and putting put material on CPU and Raar, Eczo is Maelstrom aka Joan-Mael Peneau's debut release for Cultivated Electronics. As befits such an individualistic artist, it's a diverse affair: there's the wiry, high-speed electro funk of "Smoker", while on the title track, Peneau drops the tempo and opts for a more atmospheric arrangement. The approach changes radically again on the Sync 24 remix of "Smoker", with the label owner dropping a high tempo, electro funk version, led by sparse drums and a frenetic, stepping rhythm. Closing out the release is the swampy "Confidential", where Maelstrom uses a dense rhythm and a detuned bass to devastating effect.
Review:
Hagelstein is one of the most respected German minimal house producers, and his relationship with Watergate goes back a few years. On his latest venture for the Berlin label, he ventures far down the trippy path. "Dematerialize" featuring Justin Evans, is a psychedelic slice of modern house that resounds to acid-inspired gurgles unfolding over a pulsating groove. "Forward Vision" is a more heads-down affair and sees Hagelstein serve up a brooding, atmospheric minimal house track that climaxes to a wild acid segue, while the label has also tapped Martin Buttrich to rework "Dematerialize". In his hands, it turns into a linear, wiry groove that's even more bugged out than the original.
Review:
Biomorph is the debut album from Enrico Sangiuliano, an artist who has previously featured on Adam Beyer's label. As the industrial drones of "Functional Basic Unit of Life" and the rugged electro on "Generative Model" and "Arboreal" all demonstrate, he has mapped out a route that stops off at many diversions. However, at his heart, the Italian producer remains a dance floor techno lover - and he expresses this passion most eloquently on Biomorph with the epic, trance-influenced "Cosmic Ratio" and "Hidden T" as well as "Multicellular", a storming big-room affair that is led by a tearing, system-levelling bass.
Review:
Earlier in the year, Hidden Spheres launched his own label, Fruit Merchant, offering up his most colourful, dreamy and tropical tracks to date. Naturally, there's an altogether different feel to this EP on Lobster Theremin (his second for Jimmy Asquith's lauded label). It's similarly melodious and analogue-rich, of course, with the cultured retro-futurist house warmth of 'This Is 4U" and bleeping deep house/electro fusion cut "McKenna's Mind" setting the tone perfectly. Elsewhere, he joins the dots between Chicago jack-tracks, organ-heavy '90s U.S garage and New Jersey deep house on "Lazer Beam", before rounding things off with a looped vocal DJ tool ("Talking Headz").
Review:
Regal aka Gabriel Cassina delivers another bomb on his Involve label. The title track is underpinned by frenetic tribal drums that support wild acid lines. On "All Mine", the Spanish producer adds atmospheric pads that temporarily make the mood lighter, but the tempo is faster and buzzing rave stabs, wild acid lines and a lone vocal sample proclaiming 'ecstasy' quickly shift the arrangement back towards a dark style. Upping the intensity levels again, "Babel" is a full-on peak time techno track that borrows from Belgian nosebleed to hammer home its forceful rhythm, while on closing track "Double Standard", Regal reverts to the 303 for a more linear workout.
Review:
The drum and bass pioneer Marcus Intalex (real name Marcus Kaye) passed away unexpectedly in 2017 aged 45. This posthumous three tracker is released under his undercover Art Vandelay alias intended for release on - naturally - Vandelay Industries (but coming out through his Birdie imprint) which will appeal to all the Seinfeld fans out there. From the tough and dusty swing-fuelled deepness of "Ballin" to the gutsy acid jack of "Dirty Thirty" and the soulful melancholic first wave Chicago vibe of "Olde Rotary" - it seemed that the best was yet to come from this true legend of the UK underground.
Review:
Glaswegian legends Slam are back with another single on their Soma imprint, delivering a bunch of sturdy and reliable techno tools on their new release. The duo of Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle have had an abundance of material released this year - the Cyclone EP being their fifth thus far. Their tracks here are as powerful as ever but "Positive Education" or "Lifetimes" these 'ain't - the duo venturing deep down into the depths of the underground to deliver these pitch black and austere executions. From the hypnotic ferocity of "Antonym" with its Millsian chime melody, the steely and ferocious peak time onslaught of the title track or the full throttle mentalism of "Revolve" McMillan and Meikle take no prisoners on this aggressive release.
Review:
A true staple of the Amsterdam scene, the Rush Hour affiliated Yuri Boselie aka Cinnaman takes up the reins for local institution Dekmantel's extended tenth birthday celebrations with this mastermix. It takes in the entirety of the 10 volume edition - what an effort. What may seem as an outrageous challenge - what with the compilation's genre diversity and wide rage of tempos - it's a success, for they've certainly found the right candidate. Cinnaman plays a wide range of styles anyway, and is never afraid to mix the known with the unknown - he has a reputation for his remarkable combinations and transitions. From moments of sublime ambience (Italian ambient legend Gigi Masin with the utterly evocative "Maja") to bass heavy electro bounce (courtesy of Egyptian Lover or Syracuse & Epsilove), right through to techno bangers of the cerebral variety (by Donato Dozzy & Peter Van Hoesen or local hero Talismann) and stuff by Bufiman or Tony Allen - it's a solid effort here by one of Holland's finest selectors.
Review:
Drumcode rounds off a highly successful year, which saw the label run its own dedicated festival, with this killer EP. It's no surprise that Lunar Eclipse is coming out on Adam Beyer's label, as since its earliest days it has had a knack for snapping up big room techno. "Never Forget" and "Cruiser" resound to rolling drums and building, searing bass tones that give both tracks the impetus they need. The title track isn't as menacing, but its hypnotic pulses, eerie synths and spine-tingling break down will prove to be just as effective. Last but certainly not least on this four-track EP is "Take this Trip" an acid-soaked, rumbling groove that also features a mysterious undercurrent.
Review:
It sounds like Jeffrey Hek and Jimmy van de Geijn aka Deep Dimension spent the second year of the 90s dancing till the early hours at outdoor raves. The title track here resounds to pounding drums that support wild rave riffs and even a high-paced hardcore MC rap. It's rough, raw and successfully captures the wide-eyed sound of that era. Rekids boss Radioslave teams up with P.Leone to deliver a remix of the Dutch duo. Laying down chugging, tribal beats and turning the rave riff into a spooky synth riff, it's a tough house track that has more in common with the clubs of New York than the fields outside Amsterdam.
Review:
On Synergy, Rekids delivers a killer release that focuses mainly on Darko Esser's Tripeo project . Tripeo & Cadans' "Rave Tune" is a tough, driving techno track imbued with dreamy synths, while in a similar style, Tripeo's collaboration with Doka as The Leap sees the pair unleash atmospheric textures over rolling, steely drums. Esser flies solo for the remaining tracks and on "Need For Nuance", drops the melodies in favour of a niggling, bleepy-heavy analogue techno workout. Keeping the audience guessing till the very last, "Zeitgeist" is a cool electro stepper that veers in and out of straight 4/4 kicks.
Review:
The latest release on Coyu's label is a compilation of upcoming producers. Both "The Power of Acid" by Giovanni Carozza & Black Shade and Chipi's "RAM 303" are relentless, heads-down 303 tracks, peppered with acid lines and insistent vocal samples. Meanwhile, Peja's "Nomen Luris" is powered by a searing sub-bass that is inspired by old school hardcore. I AM BAM draws on similar sources for inspiration, but instead peppers "Hell Tell" with wild rave stabs. ElementO's "Loaded" also looks to the past, but the fusion of call and response lyrics with wild acid builds and break downs sounds like Hardfloor mixed with hip house.
Review:
Delsin's Inertia series has been devoted strictly to dancefloor oriented material since 2012, with previous releases coming from top guns such as BNJMN, Discrete Circuit and Skudge to name but a few. It is now back over to ascendant Ukranian producer Yan Cook, returning to follow up his last appearance in 2017 with this blistering EP. Dead Satellite features four fierce and functional cuts for serious DJ use: from the strobed-out tunnel vision of "Second Sun", the hypnotic tool that is the title track or the adrenalised "Skafandr'' that lunges straight for the jugular with its peak-time energy.
Review:
After a series of EPs and albums for labels such as Trilogy Tapes, Pavel Milyakov aka Buttechno signs up to to Veronicka Vasicka's Cititrax/Minimal Wave for Cherskogo Drive. Fans of lo-fi dance music will flock to this release thanks to the buzzing bass, discordant tones and sheet metal riffs of tracks like "March Cherskogo" and "Slow Durk". That said, this is a release of contrasts: this explains the presence of "Back 2 The E", a frenetic, percussive workout that draws on gamelan percussion as much as it does primal electronics, while on "Elektroshirka", Milyakov switches style yet again to deliver an eerie electro jam.
Review:
Jeroen Snik aka Cadans has a small but impressive back catalogue, and has appeared on labels like Wolfskuil, Clone Basement Series and Tripeo. This release on Ben Sims' Hardgroove imprint is a natural move; it sees the Dutch artist combine tribal house drums with stepping rhythms and insistent samples to create hypnotic tracks. This approach is audible on the rolling groove and pitch-bent vocals of "Creep", while on "Dang", a more lithe, linear rhythm prevails. The title track may resound to more unusual samples, but the basic premise of hypnotic, tribal grooves prevails, while "Chant" rounds off the release in high-octane firing form.
Review:
It's been a whirlwind 12 months for DJ Seinfeld, who has gone from "unknown entity" to hyped producer in what seems like the blink of an eye. There's little doubt that this debut album on Lobster Fury will simply enhance his credentials further. It's a typically dusty and lo-fi affair, but far more positive in tone than your average crackly techno full-length. The Swedish producer makes extensive use of rubbery synth basslines, hazy R&B and pop vocal samples and the kind of production tricks more frequently found on disco-house and old US garage records (while, naturally, rarely sounding exactly like either style). In other words, the album is full of attractive, floor-friendly party techno for those who like their cuts fun and funky, rather than stern and severe.
Review:
Bubbletease Communications' releases are defiantly infrequent, reflecting boss man Maurice Fulton's desire to only release personal projects and those he's somehow had a hand in. Given Fulton's track record, this approach guarantees a high quality threshold; in truth, Bubbletease releases are rarely less than excellent. This four-tracker from Tokyo-based DJ Nori, co-produced by Fulton, is predictably impressive. There's a touch of melancholic, acid-flecked stargazing in the shape of "Spaceg" (all heady synth melodies, fuzzy bass and 808 cowbells), some out-there, beatless space calypso (the unwieldy "We Don't Know"), and a mighty chunk of Syclops-ish wonk-jack ("80s Drugs"). Oh, and a moody, Detroit-influenced Fulton remix of "Happy Sunday" that breaks into a space disco jam near the end.
Review:
Somatic is Bruce's debut album and sees the UK producer tight walk a fine line between experimental electronics and rhythm-heavy club tracks. This latter side of his work is represented on tracks like the hypnotic, vocal-sampling "Elo" that weaves its way to a tripped out climax, on the grinding, visceral "What" or on the teased out "Meek" - where Bruce uses layered percussion and textured sound scapes to deliver a slower but mesmerising effect. Elsewhere, there are dubbed out pieces like "Ore" and the funk bass and atmospheric synths of "Patience St Pim" that demonstrate Bruce is not a conventional electronic producer.
