Review: By now, most dedicated househeads should known 2Fox and Laville's debut single, 'Elevation' - an effortlessly soulful chunk of lightly gospel-influenced deep house brilliance that has been bubbling away since the summer of 2024. The regular, full vocal versions were recently released on wax and now we get the alternative dubs. Masters at Work man and all-round NYC legend Louie Vega steps up first with a swirling, deep, hypnotic and extra-percussive take that makes good use of selected lead and backing vocal snippets, before label bosses Soul Clap slap down a deep, groovy, tech-tinged dub straight from the top drawer. Over on the reverse, we get a vocal-free 'Dub-strumental' of Vega's EP-leading take, as well as a more vocal heavy, gospel house style 'Zero Hour' dub by New York veteran Tommy Musto.
Review: Wild breaks from the wild west; Welsh beat sculptor Abstract Drumz gets busy on the mighty Over/Shadow. Four cuts heavy, each one designed to slap your rave silly. 'Just A Ride' opens the EP with atmospheric aplomb. Brisk pads and live jazzy breaks set the scene, hitting hard in all the right places. Elsewhere 'I Like The Rain' galvanizes AD's Celtic status with unhurried charm before 'Ethereal Remix' gets a lot more frenetic. Finally 'Culture '24' closes the EP with some of the heaviest chops of the set. Wallop!
Review: Montevideo mainstay Alejo steps up for his debut on System Error's Flow series with the '1984' EP , a sharp, floor-feeling statement from an artist who both stands out in and defines the Uruguayan figure-ground. As co-founder and resident of the long-running Emile Club, Alejo's instincts run deep, and here they come sluiced though a new channel: four tracks, from '4to En Discordia' to 'Rkr1', offering snarling low-end pressure opening out to estuaries of wiry electro wades. Raw, punchy and tightly engineered, it's music that speaks with the verve of someone who's lived the scene from inside and out the booth.
Review: Following the success of his 'City Smile' EP, Aleqs Notal is back with more ear-piquing goodness in the form of this latest boundary-pushing vision. The EP is said to be unified by a central theme of self-acceptance and covers plenty of ground, from the deep and meditative essence of Chicago-inspired 'Pain Of Truth' to the more loose 'Talk' Em Down' with its snaking bass and eerie chords. 'Crushin'' sits somewhere between the two, with analogue textures and a firmly rooted groove forming the foundation for percussive and synth layering. 'Instant' has brilliantly pinging 909s and humid chords. This is Aleqs Notal at his most expressive.
Review: Whenever DJ Dez Andres drops new heat, you have to tune in. The man is a beat-making machine, extraordinary DJ and avid record collector who distils all that house and hip-hop knowledge into his always stylish cuts. 'No 1' opens up this latest jam on GT Flips and has a boogie-fried lead synth line, deep drums and chopped vocals that amp up the party but also have plenty of heart to them. 'Doobie' is the flipside offering and it finds Andres sampling another 80s soul classic and reworking it over some of his textbook and textured drums that perfectly straddle the house and hip-hop divide.
Review: GT Flips is proving to be a superb home for the music of Detroit mainstay and former Slum Village man DJ Dez aka Andres. He is turning out plenty of it, all of it quality, and all of it steeped in his signature blend of deep house, hip hop and the Cuban rhythms of his personal family heritage. Opener 'Take Your Time' is blissed out beat perfection with mid-tempo drums and heady pads next to gorgeous vocal hooks. 'Saturday' brings the party with a classic vocal sample made famous after being used in a Levis ad, and 'The Candle' closes with jazzy horns and flutes over more dusty drum breaks.
Review: Motor City legend Andres is back with another superb run of 12"s on the GT Flips label. The latest edition is another smoking hot three-tracker that opens up with 'She Spoke To Me', a laid-back blend of live drums and dusty snares with neat little sax motifs and a soothing vocal coo. 'Head Over Heels' finds Andres looking to a classic 80s sound for the main vocal hook and reworks it over what sounds like live MPC beats. 'Spoof' is the third and final gem here, this time with some erotic vocal pleasures and sensuous pads.
Review: Dublin's techno master steps out with a release that feels both emotionally charged and technically razor sharp for his own label Xistence. Balancing precision with heart, these tracks echo the roots of Detroit techno while reaching boldly into the future. 'The Fear Of Failing' leads with a crystalline melody that feels like it's been beamed in from another dimension. The production is slick and spacious, but there's warmth in the detail, and the main motif is hard to forget. 'Homecoming' drifts in with a deep rolling groove that's part celestial drift, part afterhours love letter. Everything about it feels smooth and elevated, like watching the sunrise from orbit. Claude Young steps in on remix duties and delivers something raw and gritty. His take on 'The Fear Of Failing' strips things down to a lean acid framework. It's a trip back to techno's skeleton while still sounding sharp in the now. 'Mirror Reaction' rounds things off with pure Detroit class. Built with intent and clarity, it's the kind of track that moves both head and body. A graceful, thoughtfully crafted EP from a producer clearly in control of his sound.
Review: Formed in 1992 in Cheltenham by vocalist Mark Diston and DJ Curtis Lewis, Bass Cadets were always ahead of their time. Their sound was a collage of electronic, breakbeat and experimental sounds with a fierce DIY attitude, and this long-lost 4-track EP captures that raw, genre-defying spirit in full force. Now, finally pressed to vinyl for the first time via Relic, it takes in the sleek urgency of 'Feeline', ambient pads of 'Dealay' and kinetic trance techno tribalism of 'Nuclear Starfish'. With tracks that still sound fresh nearly three decades later, this is a perfect time capsule of early 90s innovation
Review: British electro pioneer Bass Junkie reactivates his Cybernet Systems alias with a fearsome four-track return that celebrates and retools a thirty-year legacy. Originally dropped in 1995 via Panic Trax, 'We Are Borg' gets rebuilt from the raw data of the original SP1200 session, still driven by that signature low-end pressure and now even more punishing for modern systems. 'Bass Force' ups the intensity with widescreen synths and body-slamming subs, pushing electro bass into cinematic territory. On the flip, 'Electron Spin Resonance' delivers a DMX-fuelled onslaught of chopped edits, dense percussion and martial drive, while 'Proceed' nods back to the 80s machine funk of Pretty Tony and Egyptian Loverigleaming with nostalgia but never stuck in the past. It's a fierce reminder of Bass Junkie's place in the electro continuum, bridging Florida, Detroit and the UK with hardware grit and future shock precision.
Review: Back by popular demand, this reissue from one of techno's true originators reminds us just how vital these tracks still sound. First released in 1992 and briefly reissued in 2000, these four cuts showcase a unique hybrid of Detroit precision and early European rave energy that continues to inspire. 'The Warning' leads the charge with classic machine-driven Detroit funk. Its rhythm is relentless yet controlled, mechanical yet human. The track feels like a transmission from a future imagined decades ago. 'Ghost' follows with a harder edge. It channels the energy of early Belgium rave with sharp chord stabs and that unmistakable Hoover-style synth. It hits fast and leaves a heavy impression. On Side-B, 'Ex-' is the most cinematic cut. Sci-fi textures, punchy drums and an off-world sense of atmosphere blend the sharpness of UK rave with Detroit's emotional weight. 'Dark Basse' is the banger of the EP with a stripped-back approach. Its minimal but moody framework makes it an instant attention grabber, offering something both haunting and dancefloor effective. These tracks remain timeless and prove once again that true underground techno never goes out of style.
Review: Way beyond its New Beat roots, Boccaccio was one of Europe's most influential clubs and known for operating at the cutting edge of house, techno, acid and beyond, and for shaping a distinct sound that defined Sundays in rural Destelbergen. Curated by Olivier Pieters and Stefaan Vandenberghe, Boccaccio Life 1987-1993, released by Belgian label Music Man Records, captures the raw energy of a scene ahead of its time. Four VA Eps from it bring the tracks to wax and this one has four seminal US artists at their most visceral and impactful.
Review: French-Moroccan producer Bidoben joins the Sublunar roster with six tracks of precision-tooled techno that strike a balance between hypnosis and intensity. 'Suspended Relief' opens with pounding low-end and swirling mids, laying down a floor-focused blueprint that's all control and momentum. '28-33' dials in a looping, restrained groove with subtle modulations, while 'Torment' pushes into more psychedelic terrain-acid-licked textures layered over a linear, uncoiling arrangement. On the flip, 'Unfair' hits hardest: peak-time pressure with no excess. 'Calx' trades impact for introspection, coiling inward with murky synthwork and tight, recursive rhythm. 'Snakeholes' brings it to a close with melodic shimmer and just a trace of nostalgia. It's a smart, tightly constructed EP that showcases Bidoben's ear for function, detail and emotional tone.
Review: Biz is one of a number of Australian artists who are having a big impact on the sound of contemporary techno, and he has been playing a key role in the scene since the late 1980s. His sound mixes deep basslines with uplifting melodies and he has collaborated with a number of legends as well as releasing music on labels like Transmat and COD3QR. Now on Acquit, he explores the outer edges of our galaxy with celestial synth lines, sci-fi melodies and deep, Detroit-inspired techno grooves that are brilliantly cinematic and evocative. 'Soul Within' is our favourite with its widescreen synths and floating pads.
Review: Blaque Dynamite is the work of Mike Mitchell, a drummer from Texas who has played with neo-soul queen Erykah Badu, and jazz legends old and new in Herbie Hancock and Kamasi Washington. He also makes challenging, defiantly original house music on his own and on top of a couple of albums worth checking from the last two years, comes this EP, which arrived late last year but now debuts on wax. It has a couple of short, sketchy originals that are lo-fi, low-key hip hop vignettes, while JT Donaldson and Stefan Ringer add their own more club-ready reworks. Ben Hixon & Blaque Dynamite also hot up for a remix that is all shimmering melodies and shuffling percussive rhythms.
Review: Birmingham's Jossy Mitsu and Bluetoof join headsy forces on their new collaboration for Tempa, colliding the former artist's rinsed, globetrotting UK-troit DJ sets the world over and the latter's "drum specialisms" formerly lent to labels the likes of Shall Not Fade. Transcending the one-forties for a deeper-shades descension, 'Metamorphic' and 'Acid' establish a mood of nightclub meets human biostasis facility, as sci-fi zaps meet brooding, high-sustain bass cues. 'H20' is the sole tune to heighten the mood, its stop-start rollerblade bass and necksnap 808s proffering a jammier digestif.
Review: Robsoul kicks off 2025 with a sharp four-tracker from Italian producer Bress Underground, real name Andrea; the 'Make Love' EP marks his first outing through the Paris label. Though his sinisterly dextrous MPC chops have indeed thus far been brought to a string of recent releases on GLB Dom, Slothboogie and SNATCH!, perhaps no EP so far apart from this one has truly wrought the limit of his talent: though they're born of recycled ideas from goldener days, Bress patches and gussets them together, allowing new forms to take hold in the final cut. 'Chick House' opens with horn stabs and swing, while 'Keep On' leans into lush keys and soft-lit soul, and the flip unleashes 'I Don't Pray', which preaches equal parts ecclesial and dissenting groove, before the title cut lets a 303 line run loose without ever veering into cliche.
Review: British producer BufoBufo makes profound electro tunes that are as much defined by their storytelling synths and their fresh rhythms. He draws on acid, breakbeat and classic house on this new EP, which though cosmic and journeying also retains a real human soul. 'Celandine' glistens with rueful pads and taught basslines that rise and fall next to lush synth outbreaks. 'Bittern' is more dark and prickly with a menacing undercurrent and 'Quantum Tunnel' shuts down with a slower, more reflective sound, beautiful arps and languid drums. Our favourite is the open though, 'Petroglyph', with its nimble basslines and widescreen psychedelic synth explosions.
Review: Blending vapourwave haze with Balearic ease, while dipping into Italo house and post-disco playfulness, the debut Bar Part Time EP delivers four tracks that feel nostalgic but entirely fresh. 'Bath Bomb' with its cheesy synths and 80s flair are softened by lush pads and a groovy, laid-back rhythm. It's a hip, shimmering introduction that balances irony with sincerity. 'Morning Dew' is more club-friendly, mixing jackin' house energy with ambient textures to create a track that's as dreamy and driving. On Side-B, 'Blurry Moon' adds urban flavor and depth, led by a bouncy bassline and island percussion. Its gorgeous keys and loose funk make it a highlight. 'Wine 69' ends things with a tropical mood. African island-inspired rhythms, chant-like vocals and a shuffling groove lend it a transportive quality. Together, these tracks form a cohesive and adventurous debut.
Review: In a future where memory can be imprinted onto energy to control behaviour, a resistance discovers Vibracid, a technique that erases manipulated memories, restoring self-determination. That is the conceptual backstory to this new EP from CALAGAD 13, an enigmatic producer who has been making music for more than 20 years. Here, he blends hard techno and electro into fiery dance floor explosions like 'Triumphator' with its unrelenting drum breaks and machine-gun style synths. The EC13 X-Ta-6 mix bumps even harder, then 'Alto Voltaje' brings distorted texture and low-end darkness. Elsewhere, 'Colosal' is a fast-paced electro workout and 'Aire Fresco' (Vbrcd remix) brings bright flashes of visceral acid.
Review: Glasgow's Domenic Cappello solicits universal applause with 'Galactic Praise', drawing deep from Detroit techno's heritage and a synthy Berlin schooled erudition. A longtime resident and booker at Sub Club alongside Harri, Cappello has refined a style balancing punchy rhythms, emotive melodies and rich atmospheres shaped by years in one of techno's most respected venues. 'Dat Thing' and 'Niamh's Song' contrast through whistling highs and spick electro-acid lows respectively; the title track, meanwhile, recalls space-decolonial maximalism of later Apollo releases, as if to portray the infinitude of a terraformed, cosmo-dromal house party.
Review: Oblique Records offers a four-track vinyl-only selection of stripped, club-ready house cuts shaped by UKG inflections and percussive detail. Velvet Velour's 'Make It Hot' leads with a swung rhythm, vocal stabs, and a warm bassline that keeps the energy tight without crowding the mix. Eli Atala's 'Fat Albert' runs deeper, with clipped low-end and a sharper rhythmic frame. The Velvet Velour remix of the same track adds glide and bounce, pushing the groove forward while softening some of the original's edges. On the B-side, MTTY's 'Wally' closes the set with swung drums and sparse atmospherics - minimal in structure but tuned for pace. Each track is functional without sounding generic, keeping arrangement changes minimal and geared for blend. A direct, neatly cut pack of tools with just enough variation to stretch across a warm-up or mid-set.
Review: One of the most talented electro artists is back with his latest release. With over 30+ releases to his name, the quality matches the quantity as this new and unique 12"+7" package shows. The Dublin producer's beats hit strong right away with 'Touch', with a cinematic melody reminding us why this artist always sounds so futuristic. 'Drift' is a sci-fi masterpiece that shows how good he is at adding acid into his electro and the title track hints at the roots of the style with the vocoder addiction. The little 7" packs big sounds with 'Sunny Rain Acid' which is sure to remind fans of AFX's Analord series. 'Thursday' is more on the laid back approach as it closes out with one of our favorite electro tracks in recent memory. Cignol is a next level electro producer. Right up there with E.R.P., Morphology, Gerald Donald and the best doing it today.
Review: Sheffield artist Commodo - long a mainstay of Deep Medi and Black Acre - hooks up with Turkish dubstep producer Gantz again here to explore heavy low-end percolations on Ilian Tape's revered ITX Series. 'Left Hand Path' has earth-shattering kicks and scraping hits that are coated in lo-fi and grain pads for ultimate subterranean menace. '89! Gloom' is a more nimble rhythm with a slippery lead line bringing extra movement as the low-end throb keeps you locked. 'Shake And Lurk' closes out with some brighter melodic intrigue to bring a ray of optimism to the glory but brilliant bass.
Review: Ukraine's Yan Cook has been at the forefront of techno in Ukraine for some time. He works in the dubbier end of the spectrum and brings more great weight to this one on his label, Cooked. 'Equinox' is an early evening mood builder that twists and turns through smeared synths and grainy lo-fi grooves. 'Syzygy' is more loopy and hard-hitting with mind-melting percussion over the cavernous low end. 'Monsoon' is as urgent as a call to action from a battalion leader on the front line and 'Headspin' is just that - a more frenzied and wonky cerebral workout for the dizzy 5 am sessions.
Review: Like his Windy City compatriots Mark Grusane and Rahan, Cratebug specialises in high-grade, razor-and-tape style re-edits subtly re-framed for 21st century dancefloors. The Chicagoan has released many fine collections of reworks over the last decade and this two-tracker is another high-grade treat. Up first is 'Fiyah', a heavyweight tease-and-release loop jam built around low-slung disco grooves, layered vocal samples and subtle effects trickery. While he appears not to have add any beats, its' Soundstream-esque construction makes it perfectly suited to house dancefloors. Over on the flip, he gives his take on one of the most beloved disco classics of all time: Diana Ross's incredible 'Love Hangover'. He extends the upbeat sections, paying more attention to hear vocalisations, the infectious instrumentation and killer groove.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Drop Music marks a marvellous quarter of a century of releases with this new slab of vinyl featuring some gems from disco funksters Crazy P and the house mainstays Inland Knights. Crazy P go first with 'Disc Odyssey' which is perfectly indicative of their much beloved sound with its low slung kicks and funky bassline. Inland Knights then offer a trio of in demand & unreleased tracks. 'Overnight' is a bumming deep house joint, 'Walk On' has an icy late night vibe and balmy pads and 'Do It Again is a more playful closer, with some killer b-line action. All four, needless to say, are timeless gems, and the fact the last two are appearing on vinyl first the first time makes it an even more desirable cop.
I'm Coming Back (with Niki K - Known Artist remix)
One More Time
Review: Belfast-born producer Cromby lands on Life and Death with a slick three-tracker that balances punchy house pressure with wide-eyed euphoria. The lead cut, 'I'm Coming Back', is a collaborative jam with vocalist NiKi K, all soaring pads and ecstatic vocal phrasing-pure serotonin with a subtle edge. Known Artist then flips it into a tense, club-focused version, peeling back the gloss in favour of moody propulsion and tight, broken drums. On the B-side, 'One More Time' hits with a grinning sense of peak-time mischief, full of springy basslines and bright melodic licks. It's a confident and cleanly produced record that toes the line between emotional release and practical dancefloor function-perfect for high-pressure sets and outdoor moments alike.
Review: A decade after it was first released (credited, back then, to Detroit Swindle), Dam Swindle's 'Figure of Speech' EP returns on vinyl in freshly remastered form. It remains one of the Amsterdam duo's most respected and much-loved EPs, and for good reason. Opener 'Figure of Speech' is an infectious, rolling and impressively groovy workout which combines African vocal samples, layered percussion and tidy house breaks with warming deep house chords and tech-tinged electronics. 'Victoria's Secret' is a woozier and more analogue-sounding deep house groover with deliciously positive synth melodies and fizzing riffs, while 'Live at the Cosmic Carnival' is a more percussion-rich slab of jazz-flecked, Batacuda-inspired Latin house heaviness that could well be the EP's most potent moment.
Review: It's been a while since we heard from Seven Davis Jr, and we guess this new album is why. The US house maverick brought all new edge and vocal style to his beats when he first broke through, and following "an unexpectedly bad year" after his last album Stranger Than Fiction, he channels more darkness and aggression into this record. It's still built on house rhythms but they're raw, slamming and make no concessions, his vocals often sounding almost paranoid as they lurk in the shadows between the dusty kicks and distorted, grimy basslines. A marvellous return.
Review: DCTL is a collaborative project between Masafumi Onishi (known as Telly) and DJ Duct, two influential figures in Japan's underground scene. Onishi is also the founder of Troop Music Works and has been instrumental in shaping the electronic landscape in Kobe. DJ Duct, much loved for his innovative turntablism, brings a unique blend of hip-hop and electronic influences to the duo. Together, they produce raw, analogue-driven tracks characterised by gritty drum machine sequences, soulful samples, and a DIY ethos that resonates with fans of Detroit-style beatdown house and downtempo music, as evidenced here on five fresh and funky cuts stacked with loose rhythms, smart samples and melodic hooks.
Review: Forget the World is a psychedelic instrumental trio led by bassist-composer Marc Decho, who is based in Toronto, Canada, and known for his work with Afro-Cuban jazz pianist Miguel de Armas. Decho brings a fresh, genre-blending sound to the scene and this group blends a real gamut of vibes - 70s soul-jazz, alternative hip-hop, cinematic textures, dreamy LA pop, UK Bruk, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, classical and experimental electronica. Joined by James Hill on Fender Rhodes and synths and Marito Marques on drums, percussion and electric kalimba, their music is immersive and imaginative. It's mixed and mastered by Grammy-winner Helik Hadar and offers a great escape into a new world of awareness.
Review: Decoder brings his deliciously dark take on drum & bass to this new one from Over/Shadow. It drills deep into the heart of a smoky, strobe-lit dance floor while also offering plenty of mental soundscapes to explore with your eyes closed. 'DT103' has crisp breaks and warped bass under shards of broken, glassy melody and 'DD1' then floats on a more skeletal rhythm with grazing background pads and apocalyptic bass. The Technical Itch remix brings even more in-your-face textured percussion and 'MB29' shuts down with a cosmic exploration and skittish drum patterns.
Review: Kiria Records drops a sleek EP here from Romanian DJ and producer Direkt, who keeps it refined with minimal grooves and deep vibes. The title track, 'Vintage A,' opens with classy synth work and crisp percussion, setting a hypnotic tone and Cally's remix follows with a stripped-down, razor-sharp rework ideal for subtle transitions and after-hours sets. Flip to the B, and 'Best Kick Forward' lives up to its name and is driven by bold basslines and forward-moving momentum. Closing track 'Fragments' floats on airy textures and intricate rhythms, so it leaves a thoughtful and lasting impact. A polished, versatile EP built for selectors who like it deep.
Review: A fresh re-edit series with a nostalgic, old-school house vibe, reportedly by a veteran producer with plenty of experience. A-side 'Take Me' sets the tone, with sparkling pianos, rave-inspired stabs and much-used vocal samples from a disco classic riding rolling house beats and a vintage, organ bassline. Over on side B, 'Never' is a fine, largely stripped-back style revision of a sequenced bassline propelled early house classic topped off with a superb female lead vocal, while 'Games' is a lightly dubbed-out tweak of a proto-house era gem that boasts a superbly squelchy bassline, echoing synth-pop lead vocals, effects-laden drum fills and warping electronic noises. In other words, all three cuts are guaranteed party-starters of the 'classy and well crafted' variety.
Review: London's DJ Ojo makes a strong debut on Pain Management with a shape-shifting 12" of heady, system-ready dub music. Known for his murky and slow-burning take on the form, Ojo takes things deeper here. 'Tongue Tied' rides out on pitch-black sub pressure and a ghosted vocal loop, evoking that half-asleep state between the dance and the walk home. 'Oil Dub' warps percussive elements into a cavern of melted delays and filtered hiss - almost ASMR in its abstraction. On the flip, 'Cloud Suck' stretches out into a near ten-minute reverie: digidub's emotional potential pushed to its outermost edge, sun-bleached, swirling and strangely hopeful. It's that rare kind of low-end music that plays just as well from a stack as it does through headphones, carrying a woozy emotional undertow that feels both bruised and comforting. A masterclass in restraint from one of London's most low-key original voices.
Review: Take It Easy! We need more taglines like these in such trying and self-recriminatory times, where the stresses of a part-imagined urgency prevent us from decompressing in the way our social lives really should allow for. But is dance music, whose traditional motto is to "jack", compatible with such a mantra? DJLMP shatters these apparent antinomies of relaxation and danceability with three new edited heaters here, designed for triumphant joie de vives of the kind that do not poke, prod or demand too much from us. A later Diana Ross sample is put on heavy opening rotation on 'Diana's Loop', while similarly echoic verboffs are exchanged on 'Spring Touch', where dub delays haze the mix into something a little more convulsive. Space for wonky downtime is reserved on the B's 'Reggatronic', in a rare case of hip, lo-fi breathing room reserved for a dance record.
Review: Dom Angas has come a long way from his Moving Shadow singularity 'Can't Punish Me', which soon saw(tooth) an enviable career in techstep well underway. The nominally double-taker artist now issues 'Reimagination', throwing back to another shadowgraph from the MS era, 'Imagination'. This tune appealed best to the dystopian rollage crowd: there's no drop, but rather a straight barrage of hyper-crunchy cybergoth Reesework and parched beats. His new 'Reimagination', from now, continues to channel the mood but this time with added hope and angelics, shortly before a forget-me-not VIP of the original track reveals a wicked Star Trek sampling darkside version: "There are times when I find myself transfixed by a shadow on the wall, or the splashing of water against a stone. The hours pass, the world around me drops away, replaced by worlds being created and destroyed by my imagination."
Review: After a quiet return via Neroli, Domu comes full circle to 2000black with a final statement after 25 years of sonic highs, lows and plenty of reinvention. Haunted by the echoes of jungle's past, Domu steps away for good, he says, with this final outing, which leaves behind three deeply personal tracks. 'A Madness' brims with urgent, sample-heavy energy and signature keys. 'Not Him Again' is a jam with longtime collaborator Robert Marin that plays with tempo and hip-hop norms. 'Them Things' then seeks to capture an elusive feeling and closes an EP that is Domu at his most reflective and raw. The end of an era. Don't let it pass you by.
Review: US veteran JT Donaldson makes the sort of killer tech house that immediately makes you want to move. This time out the Dallas, Texas resident lands on Dolfin Records with a deeper sound that is raw and heavy. 'Choose' rides on knackered-sounding kick with just deft synth smears for company. 'Don't Sweat' has a double-time rhythm with sombre chords adding the soul and 'Want Her Around' gets the hips swinging with its lovely claps, muted, softly glowing sustained synths and lumpy deep house drums. Flipping the script yet again. 'Sunday Drive' is a more nimble and jazzy dancer and 'Take 2' is a sunny house sound with hints of Metro Area nu-disco synth magic and a big fat bassline.
Review: Medicine Music offer us a remedy, but not a cure, for a chronic ailment of ours: for some reason we simply cannot shake the compulsion to seek out disco edits in quadruply combined pill form. The second volume in Dr. Packer's own reworks series, this new'un follows the first edition released far back in 2017. 'Hint Of Love' and 'Watch Your Back' span nouveau riche falsettos and dirt-caked soul baritones respectively, proving the polyphonic potential of disco's voices despite the unknowability of the samples so sourced. 'Chesty Lady Of The West' is meanwhile the perkiest tune on the record, curling through a minimal, backwashy sound, where guitars soar gleefully in a surfy space above the 10th fret.
Review: Oraculo Records, M.U.S.A Records and Ombra Festival have all come together to unveil Dr. Oso, the latest talent to emerge from the Megabreakz collective. This Argentinian producer follows in the footsteps of Candido (who was behind Megabreakz 7) to deliver his own raw and unapologetic take on the hard new beat style. His release is pure fire, with 'Hooligan Beat Edit' swinging sonic punches in every direction at once. 'Trench Flight' is jacked up and ken with a rugged low end, gun shots and fragment synths all making for a visceral groove. It is much the same on the rest of the EP with 'Lager Dance' really popping thanks to its chopped up sirens and caustic textures.
Review: Berlin-based producer E-Talking is back on his own, now well-established and equally well-respected Nummer Music label, with some deep and rolling progressive cuts. Drawing inspiration from late 90s and early 00s progressive trance, this outing is a heartfelt homage with forward-thinking momentum. Each track builds with hypnotic layers, sleek synths and adrenalised momentum that is always bubbling up but never boiling over, so it keeps you in joyful suspense across the long-form dancefloor trips. It's a logical and powerful follow-up to his 2023 'Cosmic Egg' EP on Love On The Rocks and is another heady affair.
Spectrums Data Forces - "Can't Scape Reality" (5:55)
Atix - "King Of Fighter" (4:39)
Calagad 13 - "Area Desconocida" (4:49)
Final Dream - "Echo Chamber" (5:51)
Elektrotechnik - "Hard Symphony" (5:20)
Review: Cosmic Tribe is back with six more cutting-edge tracks that push the boundaries of electro while honouring its core principles on the superb XTRICTLY ELEKTRO Vol. 2. In showcasing forward-thinking sound design and global talents, this compilation affirms Cosmic Tribe's dedication to rhythmic experimentation and genre-defining precision. EC13 opens with his retro-futurist, cinematic style, while Spectrums Data Forces injects technical flair from southern Spain. Lyon's Atix delivers decades of club-driven expertise, and on the flip, Calagad 13 dives deep with a bass-heavy introspection, Final Dream (aka Phil Klein) brings epic UK grit, and Elektrotechnik closes with an industrial punch. A great window into electro's ever-evolving power.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Few labels do minimal as well as Trelik and in terms of artists, Edward is also as good as they come right now. This perfect pairing opens up with the deeply alluring 'Time' with its woozy pads and smeared chords over warm and rubbery drums. It's a hypnagogic affair then 'Vacuum Tube' has a more menacing air thanks to the wispy and unsettling synth details and clunky hooks. 'Watch Out' brings a more spangled and rubbery rhythm that has colourful details peeling off the beats and last of all, 'Stream' ups the ante with some thudding deep house and widescreen ambient synth work.
Review: Three Es would be some trip, and EEE also symbolises guaranteed good times in the club. The mysterious label and eponymous artists keep on rolling out essential tech and minimal cuts that are smartly designed and authentic, but also with anthem potential. Maybe that's why each one is a one-sided 12", to really allow the tune room to shine. In this case, dusty drums with a hint of garage swing and shuffle are paired with melodic baseline motifs and colourful synth patterns. It's a good time groove with plenty of heart.
Emmaculate & DJ Spen - "Step Into A Black Whole" (13:38)
Emmaculate - "Boogie On Disco Woman" (6:41)
Review: Like a veteran striker in his final season, GAMM has really captured some top form on late and now drops a fire premiere from Chicago's Emmaculate and legendary Basement Boys producer DJ Spen. Opener 'Step Into A Black Whole' is a genre-hopping 11-minute journey that moves from deep house to a hip-hop breakdown featuring KRS-One before morphing into a jazzy Afrobeat stomper. First heard by GAMM contributor Coflo during a wild house set, the track blew the roof off and always will. On the B-side, 'Boogie On Disco Woman' delivers a gritty funk, disco and soul rework with raw drums, clavinets and soulful vocals. Two standouts.
Review: German techno DJ and producer Tim Engelhardt takes a bold steps toward ascendant progressive techno with 'My Joy', his latest for Habitat. Nodding to the many sun-drenched euphorias personally experienced in Ibiza, this is a true live-it-up house record. Panned organs and subtle vocals take centre stage on the A1, while the B 'Love Triangle' complicates things with a beachside love involution. Midway moment 'Take Control', meanwhile, marks the record's pivotal shift from organ-led emotion to a percussive lock-in.
Review: South London's Tom Esselle returns with a standout EP on Rhythm Section that cements his place at the core of the UK underground. Building on past successes like 'Praise Bes' on Wolf Music and 'Lou's Groove' on Rhythm Section, this release shows off his wide-ranging house influences which have all been refined through collaborations with Chaos In The CBD. The A-side delivers club heat with 'Baddies' featuring a killer mid-2000s r&b sample, and the techy 'Plaything'. The flip is breezier as 'One Of These Days' shines with Dave Koor's jazzy keys, while 'Harmonise' closes things with dreamy warmth. A mature, versatile offering from a producer hitting his stride.
Review: Facta's latest for Wisdom Teeth opens with 'Jets', a low-slung, sub-sloshed throb that's quietly become a DJ favourite-Ben UFO has spun it as an opener multiple times and you can hear why. It's bouncy, tactile and disorienting in just the right measure, setting the tone for a seven-track suite that finds the Londoner weaving through dubby techno, cheeky minimal and post-step psychedelia with that recognisably prismatic touch. 'On Deck' pivots into springy broken house, full of teasing builds and frayed edges, while 'Bunt' pairs heavy-limbed bass pressure with pointillist vocal chops. There's a skittishness to the palette that recalls his most textural club material, but these tracks feel leaner, more distilled-sonic matter reshaped mid-air. Even in the most playful moments, like the bleepy funk of 'Swish', there's an undercurrent of tonal oddness that keeps things slippery. 'Fang' and 'Snooze Alarm' slow the pulse, tracing soft arcs across rhythm and dissonance. As ever with Facta, genre markers are melted down into a coherent sonic vocabulary, full of negative space, strange hooks and glistening decay.
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