SCIAHRI 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: If you like your techno murky and subterranean then Node has got another doozy of a 12" for you. It is a six track various artists EP that comes on silver marbled vinyl and opens with the sleazy underworld sounds of 'Selva Oscura' from Conceptual. Orbe's 'Thorax' then goes down a deep, dark late night techno tunnel in mind melting fashion and Sciahri's deft loops on 'No Fear' leave you feeling utterly in the moment. The hypnosis continues on the flip with darker drum rumbles from Farceb, constant suspense from 'Dario Duegra' and magnificently weighty minimalism from Uun.

Review: Florence-based Sciahri launches Sublunar once more for an excursion into psychotropic techno that keeps the energy up without forsaking delicacy. Even in its loopiest, thunderous peaks, there's a certain sensitivity of sound which keeps the sound energising and uplifting rather than oppressive. It's no wonder Sciahri has recently been spotted on the likes of Non Series and Semantica - labels which equally value the balance between power and poise in big room techno. There's space for synthetic drama on 'Infatuation' and 'Glow' strafes its de-saturated pulses across the stereo field for a hypnotic end result, but at all times the drums will keep you locked and limber like you'd expect from a proper techno record.

Review: Trauma Collective go out all guns blazing with a fierce offering by ascendant Italian producer Sciahriar Tavakoli aka Sciahri (Sublunar Records/Unknot). The Trauma EP is at once an obviously loyal tribute to the imprint platforming him, while being a visceral soundtrack to the gradual setting in of early morning lights. Wasting no time in exercising his sonic assault, opening cut 'Hypnotism' will affect you much like its name suggests on this punishing, splintered- beat body basher, before pummelling you into submission on the strobed-out warehouse techno epic 'Plastic Rain'. He then ventures into the more abrasive shades of texture and gradient on the experimentally minded 'Ava' until getting off-the-grid once more with a descent even deeper into the void, on the knackered closer 'Dead Waves'.

Review: Illian Tape was responsible for releasing Sciahri's debut EP a couple of years back, so it's fitting that he's returned following a brief flirtation with Black Opal. The Florence-based producer is in a feisty mood, too, as can be heard on sparkling opener "Atonement", which sounds like the mutant offspring of West London broken beat, Detroit futurism and abstract techno. Its' pleasing positivity is removed on the accompanying Pessimist Remix, which brilliantly turns it into a grouchy, moody, bass-heavy shuffler. Flip for the tantalizing creepiness of clandestine ambient shuffler "Enemy Sound", and the deeper, heads-down broken techno grooves of "Departure".

Review: There's something wonderfully deep and atmospheric about "Eremite", the opening track from Sciahri's first EP for Black Opal. Its' spacey chords and bubbling electronics sound gigantic, and work in perfect unison with his steppy, broken techno beats. There's more of an old school Italian techno feel to "Ambiguity" - think restless rhythms and wonky, acid-influenced electronics - while the Florence-based producer doffs a cap to the industrial-inclined fuzziness of the L.I.E.S and The Trilogy Tapes labels on the relentless "Sublunar". Finally, he draws all these strands together on brilliant closer "Paranoia", which sounds like it could induce a state of panic in certain circumstances (and that's just the bleep melodies).

Review: Ilian Tape continues to be code for "absolutely killing it mate" with the Zenker brothers introducing us and you to the production talents of Sciahri with the Mysterious Love 12". Spend some time with the sound clips here and you'll be hard pushed to believe this is Sciahriar Tavakoli's debut 12" as Sciahri, such is the standard of productions. Tavakoli's stated interest in the loop techno pioneered in 90s era Birmingham is very much evident on a cut like "The Dream Is True" but there's some nice little touches slipped in that give it some true personality such as the spin back in the breakdown. The title cut is a stern faced dubby number that just tunnels and tunnels away, whilst there's a cheeky strut to the way Tavakoli implements the filters on "Mind". The final track "Emblema" is the kind of techno number you want to drop right when everyone has forgotten their names.