Juno Recommends Techno March 2021

Review: Nail has been busy in lockdown with a few releases now surfacing in early 2021. The former DIY Discs and Classic man knows exactly how to craft infectious house tunes with high pressure vibes and mind melting synths. He does that here from the off on Ornate music. '313151' is bleepy techno that never lets up while '44151' has drunken synth sounds tumbling over one another and making you move in weird ways. '313154' is a class closer with undulating acid taking you deep down a rabbit hole with no way back.

Review: The third trip from the Air Miles camp is one filled with dreamy breakbeat bliss. 'Gondwana At Noon' is a floaty light track with its head firmly in the clouds as twinkling keys and angelic vocals drift by up top. Pure post-rave comedown lushness, it then gets suitably mashed up for more peak time action, firstly by Jeigo. This time the drums hit harder, with icy hi hats and loopy snares all tumbling in freefall. Nathan Micay brings some more old school video game sound effects and Mollystrips it back to a long legged deep house delight. This is tender techno for E-ed up dance floors.

Review: The Sushitech label turned 15 years old in 2020 and to celebrate this milestone Yossi Amoyal has put together the Fluere compilation across four discs, plus this extended fifth part, titled Fatum. Juan Atkins' remix of 'Someone' by Killer Loop takes up residence on the A-side of this three tracker, all swirling, warm pads and spiralling filters, the percussion almost leaning towards disco with its syncopated handclaps, although the overall effect is as shiny and futuristic as you would expect from this Detroit legend. Flip it over for Terry Brookes' 'Breaking Cycles', a calm spoken word narration providing a meditational mantra to accompany the chugging house foundations, full of gentle tease. 'Limits of Likeness' by MSL completes the package with restless electro machinations and shifting clouds of synth floating across its horizon. Sheer bliss all round.

Review: For the first time in 22 years, British techno legend Paul Mac has rebooted the Herman Funker III alias, on the latest release for the Zenker Brothers Ilian Tape imprint out of Munich. From the hard swing on the dusty, bass-driven opener 'Box's (Remaster)' to 'Collection Of Stuff' which is very much reminiscent of his seminal work in the early '00s with its driving hypnotic polyrhythms. On the flip, there are two versions of 'Rhino' using the same Michael Jackson sample as Jeff Mills did on his classic 'Call Of The Wild'. Just like that Purpose Maker classic, these two tribal techno tools are equally worthy of a place in your record bag - tip!

Review: French artist Guillaume Labadie aka I Hate Models launches new label Disco Inferno with his usual hard hitting electronic sound. It collides aspects of techno, acid and industrial with early 90s trance and ambient and makes for peak time, unrelenting listening. 'Two Steps From Heaven' is a throwback rave sound with barreling kicks piled up on top of one another and trancy synths. 'Sad Groove' manages to be dynamic and driving butting with melancholy thank tot he nagging pads and pained vocals, while 'Lazy In Hell' closes out with brain frying pads and a sense of rising tension that never resolves.

Review: After some killer releases on Drumcode, FFRR and Hot Creations of late, British DJ/producer Alan Fitzpatrick returns to REKIDS with more of his uncompromising techno cuts on the Immortal Daydream EP. From the austere, factory floor dub of 'Everlasting' and peak time warehouse banger 'Titan Silence' on the A side, there's more action on the flip. For instance 'Droid Disco' is a cerebral and hypnotic journey in the vein of the Sound Of Rome, and closing cut 'The Underdog' is a galloping and steely cut that lunges straight for the jugular. Epic!

Review: When we saw this new one by power duo Red Axes appearing on Phantasy Sound, we thought it was about time. The Israeli duo's distinct brand of indie-dance would surely be right at up Erol Alkan's alley - and they deliver the goods yet again on the Sipoor EP. The title track is undoubtedly the most 'techy' we've ever heard them, on this deep and tunnelling rave journey. Bleepy aesthetics make a return on "Teroof" but merge wonderfully with their renowned brand of punk funk. Finally on the flip, we have the brooding "Bad Time Story" going out all guns blazing, with some euphoric 303 acid over thunderous toms - it's something that sounds like Hardfloor meets Barnt.

Review: The latest artist to join the roster of Sam Astbury's rave-igniting X-Kalay imprint is Adam Pits, a producer whose previous outings on Seven Hills and Holding Hands have won support from Ciel, Subb-Ann and Call Super. In keeping with the retro-futurist style that the label has become synonymous with, Pits' has delivered an EP that sounds like it could have been made sometime in the mid 1990s. Check first the brain-bending acid lines, psychedelic bass and crunchy '90s techno grooves of the bleep-heavy 'Kino Der Toten', before admiring the similarly raw and bleep-heavy broken techno of 'Donk E'. The influence of turn-of-the-90s bleep & bass is evident on the spaced-out electro-dub number 'Piston Pump', which comes accompanied by a more peak-time focused take from Bliss Inc.

Review: Following scattered appearances on Gestalt, The Untold Stories and First Second Label, Sputnik One makes a landing on Well Street with some nimble, needlepoint techno modernism that fits the label's forward-leaning tendencies perfectly. 'Schwann' is a fast-paced blizzard of blips, bleeps and pin-prick beats, while 'Vain' locks into a more earthen groove accentuated with dynamic layers of sound design. 'Warm Body' plies some dexterous drums sculpted with finesse and detail, and 'Teef' completes the set with a spiritually charged uplift peppered with dub sirens and dislocated voices. There's a lightness of touch in the balance of sounds across the whole EP, and yet it hits with force, making for a thoroughly smart club record for those who like to keep things inventive in the dance.

Review: Cold Blow and Musique Pour La Danse pair up for a collection of hugely sought after works from Liquid Son, a UK trio of producer who made music way ahead of their years. Their slick and smooth tunes fuse 80s electro, minimal, deep house and techno into tracks that ooze atmosphere. There's the rueful grooves of 'Tonefloat' with its Detroit pads, punchy melodic workout of 'Rainfall (Garden Of Eden)' and jacked up post-rave acid of 'Freedom We Feel' which will all detonate and club. The standout might be the pensive, undulating depths of 'Freedom We Feel' which is like a UK answer to Dream 2 Science.

Review: Ahead of the release of Special Request's frankly spellbinding new DJ Kicks mix, !K7 serve up an EP with three of the standout cuts from it. The brisling melodies and rugged electro of 'Vellichor' open up and immediately take you to the stars. Then comes a collab with fellow Leeds artists and someone Woolford has always been keen to praise, 96Back. Their 'Petrichor' - the word given to the smell after fresh rainfall - is a moody piece of ambient with flashes of synth, sweeping filters and pensive pianos, Closing out is 'Compassion,' a frazzled bit of cavernous bass with icy chords and melancholic feels.

Review: Lou Karsh returns to X-Kalay, which was the scene of 'Ataraxia,' a hugely formative release for both artist and label. Now the ever more essential and exciting techno talent keeps on evolving with four futuristic tracks of sleek and melodic techno. 'Amongst Us In Harmony' is an acid laced number that rides on gurgling 303s, then 'Internally Vexed' is a gorgeous electronic dance, where the lithe synths and soulful chords all expand your mind. 'Alien With A Subwoofer (Skyline mix)' is a more intense and propulsive cut with warped acid loops and 'Lifeforms' brings tripped out and reflective chords to a heavenly post-rave sound.

Review: Network continue their 30th Anniversary celebrations with an in demand re-issue of the first record they ever put out. Neal Howard was the man behind it and the Chicago artist hit gold with his soulful machine sounds. 'Indulge' (club House mix) sounds like a house version of the iconic Strings of Life, with the deep mix only slightly dials back the bumping beats and joyous chords. Bad Boy Bill then steps up with a mix of 'To Be Or Not To Be' with gurgling bass and computerised melodies that are bright and brilliant. The aforementioned Derrick May then mixes with his slick sense of hi tech soul present and correct.

Review: Rodhad's collaborative WSNWG label looks across the English Channel to the shores of Brighton for its next partner in sonic crime. Breakthrough producer and DJ Rene Wise spent a week in the flame-haired German's studio in 2019 and what they cooked up together is driving, warm, punchy techno as found on this blistering new EP. There's sleek, deftly melodic stuff on '190205' and more heavy hitting drum work on the edgy '190209.1.' '190209.2' then goes deep on hulling, rubbery drums kicks and finally '190204' is an economical and elastic workout for the heads. .

Review: Scan 7 is a mysterious techno collective from The Motor City in existence since the mid '90s, consisting of seven artists led by Lou Robinson. The group is known for wearing masks when performing. Their latest release comes courtesy of new French imprint House Of Underground and is titled As It Should Be. It's the proper hi-tech soul vibe you've come to expect from the Detroit legends once again: from the evocative inner city deepness of 'Fort Street' and the slo-mo boogie down vibe of 'Slow Ride' on the A side, through to B side cuts like 'Keep It' with its low-slung bass attack which is absolutely infectious.

Review: Steven Rutter is B12, a cult producer with a hardcore following, and for good reason. He has very much defined the deep techno genre with his music on labels like Warp in the early days, then followed it up with gold on Delsin and Soma before deciding to revert to his own name. The sounds are just as good as ever, though, as this third album proves. It's got all his usual signifiers - cosmic motifs, sci-fi pads, spacious and heady arrangements - as well as inviting downtempo groovers that pull you into deep to this alien world. Playing out like a fully journey rather than collecting of tracks, 'Riddle Me Sane' is another mini masterclass.

Review: Animalia marks a year in the game with this new one from OK EG, a Melbourne duo who refine their sounds over four classy cuts of atmospheric techno. 'Alkaline' kicks off with sparse synths and broken beats that are mysterious and beguiling, and 'Prismatic Spring' then gets more intense and determined as it powers forwards through arching pads, frazzled motifs and alien sounds. Importantly, the pair behind the music mention that "all tracks were produced on the traditional land of the Woiwurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation, and pay respect to their elders past, and present."

Review: French producer Vitess really comes through with some incredible retro yet modern sounds on this 20th release from Dutch label Hoarder. 'Radio Star' is all happy synth motifs and dreamscape chords over bumping beats. 'Cazio' is another sleeked seductive bit of peak time electronica that reminds us of the great Dax-Up label and 'Runner' then turbo charges any set with its pumping bass and old school synth phrases. 'Yankee' is the quickest of the lot, brings a sense of off-grid madness to its big, buoyant drums.

Review: The fourth multi-artist EP from blog-turned-record label Innate takes the imprint's inherently warm and far-sighted sound into new intergalactic directions. Offering a quartet of cuts from established producers and rising stars, all inspired by dreams of cross-cosmic travel and the alluring weightlessness of deep space. 004 explores the love of stargazing electronics in much greater deapth.

The A-side is all about melodious and spacey electro with Dutch legend Aroy Dee making a rare appearance away from his acclaimed M>O>S Recordings label. "Leegte" A1 is impressively immersive, cloaking a jaunty bassline and lo-fi beats in sumptuous aural textures and glassy-eyed chords. Accompanied by Innate label regular Gilbert, "Furthest Planet" A2 is a deep roller whose lilting lead lines, shimmering electronics and tumbling acid lines are little less than life-affirming.

On side B, the sound subtly shifts towards the multi-coloured, sci-fi shimmer of techno. Newcomer Jonski, (aka Bristol electro producer Zobol) drops "Venusian Surface" B1 - a classic interstellar jam full of vivid chords, echoing synth squiggles and alluring leads that rise above a classic tech-funk bassline. Last but not least, effervescent Welshman DJ Guy (Unthank/Other World Music) slams down an energetic techno stomper in "Aphelion Orbit": boasting brilliantly breathless drum programming, illuminated by the celestial shimmer of accompanying chords. A perfect conclusion to Innate's most action-packed release to date.