Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Six tracks by some of the less conspicuous names in 1980s Italo disco scene get pressed to a singular unifying 12" here. Commemorating Cruisin' Records' 40th anniversary (1983-2023), 'Takes Over' is a delightful compilation scouring the exclusive vaults of its back catalogue, with label mainstay Nello Jay handling curation duties. Largely centring on the year 1985, two cuts from, 'Japanese Girl' and 'Lady Fantasy', come courtesy of Max Him, while the likes of 'For Your Sweet Information' by PJ Marcus, 'In Your Eyes' by Roxana', and 'Heigh Ho' by Fabian Nesti all stomp, gyrate, and whoop away, indulging the very same escapist fantasies as those involved in the scene back then.

Review: Raw formed during the summer of 1990 in Athens, Greece when keyboardist Giannis Papaioannou and percussionist Makis Faros started composing music for imaginary waiting rooms. They combined the traditional cut-up technique of tape-loops, the industrial timbres of musique concrete with the harmonics of world music, all filtered through digital sampling and computer programming. Their first recordings generated an 8 track demo, which was freely distributed among friends and the local underground press. After 6 months of work and several sessions with guest musicians on acoustic and electric instruments, Raw self-released their first album 'Land' in December 1991 on Elfish Records. In 1992 they recruited the band's sound engineer, Coti K., as a third member, both on stage and studio sessions. 'City' was their second album fully inspired by the mechanisms of their home town. Presenting a different electronic face of Raw, manipulating rhythms with analogue synthesizers and harsh sampling to evoke the atmosphere of Athens.

Review: Middlesborough musician Rees impressed with his last outing on the Bordello A Parigi label: 'Three Eyes' was a real dancefloor gem which he now follows up with three more gems that showcase the artist's eclectic style and versatile skills. 'Dream Wave' is a bright, busy, intense cut with glistening synths front and centre, dancing about a crunchy and rigid rhythm while 'The New Beat' ups the ante with eerie arps leading the way as more metallic drum sounds clatter away below. Last of all is 'Electric Body' which is awash with more incisive synths and guitar lines, all with a hypotonic lead synth and new wave techno drums powering it along.

Review: "Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah blah blah. Hope is telling the truth." So said the world's most visible climate activist Greta Thunberg in her pre-COP26 speech in Milan, blasting world leaders for inadequate (or near-non-existent) responses to the environmental crisis. Given we're 12 months down the line and the vast majority of promises made at said 2021 climate summit have not been actioned, with emissions continuing to climb, it's unsurprising direct action has turned much more direct and disruptive this year, and people are now sampling the young orator to amplify her message through music.

If that sounds like it may lack subtlety, fear not. Renude19 have managed to achieve something pretty difficult - a protest dancefloor track that doesn't ram things down your throat and works very well without you knowing that context. Essentially a dystopian-vibed broken beat synth workout with electro-pop vocals and occasional "Blah blah blah" hook, it's timely and well executed.

Review: Following up a great release on Gerd Janson's Running Back last year, Keinemusik's Andreas Richter (Reznik) pairs up with longtime friend and kindred spirit Michael Schiedt aka Good Guy Mikesh for the One More EP. The Berlin-based duo have gone down a fabulous dark disco route on this one, featuring Mikesh's brilliant vocals on the title track, plus there's the late night noir antics of B-side offering 'Read The Room'.

Review: Two years ago, Demi Riquisimo invited friends and like-minded producers to rework tracks he'd released on his own Semi Delicious label. Now he's decided to repeat the exercise on a belated, if welcome, sequel. Bristol-based Manami steps up first, brilliantly re-imagining 'Mirage Over' as a trippy, mind-mangling, sun-fresh slab of progressive techno goodness rich in bubbly electronics, all-action bass and deep space chords, before Gallegos re-frames 'Point 1'as an acid-fired, cowbell-powered fusion of kaleidoscopic nu-disco, slick house and Italo-disco revivalism. Over on the flip, Gina Breeze delivers a throbbing, trance-inducing tweak of 'Sanitise', while Asa Tate reaches for synthesised pan pipes, dream house piano stabs and sunrise electronics on a pulsating, glassy-eyed take on 'Anxious Elephants'.

Review: Robert Rental is an artist as influential as he is overlooked. An anchor of the early British DIY and post-punk scene, his name is most frequently uttered alongside illustrious collaborators such as Thomas Leer and Daniel Miller. Dark Entries and Optimo ally to illuminate some of Rental's early solo works with an expanded reissue of his debut 7" Paralysis /A.C.C.. Both labels have previously excavated Rental's catalog; we reissued the collaborative LP with Glenn Wallis in 2017, and Optimo released a collection of demos in 2018.

Review: Big week for Dutch imprint Gooiland Elektro who bring on the maximum possible bleakness; first with Radko and now with the foreboding hydra that is Roberto Auser and Melting Dogma. Auser aka Derk Reneman on side A contributes the typically Dutch greyscale electro snarl of 'Man With Dead Leg' followed by a mental slow techno cut 'Imperative'. On the flip, Melting Dogmas, a side project of 4cantons, continues to go at it full force with the hypnotic 303 tunnel vision of 'Wanting To Be With' followed by the body bashing IDM fury of 'Indistinguishable Indications'.

Review: Orange Tree Edits are back once again with more of that super fruity dance floor juiciness. Jimmy Rouge is the man at the controls this time and he wastes no time in heading off to the stars with the cosmic disco workout that is 'Bay Leaf' and its stiff retro arps. 'Rounders' sinks into a more laid-back vibe, with late night chords and gently tumbling drum breaks perfect for seaside dancing. 'Night Train' is a real cosmic chugger with spangled synths spiraling round the mix and 'Fever Dream' then locks you into a lush late-night reverie with lo-fi boogie bass.