New releases last two weeks: Electro

Review: RFXN kicks off life with a new single from David Agrella which has seen early support from Ricardo Villalobos. First off he offers up his own Acid Mix of 'Perro Balearico' and it's a supple, deep and dubby track with liquid synths and prog chords that sound both retro and future all at once. The original is a more dreamy and spaced-out sound for 5 am sessions. On the flip is a more punch but still silky and warmly melodic remix from Mario Liberti before last of all, Gabriel Rai gets darker. His drums hit harder and the synths are moodier as he takes dancers down a late-night path of mystery and intrigue.

Review: The present face of IDM is here heard occupied by dream duo D'Arcangelo and Karsten Plum, whose latest joint effort for Acid Avengers bowls us over with its acid tweezings, pangs, twingings, twangs, thrums and flits-past. The pH scale skyrockets to the point of insanity on Pflum's side, with 'Hornfish Acid' and 'Aroe Acid' jointly corroding the full length of the Earth's core with their snippy but incisive sizzles and 'ows, until we reach a forbidden underworld uncannily reminiscent of Oz - except the faces of the protagonists are horribly twisted into a yellow, illegal-raved rictuses. D'Arcangelo's 'Gawain' does equally as much with its eerie sprung-verbed chroma-chords and muted but moving melodies; so too does 'Walker Two' raise the tempo to silly speeds, coming as a veritable velociraptor of Druqks-y breaks and drill bits, all let loose from the barrel at a surely illegal rate of fire.

Review: Cyphon Recordings celebrates its tenth release with Emotive Technology, a new project by Chilean artist Massiande. The five-track EP offers soul-stirring techno spanning various styles. Despite being his debut under this alias, Massiande boasts a decade-long career, releasing music on esteemed labels like Housewax and Phonica. The EP kicks off with 'Rise,' a fusion of new beat and arp-operated techno, setting the stage for peak-time euphoria. Tracks like 'It's On' and 'Your Zone' dive deeper into hypnotic rhythms, while 'Walk Into The Light' pays homage to Detroit's techno legacy. Closing with 'The Swing,' the EP captivates with its resonating synths and pulsating basslines, embodying machine music with soulful depth.

Review: Every new Carl Finlow record release brings an enthusiastic interest to those who follow him. Carl's robotic electro prowess is on full display on the A-side in 'Heed'. Fans of early 80s electro, Kraftwerk and the future of the genre, swear by this guy. 'Overlord' is a deeper groove that reminds of his otherworldly Silicon Scally moniker. 'Expansion' is just down right dirty. Nuff said! Dangerous stuff from one of the most consistent producers in futuristic electro.

Review: It's been a while since we've heard from Moroccan breakbeat favourite and Convergence Records founder Kosh, but he's back with a bang on none other than everybody's favourite Atlantean, underwater-breathing, acid trance house everything kru - Kalahari Oyster Cult. 'The Chopper' EP spans everything from Drexciyan kitsch-lectro to to floaty tech house trance to sillily verbatim breakbeat, ending on a hilarious high note with the timestretching, disc-scratching, stadium-ready rave rampage 'Come On'.

Review: New Jackson delivers the much-anticipated successor to 2017's From Night To Night in there form of OOPS!... POP on Permanent Vacation. This concise triumph in techno pop comprises nine tracks that elevate his signature electronic sounds to anthemic heights. David Kitt, a sonic polymath with a colourful career, has been working as New Jackson since 2011. This full length showcases Kitt's evolution over five years and three countries, distilling his studio methodology into a leaner, more euphoric body of work. Collaborating with a stellar cast, including Rita Lynn and Donnacha Costello, Kitt crafts an album that effortlessly combines dynamism and spontaneity, drawing from a century of influences. From the mesmerising opener to the climactic "With The Night At Our Feet', this album is a testament to Kitt's widescreen approach.

Review: The Paris based Velvet Spirit releases its fourth EP. After appearing on their third releases, the label had to have a release specifically dedicated to Numero 6 solely. If you are looking for something different then check out the head turning 'Midnight Treat'. Electro like you may have not heard. The Indy Jane mix of 'Are You Sure' is particularly nasty (in all the right ways), while on the second side, 'Vicious' is a clever and unique take on tech house that injects a bit of electro in it while 'Bloodline' is the smoothest cut of the lot. Quite eerie in a new wave way, you have to hand it to Numero 6 for making something quite unique.

Review: Random Factor's 'On The Air' EP is a hugely sought-after classic by those who know. It came on Ralph Lawson's ever-reliable 20/20 Vision and now, as it turns 25 years old, he has decided it is the right time to get it remastered and reissued. 'On The Air' is first up on this fine EP from Carl Finlow and it has serene synths that bring to mind Detroit techno soul over pulsing bass and slick drums. 'Lockdown' has a raw vocoder vocal over punchy drums and twitchy synth stabs and 'Undercurrent' is another weapon that has more than withstood the test of time as it bumps along on funky drums and is overlaid with more playful synth patterns. 'Disconnect' is a crunchy and 8-bit closer with pixelated synths and screwy acid lines. Superb.

Review: Veteran producers Posthuman (cousins Richard Bevan and Joshua Doherty) own and run UK label Balkan Vinyl and it has a strong resume of releasing excellent IDM and electro since its first release in 2010. For this release they call upon a legendary friend Luke Vibert and together they've make a staggeringly great, joint EP. 'Still In Love' kicks off the record and brings Luke's familiar acid techniques to the party while sampling classic 80s and 90s dance tracks and samples within it. 'Android Webber' is quintessential sound Vibert is known for that balances a quirky IDM grit and a downtempo slow jam. For the B-Side, Posthuman offers the futuristic electro stormer 'Grad' followed by the sexy, slow burner 'Forever Circles'. A match made in acid house heaven.