CLERGY 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Following on from his recent outing on a split 12" courtesy of Burned At Both Ends, Habgud now goes it alone with this new EP of techno firecrackers on Clergy. Opener 'Jaws Leanin'' is the sort of lithe roller with sheet metal snares and dark vocals that locks you in a good old heads down stompathon. After a trippy locked grooves comes 'Desire' which is another speed and effective linear techno pumper. 'Gold Hands' has a rugged and loopy design with vocal stabs adding intensity and 'XXS' is a final hugely effective tool with glitchy perc and drums that almost fall over themselves.

Review: Five years have now passed since Russia-based Stef Mendisis first set out his stall as a maker of dark, intense, lo-fi and mind-altering club techno. In that time he's released just as handful of 12" singles, though all have been spot on. There's plenty to enjoy on the Greek producer's first outing on Mancunian label CLERGY, from the warehouse-friendly, stab-happy stomp of opener "Critical Ratio", to the similarly slamming surge of closing cut "Chroma", where hands-aloft riffs and short, looped female vocal snippets ride a booming, lo-fi techno groove. Sandwiched in between you'll find more rave-ready business, with the clap happy, organ-sporting peak-time sweatiness of "Memorex" standing out.

Review: Albert Zhirnov's back on the Clergy label for a second time following his debut last year. Once again he showcases a love of fad-free, straight up techno pumpers for the main room. There is a sweep-you-off-your-feet urgency to 'Switchback' with its hurried kicks and restless synth loops all demanding you move. 'Distortion Forge' is a high-octane banger too, this time with rusty metal peeling off the bulky beats. The energy levels ramp up through another high-functioning tool in 'Wooden Lessons' and the frictionless forces of 'Stoker.' Basements won't know what's hit them.