New releases today: Techno

Review: Orbital's debut album is classic album in the techno genre. A name that needs no introduction really, Orbital defined rave and techno through the 90s creatively and performance wise. This self-titled or as many know it by, 'The Green Album' features perhaps the most popular songs of the rave generation in 'Chime' and 'Belfast'. However, tracks like 'Midnight', 'Steel Cube Idolatry' and 'The Mobius' are the birthmarks of Orbital finding their sound that would turn them into Glastonbury legends and soundtrack pioneers. This edition is true to the original 2x12 making it desirable for those new to the album, those who want a second copy or those who want to complete their Orbital collection. Orbital's roots begin here and have them at their most raw. Do not miss out on having a part of rave history with this record!

Review: For anyone who takes deep, uncompromising techno seriously, Mike Parker is a true benchmark of quality. The Buffalo, New York artist has unfurled his catalogue over the course of more than 20 years with a steely focus which is immune to the shifting sands of trend and hype in the wider scene. Now the Field label are reissuing his breakthrough 2001 LP Dispatches, which is a textbook summation of his imperious style. At a time when there's increased appreciation for deeper-diving strains of techno, Parker's hypnotic, expertly sculpted sound slots right in to the contemporary framework with a building-block quality which will inspire many a DJ to get busy layering and blending.

Review: STL is a master of making knackered sound drum loops and lo-fi sounds then chucking them all into a blender and serving them up for deployment in backrooms around Europe's most heady clubs. He has been at it again it seems and now has a whole bunch of brilliantly dishevelled cuts for us on this new album U Know The Score on Something. It is packed with twitchy, urgent rhythms punctuated with occult sounds, smudgy melodies and shards of melody that all sound like they could collapse at any moment, but until they do, you will be locked in for the ride. Some are dark, some are light, all of them are brilliantly beguiling.

Review: Dave Seaman (Brothers In Rhythm) and Quivver (John Graham) are two long time heavyweights of the progressive house and trance scene for over 30 years now. The pair join forces on the Balance label to share a DJ mix. This version features unmixed tracks that were used in the mix by both including two original productions they wrote together to make this collaboration even more special. Both of those, 'Make It Disappear' and 'Mushroom Embargo' kick off this double vinyl version. What old head can't spot a Quivver bassline when they hear one?! Highlights also include Dave's heavy driving remix of 'Low Burn' by Underworld, Ben Archbold's epic 'Psychedelic Halo' and Timo Maas's bass heavy remix of Polaroit's 'Apart'. For those long time fans of Balance mixes, you have another winner here!

Review: By the time they released Raumgleiter in 1998, Der Dritte Raum were already legends of the German techno-trance scene. This all-time classic album from the breakthrough years of the sound also saw the project move to a major label - Virgin - but now it's being brought back home to Harthouse, the iconic Frankfurt imprint which first nurtured the sound. The scope of the album is wide and playful, teasing ear catching synth lines which keep the mood fun and freaky, not least on the likes of 'Bedruck', while there's an epic tone to standout trance monster 'Hale Bopp' thanks to the cascading arps and relentless forwards thrust. Of its time but wholly relevant in the current zeitgeist, this is the kind of 90s techno reissue that makes perfect sense.

Review: The much loved llian crew reverts to its Skee Series here and serves up more magic from Skee Mask aka Munich mainstay Bryan Muller. He has roasted pretty exclusively here and never fails to innovate with each new drop. This one again hits the mark across seven elastic techno cuts that are underpinned by lovely dub weight and propelled by tight, pinging kicks. 'Dachtekker' is lit up with hi-tek soul synths straight from Detroit, 'Double Standard' is deliciously deep and driving with swirling pads smeared around up top and 'Small Stone S700' manages to pair soul-drenched chords full of subtle joy with kinetic drum programming that makes you want to move. Superb.