Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Juan Atkins's iconic Metroplex does everyone a solid here by reissuing the long-lost Future Sound EP, a rare gem from 1993 that was originally released on UK's Underground Level Recordings and Belgium's Buzz. Never reissued until now, this bit of techno history features four standout tracks: the late, great Mike Huckaby's lush 'Urban Tropics,' Reel By Reel aka Marty Bonds's deep and spacey 'Sundog' and 'Interpret' and 'Serene,' a soulful collaboration with Detroit don Anthony "Shake" Shakir. Carefully restored and remastered for the occasion, these tracks shine brighter than ever with classic Detroit-rooted futurism, making for a crucial time capsule.

Review: New bursters onto the scene, Spain's Spirito Del Tempo present their inaugural release, Das Firmament's 'Voices Of The Past'. Their sound rodded in real-time creation, as opposed to obsessive editing in post, the Swiss duo nonetheless cut the cloth of a steely, ingenious exactitude, befitting of techno-into-dark-synth and its mechanistic mood of absolution. 'Herrscher Der Zeit' and 'Eine Frage an Disch Selbst' are bell-tower-chiming, synthpop machines, stripped of their humanity save for an irrevocable harmonic core. 'Condem Me' and 'Videodrome' move increasingly Cronenbergian, ending on an acid trance tonic traum: "television is reality, and reality is less than television".

Review: Deenamic steps up on French label Syncrophone with the aptly titled 'Dub Reflections EP'. Having released on high-grade imprints like Neroli, Yellow Jackets, Visions Recordings and Mate since debuting in 2019, David Pradera has been slowly but surely carving out a fine reputation with his profound house sound. His latest effort features four dubbed-out house jams full of atmosphere and texture. Opener '800 Mistakes' sees moody chords drifting over stripped-back drums, staccato noise and understated bass, before 'Hal 2024' maintains the rich atmospherics with simmering swells, driving stabs and propulsive bass notes. The chord progressions on 'Moonbus' echo into the night as a pounding kick maintains the rhythm, while the undulating bass and piercing drums of 'Think It's Not Illegal Yet' combine with a dramatic arrangement for a gorgeously nocturnal finale.

Review: On his previous Millsart outing, 2024's X-Ray Zulu EP, Detroit great Jeff Mills - long since departed for Europe but still retaining Motor City's techno vibe - effortlessly joined the dots between techno, house, horror movie soundttracks and spaced-out jazz. On Space Outside Space, he once again touches on some of these musical themes, just in a more widescreen, science fiction-inspired way. For proof, check the deep, ambient-tinged electronic jazz of 'Interstellar Feelings', the percussion-rich, deep space headiness of 'Forevermore' (a pleasingly weird Afro-futurist affair), the immersive techno-goes-broken beat grandiosity of 'Vibrations From The Other Side' and the minor key miracle that is trippy closing cut 'Some Soul, Some Space'.

Review: Cyclic and Random set a high early standard for the eying Nottingham label, but last time out it was the trio of RDH, N6 and XDLS who stepped up for one track each. They are back once again with more tasteful techno treats. 'Signal Flow' from RDH is a Maurizio-style deep, smoky, grainy dub techno excursion into the unknown, then N6 pairs things even further back on 'Becozich', which moves to and fro like a warm current in the deep ocean and carrie with it various bits of sonic plankton. There is no concession to urgency on XDLS's 'Valuu' either. It's another fathom-deep, super roomy dub slow burner that is all about letting your mind do the work.

Review: This new one from Stefan Ringer on his FWM Entertainment combines two distinct releases in one: 3 tracks from his 2021 Meta Music EP and his darker alias Black Sued's 'Rogue' EP. It's a yin-yang journey of sound that shows his range and quality. 'Monotone' pairs signature deep chords and soulful vocals and distorted bass with minimal drums, while 'New Plan' is a driving, rhythmic workout of persistence and groove. 'YIA' offers meditative chords and affirmations set against a thunderstorm backdrop and the flip, the title cut explores shadowy jazz textures with a mysterious groove, 'Maze' marches forward with urgency and layered rhythm, while 'Deep Dirt' closes with gritty, broken-machine chaos. Together, these EPs make for a powerful emotional and sonic contrast.

Review: Brazilian-born, Berlin-based ROTCIV brings decades of underground weight to this four-tracker for Element of Impact, melding EBM-flecked techno, acid-laced electro and muscular synth-funk with a sense of high-stakes control. 'Enjoy Your Trip' opens with prowling low-end and distant stabs, while 'Losing Collagen' flickers with scorched textures and hi-NRG tension. On the flip, 'Entourage' rides a sleazy, broken rhythm into machine-funk territory, and 'Ancient Machines' closes on a darker, rusted-out tip. ROTCIV's sound, honed since the 90s across both Brazilian raves and Berlin basements, hits with precision hereilean, jacking and full of intent.

Review: The Utrecht-based Shoal's euphonic debut comes on Animalia and shows why he is such a rising talent. The producer delivers warm, rich and silky-smooth techno grooves that lay out his distinctive sound while weaving a yin-yang balance of cosy, full-bodied melodies with dynamic tempos and captivating quirks. 'Temporal Blend' is a deep and punchy techno rhythm with screwy lead synths that are like a late-night didgeridoo. 'Median' is brilliantly sparse and astral in atmosphere while pinging and rubbery drums bring the motion. 'Wazzawa' is a bulbous, drunken loop techno mind melter with 'Last Piece' ending this deep mental trip in sophisticated and serene fashion.

Review: German electronic nerd and tactile techno master Skee Mask returns to Ilian Tape, the label run by the Munich-based Zenker Brothers, with a fresh batch of his club-ready throbbers. 'TR Nautila' rides on uneven drum breaks with claps loud in there mix, until they aren't, and a stumbling bassline that underpins a morph into jungle-adjacent madness. 'Panic Button' has springy sounds and sludgy low ends, precision-tooled drums and a celestial backlight that pushes and pulls you emotionally. 'MD25' has an industrial clang and clatter that evokes being lost in a strobe-lit warehouse and 'LCC Rotation' is a freewheeling percussive gem with moody pads for all-out assault in the club.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: As Soul Capsule, Baby Ford and Thomas Melchior made some of minimal techno's most accomplished records. It has been many years since they stopped turning out new material - sadly - but their archive tracks are still in hot demand and undeniably relevant. While 1999's 'Lady Science' might be their most famous offering, this EP from 2001 on Aspect Music is no less vital and it will currently cost you well over L250 on second-hand markets. It is Ford's Trelik label who reissues it here in all its glory: the entirety of the a-side is taken up with 'Law Of Grace,' a delightfully deep and breezy minimal dub house roller with pensive chords draped over the frictionless drums. 'Meltdown' has a more experimental feel with brushed metal drums beneath a wordless vocal musing. The cult 'Lady Science' (Tek Mix) is also inched with the whole package being remastered by D&M to make this one utterly essential.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: It's reissue time for one of the most in demand records from the Trelik catalogue, featuring Baby Ford and Thomas Melchior under their Sunpeople alias. The flip side's opening track 'Check Your Buddah' is probably the best known of the four tracks here, with its spacious echoes, mantra-like voices and heads down beats, but there's plenty to be said for the other three. 'Lovers Eyes' is an equally dubby techno affair, but pinned down by sturdy, infectious beats, 'Sungods Wedding' is blessed with churning, warm bass action and just a smidge of cowbell and 'Make It Right' is properly hypnotic 3am gear that's a dream to mix and draws in the listener with its imperceptible builds and three note bleep magic. Worship the Sun!

Review: Colombian producer JP Lopez aka Verraco delivers full-throttle techno gritted up with grime influences on his new 'Basic Maneuvers' EP for Tra Tra Trax, the label he co-founded. His offbeat, chrome-plated and heavy style has been heard on Blawan's Voam and Batu's Tiemdance before now and here Verraco blends Latin club energy with signature rhythmic invention. The title track drives with mind-melting techno and ragga-infused bass, while 'Total' fuses gqom and dubstep with holographic vocals inspired by Arca. The grime-tinged 'Sobe Sobe' features Ugandan MC Yallah over Orbital-like pads and gritty, Coki-style midrange. Verraco's genre-blurring mastery knows no bounds.