Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Cold's 'Strobelingt Network' feels like a deliberate exercise in creating a mood that shifts imperceptibly, track by track. 'Strobe Light Network' leads with a hypnotic, pulsating bassline that anchors the track while the layers of synths flicker above it, creating a sense of steady forward motion. It's a track that seems to take its time, building an atmosphere that's both immersive and intense. 'Hyper Experience' builds on this, with its murkier, more intricate textures, and the 2024 edit adds a deeper, almost industrial undercurrent. The track's groove doesn't change much, but the added layers make it feel more expansive. It's a masterclass in subtlety: Cold's production keeps things moving while maintaining an air of suspense, suggesting that the next step could take the music somewhere completely new. The EP ultimately offers a refreshing depth, pushing techno further while remaining firmly in its roots.

Review: Jordan GCZ brings a unique jazz-infused approach to techno on his latest release, which is a third for the good folks at Rawax. He has a complex sound but one that always remains buttery impactful in the club and pairs cerebral ideas with physical grooves, and all of it's crafted with an array of outboard gear and vintage synths. The opener blends melodic nostalgic charm with dusty house beats, while 'Timbit Acid' is an off-kilter acid workout and 'Beaver Tail' weaves together a tapestry of intricate synth patterns and glistening pads. Last but not least, 'All Dressed' offers a soul-infused take on mid-tempo techno that is deep, groovy and compelling.

Review: Jordan GCZ, who you may remember as half of JuJu & Jordash, brings a jazz sensibility to his take on techno. It's crafted on an array of outboard gear and dusty of synths, which lends it such a lovely, lived-in quality. His melodies are always meaningful, too, whether futuristic or nostalgic. There is a hint of the latter to the opener which has a whimsical charm over dusty house beats. 'Timbit Acid' is a wonkier workout with warped 303s, 'Beaver Tail' showcases masterful synth patterns and glisten pads that soften the speedy beats and 'All Dressed' is a nice twist on early Detroit techno with more freeform leads.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record slightly warped***


For several years Luciano was one of the kings of the underground. The Swiss-Chilean rode the crest of the minimal wave and had his own distinctive Latin edge that marked him out in a class of one. Now he is back to DJing - often with his equally heralded brethren Ricardo Villalobos - as well as producing. Rawax has the latest goods from the man in the form of this suitably epic two-track EP. 'Assanti Sana' is all subtly shifting grooves and stringy percussive lines with some textured, expressionistic synth lines. 'In Xs' is deeper, and warmer, with ever-evolving rhythms and lots of stringy lines all woven together in an intricate fashion.

Review: Swayzak is a micro house, minimal and techno duo, aka James S Taylor and David Brown from the UK, whose name alone will get many older dancers hot under the collar. Their craft was second to none during their peak and here we get a reminder of that with a new outing on Rawax. 'Floyd' is a jazzy dancer with live claps, spinning hi-hats and louche grooves all topped with synthetic synths that never quit. 'Doobie' is a more deep sound with late-night headsy vibes. The drums are supple, the synths squeal and spoken word mutterings add a human touch. Two well-realised and effective cuts from Swayzak.

Review: First released in 1999, Swayzak's 'Floyd/Doobie' shook the British duo's catalogue. Though it wasn't 'Bueno' or 'Fukumachi', this deep house cut was the next best choice for followers of the then burgeoning tech house circuit. Swayzak were already favourites on this and the deep house scene, and had clawed in acclaim for their involvement in both as early as 1993. One particularly prolix bio deems them the incipients of "1st wave 2000-era progressive deep minimal", which is too analytic even for us manic categorisers. No, we prefer to take these two big-hitters as they are: brimming with enthusiasm for a gadget-packed future, 'Floyd' fizzes and twitches with the pulsing blurts of a saw synth, as if to suggest constant magnetic stimulation from above. 'Doobie', meanwhile, hears our protagonist disrobe the techno utility belt, returning to a wireless home, so to gaze out over a subtly detuned chord landscape set to munching percs.

Review: Originally released in 1998, the title track is a hypnotic, rolling groove that helped shape the genre's future, its deep, pulsating rhythm and intricate layering exemplify Villalobos' signature style, making it a crucial piece in minimal's evolution. The Mood Mix on the flip stretches 'Heike' into a 13-minute odyssey, pushing its elements further into hypnotic terrain. Subtle shifts in percussion and melody build an entrancing, underground energy, capturing the essence of late-90s minimalism. This version transforms the track into a slow-burning, immersive journey, reinforcing why it became a staple in underground sets. Both cuts highlight Villalobos' early genius, demonstrating his ability to craft intricate, groove-heavy compositions with an enduring appeal.

Review: In the formative years of his career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ricardo Villalobos frequently utilised a handful of alternative production aliases - first Minta Spacew (one EP way back in 1993) and then more frequently Richard Wolfsdorf. Tia, first released way back in 2000, was the Chilean minimal maestro's second outing under that alias and has become a sought-after EP in recent times - hence this Rawwax reissue. A-side 'Echt Rot' is typically Playhouse-era Villalobos, with cut-up vocalisations, odd noises and spaced-out electronic snippets riding a crunchy minimal-house beat and looped, mind-mangling TB-303 bassline. Title track 'Tia' features simmering orchestral samples clustering around a typically wonky, stripped-back beat, while 'Feurwasser' sounds like the blueprint for many of his later minimal techno workouts.

Review: When this superb double-pack was first released in 1996, Bandulu had already spent four years finely tuning their trademark sound - decidedly spacey and subtly percussive take on techno that offered nods aplenty to Motor City minimalism and the dub-fired end of the Berlin techno spectrum. As a result, the eight-track set became the North London trio's standout release - an album in all but name that remains the purest and most finely crafted expression of their distinctive take on techno. Now reissued on vinyl for the first time since (and in remastered form to boot), its many highlights including the pounding deep space techno of 'Serial Operations', the dub techno masterclass 'Episode 7', the Regis-esque hedonism of 'Paranormal Channels' and the restless, delay-laden riffs of 'Advirus'.