Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: The low-key but high-class Acquit label is back with some more brilliance from DX 9 press dup to nice translucent orange vinyl. 'Beans' (Owen Ni remix) opens up with elastic deep house beats and heady pad swirls. In original form the cut is a weight dub house pumper and elsewhere is the quick-stepping deep house of 'Galaxy', stripped back and scruffy dub house of 'Greed' and the cosmic trip that is 'Orange' with its swirling synth clouds and wispy lead lines over a deep, meaningful bassline. This is hi-tek soul with a timeless edge.

Review: Kenny Hooper is a Detroit mainstay and formerly a part of Scan7 who now makes his solo debut on Acquit Records. It continues a purple patch of late that includes his remix work on Nate Nubia's 'Dracula and Frankenstein' and his trilogy on Elypsia Records. The title cut 'Neon Skies' opens with lush synths arp shimmering over crispy, punchy electro drum programming. 'Imagination' has a dubbed-out low end and kinetic kicks with smeared synth lines and intimate vocals bringing some seduction to the sounds. 'Binary Dreams' gets more raw and ragged with a reverberating bassline full of texture and more eerie synth designs up top that keep you on edge. 'How Far' brings a cultured EP to a close with more classy rhythms.

Review: Owen Ni invites us on a sonic exploration with this ten-track release, a journey through the realms of ambient electronica and deep listening techno music. 'Beyond Flyhigh' sets the tone, its expansive soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms drawing the listener into a world of introspection and wonder. The Raytek remix injects a pulsating energy, transforming the original into a dancefloor-ready odyssey. Elsewhere, tracks like 'Mover' and 'Arqs2600' delve deeper into hypnotic textures and intricate sound design, creating a sonic experience that's both arrestting and thought-provoking. 'We Are Here' and 'S7lverbox' offer moments of quiet contemplation, their delicate melodies and atmospheric soundscapes inviting a sense of peace and reflection. The release closes with 'Epilog', a fitting conclusion to this immersive journey through sound and emotion, leaving the listener with a lingering sense of wonder and possibility.

Review: Swiss label Acquit Records has got a couple of superb outings lined up this month and Nate Nubia is behind this one which offers up a single and three different mixes of it. Original cut 'Dracula Vs. Frankenstein' is a warm analogue world of smeared synths and dusty drums over a crisp broken beat. It's full of machine soul and melancholic moods. The Info Remix is more edgy and driven, while the Kenny Hooper remix layers in extra light and melody. The G-Prod remix is one with its head amongst the stars and plenty of celestial synths.

Review: Acquit Records takes it back to its roots with ACQR00 marking a new beginning with Synaptic Voyager. This artist always cooks up Detroit-influenced techno and house tracks that ooze sophisticated synth craft and absorbing atmospheres. This fantastic seven-track double 12" features more club-ready stunners like 'Auditory Imagery' which marry disuse chords with tightly programmed beats. 'Echo Location' has punchy analogue beats softened with widescreen chords straight from the Motor City and 'Preordained Destiny' goes slower, with percolating bass funk and wispy, glowing keys slowing worming their way into the cosmos.

Review: Cultured Swiss techno label Acquit has put together this cheeky little 7" from Trecci with one great tune on each side. 'Invisible Self' is the opener and it is a delightfully curious, inviting blend of soft focus synth loops and smeared pads that sounds like waking up on a distant planet. On the flip, 'Sit And Wonder' starts with pensive piano chords which are eventually carried away on a supple deep house grove with loopy bongos and a feel-good sense of late-night cruising. Tasteful stuff for sure.

Review: Acquit Records are setting out on an ambitious one, presenting their latest foray into vinyl releasing with this incredible new LP from Arbilla. Both label and artist move incredibly low-key, but unearthing the info was worth it. Arbilla aka. Phil Robertson and his own adjacent imprint, Xistence Records, follows up prior greats such as the 'Movement' EP with this full-length, which takes after Detroit techno and catapults it to ever further cosmic reaches. Zooming out to the macro-point of galaxy filaments and Bootes Voids, we begin with the brukky opus '3500 Miles Away From Detroit' before seguing into the percussive workouts of 'Brighter Swallow' and 'Mecca'. A real sense of expanse is given off from the otherwise raw and up-close analogue sound; the cosmos is, of course, airtight.