Review: For their latest trick, the Rawax crew has taken a deep dive into the back catalogue of Roman Flugel and Jorn Elling Wuttke's work as Acid Jesus - the project with which they made their name before morphing into Alter Ego. Lead cut 'Radium' dates from 1995 and wraps alien electro sonics, proto-minimal techno motifs and pots and pans percussion around a deep bassline and hypnotic machine drums. The pair's passion for heads-down hypnotism and metallic noises is further explored on the superb 'Uranium Smuggle' (which originally appeared on the flip-side of 'Radium'), while 'Hibernation Drive' is a punchy and evocative electro number first released in 1997.
Review: Planet 303 is a distant astral body where acid rules supreme but you are invited. And it's an offer we never like to refuse because the soundtracks that play out there are always unreal, just like this latest one from Acid Synthesis. 'Actu Ikulurit' blends 90s breakbeats and dreamy techno synth work with an undulating acid lien that anchors you to the floor. 'Semplicita Aciduza' is a little more serene but comes with some lovely melodic rain that falls down the face of the 303 and 'Hafna 303s' brings a psychedelic and colourful edge. 'Actu Malti' closes with plenty of journeying cosmic charm and celestial energy.
Review: The Liverpool-based DJ and producer ASOK returns to DVS1's Mistress Recordings with his most diversified EP yet: "Mistress 14" unfolds ASOK's raw, analog-heavy sound aesthetic full of broken kick drum patterns, stepping basslines, and lush synths.
Review: Key Vinyl is the concern of French techno man Freddy K and next up on his excellent imprint is a young and developing artist by the name of Atonism. He hails from Spain and once again shows his class here with a little help from the vocals of Viktoriia. His brand of techno is punchy and direct but not sort of nuance - the opener has some funk in the kicks and mystery in the scratchy vocals then 'Unknown Error' gets unhinged and disorientating in terms of its twisted synths. 'Don't Call Me Baby' is bubbly, wet minimal and 'La Noche' shuts down with surging synths, unrelenting drums and hammering hits.
First Order Approximation - "Obsessive Behaviour" (5:45)
First Order Approximation - "Unresponsive" (5:14)
Review: Respected Italian artist Alan Backdrop joins forces with First Order Approximation for the second release from the Sense Code label. This tasteful techno split delves into the darkest realms of deep techno right from the off with 'Converging To Center' drilling down into a desolate wasteland. 'Gravity Self' is another suspensory linear groove with no signs of human life and 'Obsessive Behaviour' is a heady one with static electricity fizzing about the rubbery drums. This collection of hypnotic and ever-evolving tracks is designed for smoky basements and late-night sessions for real heads.
Review: Rising Boorloo artist Beltrac shows why he is so well thought of here with five tracks that deliver a dynamic collision of sleek, dub-infused minimal rollers reminiscent of the late '90s and early 2000s tech-house but paired with high-energy drum-driven explorations. After the bubbly synths of 'Tek Code' comes the more direct and crisp 'VIP Section (Otherworld mix)', then Side B features a standout remix of 'Echo Response' by Eora's dub master Command D who transforms the wonky bassline of the original into a hazy, after-hours dub techno gem. The meticulous production really elevates these irresistible grooves.
Review: Bloody Mary's Alternate States Of Reality on Dame Music delivers a powerful exploration of techno's diverse sounds. Side-1 opens with 'Reality One' (Acid mix), a heavy-hitting track drenched in mid-90s acid energy. The buildup is intense, leading to an explosive release that captures the essence of classic acid techno. Following it is 'Reality Two' (alternative mix), which shifts the vibe with a breakbeat/electro twist, introducing a darker, moodier melody. Flipping to Side 2, 'Reality Three' (909 mix) brings in a more percussive and straightforward warehouse techno feel. It's a banger designed for peak-time moments on the dancefloor. The 'Reality Three' (Slam mix) remix adds a Detroit flavour, playing with tempo shifts that keep the listener on their toes. Blending different styles while keeping the energy high, this is a strong addition to any techno enthusiast's arsenal.
Review: Alta Ripa signifies a seismic shift in Ben Lukas Boysen's artistic journey. It revisits the foundational impulses of his youth, shaped amidst the serene beauty of rural Germany: a bucolic backdrop where his creative palette flourished. However, it was his move to Berlin in the early 2000s that electrified his sound, infusing it with the city's pulsating energy and diverse cultural influences. Playing on themes of transience and movement - of both of the locality of the individual and of history on a macroscopic level - this is Boysen's fourth album under the name, bringing magnanimous Latin to the continual plods and progressions of high-spec cinematic techno. Boysen specifically aims for controlled chaos: keeping to the progressive tech backbone whilst providing bays and nooks in which both harmonic and discordant blurts might nest themselves.
Review: The latest EP from the Lonely Planets label co-founder Caim plunges you into an innovative soundworld of ancient myth and futuristic techno brilliance. The title cut 'Medusa Hunter' weaves hypnotic rhythms with smouldering, Goa-inspired melodies that are driven by venomous basslines that evoke suspense and intrigue. 'Hypno Gravity' is a weightless cut with balmy neon pads and silky beats that lure you into a trance where time fades and consciousness drifts. 'Adonis From Space' is another supple and stylish sound with ambient pads adding scale to skeletal rhythms. 'Desert Planet06' shuts down with a masterful blend of dubby undercurrents and aquatic sounds.
Review: An especially astute 90s throwback comes in the form of this Lapsus Records reissue of Cold Storage's 'wipE'out' - The Zero Gravity' soundtrack. Cold Storage is the one-time moniker of Welsh game musician Tim Wright, whose original pieces making up this work - the OST for the nominal, lightning-fast futuristic racing game - come amidst well-known soundtrack curations a-la Leftfield, The Chemical Brothers and Orbital. But it's Wright's work that is most novel here, centring on accelerated notes of drum & bass and the pure synth rush of trance; the kinds of sonic signifiers that production newcomers know, love and constantly rehash today.
The Emanations - "Rhythm Is Easy" (feat Janet Planet - Che Luca Lucid Rave mix)
Review: The fully mixed version of Confidence Man's debut Fabric mix record is here on CD. In contrast to the selectors' LP version - also sold by us - this full version is a seamless, singular slab of optical laser-read musical licence, espousing the central vibe-theme of Confidence Man's message: have confidence. Well, except for want of a receiving ear, we find ourselves tentatively able to confide in Confidence Man's Fabric mix ("better than therapy" joke happily dodged) as a substitution in the meantime; for it too shows us that real, authentic, and boundless confidence can, believably, indeed, be found in bouncy dance exclusives available on CD only. Among these are Patrick Prins' kitsch chipmunk banger 'Fiesta Conga' and Cygnus X's steezy-cheesy trance stutterer 'Positron'03'. With both many a throwback and a present promo in tow, Confidence Man dice up and dole out a small slice of their huge stash of their patented auricular confidence dust.
Review: Craven Faults' 'Bounds' is the latest EP-length project to be outputted by the otherwise elusive Northern English artist. Once again building on his admirable, psycho-terrestrial approach - in which the artist embarks on long, restless trans-Anglican journeys as creative fuel for the alluvial fire - 'Bounds' hears the otherwise anonymous Faults trace the fault lines of the Black Country's pastoral-industrial contradiction, beginning said journey "less than 20 miles North-West of the city", and with no further elaboration than that. Side A traipses through three heat-hazed, ground-dwelling, humid humuses - the vague scrapes of heavy metallic industry looming over each mix, straddling both back and foreground - and only 'Lampses Mosse' permits much respite from the trek, via a tremblingly, relievingly spread synth bell. 'Waste & Demesne' is the B-side's epitaph for England's feudal legacy, its drawn-out basses and quavering pedal notes congregating to mourn the natural losses resulting from centuries' worth of exploitation.
Review: D Leria (Giuseppe Scaccia) leaves us delirious yet again with another frontline hypnotiser EP for Non. This sextet of sound-scanners seem at first glance as deliciously want of emotion as any release on Non ever gets, and yet through D Leria's characteristic sound, we hear an EP unafraid to scrape against the emotive skysill, though not before a transition through the wacky. The A2 'Energia' pits wriggly lead whirls about sprung kicks, and 'Kaleidoskop' veers gooier, spraying an array of cephalopod ink-squirtings on the surround mix. We return to Brum techno arcana with 'Voodoo Magic', while the ambient highlight 'Apnea' is likely to be the most "melodic techno" vibe ever released on Non, teasing the leaden cheese whilst technically getting away with a more suspensory roller. Closer 'Goccia', finally, is the closing masterclass in sensory sapping and tactile tongue-tying, foreclosing on beats in favour of low pulsations against which giant laser-neurons spark like thunder overhead.
Review: Berlin's Sin Sistema shares Denzel's latest EP 'Glorified Intake' after the debut release 'Techniques 4 Life', continuing in the exploration of topsy-turvy, street-level techno sonics. Leading with a mysterious initialism, Denzel prefaces this EP by telling us its tracks were made during a transitional period between cities - H and B - a tale of two. A-siders 'HKI 13' and 'Nightrun' represent a two-point movement of metallised echo and resonant ricochet - the first coming as an "ode to roots", furtively working in breath-muttered "get down, get low" voxes - and the latter working around a cool torrent of domino-effect percs and rattles, like metal piping trailed against a fence. B-siders 'Sus Mind' and 'Generational Funk' first dreamatise and then tribalise the vibe, the former especially making the best use, in our view, of dub delay and diatonic dream-pads.
Review: We love a good studio DJ name and DJ Europarking sure is exactly that. There is just as much fun and irony to his hard-hitting beats on his new EP for UFO Inc. 'What Is What' takes the iconic sample from a Datboy Slim anthem and slams it over some hard techno drums. 'Musicmakers' has dub harmonicas and female rap vocal hooks, more hard-hitting tech drums and some rave-ready synth stabs. 'Penniless Tonight' barrels along at 100 miles an hour with trance-inducing synths up top and 'Level 10 (Princess Vs Bison)' is a final all out dancefloor assault.
Review: It's hard to find fault with anything by Detroit stalwart DJ Stingray. The Motor City veteran rarely puts a foot wrong, regardless of whether he's focusing on futurist techno or blistering, Drexciya-influenced electro. This EP for Lower Parts delivers the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have the stargazing bounce, undulating bassline, and shuffling 4/4 rhythms of "eRbB4" (also impressively remixed in an alien, Rotterdam electro style by Kon001), and the driving techno intensity of "Acetylocholine". On the other, there's "Denddrite", a ghetto-tech and footwork inspired electro blast that contrasts hissing rhythms with yearning, stretched-out chords.
Review: 'The Dome EP' by Dojo Zone is an exhilarating exploration of sound, featuring four tracks that transport listeners to another realm. On Side-1, 'Dome Addiction' stands out as a peak-time techno anthem, characterised by its addictive, bouncing bassline and atmospheric melodies that seamlessly bridge the dancefloor and introspective listening. The track's retro 90s vibe enhances its infectious energy, making it a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Following this, 'Titanium Reality' dives into progressive house territory, layered with dark, sci-fi elements that create a mysterious and captivating atmosphere. Flipping to Side-2, 'Forcefield One' captivates with its otherworldly soundscapes, blending tribal rhythms with melodic undertones for a unique listening experience. The cool beat invites movement while maintaining an ethereal quality. Finally, 'Chop Chop' closes the EP with an unsettling, alien vibe that feels both disturbing and intriguing, challenging listeners to embrace the unexpected. Overall, 'The Dome EP' is a dynamic collection that showcases Dojo Zone's talent for creating immersive techno experiences, perfect for dark moments on the dancefloor.
Review: The fledgling Detach label continues to show it means business with a new 12" in a lovely screen-printed sleeve. Romanian artist Dyl is the one in charge and has been serving up consistently excellent and innovative sounds now for serval years. All of these cuts mix up great sound design with languid rhythms - the first is eerie, with watery droplets and glassy tinkles hanging in the air, while 'Glasshouse 2' has a percolating rhythm down low. 'Glasshouse 3' gets a little more dynamic with a shimmering low end and freaky abstract life forms and 'Glasshouse 4' layers in more intense and ever-shifting synth lines while the closer sounds like it's roaming through a deserted factory long after it shut down.
Review: The Holding Hands label is back to pressing up vinyl after a pause during the COVID years and this EP is perfect to be spun nice and loud. Earth Trax deals in big dance sounds and opens this one with 'Amnesia' (dub mix) which has a thudding kick and big bright chords. 'Stars' then brings more euphoria with lush pads and grinding basslines and 'Someday Soon' locks you into a zoned-out vibe with its rich arps and retro stabs. Last but not least is 'Dislocation Blues' which rides on dubby broken beats with swirling cosmic pads.
Cafe Del Mar (DJ Kid Paul mix - remastered) (7:23)
Cafe Del Mar (Three ’N One remix - remastered) (8:46)
Cafe Del Mar (Nalin & Kane remix) (4:57)
Cafe Del Mar (Deadmau5 remix) (6:24)
Cafe Del Mar (Tale Of Us Renaissance remix)
Cafe Del Mar (Paul Van Dyk’s XOXO remix)
Cafe Del Mar (Orbital remix)
Cafe Del Mar (Michael Mayer remix)
Cafe Del Mar (Amirali extended remix) (4:57)
Cafe Del Mar (REZarin extended remix) (6:23)
Review: Shockingly, 30 years have passed since Energy 52's 'Cafe Del Mar', DJ Kid Paul and Cosmic Baby's now iconic early trance anthem, first started tearing up dancefloors worldwide. To mark the occasion, Superstition has decided to serve up this lovely, boxed 'anniversary edition'. You naturally get the best-loved versions of the 90s - Kid Paul's original mix, the throbbing 'Three 'N' One Remix' and Nalin & Kane's arguably definitive late 1990s version - in remastered form, alongside a slew of revisions made and released at various points since. These include a cheery, piano-powered Deadmau5 rework, a darker and more tech-tinged Tale of Us take, a hands-aloft Paul Van Dyk interpretation, and Orbital's recent rework, which has been heard many times at festivals this year.
Review: Analog Concept Vol. 3 delivers a striking collection of forward-thinking deep techno, blending electro, acid, and sci-fi elements to push boundaries across its four tracks. Fasme opens with 'Crying Robot', a standout acid electro monster that's both raw and energetic, setting the tone with its sharp, robotic intensity. CCO's 'Solar Sail' follows, bringing a darker, sci-fi edge to the mix. Its blend of EBM and new beat creates a timeless, futuristic trip that feels immersive and cinematic. Side-2 kicks off with Unwonted's 'Frontier', a high-energy electro track laced with trance elements, adding a hypnotic, rave-ready vibe. Serge Geyzel closes the compilation with 'Flash', a heavy-hitting deep electro cut that dives into darker, alien soundscapes. Its deep techno undercurrents enhance the track's sense of foreboding and mystery. Overall, Analog Concept Vol. 3 captures a thrilling array of deep, futuristic sounds. Take a journey through techno's more experimental and atmospheric realms with this Russian label. Each track stands strong on its own while contributing to the cohesive, forward-thinking vision of the compilation.
Review: Munich's techno powerhouse Ilian Tape is back with a new EP which, as usual, features a quarter of direct and unmistakably functional tracks but the designs are top-notch. Fireground - a male/female duo - first offer us the big, bouncy, percussive banger 'Glare', before 'Stand' keeps it just as tribal and percussive and straight up. 'Spin' brings a little playfulness with some sleek machine soul sounds adding warmth and a bit of Detroit colour to the clattering drums before 'Red Night' shuts down with jazzy blend of smeared Rhodes chords and yet more bold drums and hits.
Review: Onetime halftime exclusivist Fixate has set his sights on new temporal horizons. 'Conundrum' is one such dance musical venture, clocking in at a rough 130ish BPM while also securing enough of an atmospheric likeness to earlier releases so as to remain Fixated on the same vibe. A six-track mini-album debuting on the artist's resident Exit Records, 'Conundrum' flaunts a formerly undisclosed affection for house, electro and techno; in the artist's own words, "I made these tracks to fit into my own DJ sets, bridging the gap between tempos when playing out." Functional intentions do often still lead to excessively wicked results and the tracks here all provide a serious underfoot scalding, their 808 snares and underhand grimey melodies sure to make you hoo, hah, suck teeth and dance.
Review: An innovative EP emerges from the collaborative work of two accomplished music producers in Stockholm's Weirdvin, founder of the thriving Maraton label and here making a debut on Lyssna with the label's own Flord King. Their music finds a perfect common ground between electronic minimal funk and atmospheric textures, with overtones of ocean-faring trips on a voyage to the depths of the Baltic Sea. From the snappy percussion of 'Navigation' to the ambient synths of 'Oyster' via the nice and delicate drum loops of 'Telefunken' the more warped lines and turbulent bass of 'Bende' this is an EP with a unique sonic aesthetic.
Review: Fred P continues to be a prolific driving force in deep house, with his own Private Society label carrying a huge amount of his work these days. On this latest single he maintains one of his other close working relationships with Parisian institution Synchrophone, delivering three cuts of his refined, endlessly immersive music. 'Dance Of Rhythms' is a driving, sharply defined cut with a lot of action occurring in the lower register while the higher frequencies have acres of space to stretch out in, all the better to keep your head mellow while the hips sway. 'The Beauty In The Sound' is a more pattering affair and 'Vibe Science' favours a nagging drum pattern which nods towards jazz funk as much as techno. This is quintessential Fred P mastery, through and through.
Review: The cultured ESHU label has pulled other some more tasteful talents for this four track 'Conrexture' EP. It opens up with Julien Fuentes's 'Jah Justice' (Klaridub Ambient mix) which is a nice atmospheric opener with some conscious dub mutterings and sci-fi pads. Jocelyn & Yasin Engwer then kick on with some watery, sub-aquatic minimal dub tech bliss in the form of 'Sticks & Stones', Voal gets even more dark and dirty with some grubby dub basslines on 'Eight Ball' and Ivano Tetelepta/Christine Benz layer up watery droplets, melodic whistles, static electricity and rubbery rhythms to mind-melting perfection on 'Supreme.'
Review: Robin Stewart and Harry Wright are Giant Swan and they are at the very center of some of the most exciting techno sounds we've heard for a while. They drop five club ready tunes here with mangled vocals and hefty kicks full of reverb and plenty of dark synths that drag you into an intriguing underworld. This one comes a couple of years after their self-titled debut and the fine Do Not Be Afraid Of Tenderness EP, all of which are as appealing to fans of noise-rock as they are techno. That the pair have played both Berghain and supported bands like IDLES tells you a lot about the style of their sound.
Review: Liam Shortall approaches his latest project with an ethos of exploration rather than perfection. Over the course of the 'Bad With Names' promo campaign, he generates 108 demo ideas, not aiming for polished tracks but for creative depth and a chance to refine his production style. By early 2024, these ideas evolve into 30 completed tracks, recorded with some of his favourite musicians. The focus remains on spontaneity, allowing the music to take shape naturally without the constraints of a perfectly finished album. Each track is unique, reinforcing the project's raw and unfiltered approach to creation.
Review: When it comes to heavy chug, Multi Culti has always known exactly where to strike to make the most memorable or - more accurately - inescapable impact. Thomas Jackson's 'Slow Train' is just the latest case in point, then, drawing dancers and listeners alike in with its warm-hued, hypnotic synth lines, stabs and warbles in all the right places to ensure that while not that much happens, you'll be stomping about like everything was going on at once. Far from a one-track-wonder, Calypso Cult II is the label setting out all its stalls with aplomb. 'Jungle Tungle' is a strange, somewhat shrill, constantly building and percussively dominated workout that's tough and yet not actually that tough. 'Big Plastic Room' is peak time acid meets Kraut oddness, while 'Hipocampos' brings things to a beautiful close with beguiling, downtempo sludge.
Review: KSR label head Gianluca Caiati is back with a series of cuts he says are "to the DJs, for the DJs. To the club, for the club." It's fair to say his take on techno is direct and designed to soon make its mark with scruffy, cantering kick under moody synth drones that bring future vibes on opener 'Ozono'. The Kr!z remix is percussive, tribal and more stopped back to elastic beats while 'Sopravvissuti' rides on lovely broken beats and brushed metal textures with bold hits moving things onwards. 'Problemi Di Lusso' closes this sophisticated EP with a mid-tempo track that allows plenty of room for your mind to wander amongst its deep space atmospheres.
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