Back in stock: Techno (All)

Review: Break 3000 returns with his first new material in over two decades, delivering four high-torque tracks of electroclash, rave and cold wave nostalgia. Born in Germany and known for his role in Dirt Crew and the Electron Feel imprint, Break 3000 rekindles the raw DIY spirit of his early 2000s output. 'Electronique' is the centrepieceiEBM drum hits, rasping vocoder vocals and a revved-up rave bassline that harks back to his 'Fix' era. 'Continua' channels distorted filtered techno into peak-time territory, while 'Tape Recorder' leans into retro electro a la Rotterdam and Detroit, full of hissy drum machine charm and chopped vocal samples. Italian producer Marcello Giordani rounds out the EP with a slick proto-house remix of the title track, nodding to Bobby Orlando with shimmering Vermona drums and dark disco swagger. From Cologne to Parma via Berlin and Buenos Aires (the release is on Calypso's Dream), this is a cross-generational, cross-border flex that proves Break 3000 still has teeth.

Review: Alfred Czital and Ayu return for their third collaboration and second outing on this Prague-based label. This tightly curated EP blends melodic techno with futuristic trance textures. The result is a spacey and emotionally charged journey. The A-side opens with Czital's solo cut 'Universal Language', is a soaring piece of melodic techno that builds with elegance and power. Ayu's 'Magnetic' follows as an uptempo workout with clever vocal fragments and percussive precision. On the B-side, the duo join forces. 'Physical' is a clear homage to late 90s trance, evoking memories of peak-time anthems with lush pads, glimmering synth leads and a sense of emotional urgency. 'Love Letter From Montevideo' closes the EP on a deeper, darker note that is rooted firmly in techno. A sleek, high-level fusion of techno and trance that pushes both genres forward while nodding respectfully to their roots.

Review: Berlin-based live techno duo Data Memory Access bottle the voltage of their 2024 stage show into four no-nonsense cuts for the third DMA label release. 'Powah' opens with piston-tight drums and a rising synth line that bites hard, while 'We Are' layers chopped vocal shards over a relentless rolling bass. Flip the vinyl and 'Neukolln' dives into darker territory, its tunnelling groove paying clear homage to the district that inspired it, before 'Reflexion' stretches gauzy pads across broken percussion for a final surge of after-hours momentum. Captured straight from their tour arsenal, these tracks are purpose-built for peak-time control-machine rhythms, crisp programming and zero excess. 'Live Chronicles Vol. 1' is a fresh release that proves Data Memory Access can translate stage heat to wax without losing an ounce of precision or power.

Review: The third release on Secretsundaze's 9FINITY imprint sees Naarm/Melbourne producer DJ Life return to the fold with another batch of psychedelic club tools, balancing UK bass pressure with trippy minimal finesse. 'Utility' jolts things into motion with snaking low-end and warped FX, slipping in and out of jagged tech shapes. The sparring synth jolts of 'Electrolyte' feel more frenetic, its thwacking groove and dubby vocal chops making for a proper headrush. On the flip, 'Breathe' trades upfront energy for depth, layering smoked-out subs beneath lattices of percussion. 'Stay Playful' edges toward tribal house but keeps its sci-fi freakiness intact. Digital bonus 'Love Sensation' eases the tension with clipped garage swings and pearly padsia welcome curveball.

Review: Brazilian Jesse "Dreams" Pimenta has been roaming around underground circles for a decade plus. He has a stylish sound that is about heady excursions into deep rhythms. 'Losing Control' opens up with a warped and flabby baseline over buoyant drums for peak time deployment. 'Dangerous When Wet' is a tightly programmed and kinetic cut with flappy drums and snares, aliens in the machines and psychedelic vocal swirls. 'XTC Messenger' then hits hard with thudding kicks and hints of 90s tribal techno. Last of all, 'Pressure Points' flips out with broke beats and dubby undercurrents.

Review: Melbourne's Tim Jackiw brings a retro future vision to this latest sweaty workout on the Physical Education label. 'Manifestation' is a full singlet on, socks up, headband in place, striding forward electro jam with nice cosmic energy and 'Multi Pass' then brings wistful Detroit synth work and sleek grooves designed for heady escape. 'House Wine' keeps the deep and driving dynamic flowing with more dusty drum programming and meaningful synth work and 'Unseen Forces' then gets more raw and percussive. Last but not least, 'Taking Measures' shuts down with some reflective moods and slower tempos.

Review: Italian producer J.P Energy resurfaces with a reissue of two rare late-90s works-deep, percussive hybrids from a fertile moment in underground Italian club culture. Originally released in 1997, 'Prima Dell'Alba' and 'Forbidden Planet' blur the lines between early trance and stripped-back techno, brimming with cinematic tension and pulsing groove. 'Prima Dell'Alba' is the more mysterious of the pair: tribal rhythms, eerie pads and a gradual rise in intensity evoke a kind of sunrise ritual for the dancefloor. The original mix of 'Forbidden Planet' delivers a leaner, more mechanical energy-icy and forceful but with a meditative undertow. A 2025 revisited mix by J.P Energy himself kicks things off on the A-side, reimagining the track with updated production and added spatial depth, without losing the spirit of the original. As part of the Sound Migration series, this reissue pays tribute to a singular voice in Italian electronic music-subtle, rhythmic, and visionary.

Review: Montreal's Jump Source makes it six with four tracks engineered for maximum impact on the dancefloor. Side A features 'Bleach' and 'Condenser,' which are all about building and sustaining tension through bold, cyclical progressions. 'Condenser' was co-produced with Sabola and leans heavily on the Roland SH-05, which anchors the track with analogue grit. The mood shifts of the flip with vocal-driven cuts from Martyn Bootyspoon and Frankie Teardrop adding a hint of introspective flair to the club ready grooves. 'On' takes a confrontational edge, while 'Get It Done' rides a cooler groove.

Review: Rushing from the starting blocks as though life depended on it, Kahler opens the scoring with the perfectly balanced and fine-tuned 'Mosaic', a driving, percussive techno workout that's direct and peak time yet also minimal and patient, poised even. Grillac follows suit, keeping things ghostly with plenty of energy coming from the top ends, while using a vocal hook to add a little rave bounce. By now, it's probably clear R 0 01 is a strong collection of belters, and the remainder do nothing to quash that belief. Lorenzo Mancino and Exos arguably unleash the most fury - tracks that feel like stepping into a warehouse party in 1999 with a nose full of whizz and stomach full of pills - while BENKHLIFA keeps it more heads down and Berlin.

Review: One of the most respected dub techno labels around - trusted for 15 years of unwavering quality - once again delivers a stunning release true to their roots while hinting at new horizons. Side A's 'Track 1' channels that classic Basic Channel spirit: a taut, driving beat anchors heavy, saturated production. The dynamic melody weaves in and out, powered by rich, chord-heavy textures that pulse with energy and depth. It's a masterclass in restraint and impact, tailor-made for deep, locked-in dancefloor moments. On Side-B, 'Track 2' pushes slightly further into future territory. The groove dives deeper, with a forward-thinking, pulsating rhythm that still feels firmly rooted in dub techno tradition. The atmospheres are wide and immersive, while the beats remain clean and commanding, striking a balance between hypnotic subtlety and bold progression. A great example at the label's place at the top: consistent, innovative and always essential for serious techno heads.

Review: On his long-awaited debut, Osaka's Takuya Matsumoto draws a clear line between the tactile futurism of 90s IDM and the emotional depth of Detroit techno, finding beauty in grit and structure in chaos. There's a cinematic quality to the sequencing, from the shimmering opener 'Drifting On The Ocean' to the gnarled syncopations of 'Dril and Acid' and the broken funk of 'Fonseca'. But what makes this record truly sing is its refusal to sit still: 'Mini' dances with jazzy irreverence, while 'Triangles' feels like a dusted-off memory from a lost Rephlex archive. Matsumoto's palette is warm, spiky, and full of movementian album built not on pastiche but on devotion to groove and experimentation in equal measure. You hear shades of Underground Resistance's urgency, Mike Paradinas' off-grid detail, and Floating Points' melodic intricacy, but none of it feels borrowed. 'Traverse' and 'Mercy on the floor' close things with a spacious melancholy that lingers beyond the final fade. This is a conversation with dance music history, spoken fluently in rhythm and mood. A richly detailed, deeply personal statement from one of Japan's most quietly consistent producers.

Review: Neil E and Big City Bill's latest doubles as the second offering from Spincycle, yet another a split 7" single on 180g vinyl. The twins' journey began two decades ago high up in an unnamed mountain range, where they met, after which they descended onto the city in search of purpose. Thus spake Zarathustra: down below, they toiled away in dimly lit garages, decoding mysterious symbols cast on walls by home-gaffed fluorescent lights. At first, their work seemed like madness, but there comes a time in every madman's life when toil leads to breakthrough. Thus were sowed the two fine harvests you hear here: 'Dry Rub', with its tugging taut sound design, and 'The BBV', a mistier firmament of altitudinal unknowns. No need to map out the terrain first - just give in to your ears.

Review: Sometimes it really does seem like Perth-via-UK house mainstays Craigie Knowes, well... know! Emphatic of their own personal, cratebugging expertise, it would seem that their knack for tracking down and contracting brilliant yet not totally refined dance music talent stems from some unshakeable expert quality: perhaps some business-insider access to info about burgeoning underground artists we're not in on? Whatever the case, Berlin's Olsvanger is the next model musician to be called up, his former founding efforts of the likes of Tofistock and Powerpuff Tracks proving credential assets for the furthering of this aural arrester, 'The Core'. With two Kalahari Oyster Cult releases already under his belt so far, you know what you're in for: 'Goldman's Propeller' and 'Lava Luva' provide extra fishy aquamarine breaks and sexy sample-held step sequencings, perfect for lone raving over break-fast. Ptooey!

Review: Belgian-born, Vietnam-based innovator Peter Van Hoesen returns to the fore here with a daring four-track EP that dives deep into experimental techno. Known for his precision and intensity, Van Hoesen lives up to that as he crafts a cerebral yet visceral journey through chaotic structures and abstract rhythm. From the hypnotic disarray of 'Definition by Absence' to the stormy turbulence of 'Variables Edit 1,' each track embraces unpredictability without forgetting the floor. 'Prime Directive' disorients with anti-club energy, while 'Morphology' offers a slightly more grounded groove that gives form to his conceptual explorations. Fearless stuff as ever from big Pete.