Eduardo makes his return to Nonplus with the Sensitive Compartmented Information EP. Eduardo is one of techno’s most dedicated underground legends and continues on a path unaffected by fads or fashions. Following on from his Sequoia Symposium in April last year again we have a 4 tracker exploring the deep realms of techno.
Ital & Aurora Halal return to Lovers Rock with ‘Tower B,’ an EP of enigmatic techno explorations. ‘Shenzhen River’ opens: an ominous, questing acid line stretches its tendrils around nocturnal atmospheres. ‘From the Brink’ counters with glints of warm melody. On side B, the title track unfurls with slithering percussion and a menacing drone. Ambient closer ‘Where Exactly I Am’ picks up the pieces, lost voices traveling across the stereo field, searching for answers through an endless pale haze.
With Arc Angel, Planetary Assault Systems departs to new musical frontiers by focussing on melody, but staying rooted in the purist values of techno that Slater shaped over his decades- and generations-spanning career. Techno album of the highest order.
Birth Of Frequency is back on Pole Group. Two original tracks of scientific and complex techno, plus two remixes by Oscar Mulero and Zadig. “The Spelling” is a multi-layered sequenced anthem made of countless synth sounds, a punchy kick and an hypnotic arrangement, for those heady moments on the dance floor. Paris techno founder Zadig remakes “The Spelling”. He adds hypnotising, devastating drum machines and makes the synth line grow and disappear wisely. “Gate” returns to medium tempos, fattens the sound and goes for a deeper discourse. A construction tool for clubby action. Oscar Mulero remakes “Gate” by twisting it completely, adding random step sequences and harmonies, giving the kick a secondary role, and focusing on the essence of the groove.
Donato Dozzy and Neel’s Spazio Disponibile keeps up the pressure here with a fine fourth EP of 2016, this time from Mike Parker. The label – which also has a party of the same name in Rome attached to it – deals in heady techno, so the Geophone label owner and New York artist Parker is a perfect fit with his always deep offerings.
Strong limited, blue colored and handnumbered run. A&S aka Dimi Angelis and Jeroen Search are back on their own imprint. High quality organic spaced out techno at its best.
Hyperbolic Paths is simultaneously deep and bleepy, accented by hi-hats in syncopation. The tom-heavy Suborbital Trajectories carries a serious groove, layered with lively melodic elements and an occasional unexpected statement cymbal crash. A haunting and hypnotic number, Inclination swells and increases in intensity, rolling on after its breakdown with a playful kick-clap interaction. Eccentricity is a spacious, dubby closing track with reverb-soaked ornamental splashes.
‘Temporary Insanity Remixes’ is a 12” featuring the redefinitions of the two original productions of Detroit veteran Terrence Dixon, turned upside down by three of the most groundbreaking electronic music artists as Voiski, Pangaea and Cosmin TRG, appearing alongside label head Simone Gatto. OUT022 operates as a modern take of old school sounds, an hybrid union of all melodic techno sub forms – these remixes keep the mental locked groove material of Dixon’s tracks, adding emotionally irradiating patterns and each producer’s typical paths.
Rawax is proud to present Ron Maney aka DJ Skull on his own Chiwax series called The DJ Skull Saga. This platform will present Ron’s classic releases from the past and his present works. The series is starting with the 1993 classic “Stomping Grounds” which came originally out on the dutch Djax Up label.
Berlin-based producer Lapien serves up an atmospheric three tracker on Rekids. Also known as Metropolis or one half of Artefakt, Nick Lapien’s last three releases have landed on Finale Sessions, Fred P’s Soul People Music and DVS1’s Mistress Recordings. Releasing on Rekids, the multifaceted Dutch artist’s next outing features three mesmerising cuts with the dusky ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ initiating the package using infectious hats, subtle sub-bass and an indistinguishable vocal that ebbs subtly in and out of the mix. ‘As It Is’ is the most robust number on the package with its undulating percussion and moody chords taking centre stage, until ‘Vexed’ concludes everything with gloomy pads, shuffling hats and echoing effects.
Australian label Nightime Drama serves up its second standout release of 2016. This four track affair is a second release on the label by Aussie live act, DJ and producer Trinity, with Steven Tang and Italian based Andee on the remix.
The second Vortex Traks compilation features driving and spacy electro cuts from Kan3da and Morphology on the A-side. On the flip Mr Velcro Fastener make it more funky while The Guide Girls round off the EP nicely with their dreamy and melodic track.
BT14 brings back Pip Williams & Koova along with Simon Lynch as London Modular Alliance for Out of Sync. Across 5 tracks they bring together a wide range of influences from electro, bass & techno to create their own unique sound. Opening the EP De-Orbit_118 is a beatless excursion into space before crashing back down to earth with the deranged The Mind is a Terrible Thing. Closing the A side, Tinker matches sombre pads with squelchy intricacies. On the flip Their Discontent grooves and trips out while closing track Out of Sync offers an even deeper variation of opener De-Orbit_118.
…and then the Log Lady said: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet there are those who open many eyes. Eyes are the mirror of the soul, someone has said. So we look closely at the eyes to see the nature of the soul. Sometimes when we see the eyes — those horrible times when we see the eyes, eyes that … that have no soul — then we know a darkness, then we wonder: where is the beauty? There is none if the eyes are soulless.”
First OYE Black Label Edition comes with two outstanding electro tracks by Alex Seidel. More known more his dusty Max Graef Band deep house jams but makes the crossover into electro on the S.G 12″. On the first side is SG (mix A) a serving of dirty and lowdown electro funk where snappy vintage machine breaks are balanced out by some dreamy Rhodes keys: remnants of Seidel’s more typical work. On the flip, SG (mix B) injects more ferocity and tempo in the track; the breaks on this one get more glitchy and aggressive.
Norwell’s Death Of A Star E.P, released earlier this summer, mixed his usual kosmiche-inspired sounds with the distorted grittiness of ’80s industrial music. It was impressive, and now Pinkman has decided to offer up two remixes apiece of EP highlights “Nordic Nights” and “Death of A Star”. The former track is given the acid-flecked, 8-bit techno treatment by Antenna, before S Olbricht turns it into an unsettling, Motor City-influenced roller. Delta Funkitonen channels the spirit of EBM pioneers Nitzer Ebb on his throbbing interpretation of “Death Of A Star” – all psychedelic synthesizer arpeggios and restless kick drums – before DJ Overdose steals the show with an inspired electro remake of the same track.
A one of a kind track with a totally unique groove and a bass line not coming from this world. The DX sound that makes the track so powerful sounds like some kind of mutant machine that is going wild and the sublime combination with the Robert Owens vocals makes this a highlight in the history of house music.
Brooks Mosher, one of Dolly’s solid regulars, delivers another excellent high quality Detroit injected house EP.
The Hipodrome Of Music 