Deep & darker workouts by the artist that brought us the MMT tapes series.
001.Features
Omar-S – Romancing The Stone [AOS1975]
Alex Omar Smith drops another bomb via his always-solid FXHE label. True Detroit Techno, blazing House jams and prickly acid cuts, as always in the inimitable Omar S mould.
Route 8 – Dry Thoughts EP [LT004]
Budapest producer Route 8 follows up his exceptional debut EP for Nous with an excursion into the depths of his private production world on ‘Dry Thoughts EP’. Hazy summer pads drift over tight, rhythmic drum patterns and crystal synth lines with skittering rhythms and jacking interludes providing a further study into his analogue, machine-led style.
Oscar Schubaq – Triade [TARDIS003]
Tardis strikes back, straight out of their intricate space-time-continuum. Here, label co-honcho Oscar Schubaq delivers a tour de force of the first order. Schubaq betrays his respectful mastery of the classic tropes of house and techno. The main cut “Take It” is direct and to the point, pushing onward and onward with a graceful relentlessness. Ethereal dub textures and curious string harmonies mingle with vocal harmonics. Then there’s “Exposition” which does exactly as it should: Straightforward, contemporary house that honours it’s roots.Finishing the EP with “Triade”, a dark ambient journey based on the core of extreme timestreched vocal drones and organic scapes, Tardis once again shows that it´s not only about music for the dancefloor.
Tripeo – Antipintiros [TRILP001]
Since adopting the Tripeo alias back in late 2012, Dutch techno producer Darko Esser has been in inspired form with the project showcasing his more direct approach to the medium across a succession of 12″ releases. First announced earlier this year, this debut Tripeo album Anipintiros allows Esser the chance to explore the project in more extensive fashion, and listening to the album demonstrates the Dutchman clearly enjoyed the process. Consisting of eight tracks of purist techno executed with both software and hardware, Anipintiros bristles with dancefloor intent at times sounding alien (“Anipintiros #3” & “Anipintiros #5”), others stripped back and hypnotic (“Anipintiros #4”). It’s hard to pick out highlights, but the busted, bleep laden “Anipintiros #6” and the subsequent acid bathtub that is “#7” have been causing the Juno office turntable some damage.
Coefficient – Blood Red EP [MRECLTD020]
The world of M_Rec refocuses on unassuming and dedicated dancefloor tracks with this release on the original Ltd. imprint by british producer and sound engineer Coefficient. Steering away from the saturated world of big and harsh techno, Coefficient concentrates on the craft of reviving and re-exploring archetypical mind-altering techno, rooted halfway between the American midwest and the heyday of british rave culture…..
Sawlin – Niedertracht [ANN019]
It’s now almost two years since German producer Sawlin made his debut on Ann Aimee, but now he is back for a third EP on the Delsin sister label. Entitled ‘Niedertracht’, it features four more tracks of searing techno in truly uncompromising Sawlin style. ‘Kontraktion’ goes first with heavy metallic hits, lots of industrial machinery found sounds and thumping kick drums. It’s lumpy, mechanical and stiff stuff that is slow and purposeful. The surface of ‘Padjam’ is then covered in squirming, scratchy little effects as syncopated drums swing deep down below. Eventually the thing gets fleshed out with some malfunctioning melodies and slurred vocal stabs yet still it sounds like no other techno out there. ‘Niedertracht’ takes up the b1 with a spangled techno track that has gurgling synths and fizzing drills all encased in a ravey arrangement of horns and windy howls. The broken sounding ‘Weisshaupt’ is made up of metal loops, punctured drums and rasping synths that sound like factories in melt down. This is truly inventive electronic music that’s laced with a very real and unmistakable sense of industrialism, and proves Sawlin is one of the day’s most exciting producers.
VA – Selected Edits 4 [SELECTEDEDITS004]
More driving Techno cuts from the Selected Edits project. The A-side sees Italian Techno mainstay Giorgio Gigli team up with Edit Select, while the flip side offers two massive remixes of ”Asperity” from the very first Edit Select release: First, a stone cold killer from Cassegrain, then Edit Select himself joins forces with Markus Suckut to revisit the track.
John Barera & Will Martin – Milestones [DOLLY018]
John Barera & Will Martin delivering some straight up & effective no-nonsense house music on Dolly 18. Three powerful and euphoric contemporary club tracks with both that classic club feel and that esoteric Detroit touch, effectively combining the best of both worlds. Third Side on the other hand (the hardware techno formation consisting of Dolly labelboss Steffi & The Analogue Cops) is taking things into slightly deeper and darker techno territories with their driving and hypnotic remix of ‘Milestones’… Great allround dj package that will stay in many bags for a long time.
Roswell Return – This Time Around [SD033]
This Time Around is the long awaited follow-up to the succesful Probe album by Roswell Return. The original is a mesmerizing piece of minimal electronic music, heavily inspired by composer Steve Reich. More than 10 minutes of pure synth bliss. On the b-side Syncom Data take it into deep techno territory with a shuffling and ridiculously low-end remix that’s both warm and unsettling at the same time. Deep basslines keep pushing everything forward, while the constantly rising church-like organ brings a nervous mayhem quality to it.
Aril Brikha & Deep’a & Biri – Hope [BC002]
Tel Avivs Deep’a & Biri and Iran-born producer Aril Brikha unite on a forthcoming 12” on Deeps & Biris Black Crow label, from which proceeds will be donated to a Israel/Palestine peace projects organization.
Esteban Adame – Home Sick EP [EPM006V]
The opening track, ‘Home Sick’ is taken from Esteban’s forthcoming album, while ‘Search For Resolution’ is exclusive to the EP. And with their deep techno grooves, heavy basslines and melodious synth work. Detroit’s MGUN remixes the title track.
Frak – Saturate You [MID002]
Second release on Midlight, by the notorious FRAK, is in sight. One mighty tune on each side, both nearly 10 minutes. This mysterious group from Sweden has a history rooted in the late 80’s releasing cassettes, later many tripped out releases and lauded livesets. This fresh 12” gives proof, once more, of their intriguingly stripped sound. First limited pressing comes with a limited inlay.
Ed Shepherd – Shady Trip [LH010]
Ed Shepherd delivers again a manifold release with a proper Acid Live Jam on the a side and a classic Housetrack with disco elements on the flip.
Matrixxman – 808 State Of Mind [DELFT001]
After the introductory acid dose of DELFT 00X, label founder LA-4A’s Levelled EP, Delft introduces the second of its repertory players, Matrixxman. DELFT 001 delivers more tough dancefloor-focused machine music, crafted by the San Francisco producer who already made a splash in 2013 with the killer techno cut ‘Protocol’.
Fabio Frizzi – Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi [SEM85003]
It’s a scarce limited edition of the Italian soundtrack ”Paura Nella Citt Dei Morti Viventi” produced by Fabio Frizzi in 1980. The high quality vinyl record features sought after unreleased tracks which are missing on the earlier pressing on Beat Records and includes a beautiful poster.
Architectural – Secret Chapter [ARCH006]
Architectural returns with a very special album: Atmospheric, darkness, emotional, deep and organic. A musical piece with a soundtrack essence that transport to the darker and disturbing forests. The CD edition has a second CD with a previous tracks compilation released on Architectural recs.
Fluxion – Broadwalk Tales EP [ECHOCORD059]
2 tracks from the CD Album which are not on the vinyl album. K. Soublis (aka Fluxion) met Jamaican vocalist Teddy Selassie in NY. After a brief discussion they started exchanging music and lyrics and by the end of 2013, the ‘Broadwalk Tales’ album came to life. This ep contains 2 tracks, one instrumental and one with the amazing vocal by Teddy Selassie.
Marco Shuttle – Sing Like A Bird [T2X023]
Time To Express presents its first release of 2014 with a stunning appearance by London-based Italian Marco Shuttle. Sing Like A Bird is a gorgeous, hypnotic techno anthem. Stretched out over almost 12 minutes, the track’s lean groove teams up with a stunning vocal line. The listener is taken by the hand, slowly directed towards a high-flying crescendo. Peter Van Hoesen’s remix takes the existing framework of the original and adds a dose of psychedelica to it. His interpretation emphasizes the trancy, hypnotic aspect of Marco’s track. Several synth lines take turns twisting and shifting in and out of the mix, leading up towards a great buildup.
Robert Hood – Mark Broom Edits [MPM019]
This year Robert Hood celebrates the 20th anniversary of his M-Plant label with a sequence of EPs featuring classic M-Plant releases and rarities remixed and re-edited, a compilation bringing Hood’s huge body of work together and a series of special events. Kicking off the EP releases, UK techno stalwart Mark Broom delivers these exceptional edits of ‘Untitled 1’ from Hood’s series ‘Moveable Parts’ and ‘One Touch’ from the ‘Minimal Nation’ album.
