Giegling is back with a killer deep dusty techno release by the Prince Of Denmark Tracks that slowly rise above the layers of swampy dubby sounds and brighten up like a beautiful autumn morning. Gentle seductive sounds coming in a variation of soft colours.
Shifted makes a welcome return to Our Circular Sound. The four tracks EP don’t deviate from the established Our Circular Sound template, at times channeling the same intensity and single minded “heads down” momentum that ran through much of Crossed Paths, Shifted’s debut LP for Mote Evolver. “Chapter” sets the grainy tone, locked grooving from the off yet slowly introducing extra rhythmic wallop and minute textural details that keep its head well above mere DJ tool. “Feeding” provides some brief yet ominous respite before launching straight into late 90s Downwards functionalism of “Aun Weor” and “Unveiled”.
First release in a brand-new series of heavily textured, hypnotic and puristic techno by one of Holland’s veteran’s in this area of expertise. This twelve marks the official launch of the second alter ego from Nijmegen’s Darko Esser. You might call Tripeo the nemesis of his other project Onionboy. Where Onionboy is as eclectic as he can get, Tripeo is all about niches and purism. All trips are inward journeys through explicit sounddesigns, textures and rhythms.
ETG005 the ‘Revok Ep’ sees two new upfront original tracks from Chris, Dax and Gareth with the addition of an outstanding extended remix of ‘Revok’ from the mighty ‘Ø [Phase]’. This EP was heavily influenced from Gareth’s first visit to Berlin earlier this year in 2012 and also by the artist ‘Revok’ who had been putting up some amazing pieces on East London walls around the same time.
“Inversions” is the second release by Plural on Separate Skills Recordings. The new release by Dayton’s mastermind James Johnson is a clear statement to follow up with four powerful dance-floor oriented tracks. Again made up of driven metallic chords, Dub and Detroit Techno elements in the vein of the last release.
Semantica celebrates release #50 with this double A-side by Surgeon and labelhead Svreca, teaming up with Skirt. Dark techno from the off.
Dare & Haste delivers a tough peak-time package on Pareto Park, a razor sharp techno transmission from Birmingham via Barcelona. This huge 11 track release of dark and detuned, fist-pumping techno is manifestly modern but nods to Birmingham’s techno history. The remixes represent the city’s current techno events, the release includes Atomic Jam’s Chris Finke, plus artists who co-founded AUM with Dare&Haste, as well as the Resonance crew which includes previous Pareto Park contributor Jake Conlon. This is uncompromising and unpretentious warehouse techno.
Originally released in 1996, ”Impolite to Refuse” immediately inspired the future members of ICAN. It had that Detroit Techno soul with latinized bass and percussion; even before Knights of The Jaguar, Claude Young’s masterpiece had won us over. Also included on this release are two new versions of ”Impolite to Refuse”. Esteban Adame and Santiago Salazar did their homework to recreate the strings, bass and then added their own inspired twists for the ICAN Remake. Esteban Adame slows it down to 118 bpm for a latin funk jam on his Deep Mix.
Fachwerk boss and dubby techno don Mike Dehnert steps away from his usual home for a new EP on Delsin entitled ‘Umgangston’. ‘Andruck’ swings back and forth on a squelchy synth hook as tin foil hi hats cut up long thin pads. Knocking bell sounds add plenty of silvery colours to the dubby bass below, and it’s one of the more serene and beautiful Dehnert cuts of recent times. ‘Tracer’ is much sterner, with huge Basic Channel dub waves breaking beneath scratchy synths and acid bleeps. Fizzing and fine grain like warm white noise, it’s for those more intense dancefloor moments. ‘Refillable’ finds Mike in full on rave mode with filters twisting and turning and skewing synths into weird patterns as hi hat ringlets race between sandy claps and a tortured vocal yelps out every so often. Rushy and racy, it’s underpinned with a walloping kick drum where closer ‘Umgangston’ is about knife-edge intensity, cantering kick drums and wild, freeform synth lines.
The concept behind Raw Series is just a drum machine and a synth – pure analogue DJ-tools. This is thier second release.
Previously only available as part of his subscription 12” series ‘Mixed Fortunes’, these two 12”s heralds the first original material from Rory Phillips, following a 7 year run of well received remixes for the indie and dance elite. Named to reflect the stylistic range of the series, Mixed Fortunes channels the same spirit of musical adventure heard in both Phillips’s remix work and in his genre-hopping DJ sets, with tracks both by Phillips alone in his well stocked analogue studio as well as some undertaken with a range of top secret collaborators.
Shock is a passionate dance and pop group from the Bay Area, CA. “Heaven” is Shock’s debut single, which features a hypnotic house groove, a primal bass line, and shimmering guitar layers. Terri Loewenthal’s mysterious and seductive vocals are complemented by novel production from Dan Judd and the alluring guitar work of Michael Taras. Sleek and inviting, “Heaven” is laced with a romantic melancholy reminiscent of the classic disco and house eras. The “Heaven” 12″ features remixes by Shock’s friends: The Beat Broker, Hatchback, and Steve Moore. These versions perfectly compliment the original and expand the music into complete universal harmony.
Disco Bloodbath Recordings’ third release drops with synth-beat duo G&S (Nadia Ksaiba and Matt Waites) turning in ‘The Green Man’ EP featuring a remix from Capracara. The unmistakable punch of a Roland TR808 drives ‘The Green Man’ while jabbing tones add to the gritty foundation that slowly opens up into a stirring, electro-disco cut characterised by soaring strings and light chords. Capracara delivers a buoyant, skipping house take on ‘The Green Man’ which stays true to the originals vibe but toys with the energy playfully via some nifty arranging and subtle atmospherics. Finally, ‘Dirk Bogarde’ cuts an imposing yet bright figure. Cascading white noise, juddering toms and delayed crescendos all add to an already brilliantly melodic track that shows off countless influences.
Free Magic and JKriv team up again for the third release from the Brooklyn party and label, Discovery Recordings. These tracks capture the developing mood of a party – from the early night grooves to peak-hour proper house.
Hot Island Records is a new label with Chicago influence. The first release is coming from Italian Nick Anthony Simoncino and is a compilation of 4 deep house cuts. The EP comes with a remix from Legowelt.
The third release on J.A.M. Traxx, a 5 track 12″ on the neo-Chicago tip, comes with contributions by the likes of Jack Curtu, Elec Pt. 1, Punknown, Perseus Traxx and Lost in the Sound.
Kenny Dope used to say that Disco is the mother of modern dancemusic and without it the whole House-music-thing wouldn’t have happened…our two youngsters from the LGDZ-Camp reunite those two worlds in a very modern way without being just another edittainer.
Paper Recordings continue their journey back to plastic with another vinyl release. Jamie L is a mysterious figure of undisclosed origin and history who fits in to the Moodyman / Theo Parrish mold of heavy future disco; which his new production ‘(What We Saw) In The Burg’ nails. It’s a heavy leftfield groove laid over broken house beats with a filtered bass, samples and leftfield vibe. The Detroit pad creeps up to the break and filters in and out as the track works it’s way through for locked down dance floor business. Next up, Havana Candy breaks out the analogue and takes things deeper and techier. With a rolling bass and tweaking acid line, it cuts to a Rhodes before filtering down and riding back to the heads down groove. Cottam steps up for Paper for the first time and demonstrates what all the fuss is about with a very special mix. Clocking in at 9.41 it’s deep, tough soulful house that crosses the 4/4 divide from techno to disco and deep house to soul.
Hamburg’s Smallville who now are about to release Christopher Rau’s second album “Two”. Well known for his minimalistic choice of ingredients Christoper Rau somehow frees himself of any straight format. Songs full of sweetness, a glimpse of soul here, a detroit electro influence there, broken beats, breaks that are no breaks, sexyness and funk and fun. The City of Christopher Rau’s music turns into a Universe. A world that believes in that particular moment when a minute turns into life. Where you will dive through the surface of beat, bass and sample – something underneath grows to the unreachable. As you reach that overwhelming feeling, the night could last forever. After the essentials of House Music have been invented some 25 years ago, Christopher Rau proves again how far we still can go searching for the perfectly wonderful track.
Dusty Baron aka Latecomer may be a recent arrival on the scene, but he plays like a true veteran. A mysterious export from the around same eastern latitudes as label boss Vakula, their music sounds just as rooted in the post Soviet Russian landscape as it is in the post industrial North America which gave rise to all the soul and machine funk that is the driving inspiration for so many of today’s roots conscious electronic artists. Vakula takes the controls on Side A with dubwise and exotic production skills whilst Side B showcases The Baron’s heavy heavy chops, with drum programming as deft as his keys work, and a sound which is equal parts earthly and heavenly. Sides C & D (on bonus 7”) see V step up to offer two takes on Follow Shot, continuing the theme of techno tinged jazz cosmism.
