Subspec presents Terrence Dixon’s latest EP ‘Untitled 1,2,5′ featuring three all new tracks in the inimitable style you’d expect from Detroit’s Master of Repetition, which call back to his Utensil releases and Minimalism series. All three tracks delve deep into minimal spaces that he has developed since his early 90′s beginnings. Progression through repetition and close attention to nuance and detail underpin Untitled 1,2,5.
Small repress from these two tracks, his underground anthem ‘Energize’ from 2005, as included on Carl Craig’s Fabric mix cd. Other side brings ‘Gemini’ from his debut EP from 2004.
Siberian producer Unbroken Dub makes his debut on Delsin Records. The three track Checkpoint EP kicks off with ‘I Want To Make This Louder’, a widescreen, gently undulating soundscape with scraping percussion and thick, smeared synths. Cutting through the dense dub fug are sharp edged percussive ticks, driving the track forwards gently as more and more analogue textures unfold and unfurl. ‘Det Special’ is less smooth and more choppy, rising up and down as abrasive white noise swirls add caustic surfaces to the hopping wood block hits and buried deep in the mix bassline. Again, it’s seriously analogue and as cerebral as it is physical. Closer ‘Insane’ is a much brighter cut, instead of sounding introverted and melancholic it offers some hope thanks to the buoyant hi hat ringlets, up right kick drums and glassy, tinkling echo of percussion. Contrasting heavy bass with light percussion as he does, this young producer continues to find new life in the ancient form of dub.
“Square” is the follow up to Redshape’s album debut “The Dance Paradox” (Delsin, 2009) – that is if you don’t want to count the double impact 12-inch “Red Pack” as a long player. And indeed, it is a long player in the truest sense of the term. Pamphlets, theories and opinions about the dubious role of “the album” in techno are dime a dozen, i.e. squaring the circle, but the man with the mask makes an effort to prove all of them wrong. “Square” doesn’t care for styles, genres or expectations, it can hold its own. Spread across twelve tracks you are as likely to meet vintage Redshape on tracks like “It’s In The Rain” or “The Playground (Square Version)” as you will encounter new facets of him with the Hyperdub affiliated Space Ape featuring “Until We Burn” and “Moods And Mice” or with a cluster of ambience pieces (“Orange Clouds”, “Landing”, Departing”). Working its way through all these states and moments on and off the dance floor, through melancholy and industrial romanticism alike, “Square” leaves you with the feeling of having experienced an electronic music album with identity that trusts in itself and wants you to trust in it. No matter if your perspective comes from a classic album like Kenny Larkin’s “Metaphor” (R&S, 1995) or is informed by the recent retro futuristic developments in the United Kingdom, if techno means more than a desperately compressed kick drum to you, Redshape with all his idiosyncrasy finds his way into your heart.
Rotary Cocktail Records presents the remixes of Marko Fürstenberg´s album ‘Gesamtlaufzeit’, with reworks of Reference, Rhauder, Pattern Repeat and Rita Hess.
The 7th release on Skylax Records’ sub label Wax Classics with 4 fantastic trax done by Adryiano. He’s a “music lover and vinyl enthusiast” from Cologne Germany rooted somewhere in between the 90s house sub-genres. Pretty much into vintage gear when it comes to productions using 90s hardware like the MPC 2000xl. This Ep is clearly made for the ‘new jerseyish’ deep house heads. Old scool vibe with some serious banging kicks and an incredible groove.
A Fistful Of Wax is an extension for some very special projects of deep house Skylax Records’ sub – label Wax Classic. For this first release features 5 fantastic trax done by some of the best Deep House producers at the moment: Girogio Luceri, Jamie Trench, Jackmaster K, Marcoradi and Rio Padice. These tracks are all firmly rooted into the deep house sound. They never settle into one comfortable, predictable groove. Its heady, emotion-rich grooves include warm, melodic two-step and future garage flavas, dubwise slo-mo grooves. It’s eclectic, no doubt, but thanks to those guys warm production and heavy deep vocals, this release will put your hands up in the air marvellously.
‘Word of Mouth’ is the debut album from the tireless Leftroom Records boss and producer/DJ, Matt Tolfrey. Featuring a rich selection of talent, from the relatively new such as James Teej, Jem Cooke and Kevin Knapp, to legends like Marshall Jefferson and Ya Kid K, ‘Word Of Mouth’ is a return to the feel of classic house albums of old where collaborations with vocalists, engineers and mix engineers were worn as a badge of honour. Matt Tolfrey is a fixture of modern house music that can feel a definite sense of pride over his achievements. Tolfrey’s touch in the studio is undoubted but with ‘Word of Mouth’ we’re treated to a unique insight into his influences, working methods and what makes him tick.
Memoria Recordings presents a new 12 inch by young Romanian talent Egal 3, with remixes from Hector and the Norway underground talent Terje Bakke.
Berghain resident Norman Nodge presents the sixth installment in the club’s mix series. Since 2005 Norman has played the Berghain floor once a month and has become an integral part of the Berghain crew. He knows how to create a journey and so it’s not surprising that his Mix for Ostgut Ton is also built from many different elements. Classic Tracks like Jeff Mills? “Keeping Of The Kept” feature alongside the work of younger producers like Patrick Gräser. His “From Foreign Territories” is one of three exclusive unreleased tracks on this mix. Nodge also remembers that established artists like Keith Tenniswood as Radioactive Man are still producing powerful music today and includes a few recent tracks from such well established names. Showing that his palette of taste goes far beyond what you might expect to be the typical Berghain sound, much lighter tracks like Legowelt’s remix of the incredible “Rainy Day Juno Jam” by Xosar are also included. With probably the most varied tracklisting for a Berghain Mix CD yet, Norman Nodge is convincing us with his courage to try new combinations.
Phase strikes back after ‘Binary Opposition’ and does it with ease. Two tracks, two different sides of the spectrum. One takes you to the sun, the other one to the dark side of the moon. Astral travelling at it’s best.
Black Tekno emerges from the undercurrent of Chicago with it’s first release, an acid infused, floor jacking four track EP from Noleian Reusse entitled “Second Language”. The songs here are aimed at the dancer, ranging from emotional sci fi to straight up party jams. All tracks were recorded live – hands on the keys, knobs and faders of Noleian’s analog hardware setup.
New release on Ferrispark Records, featuring four mystery tracks, reminiscent of the early Detroit house & techno.
One third of the Phantom Planet Outlaws, Mark Forshaw returns with a rich and diverse solo EP on Tabernacle Records.
Fantastic new release by Sascha Rydell on Fachwerk, bringing melodic & dreamy but at the same time strong forward techno tracks, accompagnied with some ambient/drone interludes.
A strong first release from Sly Fox Records, a new label based just outside of Detroit in Ann Arbor Michigan. Dubbed out techno vibes well done by Appian & Segv.
Dimi Angelis & Jeroen Search make their first appearance on Par Grindvik’s Stockholm LTD label with their ‘Rhetorica EP’. This EP is a lesson in deep, patient and hypnotic sounds. ‘Divisio’ utilizes dubbed out delays as they work the percussion into gentle builds and breaks in a subtle but effective manner. ‘Partitio’ steps towards the darker tones the duo are known for with a relentless rhythm underpinning celestial Sci-Fi bleeps and bells. Both originals carry warm analogue sounds and were recorded in one take giving them a continuously evolving, organic feel. The EP is roaded by a Jonas Kopp remix.
The Dimension EP can be seen as a veritable coup from the Sect label, as iconic Dutch techno artist Jeroen Search makes his label debut with some typically wall rattling techno functionalism. Search’s tireless energy for one take productions has seen him at his most productive this year and as always his tracks still retain a finely sculpted feel regardless of his preferred approach. Swiftly spiralling undercurrents of analogue acid merge in synchronicity with the tightly wound drums to provide one relentlessly driven groove on “Paralell Lives” with intermittent ascendant hat rolls and subaqueous keys worthy of the Something In The Sky series only serving to further hypnotise your senses. Complementing this, “Section A” is gruff concrete techno at its finest and “Inverse” demonstrates Search’s ease for producing well crafted minimalism.
Terrence Dixon is the man behind sporadic production alias Population One, serving up dark and heavy, intense and ravey records. Delsin’s re-issue arm has sought to get some of the old tracks out there once again on this double a side 10″ outing with ‘Midnight Hours’ and ‘Two Sides To Every Story’. ‘Midnight Hours’ bangs hard and fast with an unhinged melody line squirming about like an untethered hose. Every surface is frayed and rusted, frosty and splintered making this some of the most primeval warehouse techno you will likely have heard for a while. ‘Two Sides To Every Story’ is just as tough and unruly, with myriad synthesized sounds rushing about in side a framework of incessant hi hats and solid kicks like a bee trapped in a bottle. A controlled frenzy, you might say, but certainly the sort of abrasive and arresting techno that works perfectly in the darkest of basements.
