New release by Brommage Dub on a fresh new label created by Jean-Louis Huhta. Brommage Dub is one of Sweden’s most creative exports. Consisting of two veteran producers, Jesper Dahlbäck and Jean-Louis Huhta, Brommage Dub journeys deep into uncharted dubbed out techno territory that is both powerful and meditative.
ESHU Records returns with a 4 track EP that shows the many sides of the techno spectrum ESHU Records admires. An excellent selection with tracks from Mattias Fridell, Tomas Rubeck, Myles Sergé and Imugem Orihasam. Smoking techno tracks with influences from Detroit techno, dubby Berlin sounds and more straight forward club bangers.
Bristol’s Elastic Dreams present its third release introducing Sheffield based DJ / producer, Nyra. “Uno 10” is raw basement techno, shuffling along at a frantic rate and devilish energy. The thunderously low kick drum should bounce around most rave dungeons like a cannonball and the repeating synth shards and sizzling percussion keep you locked right down. Skudge provided a remix for this. Finally Nyra gets back on the controls for “So So Such” which is minimalist k-techno. Stripped back and rattling, with tight wood blocks and a nuclear throb resonating from within. This is a really strong, totally head-turning track for the very late hours and sure to get lots of kids scratching the heads and stumbling up to the decks salivating at the chops.
October’s new EP for Skudge is one for the warehouse: both in nostalgic and progressive terms, October seem to have recorded the timelessness and his soul into the forth installment of Skudge Presents. ‘Push’ accelerates and keeps on going until it ends, where a lot of weight is put on keeping the groove. Sparse vocal repetition, used perfectly as a glue for the beat, brings a lot of promise and delivers—this is one for those hours where everything comes together. A more personal track sees the light on the B side, where ‘Empire of Man’ is even more of a journey. Where a lot of music seem to focus on function, this track combines both function and style into perfection.
Bill Youngman has become one of the most important parts of the Killekill family. This record displays his wide range of interests: from dark techno in Shadent he crosses over to drone monster alert in Wespe to his very own style of melodic electro in Centrumcircuit.
Fully Koded Chicagoians Traxx and Beau Wanzer team up for another Mutant Beat Dance release. Together they have produced arguably ‘the best 80s Chicago house record NOT made in the 80s. The Mutants call it Jakbeat, inspired by the early days of house music. ‘Let Me Go’ is as intense and rhythmically inclined as they come. Naughty Wood’s sparse vocals cry desperation, almost nearing insanity, which makes up for a pressure cooker like warehouse anthem. ‘Rottonfunk’ is another intense work out which has a killer groove and makes us wander off to the Promised Land (wherever that is).
Brian ‘Orgue Electronique’ Schijf and Danny ‘Legowelt’ Wolfers return with their project Chicago Shags on the ever-excellent MOS Recordings. The four track EP starts with ‘Ponderosa’; a forward looking, cosmic surfing house cut wired with plenty of smooth electronics and pure jacking energy, before ‘Pancake Breakfast’ glistens and glints just as much with its firefly synth lines, gurgling baseline and sweet, pixelated melodies. ‘Firetruck Sunday’ is more dense and edgy, never resting in one place for more than a single beat, with chattery drums and claps offset by a rounded, smoothed but acidy bassline. Finally, ‘To The Westfield’ surges and soars through more sci-fi universes as a house groove busies itself below.
MOS Deep presents Black Rain EP, the return to the label for R-A-G aka Aroy himself, G-String and Marco Spaventi. Opening with ‘Fog’ the deep vibe is set immediately. Crispy snares, a chugging groove and plenty of eerie sonics swirl around into something with a keen sense of foreboding. The titular track then gets all Chicago with its busy claps and nagging synth lines. The mood is a sombre one for those creepy back room sets and the analogue machinery used to make it gives a trademark warm and fuzzy feel to proceedings. The EP closes with a reprise of ‘Black Rain’. This beat-less rework deals in ambient synthscapes that drag you into their fold and never let you go.
Swiss producer Echo 106 sees an EP with 4 outstanding tracks on Chicago’s Mathematics Recordings. The title track calls upon the spirits of Chicago’s jack past & is followed by “Copy Ins Del”, a deep acid filled cut.
Smallville Buddies Jacques Bon and Christopher Rau are finally back as a team to present two jams of rough-but-sweet house music. Together as Bon & Rau, they travel along the blurry side of the moon.
Next on Sushitech is a solid double pack with 6 amazing tracks, modern effective club tunes by dutchman Makam.
New one from Omar S, featuring vocals from L’Renee. Three different mixes of a great tune- one naughty house track, one 80s influenced synth mix, and one mix that sounds like a sexy transmission from outer space.
Boo Williams is back on Rush Hour. This release features two heartfelt tracks that reach out and touch the soul. Always a producer that took his tracks a step further with his musicality, Boo knows how to keep his tracks exciting and in doing so he fades the border between house and techno music.
For Uzuri 018 Jitterbug brings the Arcane Theory EP. The track sequencing on this record is pretty aggressive – front-loaded with the confrontational Rise of the Machines; a track that really lives up to its title, sounding like the production line at Cyberdyne Systems… all stomp and evil synths, like a bad mood E-Dancer. Fallout couldn’t be further from that – relaxed and making no attempt at all to get in your face. Just a nice, deep groove and a lovely, phased beat. The whole of the flip is devoted to Nomads, a chiming, acidic wander; nearly eleven minutes in length. The kick’s never at the fore on this one – most of the action occurs at the mid and high frequencies – a resonant 303, lots of hi hats and, later, synths which expand on the Eastern-flavour of the track title.
Acid Test’s first double pack is a mini album of deep melancholic acid tracks from the Berlin producer Recondite. Includes a remix from Tin Man as well as a remix from Scuba.
Other Heights return to its split format to present spacy techno works from Huerco S. and Lenta. Even more so with its White Label series, there’s no agenda with Other Heights than to deliver fine, ethereal electronic music. To assiduously navigate the infinite pool of net-published material, stumbling upon delicious exotic gems—regardless of categorical boxes like genre or scene—to press in micro-runs and drop capriciously into the hands of like-minded aural adventurers. What is it that you seek, sonic traveller? To be led into those eyes-closed moments, to bask in sheets of dopamine-inducing chords? To become lost in the pulse, hypnotised by intoxicating rhythms and tiers of gently undulating timbres? For the time being, your search is over.
Mojuba core member Nick Solé is ready to unleash his unique deep house power on the album format. His debut LP entitled ‘Flowers For You’ will be ready within the next few months to hit the streets in early summer. This release can be seen as a preamble to his debut and shows Nick going some new ways in his sound universe, the first track was done as an experiment for a friend and created entirely with samples of paper as it used by architects and engineers, the second track a carefully constructed downtempo jam which shows us Nick’s love for special sound aesthetics.
Sirko Mueller is back on Mojuba sublabel wandering for some new adventures. He delivers four new tracks from his vault, showcasing his love for deep techno on the A-Side and heavy reggae – dub influenced jams on the B-Side.
Elitechnique is back with Intrusion, a 8 track ep. The pair (Remco de Jong aka Phako and Florentijn Boddendijk) find an ongoing source of inspiration in disco and electronic obscurities as we’ve learned from their previous releases (which have been played and charted by all the big names in modern disco), but combine this with their fascination for the great 60’s and 70’s soundtracks! The result is a timeless imaginary sound track that adds sex and intrigue to their music and unleashed from the chains of dancefloor productions. On this Intrusion album they take freedom to play around with atmosphere intensity and tension without only focussing about a dancefloor. Both being skilled producers and musicians the result is an album extraordinaire with all instruments and music played, recorded and arranged by themselfs over a period of more then a year!
PPU’s first long-play LP highlights some of the early beginnings of one of our favorite producers, UKU KUUT. Written and recorded at UKU’s home studio in Los Angeles and Stockholm between 1982 & 1989. Some tracks co-written with Maryn E. Coote, famous jazz vocalist who had her beginnings in 1960s Soviet Union. ”That’s my MOM” recalls UKU, ”I remember when I was little, sitting under the mixing board at her sessions”. Growing up in studios, UKU’s love of music production began early, and over the years he has amassed a vast collection of domestic and soviet electronic gear. In true PPU style this LP is a mix of UKU KUUT’s raw cassette demos, forgotten masters and unreleased magic.
