Excellent contemporary techno featuring an Abdulla Rashim remix.
deep techno
OCH – First Contact [DREIKLANG001]
Newly established Berlin-based vinyl-only label Dreiklang dive straight into the physical world with First Contact. The label’s distinctive triangular concept is reflected in its name with Dreiklang pursuing a three-fold approach to electronic music. Each release presents three contrasting takes on the same source material, juxtaposing and unifying three particular electronic music sub-currents. For their first outing, Dreiklang call upon an international team of producers with OCH, Hydergine and Kelovolt dropping in for their respective shots of tech-house, dub techno, and dark drone techno.
D5 – Sides Of Space [112DSR]
Delsin present Sides Of Space, a collection of classic, lost and forgotten tracks from atmospheric techno producer D5. The tracks on this new compilation have been chosen from old CDRs by label boss Marsel and truly reflect the artist formerly known as Dimensions 5’s fine tradition of relaxing chilled out, Detroit influenced techno. This is a compelling compilation that is wholly timeless from start to finish. Though driven by a fine sense of groove, it is also great head music that is richly musical and truly serene. In all, this releases reminds us that D5 is a underrated producer of emotive electronic landscapes.
Marco Shuttle – Sing Like A Bird (Reprise) [EE009]
Marco Shuttle returns to his Eerie label for his first full release since 2014’s debut album, ‘Visione’, with a new two track single that sees Shuttle return to more dancefloor driven territory. ‘Sing Like a Bird (Reprise)’ is a fresh version of the track originally released last year on Peter Van Hoesen’s Time To Express label, to which Shuttle fans will have become familiar with in recent sets. It maintains the original’s hazy reverbed flavour, but in the form of a more groove-oriented and psychedelic edit that sidelines much of the original’s vocal track in favour of a snake enchanter-like synewave melody, for a less lyrical but equally musical new take. The B-side ‘Back Here’ is an older track that Shuttle has been holding back for a while, waiting for the right moment to reveal this atmospheric, melancholic and melodic track, in which intricately delayed layers of piano keys progressively unfold through a rich percussive background made of 808 rims, deep bass kicks, heavy toms and jazzy hats and rides.
BNJMN – Amygdala [DSR/E007]
BNJMN returns to his regular label home of Delsin with a brand new mini-album of experimental cuts that continue his journey into ever more decayed, lo-fi and gritty sound sculpture. This new release features six tracks and kicks off with ‘Microgravity,’ a shadowy exercise in suspensory dub that ripples and groans, growing in menace over its static laced three minutes. Next, ‘Womb’ is a vast chamber of glory synths and rippling pads that sounds like it comes from the after life, ‘P-Tr’ is a high tension, nerve jangling brew of glassy electronics with heavy kicks buried deep below and ‘1987’, a fuzzy, darkened brew of spacious kicks, whirring machines and bubbly tape sounds that are seriously foreboding. ‘Oder’ is a more emotional work where multiple synth lines echo about and emit cautious rays of light, then finally ‘Amygdala’ is based around a frazzled, oversized and spraying bassline that is backed by radiant pads and a dystopian house groove and it rounds out another expertly outlier collection full of strange yet compelling tracks and textures.
VA – Warehouse Sessions Volume 2 [DL006]
DeepLabs is a Detroit based record label run by Luke Hess. The focus for the label is to release Detroit influenced techno for the dancefloor and to build a strong community of likeminded artists.
Cyspe – Amnesia [INSULA001]
Insula, a brand new Amsterdam based label dedicated to new talents that bring an emotional narrative and personal identity to the techno scene. Their first record forms the initium of Cyspe’s solo project, with a sound rooted in architecture, geometry and cybernetics. Cyspe is also known as Robin Koek, one half of the Artefakt duo who recently released music on Field and Delsin Records.
Silent Harbour – Hinterland [DSCLP001]
Once again the dutchman from the north Boris Bunnik (who actually resides in Rotterdam now, but that aside) is showcasing his magic fingers, this time on Shipwrec’s deep techno offshoot Deep Sound Channel. ‘Hinterland’ is a topnotch ice-cold but heartwarming submarine electro/techno album with distant hints of IDM, in other words the perfect soundtrack for the long midwinter nights to come.
Șerb – Transient Recs 1 [L2M003]
Șerb steps up and delivers four heady, scrunched up house excursions. Moody pads and electrified fx stretch and bang over squelching drums and a booming low end. An eclectic EP spanning thick and thin, crunching club music.
Levon Vincent & Marcel Dettman – NS 10 T Rex Edition [NS010]
New Novel Sound. “Fear” has been an in-demand since it was featured on his Fabric mix back in 2012, and remains one of Vincent’s most striking compositions – a spacey, melancholic mixture of classic Detroit influences, unfussy deep house beats and new wave-era synth and bass touches. The flip boasts a more recent collaboration between Vincent and Marcel Dettmann, which is equally as tasty. “Vengeance” is synthesizer-heavy and intergalactic in design, with EBM style motifs and tumbling, atmospheric melodies riding a similarly no-nonsense groove.
Subversive – Domestique [VRV005]
Subversive delivers a follow-up to last season’s VRV release, ‘Chainbreaker’, this time with two measured explorations of atmosphere and movement. The title track, ‘Domestique’ builds its drama around delayed stabs, crafting a wash delayed environment that keeps a strong pace. ‘Corosync’ emerges from a similar approach but intensifies the drum programming and strips away melodic layers. VRV label bosses, Raíz, rework ‘Corosync’ with emphasis on thicker beat construction and synthesized psychedelia.
Sounds & Sequences – Motion Rotation [SS002]
The second release on Sounds & Sequences, featuring two excellent deep, dark and dubby tracks.
Moodcut – Heart Beat Takeaway [MORK006]
Dust-soaked and fizzing with effervescent residue, these five tracks swerve and dive between subtle synth texturisations and deep-sleeping sullen house. The boundaries between ambient and house often merging in the depths of the warm, throbbing, analogue fuzz.
Benjamin Damage – Obsidian [50WEAPONCD018]
‘Obsidian’ marks the third album from Benjamin Damage (his second solo long-player). “Obsidian is a collection of fragmented memories from all the music I’ve ever liked, distorted and restructured into a full length techno record. A purely personal project and an end of an era with 50WEAPONS.”
Eduardo De La Calle – Nanoscopic Scales [HVN031]
The bold Eduardo de La Calle of Analog Solutions infamy drops his second 12″ for Hivern, following up from his take on U’R’s “Transition” for the 2014 HVN release. Here Eduardo gives us some us his finest examples of the lush Techno soundscapes he’s become known for.
Dona – In My Bed EP [POINTS005]
The fifth release on Points Records with three originals by Dona and an Eduardo de la Calle remix.
Natan H – Lignes EP [FS029]
Finale Sessions presents this release by Natan H hailing from the “City Of Angels”. The track “Lignes” with its melodic pads and its wavering synths make for a late night beauty. Track 2, “O (Phase)” is another late night stomper with moving chords and melodic drum patterns that keep it a smooth sounding piece. The dub techno song “Invariant” (Feat.Jordan) is floor filler for sure with its heavy laden pads and synths and its monstrous sounds.
Kuba Sojka – Multiple Faces [DMK003]
Kuba Sojka returns to the London based DMK label to deliver an impressive album of deep, techno inspired grooves.
Sandhu – Undefined Revolution Vol. 1 [SDH001]
This is the inaugural release from the Berlin based Sandhu. The ‘Undefined Revolution’ vinyl series will solely feature compositions created with hardware, recorded live and unedited. Volume 1 comprises the first four of these very organically produced tracks. Ranging from experimental electronica through to a tougher Techno palette, the EP’s A-side starts with the fluid ‘Girtab’ with its laid-back break and sci-fi edge, before ‘Lesath’ heads into deeper realms with ominous sounding synthwork and an infectious groove. The B-side shows the tougher Techno face of Sandhu. ‘Shaula’ is a perfect DJ tool with heaps of energy for those restless dancefloors, while ‘Sargas’ completes the quartet with its choppy beats and latin-tinged rhythms.
Aroma Pitch – Present From A Small Distant World [APR003]
The DJ Trio and Live-Act (Jesse Scherwitz, Julius Richter and Magnus von Welck ) finished their third EP on Aroma Pitch Recordings. With this one the boys have reached a new level of production and maturity. Three tracks full of twists and turns making this a perfect kickstart for a timeless summer. Beautiful & moody deep techno the oldskool way.
The Hipodrome Of Music 