Orlando Voorn – Diligence Pt.2 [ABPLP002]

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 hipodromeabove board projects, album, baruka, complex, detroit techno, fix, infiniti, mute, orlando voorn, the ghetto brothersLeave a comment

Dutch Techno master Orlando Voorn has opened up his archive for the first of what will be an ongoing artist focused series brought to you by new imprint Above Board Projects. The compilation will be spread across 2 double 12″ volumes and will feature tracks from many of Voorn’s pseudonyms including; Fix, Baruka, The Ghetto Brothers, Mute & many more. Part 2 opens with the minimalistic bladerunner Techno of Voorn & Juan Atkins’ Infiniti classic ‘Game One’, a true modern classic, also featured is the rolling, paranoia inducing late night groove of ‘Dream World’ from one of Voorn’s more obscure projects Complex, all showcasing a wide variety of styles and sounds. Flawless selections from the early 90’s sitting alongside later productions only go to show how diverse and talented an artist Voorn is and how fresh and vital his music still is today. An essential collection for any serious techno lover.

Alien Disco – In Flight Entertainment [LBDN-004]

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 hipodromealien disco, aubrey, detroit techno, la bella di notte, re-release, reissueLeave a comment

Allen Saei, better known as Aubrey, is a unique DJ and record producer. This funny nickname came from the 80s British cartoon series where the main character had this red nose like him on the first day at the new school after moving from Portsmouth to Cowplain. Aubrey’s career though, is not funny at all since he is considered a pioneer of the global tech-house scene. Like a true rock star, it seems he lived a kind of troubled life across Europe, with a reputation that has made him very well respected in the US also, already in the mid 90s.

Sterac – Aeras [AERA025]

November 8, 2019July 8, 2020 hipodromedetroit techno, indigo aera, sterac, steve rachmadLeave a comment

Indigo Aera presents a new release by none other than Sterac. This two tracker consists of two timeless Detroit rooted techno masterclasses which are a perfect fit for the Indigo philosophy: classic melodic techno music aimed at dancefloors.

Ectomorph – Stark [IT002RE]

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019 hipodromeacid, bmg, brendan m. gillen, detroit, detroit techno, ectomorph, electro, erika, interdimensional transmissions, re-release, reissueLeave a comment

Essential electro-techno classic. This is the second record from Ectomorph and second record for the label Interdimensional Transmissions, from 1995. This is the first time it has been repressed in over a decade, and its been done using the original masters — coming from 2 wizards of Midwest Mastering. The A side was mastered by Mark Richardson at Metropolis (who later founded Prairie Cat Mastering) and the B side is complete with lock grooves cut by Ron Murphy. Manufactured in Detroit!

Orlando Voorn – Diligence Pt.1 [ABPLP001]

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 hipodromeabove board projects, album, baruka, complex, detroit techno, fix, format, mute, orlando voorn, techno, the ghetto brothers, the living roomLeave a comment

Dutch Techno master Orlando Voorn has opened up his archive for the first of what will be an ongoing artist focused series brought to you by new imprint Above Board Projects. The compilation will be spread across 2 double 12″ volumes and will feature tracks from many of Voorn’s pseudonyms including; Fix, Baruka, The Ghetto Brothers, Mute & many more. This is the first of a 2-part archival collection entitled ‘Diligence’. Each track featured on the compilation has been carefully selected and programmed in conjunction with Orlando Voorn and the Above Board Projects team. Voorn has an extremely long and storied career in making music and is severely underrated as a producer. His DJ skills are, of course, legendary, with him winning the prestigious DMC mixing championships in 1986 in his native Holland and making a career as one of the country’s leading Hip-Hop DJ’s. As a producer he has long been linked to numerous legendary producers and releases, counting labels such as Fragile, Metroplex and more as homes for his output. His association and collaborations with Detroit have been the stuff of legend since day one and some of the music contained within these compilations celebrate that while showcasing some of the more overlooked tracks from the man’s more than extensive catalogue. Part 1 includes some serious rarities and some straight up, futurist Techno heat, take the majestic technoid melodies of comp opener ‘Diligent’ from one of Voorn’s most well loved alias’ FIX for example, completely worlds apart from the jacking and sparse Funk of Baruka’s killer ‘Technision’. Flawless selections from the early 90’s sitting alongside later productions only go to show how diverse and talented an artist Voorn is and how fresh and vital his music still is today. An essential collection for any serious techno lover.

Jeff Mills – The Director’s Cut Chapter 5 [AX083DC]

October 12, 2019October 11, 2019 hipodromeaxis records, detroit techno, jeff mills, minimal technoLeave a comment

For those who dig Jeff Mills but don’t have the time or money to hoard records from his extensive back catalogue, the ongoing “Director’s Cut” series showcasing hard-to-find gems from his discography is a godsend. Volume five begins with a trip back to 2015 and “Solar Cycles” – an alien-sounding, otherworldly mid-tempo techno loop jam – from the limited edition, USB-only “Proxima Centauri” album. Side B begins with the bleeping tribal techno hustle of “L8” from 1998’s “Skin Deep EP”, before Mills offers us a chance to drift through space via 2006 track “Above Waiting Worlds”, which is one of his most intergalactic and cinematic dancefloor cuts to date (and that’s saying something).

Julien H Mulder – The Sequence EP [SYMLTD006]

October 12, 2019October 11, 2019 hipodromedetroit techno, julien h. mulder, minimal techno, symbolism ltd, theory recordingsLeave a comment

Swedens’s Julien H Mulder delivers the sixth release for Ben Sims’ Symbolism LTD imprint this Autumn. Mulder, who has been releasing his brand of tripped out, spacey techno since 2007 received what is perhaps the ultimate techno compliment early this year when Jeff Mills mistakenly released Mulder’s ‘Patterns in Nature’ as his own on Axis offshoot, Str Mrkd. Now, we’re treated to a full EP of spaced out but punchy techno cuts.

Octave One – Locus of Control Vol. 2 [4W720]

October 12, 2019October 11, 2019 hipodrome430 west records, detroit techno, octave oneLeave a comment

Detroit pioneers Octave One serve up Locus of Control Volume 2, continuing their journey of exploration of power or powerlessness over what moves one’s world. This EP series takes its name from a psychological concept that refers to how strongly people believe they have control over the situations and experiences that affect their lives. Part 1 showcased euphoric piano stabs and uplifting drum lines, and Part 2 explores more propulsive techno.

Fadi Mohem – Klockworks 027 [KW27]

October 12, 2019October 11, 2019 hipodromedetroit techno, fadi mohem, klockworks, technoLeave a comment

Berlin rising DJ and producer Fadi Mohem debuts on Ben Klock’s imprint Klockworks with four atmospheric techno cuts for the 27th outing on the label.

Johannes Volk – Cybernetic Ambush [EXP011]

September 29, 2019September 29, 2019 hipodromedetroit techno, exploration records, johannes volkLeave a comment

After three years hiatus, Exploration Records is back with 4 track EP from Johannes Volk. The title track is a long upbuilding peak time smasher with strong reminiscences of early Detroit Techno. A2 delivering raw and dirty machine madness with a subtle bleep funk around stomping drums. The flip side comes with 2 driving Dub Techno tracks, filled with heavy bass, emotional soundscapes and an complex sound architecture.

Newworldaquarium – The Dead Bears [APE-LP02]

September 20, 2019September 20, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, ape, deep techno, detroit techno, jochem peteri, newworldaquarium, nwaq, re-release, reissueLeave a comment

As Jochem Peteri returns his attention to the jewels buried in his back catalogue, including last year’s reissue of the 154 LP Strike, it’s a relief to know this understated rough diamond is getting the appropriate reissue treatment.

Newworldaquarium – Mercury / Levels Halo [APE06]

September 20, 2019September 20, 2019 hipodromeambient techno, ape, deep techno, detroit techno, jochem peteri, newworldaquarium, nwaqLeave a comment

Newworldaquarium adds to his small but perfectly formed discography two unreleased extras from his Dead Bears album, and describes them as “early 2000s minimalism trying to survive in today’s maximized society.” ‘Mercury’ is a ten minute epic that journeys to the stars. Cosmic melodies shimmer in expansive skies as rubber kicks speed up and slow down back on earth. Synths twinkling and change shape, grand pads wash over you and the whole thing is utterly beautiful and hypnotic. ‘Levels Halo’ is a vastly spacious cut with arcing pads reaching up to the heavens as super deep kick drums gently thud way down below. Part dub, part ambient, part soundtrack, it is a truly cathartic listening experience. These are two more devastatingly deep and emotive cuts from Newworldaquarium.

Jeff Mills – The Director’s Cut Chapter 4 [AX082DC]

August 31, 2019September 9, 2019 hipodromeaxis records, detroit techno, jeff millsLeave a comment

The fourth chapter from Axis Records’ The Director’s Cut re-issue project gathers together various versions of killer cuts previously produced and released by the Motor City legend over the past two decades. Highlights include deep space techno workout “Deadly Rays (Of A Hot White Sun)”, the densely layered African percussion, low slung bass and echoing organ stabs of “Gateway Of Zen (Percussion Mix)”, the bleep-heavy electro/techno fusion of sweaty workout “999” and the alien-sounding, minor-key hypnotism of “The Industry Of Dreams”. Each track is accompanied by a separate “audio commentary” from the man himself, which is ideal for those who love to hear artists talking about their work.

Mike Huckaby – TROOP Overcast #52

August 5, 2019August 3, 2019 hipodromedetroit house, detroit techno, mike huckaby, podcast, troopLeave a comment

JTC – Indigo, Flesh and Fire EP [SPC-145]

August 5, 2019August 3, 2019 hipodromedetroit techno, ghostly international, james t cotton, jtc, spectral sound, tadd mullinixLeave a comment

Tadd Mullinix returns to JTC, the moniker which helped define Spectral Sound, the dance imprint of Ghostly International. The EP is packed, but still playfully ambiguous; a club-ready set built to max out mixing boards with spacious and nuanced melodies and motorized percussion. Five tracks, each with roughly five-minute run-times, offering all but a few breaths in a quest for highly operative dancefloor hypnosis. The record wastes little time locking in; on the first track, “Innerloire Rendezvous,” a dense square kick plows through a brisk four-on-the-floor routine phasing over harmonious synth stacks of rubbery fifths and sevenths. The title track splatters a lenticular static spray between thumping kick, billowy melodic swells, and staticky clicks, snaps, and claps.

Noah Gibson – Krasch 2 (Convextion & E.R.P. Remixes) [KRASCH2]

July 26, 2019July 24, 2019 hipodromeconvextion, detroit techno, e.r.p, gerard hanson, krasch records, noah gibsonLeave a comment

Krasch Records returns in strong form with its second release, featuring two remixes by Gerard Hanson as Convextion and E.R.P.

Jeff Mills – Moon – The Area Of Influence [AX081]

July 21, 2019July 19, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient techno, axis records, detroit techno, jeff mills, minimal technoLeave a comment

”Commemorating 50th Anniversary of the Moon landing (July 20 2019) Axis Records is pleased to announce the release of the album by Jeff Mills on his interpretations of Earth’s Moon. ”There are influences of the Moon we can detect, measure and document as scientific facts. If these are perceived as rational explanations, then it should raise questions about the possibility of other unseen mental and metaphysical connections humans have, not just with the Moon but with all other celestial bodies in and outside this Solar System. On the flipside, as we recognize that our Sun gives us light and a lifespan, what does an even greater force in the Cosmos, perhaps the darkness [or absence of anything] affects us. If we look at the Moon as a component in a vast configuration of integral connected parts, then an intuitive sense might lead us to a wider understanding about how deeply our relationship lies. This album and the imagination that helped to produce it should be considered as a proposition with open-endedness and no foreseeable conclusion. It is a chemistry of facts and feelings based on then, now and forever”. Jeff Mills”

Terrence Dixon – Vertical Hold EP [30EXO006]

July 16, 2019April 5, 2022 hipodrome30d exoplanets, 30d records, detroit techno, minimal techno, terrence dixonLeave a comment

The prescient sound of an abstract never-coming future built from the everlasting commitment to the boundless experimentation. The prolific one-of-a-kind Terrence Dixon is back to 30D Records. “Vertical Hold EP”, holds on his unlimited creative scheme: on the basis of the Detroit sound, he transforms that legacy in a fully refurbished approach wherein the true creativity smashes any possible stereotype. Every track leads us to the unexpected. From the skillful Dixon’s mind, any sonic universe is possible. The straight low pad of “Due Process” flows on a kaleidoscopic background, energized by a danceable bass drum. Second cut, “Vertical Hold”, is a wicked amazing sequential madness from a dreamlike dance floor. “Transition Area” seeks and finds out the depth, a mental mantra to disappear in. The rhythmic and mechanical arpeggiator of “Total Vehicle” drive us to a dancing frenetic hypnosis. And, finally, “Assembly Building”, unfolds a fine-draw and imaginative minimalistic groove.

Juan Atkins – Martians At Work EP [PARTOUT4.01]

July 3, 2019July 2, 2019 hipodromedetroit, detroit techno, juan atkins, partoutLeave a comment

For the 5th release of the label, Partout welcomes legend Juan Atkins starting the Detroit series and providing a reissue of tracks from 1993′ to 2011′.

John Shima – The Lonely Machine [FS019]

June 28, 2019November 7, 2020 hipodromealbum, b12 records, deep techno, detroit techno, electro, firescope records, john shimaLeave a comment

Hailing from the heartland of British techno, Sheffield’s John Shima is one of the leading lights of UK electronics. Now Shima is returning to FireScope with his long awaiting debut album, The Lonely Machine. John Shima is a master melody weaver, with this first LP attesting to his deftness of touch. Celestial chords and star gazing synthwork permeate this ten track odyssey. The musical heritage of Shima’s hometown, the elegance, majesty and subtlety of British electronics, is invoked from the needle drop. A range of influences come to the fore in this 2LP. Skirting around the edges of astral ambience and tonal texture are nods to industrial history, the rasp and resonance of rhythms in “Empires”, with the inspiration of Detroit surfacing in the future funk of “Phase Distortion” and “Linear.” Dreamscapes are painted in delicate hues, the fragile movements of “Accepting”, with brooding works adopting thicker basslines and ruffled notes as with “Distrust.” Nevertheless, it is the incandescent brightness of Lonely Machine that truly shines. Radiant pieces of elating electronics, complex and joyful compositions that chime with unbridled hope and open-hearted optimism.