
Tight electro/techno vibes from Frankfurt artist Chris Geschwindner on the first release of Aerobic.

Tight electro/techno vibes from Frankfurt artist Chris Geschwindner on the first release of Aerobic.

Jonas Kopp presents his new own platform Tremsix, created by the inspiration of his 3 iconic labels from Detroit to continue the legacy of underground techno and electro movement. This EP Called Tremsix shows the vision and concept of the label, a perfect balance between minimal techno and electro represented by the creator of this new platform.

Returning to Hypercolour with the ‘Persona Non Grata’ EP, Mor Elian continues to flourish with four killer cuts of electro and techno infused goodness. Following 2016’s ‘Drum Vortex’ EP, Elian has clocked up superb releases for Delta Funktionen’s Radio Matrix label, Delft and her very own Fever AM imprint. On the ‘Persona Non Grata’, Elian serves up dusty electro beats, icy synths, headsy techno flavours and bottom end funk.

Delsin’s reissue arm once again looks to the revered back catalogue of Lost Trax for a second 12″ that picks out the best of the anonymous collective’s work. The EP features five cuts taken from two highly sought after EPs released on Tabernacle Records in 2011 and 2012. ‘The Eye’ opens things up with punchy drum programming and the sort of sci-fi effects and synths that immediately take you to a future intergalactic world. It’s a weighty but emotional opener, while ‘Pulp’ is more twisted and urgent, with warped synth sounds and busy, bristling drums and perc all building pressure throughout. ‘The Forest’ resets the mood with mystic synths and mysterious atmospheres that mix ambient beauty with suggestive skeletal beats. ‘B01’ then canes through the cosmos on a Detroit electro tip with slithers of synth, swollen pads and crisp hits and ‘Dominion’ rounds things out in hurried fashion. The restless electro drums pound away as prickly snares and cymbals, blurts of machine noise and sweeping pads all wrestle for attention and keep you on your toes. This is high octane electro and techno designed with metallic precision but oozing plenty of human feelings.

Emotions Electric with the first Various EP for the label. Strong quality selection of deep soulful Detroit influenced techno tracks from some of the finest underground producers.

Redshape stars in another deep tripping, sci-fi odyssey on his imprint for Present 16. Opening ‘The Gate’ reveals a slow but surely building burner that is classic Redshape, ripping the space-time continuum fabric apart at it’s spoken word climax narrating of solar winds, cosmic ray particles and the speed of light. Heed the track’s unmistakable call and take flight on an interplanetary elevator with parched, bone-dry percussion, twisting lines with propulsive bass and growls that rumble underneath, enveloping you in an air cabin of Jedi-level sound design prowess. The ride truly begins next with ‘Voyager’. It’s all aboard a throbbing deep low end countered by floating, melancholic sustained chords with twinkling bleeps and fading bloops that light up like the star-studded Milky Way. Frantic hi hats and modulated percussion work keep riders on the edge of their seat through this fantasy space-age joyride at warp speed.

Eduardo De La Calle with a showcase of electronic music. Four tracks with four different styles of electronica: deep and marvelous keys in ‘Wondrous Punia’, a mastely detroit house lesson in ‘Knockout Sakshi’, the minimal techno monster in ‘Great Manojar’, and the psichodelic electronic cult song ‘Georgeous Shiama’.

Reflecting on a career spanning three decades, Luke Slater is a true dance music legend. The British producer has not only been pivotal in the rise of techno but his work continues to play a vital role in driving the genre forward, particularly under his Planetary Assault Systems name. Following its launch in 2006, Slater’s L.B.Dub Corp moniker has been responsible for refreshing house music on labels like Mote-Evolver and Ostgut Ton, with the latter hosting the pseudonym’s debut album in 2013. ‘Side Effects’ is the project’s first body of work since then. “I wrote the tracks over the last year between being on the road as P.A.S. and playing a few L.B.Dub Corp house sets, which naturally evolved into ‘Side Effects’ almost accidentally” – Luke Slater Crashing stabs and a rolling hook inaugurate the album in ‘Reel One’ before the meandering ‘Night Time Hawk’ demonstrates effervescent effects and bursts of white noise. Commanding kicks and a moody bassline make up the robust ‘Edge 7’ whilst ‘IELBEE’ exhibits a bouncy aesthetic complete with intricate melodies. ‘Float When You Can’ is dark and ominous from the off but an echoing note sequence adds a glimmer of light, making way for the reverberating mechanics of ‘Bass Machine’ before leading into the twisted sounds and ghostly air of ‘Forever In A Day’. Nearing the end, ‘LBEES Jam’ is the most lighthearted track on the album with its twinkling lead melody until Slater rounds off the release with a soulful and vocal driven affair ‘All Got To Live’.

Three warm analogue techno cuts and a rolling ambient outro. The works are unreleased from 1999 – 2000 by underground producers Activ-Analog. All tracks were recorded live in one take – Hardware used includes MPC 3000, Roland SH-101, Roland SH-09, Roland Juno-106, Korg Poly-800 and a Crumar Performer Analog String Synthesizer.

Stand out acidicted 6 tracker by exemptional musican Fabrizio Rat. Two different worlds join each other for an unbelievable and profoundly listening experience. The classic piano played with Fabrizio’s right hand and the TB-303 and other analogue machines played by his left hand. He truly forms an hypnotic state of mind for the listener.

Killer stuf on Klasse Wrecks Sub label Zodiac! Frozen Russian plains rich with moondust and cybo-fog lie still, a faint rumble is heard from behind the horizon and Buttechno checks his Pulsemeter 5000, deciding to head on whilst he still can. Sonic lighting strikes the dead earth, leaving echoes that reverberate for miles around as digital feedback waves sore through the airless landscape. Buttechno steadies his exxo-bike, firing the back up atomic engine before taking a deep breath and heading into the lost and forgotten city. ZCAPRI is the seventh of 12 releases from Z O D I A C 4 4.

The original minimal techno master wastes no time with ‘Clocks’. There’s a sense of urgency as the track builds, looping into its crescendo with waves of staccato hi-hats. Tick tock, tick tock. Over on the flip side there’s a familiarity in the opening chords of ‘Low Life’ that will resonate with fans of Hood’s work. Instantly recognisable, it’s stamped with his ability to bring funk and groove to the colder stomp of techno. Final opus, ‘Go’ brings a spiralling samba tempo to the dancefloor. The punchy drumbeat is interwoven with sweeping cymbals for a highly effective infectiousness, like a call to arms, or better still, the Brazilian call to carnival.

Stojche with some uplifting, classy, mid 1990s Detroit school trained Techno EP for A.r.t.less.

Wata Igarashi with his second release on The Bunker New York. Igarashi is a lifelong musician and a professional sound designer by trade. Through decades of experience composing music he has developed a sophisticated and nuanced approach to production that allows him to evoke powerful moods and emotions. In recent years he has been applying his production skills to great effect, developing a distinctive brand of psychedelic techno.

As we step into 2018, DJ Bone brings another fresh fusion of funk and ferocity, Composed for deployment on his own Subject Detroit imprint, A Piece Of Beyond is a detailed and varied cross section of Bone’s multidimensional musical mind, journeying along a strong spine of Detroit Techno in all its many shapes, colours and textures…

After previous outings on electro institutions Frustrated Funk and Central Processing Unit, Chris Roman aka 214 now appears for the first time on 20/20 Vision. From the atmospheric tones of ‘Potential Events’, the manic energy of ‘Windeye’ and the deeper grooves of ‘Back To Sine’, it’s an EP that leaves no stone unturned in the intergalactic sonic quest. On remix duties we have none other than Keith Tenniswood aka Radioactive Man, who also makes his first appearance on the label.

French label Bright Sounds welcomes prolific Dutch artist Boris Bunnik for a new EP under his most celebrated alias, Conforce. The regular Delsin artist saves this project for his more dance floor driven work and that is the case across all four of the atmospheric tracks here.

Tresor Records announces a new commission, bringing together two of its most time-honored contributors. Berlin’s Thomas Fehlmann and Detroit’s Terrence Dixon came together in Detroit to produce this expressive album. An avant-premiere live performance of this album was presented at Tresor’s annual Detroit showcase in May 2017. Composed of six titles and exploring a wide range of rhythms and emotions, “We Take It From Here” is a celebration of resilience, patience, creativity and devotion.

The Harlem based producer Bas van Vuurde a.k.a. Colophon is back with a release on Deeptrax. The Heritage EP is a hommage to analog machine soul techno, as he calls it himself. Deeptrax is presenting future sounds in fresh modern cuts with a stunning electro-ish remix by VC-118A.