Ben Sims’ Symbolism continues apace with a release from Binny, a Liverpool-based producer DJ otherwise known for some superb output as part of Phantom Planet Outlaws. Comprising three original tracks, the Subtractive Rhythm EP also takes in a remix from long-time Sims collaborator and British techno legend, Paul Mac.
The MNS X series returns for its 4th issue with one from the Spainard mystic: Eduardo De La Calle. Featuring full EPs from the label artists, the MNS X series plays in the field of the analog, acid and techno. For this, Eduardo De La Calle has put forward a tougher stance from his other silky productions, heading into the rough, analogue and raw terrain for Midnight Shift. The result packs a punch, rounded up with a remix by Hodge.
Gary Martin releases his second sequential EP on Motech Records, the ‘This is It’ EP. The Ep features two more exclusive tracks, ‘This is It’ a driving composition accented with piano and synth patterns and subtle funky movement, and ‘Galaxy Style’ a percussive, building composition expertly laced with muted samples and synth progressions.
The original version of Stunned was released on Mark Broom & Dave Hills renowned Pure Plastic label back in 1997. The 97 Mix featured here started as a live mix of the track, which Mark has now tweaked for maximum dancefloor devastation. Its accompanied on the flip side by a brand new composition of equally outstanding quality. Broom is in fine form on Decay with his tight production skills delivering the kind of tough, raw Techno that sits perfectly on M-Plant.
11 years after the release of Exhibitionist, Jeff Mills reveals the follow-up to his innovative film with Exhibitionist 2. Exhibitionist 2 explores DJing as an art form and gives us a peak into how a DJ makes use of current technological means to create seamless mixes and complex transitions to levels that were thought impossible not long ago. In this second volume, Jeff Mills goes deeper and not only shows how he approaches the mixing process but also how he thinks in real time, spontaneously creating, just like a musician playing an acoustic instrument or a soloist thinking of rhythms on-the-fly. The ambitious project captures the DJ over the course of multiple sequences, with closeup and multi-angle shots that allow us to see exactly what a DJ does and how music is programmed and played for the purpose of dancing.
This is Johannes Volk’s second EP for Dolly. Two fierce but club friendly rolling techno tracks featuring an epic Luke Hess remix. With their warm and euphoric chords ‘Hydro Funk’ and ‘Shadow Section’ will take you right back to the golden days of techno. Detroit’s Luke Hess on remix duties takes ‘Hydro Funk’ into even deeper territories. An hypnotic and melancholic, yet very driving detroit techno tool.
Killler techno/electro hybrids by longtime electronic UK warrior Dez Williams, bringing five deep yet merciless pieces of mutant electrofunk and under-the-radar hypno techno. Exceptional dj tool and again a very strong ep on the mighty Shipwrec label.
The return of the Third Side trio to Berlin’s foundational Restoration imprint. The Analogue Cops, Lucretio and Marieu, are back on their old moniker with Panorama Bar resident Steffi, with their loose, dusty house-techno hybrids after over a year of hiatus. “Bearing All Gifts” opens the EP with a penetrating techno pulse surrounded by the group’s familiar bundle of circling industrial electronics; the B-side goes more hypnotic thanks to the excellent groove of “Opening The Jar”, and “Elpis” makes for a fine closing tune thanks to its subtle swirls of 303, mid-tempo kicks and intricate bundles of hardware noise.
For the sixth release on Final Chapter, Sean Dixon provides three tracks of warm and precise electronic sound complimented by a very deep and full remix from Analog Solutions label boss and director of the electronic music documentary “Beatz,” Eduardo de la Calle.
Some more quality techno by Madrid’s Jose Cabrera who is having a mighty good run of releases at the moment, we must say. This inaugurates his new label. It’s bleeping and majestic Jeff Mills style techno that’s the flavour on “Exodus”. “J1” by NX1 though is a tribute to? You guessed it: Robert Hood. This time with cyclical and entrancing synth stabs and claps on the kick, and a fine tribute we must say.
The second installment of 12” EP from “Exhibitionist 2” DVD+CD. All the tracks are created by Jeff Mills during the session in the Studio Mix in the DVD, where the audience can see and learn how Jeff Mills produces tracks.
The Tabernacle imprint continues on its mission to provide dusty and lo-fi excursions through soulful techno. This time courtesy of Turin’s Andrea Di Maggio aka passEnger. “Correlated Motions” is a dark peak time affair of metallic reverberations and sinister atmospherics. “Protong Genetics” captures you in all its deepness complete with otherworldly oscillations and emotive circuitry. On the flip there’s “Epta Waves” which gets on a Drexciyan electro tip, convincingly and brilliantly while final track “Uranus Unknown” features the lushest analogue strings that will absolutely hypnotise and draw you in unlike anything else you’ve heard recently.
‘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.”
Exploration is back with 3 techno bangers. „Planetary Mosaic“ comes with slow building synths and a majestic piano, constructed around a heavy stomping bassdrum. „Simplexity“ is a stripped down track with spaced out bleeps and a subtle snare staccato attack. „Light Module“ projects a dystopian environment with jacking synth structures, robot voices and a dramatic atmosphere.
Trouble In Paradise Records presents four raw minimal dance tracks from H. Bergqvist. From the deep of Stockholm northwest suburb Johannesfred, Trouble 002 explores some of Bergqvist’s rawest material to date, stumbling between ramshackle party vibrations, below-sea-level emissions and intergalactic noise, this release is a dedication to his hometown.
Pure obscure deepness with a scent of house, to cap it all we brought the mighty Zadig to deliver a techno cosmic wonderful remix.
The G man returns to his Phoenix G home with a somewhat special album release. Where the usual Mr.G sound is still present on this LP, ‘Night On The Town’ showcases G’s more adventurous works and exposes some of his more exotic influences. African Rhythm sections, hints to EBM and low tempo chugs make this album very actual yet unique.
This time, Dixon returns under his own name and under his most successful alias, Population One, on one split EP for Developer’s Modularz label. “Code Of Conduct” and “Concrete Playground” represent the Population One side, the first tune being a subdued kick filled with cavernous space above it while the latter is more classic Population One thanks to those bizarre melodic twists. Dixon serves up “Touching Bass” and “The Beholder” on the flip, two jazzy techno sculptures that are instantly recognizable as his own.
Next on Delsin’s deep and house leaning series of releases is Artefakt with a new three track affair entitled The Fifth Planet EP. The Dutch duo are experts at conjuring up atmospheric grooves that seduce your soul. Opener ‘Transit’ is a thick, heavy and heady track with rubbery kicks tunnelling deep. Above it, smeared, sombre synths gets stretched and skewed into trippy forms and the whole thing has you as a slave to the groove. ‘From Our Minds To Yours’ is quicker and more overkill, but is again rooted in rolling rubbery kicks. Hypnotic once again, the synths here are lighter, more airy and more uplifting and induce trance like states of mind. Lastly, ‘The Fifth Planet’ steps it up another gear, with celestial melodic patterns, heavy synth daubs and spine tingling pads all expanding around a ticking techno groove. This is expertly crafted, serene and supple stuff that will sound perfect in the dead of night on some intimate and spaced out dancefloor.
Upon.You’s rough ‘n’ raw underground white-label UYX Series delivers the Leo Dance EP by French DJ producer Farid Boudinar aka F.E.X. who was responsible for the first UYX Series release in 2013. “Leo Dance” features hard-hitting snare-rolls; fast-paced drums; brooding, big-room basslines; and deep yet uplifting synths. The minimal tech-house of “Overdeus” builds into a beautiful sequential arrangement of climax after climax after climax. “Puretec” enters darker, sci-fi influenced realms with undulating strings and a perfect synth sequence that pays homage to the masters of Detroit techno – perfect for basements immersed in fog and strobe lights.
The Hipodrome Of Music 