From the rugged streets of Detroit comes a dirty collaboration from the masters of Electro: Dj Psycho from Detroit Techno Militia, Dj Lenn Swann from the 12 Tech Mobb, Dj Maaco of Detroit In Effect and DJ Dijital. A pure electro dance floor killers guaranteed to move your body.
The merciless Tabernacle imprint returns with another new artist and another collection of fine, thrilling house-techno hybrids in the label’s trademark style. In all honesty, VC-118A is actually Holland’s Samuel Van Dijk, an artist whose been quietly releasing music under a number of different aliases including Mohlao and Multicast Dynamics. This latest project is a little grittier and more lo-fi than compared to his other ones, where tracks like “Propulse” and “Central Zone” possess a glitchy, minimal tone in a slow-tempo electro coating. On the flipside, “Virile Frame” is a hypnotic and a whole load housier, while Lost Trax remixes “Propulse” into a raging, pseudo-acid monster.
Third and final chapter for the Sentient City serie by Plant43 aka Bleep43 crew member Emile Facey on Semantica Records. Continuing the theme of his previous two releases, the four strong suite of intense electro revolves around Facey’s sonic travels through the imaginary Sentient City. If you have indulged in previous Plant43 output you will know the London artist possesses a masterful range and it’s displayed wonderfully here. Opener “Chain Of Memories” combines ripples of richness with the instantly gratifying snap of 808 programming, whilst “Ascendant Machines” is a wonderful example of his ear for melody. B side opener “Ubicomp Malfunction” veers into alien territory whilst “Amphibious Architechture” offers a contemplative finale.
MNLTH, aka Dave Monolith, returns to WeMe Records with his second EP. ‘Time’ offers 5 tracks and it was written between 2009 to 2011. It’s tracks range from the electrocuting feel-good acid anthem that is ‘Time’, the square bass plucking electro bouncer ‘ headlight, rushing melodies and pads from ‘My Rush chords’ and ‘Harrier 2’, ending with the cheeky happy-go-lucky 808 track, ‘Spwint’.
Signal Code label boss Costelloe digs deep and chows down on techno’s deepest tendrils: electro. Razor-sharp, reflective and icier than a January skinny dip in the North Sea, it pays respect to the roots with true authenticity. Marco Bernardi heartily invests with two disparate twists – one abstract, warehouse-shaking techno version and a gritty, paranoid angular electro reboot. “First Light” closes the show on a deep, house flavoured number that’s not dissimilar to Sabres Of Paradise
Archetypal Detroit electro techno taken to the next level by Mr. Bernardi on Burek sub label Barba. Bernardi delivers a double album worth of ideas, spread among 2 releases. The first half of the release is very much in the robots-having-an-argument rather than the peaceful-cosmic-journey vein. The tracks feature abrupt changes, stabbing asymmetrical rhythms, multiple layers of sound and a darker moodier feel.
An inestimably valuable and definitive collection of 1988 Belgium club classics anthems produced by Rembert De Smet including hard-to-find, unreleased and rare materials. Two black vinyl sleeved into a reversed silkscreened cardboard, including a CD version.
From the Rotterdam harbors come the deep and deviant electronic voyages of Jeremiah R. Electro in classic detroit fashion, oozing with Westcoast gravy. An EP crafted for night to dawn, for the floor and the mental cruise. Cop it and drop it! All with mind-bending screen printed inner sleeve by the BAKK Decency Department.
Marcus Mumm aka Das Muster returns to Solar One Music with the Reaktionszeit EP, the last part of the “Elektronische Werke” series. Authentic analogue action. Stepping up with five icicle grooves, here he flicks from unadulterated, droning paranoia (“Die Suche”) to Vibert-style acid bubbles (“Reaktionszeit”) via twist synth-bent drama (“Abgeschlossener Vorgang”) and Black Strobe proto techno (“Sendezentrale”). “Spaetfolgen” closes the show, taking us back to the icy alienating body funk he kicked off with. Immaculate darkness.
Ekman returns to the Berceuse Heroique imprint with another formidable chunk of acid rave sorcery. “GMMDI” brilliantly blends relentless techno rhythms, recorded-in-a-cement-mixer synths and dancing rave melodies into the sort of throbbing techno banger that could have been recorded at any point over the last 30 years. Ekman’s old pals Breaker 1 2 (aka Greg Beato) provide the B-side remix, simmering things down whilst retaining the original’s foreboding chords and thumping beats.
The mastermind of dark and demented Electro returns to Abstract Forms, Marco Bernardi delivers four cuts of awesome Purist Electro.
Celldöd is the solo project of Anders Karlsson, well known in the EBM scene for his involvement in the band The Pain Machinery and as a live member of Severe Illusion. Celldöd strips EBM down to it’s core, eliminating vocals and any superfluous details. Celldöd offers a raw, minimal, and purist vision of EBM; hardware tracks recorded live to tape using just a handful of machines. Celldod’s bare bones dance cuts are dirty and primitive, but manage to steer clear of retro trappings, sounding fresh and contemporary.
