
Mike Tansella Jr. @ OUTSOUNDER, Sameheads (Berlin) 04.03.23

After a frenzied 2019 debut on Pinkman under his scarcely-used Amato alias, The Hacker brings his seminal sound to Mindri for the sublabel’s 3rd release. Exploring desolate cityscapes and windswept tundras shrouded in winter’s gloom, he provides 6 club tracks that are suitable for dancefloors at any stage of the night. From feverish 4/4 kicks to stalking electro and a chugging after-hours stomp, stripped back rhythms dominate throughout. Punching their way through misty pads in a relentless chase with metallic synths that are icy to the touch, these are 6 slabs of machine-driven grooves from a master of the art.
Tresor Records releases “Crash Recoil”, a new album by Surgeon. It marks Anthony Child’s first techno LP in five years, following a period in which he felt uncertainty in his role as a techno producer and found it tough to locate inspiration. This new album encounters him drawing on spontaneous techniques to arrive at unchartered topographies. “Crash Recoil” originates from Surgeon’s recent live sets, where he experimented with constraints in performing and embracing the twists, turns and paradoxes that arrive from this.
Last seen on Discogs in 2017, the mysterious Marvyn Don returns with a full release of his old Lilac Road & Swag related EP from the early 2000’s, with four UK techno and tech house inspired rollers that are fit for any dark club or afters. This EP has been brought back to life with some exciting additions to the series coming later this year.
Legendary electro producer Carl Finlow makes his return to Science Cult with a 2×12 LP on white vinyl. From start to finish “Plasmoids” delivers with expertly crafted electro. Mr Finlow’s production skills are present across a variety of styles from the cyber funk inspired “Trimonogogo” to the retro-styled “Relic”. This is an album not just for fans of Carl Finlow’s work, but a showcase of electro at its finest.
Avoidant Records is back with its latest and most direct V/A to date – Planet Destroyed. Once again compiling unique artists from across the globe, AVD constructs a stellar line up featuring some of the best in the game alongside up and coming talent from the world of Electro. Since its inception, Avoidant has firmly focused itself on diverse, uncompromising sonics and this newest compilation once again sets the bar high. This 4 track vinyl sampler includes tracks from Marcel Dettmann, Slam aka Autonomous, LUZ1E & SOD-90 who’s contributions all embody the theme of the Planet Destroyed – Avoidant once again creates the theme to your dystopian future.
Luz1e debuts on Mechatronica with a breakout blend of delicate electro and dystopian machinefunk, carefully reinforced by DALO’s haunting vocals and drenched in futuristic atmosphere.
Hambourg’s electro duo Fallbeil composed by Wosto and Kluentah, is still pretty unknown despite they’ve been releasing a bunch of EP and a couple of LP on label like Mannequin, Killekill sub-label Boidae or New York Haunted and more recently on their own label Teerpappe to name a few. Macadam Mambo presents now a compilation of irresistible dark atmospheres slow electro tunes with very raw textures, complemented by few little skits to generate a brilliant album around the story of the Mockturtle.
From New Jersey via The Netherlands: longstanding US craftsman Joey Anderson makes his debut on Deeptrax with his inspiring new album ‘Exotic Sequence’. His fourth LP to date, ‘Exotic Sequence’ is a fully instrumental deep dive into both Joey’s machines and mindset.
Mysterious, melodic and dark – Portuguese can-do-no-wrong-er Lake Haze is back, adding to his impressive catalogue a four-tracker EP named ‘Coordinates Of A Decaying World’ for Lisbon’s ever-attentive Paraiso.
Boomstraat 1818 is a new techno label from Amsterdam. The label aims at releasing timeless Detroit techno music on vinyl and digital formats, from international artists and local talents. Outerbase ep is inspired by the 90’s Purpose Maker and M-Plant sound and delivers a club friendly 4-track various ep with esteemed artists like Stefan Vincent, Kuba Sojka and Taupe.
First solo Ep of the End Of Perception vinyl series comes from the Spanish techno sci-fi master ORBE which includes four original cuts. Deep, raw and hypnotic sounds are the main character of this endless journey.
Hilltown Disco celebrate 5 years with a star-studded compilation of artists that have featured and helped shape the label over the past half decade. On the A-side of the vinyl we find w1b0, Wibo Lammerts who sadly passed away during the production of the record, and Ole Mic Odd, who offer crunchy, dark electronics, perfectly sewn together, producing two future classics, with their bass-heavy electro. Flip to the B-side and the record ups tempo, with the first track from Larionov & St. Theodore that showcases their slick, punchy electro productions, followed by a spiraling, hypnotic, machine-funk weapon by PRZ. The record finishes with Robyrt Hecht’s stripped-back electro track with classic Hecht, signature, captivating vocals.
Mental Disorder presents “Scoundrel”, a release consisting of 3 tracks, written and conceived by label founder Reeko and Surgeon. Anthony Child and Juan Rico bring to life the twenty-sixth in the mental disorder catalogue, giving a truly unexpected musical twist. Rogue rhythms at 175bpm bordering on drum n’ bass, gangster bass sequences with funk influences and eerie atmospheres, healing melodies and hypnotizing riffs that seem to come from vanished civilizations.
Chupacabras presents, on his label Draconian Steps, the final release of his alter ego Acid Freq. This includes 6 over driven analogue tracks to nowhere. These were the final recordings before leaving London for the Thanet Coast with the exception of the digital bonus “Thursday Night”. The recordings embrace feedback, distortion, overdrive and experimentation. Mindless repetition for mindless times.
Zodiak Commune Records presents a highly effective EP from SOUR, with 303’s lined-up to gently pierce eardrums around the globe. All tracks are driven by energetic drums with a steady but relentless groove.