Unbalance – Unbalance #10 [UNBALANCE010]

Seven years ago, Unbalance created his own label as a base for his musical ideas; a platform to play around with the conception of what ”techno” is and would be alongside his own creative progression. Come to present day and the label is now at its ninth release, reaching a point where the line of accumulated experiences must be drawn in the sand — and the experiences of previous projects and releases lead to venerable conclusion. Enter Ten, an album of internalized strife that was created during a period of big changes in the artist’s life. Between enduring personal experiences, his creative output veering between his straightforward club eccentricities and subdural sensibilities; Unbalance cultivates a symbiotic link between sounds played and sounds portrayed — whilst paying tribute to the essence of groove, vibration and the hypnotic unknown that exists to balance the scales. This album will be the final point in the label’s journey into the depths of multifaceted techno music.

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Unbalance – Unbalance #10 [UNBALANCE010]

VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]

Mannequin’s 100th – a compilation looking forward featuring an international and serious cast. The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more. Which brings us to Mannequin’s newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point – none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin’s unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns, Silent Servant and Ron Morelli.

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VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]

Thomas P. Heckmann – Body Music LP [MONNOM013]

Body Music LP produced by a man who needs little introduction. Thomas P. Heckmann has flexed his prowess across all shades of electronic music, but it’s his contributions to EBM-techno, acid, industrial, and experimental that has earned him his notoriety. Heckmann has utilised 30 years worth of acquired knowledge to create a hard-hitting album which bears all the grit he is known for – harmonising analogue and digital wares to create an utterly immersive 14 track album.

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Thomas P. Heckmann – Body Music LP [MONNOM013]

Romansoff – Halo [SOLAR06]

After a first EP of the year from STL, the Solar Phenomena label now welcomes Romania’s Romansoff. The Raw Tools label boss hails from Bucharest and has also released his gritty, stripped back house and techno on Creme Organization and Sportiv. Here he offers four new tracks, with one remix from Timedance man Ploy completing the package. ‘Halo’ epitomises Romansoff’s style with its slow, heavy drums and sparse, scattered perc sounds. A lo-fi melody adds colour, while ‘Coach Jacket’ ups the ante with busier claps and crashing hits laid over a turbulent, unsettled bassline. Increasing the pressure further, ‘Graded’ grows manic with punchy drums, layers of fuzzy synths and bass and distant cries that are dark and unsettling. Ploy flips this one into a prickly and atmospheric drum track that keeps you on edge and Romansoff’s digital exclusive ‘Michigan Lake Tapes’ is a slow motion workout with unsettling synths and tortured pads that grows ever more unhinged. It rounds out a leftfield house EP in style.

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Romansoff – Halo [SOLAR06]

Lvrin – SBZ005 [SBZ005]

Jenya Lavrinov is a young rising musician from Russia and LVRIN is the alias for the gloom side of his productions. All six tracks for this EP were made during last year under the red lights of Jenya’s home studio. As before LVRIN adheres to the one take method of recording as the best technique of dealing with the sound and with the moment. Setup for this EP in particular consisted of Akai MPC 1000, Yamaha AN200, Analogue Solutions TBX-303, MFB-Synth II, Polivoks and a couple of effects pedals.

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Lvrin – SBZ005 [SBZ005]

TV.OUT – Further [LIES107]

Tel Aviv based two man project TV.OUT has been making a name for themselves these last years putting on impressive live sets, djing around the world, and running their Paralaxx imprint releasing various strains of rugged, well informed electronic music. On their debut for L.I.E.S. we get a smoking three tracker spanning styles that would not seem out of the place being played on the West Coast of Den Hague in the late-90s.

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TV.OUT – Further [LIES107]

Shedbug – Destination Love [LT047]

Lobster Theremin dig back down unda’ to bring another fresh salty Aussie experience to the table with well seasoned young talent Shedbug aka Geordie Elliot-Kerr at the helm for this one. As Shedbug he makes entrancing house, acid-tinted techno, cosmic electro and heavily stepped UK-influenced jams. On Destination Love, Shedbug harnesses the emotive, pad-heavy sound showcased on previous outings whilst mixing in blend of interstellar synths, jagged breaks and crusted-yet-cutting drum work – all mixed down with some serious studio finishing.

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Shedbug – Destination Love [LT047]

VA – Limits Of Existence Vol.1 [FEXELVN001]

Falling Ethics starts a new Various Artists series: Falling Ethics Eleven , with an open approach ranging from Ambient experimental to proper techno adventures. First volume features music from Steve Bicknell, Reeko, P.E.A.R.L. Three pieces aimed directly for the adventurous dj’s out there, no jokes, no easyness, just techno essence.

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VA – Limits Of Existence Vol.1 [FEXELVN001]

ELO – Visitante [DNTB004]

The dirtiest record that has released Discos Nutabe. “Vistante’ is the new sound spectrum from ELO, an artist born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and based in Bogotá, Colombia. ELO has decided to raise the sound bet of Nutabe and offer a release that brings acid and techno elements combined with housey nuances. This is a product of his new life perceptions since his arrival to Colombia. It’s an experiment for the dance floor, and his point of view of rude and disorganized house music.

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ELO – Visitante [DNTB004]

M-Twelve – Apocalypse In Paradise [ELECTRIX011]

M-Twelve is a new collaboration between Billy Nasty and Nick Dunton. Taking their name, M-Twelve, from the iconic Fred Perry T-shirt, the pair decided to combine forces based on a love of techno and electro, their strong friendship and many late night conversations in the back rooms of various nightclubs. The EP features their two original cuts of beautifully crafted emotional electro, the warm and glittering ‘All The Things’ and ‘Time Spent’ with it’s deep narrative and tough machine groove. In addition, remixes of ‘Time Spent’ come from Sync 24 (Scand / Cultivated Electronics) who delivers an energetically fuelled reworking and Electro veterans, Transparent Sound with a stripped and stomping acidic version.

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M-Twelve – Apocalypse In Paradise [ELECTRIX011]

Jensen Interceptor & Assembler Code – Natural Control [PRIVATEPERSONS006]

Private Persons continue their path to world domination, picking up Jensen Interceptor & Assembler Code with a stomping, fuzz fueld electro tour de force.

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Jensen Interceptor & Assembler Code – Natural Control [PRIVATEPERSONS006]