Falling Ethics label owner P.E.A.R.L. comes up with the 7th instalment in the Falling Ethics series. This time, the slice of vinyl comes packed with 3 mechanic Techno cuts + one atmospheric bit to close things down. Trees of Eternity is a worthy addition to the series which continues to showcase P.E.A.R.L’s visions of modern day techno.
Stark minimalism adherent to the the groove – submerged industrial rhythms and flexing, dubbed-out basslines – shimmering leads and beautiful melody by Novel Sound man Levon Vincent.
The final, 10th, release on the Tanstaafl Planets series from John Osborn & Tallmen785. Machine grooves crafted with trippy, pulsating bass lines, alien synth leads, whipping jungle snares, and skipping high hats that sound as though they have all been produced by an alien lizard race from the constellation Draco.
Romania’s Snejl Black teams up with Qindek for its 4th release. What we get are 3 tracks, carefully sculpted, ultra-pure visions of techno. Each is thoroughly uncluttered, and given just enough color to be compelling. Simple kick drum, undulating sounds that provide something distantly related to melody, and very subtle backdrops that pair a soothing hiss and quiet drones. Nothing is superfluous, everything is essential.
DLBM. is a new record label formed by the duo Beat Movement and D-Leria. The aim is to spread the techno born in the 90’s, adapted to minimal sounds, full of groove and dynamic, with an eye and an ear toward the future. Simplicity is the word used for the composition of this split.
Another compilation for Andreas Gehm. All proceeds go to Andreas to aid in a time of bad health. Features artists like Cosmic Force, Morphology, Faceless Mind, Iconic Black Suit, PL_anet, Resting Cell, Myoptik, DJ Kenny Mulligan, Sheffield Bleep, Pleb Acid Crew, Si Moore, Achim.Bloch., Juliane Wolf, Scott Robinson, Healthmaster Gehm, Mr. Myoplast Weakmassive, Qima Inudstries, Knights of The Acid Table, Cubistic Lockian, Lectromagnetique, Captain Gascid, hautille, Rusuden, OpziO, Thomas Ueber, Black Catcher, Mike Volt, T/Error, AL355|0, Robertiano Filigrano, D-Omen, Z1, Lectromagnetique, and g13ck.
Mosaique is an electronic music label based in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, founded by Moralez and Murzin. MSQ 001 mysteriously divided into bright and dark sides of the universe. On the A-side (the bright one) you will find intergalactic jack groove represented by Contra Communem Opionem aka CCO (Zurich) and made acid trip together with the cosmic rider Andreas Gehm (Cologne). the dark B-side accepts the challenge from imperfect planet’s chastener Umwelt (Lyon) and a major black hole instigator Moralez (St. Petersburg).
Four tracks which move from sinister corners of life to heavy concrete walls, impossible to surmounts. Blooded fists. Grey skies. And everything else MRT can be. Mitchell Goor is someone not keen on public appearance. He works in the dark, piecing together relentless drum patterns and brooding melodies. Picturing fragments of decay. The self destructive, The space in between, The tourists have lost their minds, The unfortunate, four particular moments in his life, things that changed him, for better or worse.
Gravitational Waves forges ahead in what promises to be distinct form with the second release by the labels founder, the shadowy DJ Nephil. The EP features four moody stompers by this underground stalwart, with a remix from the phenomenally talented JASSS. All are for the roughest of venues, a foray into ominous soundscapes.
Anunnaki Cartel is up next with another release from label co-owner Chris Mitchell. This is his follow up to the Din Gir Dialectic EP that was released last year. “Remnants” is a more introspective outing with a sobering feel. These are heady selections for a darker floor, and will satisfy those DJ’s who want to inject this into their sets.
The first compilation on the Dresden based label shtum unites three label regulars and one newbie with four tracks suitable for rampant basements. “Motorcity Racers” has been on rotation for quite some time amongst the label heads and is the first sign from Poland’s Chino on shtum. It floats somewhere between dirty Detroit and the rough corners of the Netherlands. Leibniz delivers the “Real Life”, a relatively straight follow-up to his latest EP, while Jaures hit their drum machines like there is no tomorrow. Perm’s cut is all loopy and succeeds in creating an irresistible atmosphere with just a few elements.
Raw Tools label boss and Bucharest based producer Romansoff is making his debut on Creme Organization in 2016. His Wrath of Zeus EP features four tracks of the sort of frayed and authentic house music that the label is known for around the world. Romansoff mostly releases on his own label but has also served up plenty of rawness on Machine Records, Mork and Bitter Moon. Bundle of Acid is the opener and is a heavy but mystic track with grainy claps and plodding drums undermining bubbling synths. It’s crunchy and spooky and really comes alive with some squiggly acid lines. The title track is more stripped back and trippy, with corrugated drums and nervy chords trapping you in a suspenseful groove before Who You Gunna Call is another rough hewn analogue monster that manges to take you down into some cavernous underworld at the same time as offering up some angelic emotions. Lastly, She Owns The Game is the most melodic of the lot, with a far sighted ripple of keys, spaced out atmospheres and muttered vocal lines all making for something that is truly from another world.
Frigio Records is on the road again with Le Chocolat Noir. The Croatian artist, known for Disco Panonia and his work as Honored Matres, is no stranger to Frigio, having featured on All Stars Vol 1 in 2014. “Transform EP” is introduced by the industrial mental sounds of “Greedy Pets” which brings a new name to the roster as June delivers his interpretation of it. A grimy wave edge is pursued by the Greek machine man for a driving take. The original staggers into being. Drums slip and bass rumbles in a tense and terse piece of gritty music. Then Le Chocolat Noir offers the dark and looming “N.E.T.”. Blackened lyrics are sampled as thick bars of synth and licks of acid make for a menacing curtain fall on side A. On the flip side, the steely claps and burbling bass are rinsed in metal for the gleaming EBM infused “Doing Dishes” with vocals ghost beneath the currents. Following up, vocals ghost beneath the currents, vocals picked up by Colombia’s Cute Heels as the electronic savant debuts on Frigio for a simmering aquatic remix.
Andreas Gehm aka Elec Pt. 1 serves up a 4-track blitzkrieg EP for the Midnight Shift X series.
Jericho One, the Creme Organization off shoot, is back with a new EP from Ebony vs ‘R’ entitled Real Truth. It features three cuts in all, one by Ebony and two by ‘R’, and all them are intoxicating techno affairs. Continuing in the label’s tradition of making modern sounds that draw on breaks and bass. Ebony goes first with Real Truth and offers a track that is both punchy and powerful thanks to its raw and thumping drums, but spiritual and serve thanks to the pained and soul infused vocal wails up top. Glistening glass pads and over sized hi hats add to the intensity of this classy rave banger. ‘R’ then serves up Focus, eight minutes of freaky and hypnotic techno with creepy voices moving about the space as distorted kicks and droning reverb brings a physical feel. It’s intense and dark and then comes Colossus, a breakbeat driven track with heavenly pads making for a grand and atmospheric headspace. Cosmic signifiers and far off pads add to the serenity of it all and will leave you with both a heavy heart and a stomping foot.
Jamal Moss, aka Hieroglyphic Being, returns this time under the alias Africans with Mainframes. With fellow Chicagoan Noleian Reusse they have been releasing music under the name Africans with Mainframes for over 15 years now. The K.M.T. LP is the debut album from the group, a collage of apocalyptic Chicago acid meets industrial and transcendental post-house machine funk. Both intense and unique, the album of forward-thinking, experimental, boundary-pushing Afro-futurist electronic music shows why Hieroglyphic Being is regarded as one of the most serious purveyors of experimental electronic music today.
In the place of the eternal blazing sun there exists an underworld, a dark and cold space of interlinking caves and dank corridors. Occupying the subterranean land is an army of worker drones, busying themselves with a never ending series of tasks, both laborious and mechanical. Once a task is completed, a report is filed and then sent to the Gatekeeper. The owner of the keys is the one they call Cardopusher, cruel and unrelentless. Sitting atop his throne of screws and iron, he patiently waits as his minions build the weapons he seeks to finally overthrow and conquer the people of the overground. ZGEMI is the sixth of 12 releases. One for each sign of the stars and then Zodiac 44 is forever dead and gone..
For their first release of 2016 Nous Disques takes up where they last left off with another impeccably crafted release, courtesy of the L.A. based Jesse Pimenta’s work under the Dreams aligns, who serves up 5 tracks of gritty goodness on his ‘Off the Grid’ EP. The project kicks off with ‘Chain’, a hissy, analogue, Detroit-scented monster before moving seamlessly into the more stripped down and minimal ‘Voyeur’, closing out side one ‘Red Veil’ glides in mellifluously, immediately reminiscent of Stacey Pullen’s trailblazing forays into that space between house and techno. Over on the flip the title track leads with a jubilantly squelchy tribute to Chicago before the fittingly titled ‘Night Cap’ closes out the EP with a woozy, slo-mo skitter through eerily sparse electronica.
L.I.E.S. presents a new three track ep by Los Angeles producer Silent Servant. Known for his previous work with techno outfit Sandwell District, Juan Mendez, since the dissolve of the group has tapped into his formative new wave/post punk and early electronic influences effectively applying them to his recent productions to create an engaging amalgamation of modern dance music. Across this ep the sounds of Bleep, EBM, and even Minimal Synth are all present…from deep floor movers to jagged edged 150 bpm skankers, Mendez through these last years has been responsible for opening up minds on the floor and this ep proves to be a testament of such.
Reissue of one of Amsterdam’s most respected producers Steve Rachmad aka Sterac ‘s essential 1996 Detroit techno classic. On the A side you’ll find Osirion, a track built on a classic drumloop layered with Rachmad style arppegiators and euphoric strings. The B side features a more abstract 909 Detroit infused loop, full of heavy synths and percussion. Both tracks have stood the test of time and still sound fresh as ever.
The Hipodrome Of Music 