Veteran Lyonnais Dj/producer Umwelt unleashes 4 new swaggering slabs of Electro.
techno
Crackboy – VHS Stories Pt.2 [CRWDSPCR010]
For his second chapter on Crowdspacer, Crackboy aka Krikor, the king of French dirty analog techno, digs deeper into that Detroit melanchol-epic vibe with Weapons Of Steel on the A-side before going bonkers on the B-side with 2 naughty stripped-down beat-centric DJ tools for the sweaty late night crowds. Made me think of some Gemini tracks when I first heard it (that’s a compliment).
Kuno / Spaceinvasion – Terminal Operations 002 [TO002]
Terminal Operations 002 sees the Berlin based imprint unleash four tracks of raw fire power. Kuno and Spaceinvasion take a side each and deliver some unruly cuts of acidic techno.
Mesak – Bessemerbirne [KLAKSON024]
Another electro veteran back in the game. Finish producer Mesak (also known as the other half of the legendary group Mr Velcro Fastener) has been known for his high quality, advanced spheric electro. Bessemerbirne is a massive electro-industrial 4-tracker EP with a killer remix by fellow countryman Mono Junk.
Anopolis – Dimokritou [LP010]
Anopolis are a collective of four Thessaloniki based producers (Dimitris Evagelopoulos aka DimDJ, Drum Machinee, Lowjac, Oldman Talkin’) coming together for their second release on Lower Parts. Three tracks of electro acid tinged techno with some serious drum machine tinkering. Also comes backed with an incredible Hieroglyphic Being remix.
Lost Trax – Flatliner [SHIP038]
Lost Trax embody the idea of underground techno. The shadowy group, members unknown, began their music careers over 20 years ago. Output may be low, but quality is high; the style being no compromise techno brilliance. And that’s what’s on show here. Kick drums and squirming acid bars are at the core of “Faith”, a track where soaring strings shift and reshape. The chiselled claps and barbed bass of “Flatliner” follows, taking its cue from the heyday of Detroit. A watery world of analogue abstraction greets the listener on the flip, “Lost” being an atmospheric journey into to the squelching swamps of the TB303. Sniping beats introduce the lush tones of “Renderer.” Blurring the lines of electro and techno the track is an elegant end to an EP of deep and dense layers.
Layup – Functionalism [ENDILLW001]
Layup is continuing with full-fledged vinyl release on his own imprint Endless Illusion. Opening new series on the label called “W” because of white labels. Whole series is going to be silkscreen on the covers and hand stamped inside.
VA – Noblesse Oblige [ET044/GOOILAND023]
With Noblesse Oblige you find yourself among the aristocracy of the mind and body. A gathering of artists with a different heartbeat and mindset. Fitting the Gooiland Elektro spirit as they operate far away from contemporary music standards. In this case this means sweaty EBM, dark techno and industrial acid.
Gavin Russom – Psychic Decolonization [LXRC026]
Gavin Russom delivers four clairvoyant tracks for those who are willing to unravel them, don’t expect a happy end though. The first release of Lux Rec this year comes from the infamous enfant terrible, synthesizers maker, known for his obscure statements, Gavin Russom. The man needs no further introduction, he’s quite a presence, although a ghostly one. As in those urban myths his music reflects all that is haunting, secretive, unspoken.
Cardopusher – ILA009 [ILA009 ]
I Love Acid reaches number nine, with Barcelona native Cardopusher at the helm. Four dirty acid jams aimed straight at the floor.
Don’t DJ – Gammellan [BH029]
Florian Meyer back on Berceuse Heroique, with ten minutes of gamelan psychedelia, subtly and tensely minimalist as Terrence Dixon at his best. On the flip, Dresvn takes more of a beeline to Detroit, fuelled by submerged classics like UR’s Coinochime — cosmic, but deadly and unsettling. (‘Gammel’ means ‘junk’, in German. Maybe Magellan the explorer permeates that title, too, going round in circles in the East Indies, giddy and gammy below decks, amidst his trophy exotica.)
Baz Reznik @ Demimonde + New York Haunted, Neushoorn (Leeuwarden) 19.03.2016
Mono Junk / Kim Rapatti – A-Sides [DUM035]
DUM Records are dipping into the label boss’s production archives for the next one: it is a reissue that features tracks from a number of classic Mono Junk releases. Two came on Trope Records, one in 1995 and one in 1993, and the last pair of cuts come from 1996 when they were released on Plug Research. Arguably some of the influential Finnish producer’s finest work, all of the tracks here emphasize how long he is operating on the top of his game already.
Cosmin TRG @ The Pickle Factory (London) 11.03.2016
Donato Dozzy / Retina.it – Officine Di Efesto [SEM075]
Officine Di Efesto is the latest 12″slab from Svreca’s ever on-point Semantica featuring remixes of two uncredited tracks from Donato Dozzy and Naples duo Retina.It, and the lack of further information doesn’t lessen the sonic impact. Dozzy features on the A-side, with his remix of “Automa Talos” a potent exercise in unrelenting techno hypnosis with a strange looped sound that is weirdly reminiscent of ducks quacking present throughout. The Retina.It take on “Automa Pandora” is a much more stripped back, minimal affair that is just as effective.
Emmanuel – All Killer No Filler [DRKMT001]
Darkmatter Inc.is an overlay network that can only be accessed with specific mindset, configurations, or authorization, often using non-standard communications protocols and ports. All Killer No Filler is the first release that comes to surface after long development in the hidden spots of the internet.
Wata Igarashi – Ciphers [MDG006]
Midgar delivers a new release by Wata Igarashi. Ciphers EP is a rich assemblage of deep sonic excursions showing throughout a strong coexistence of organic and virtual elements. The record opens with ´Ciphers´, where a fast paced sandy groove is driving high on drones via sparking ambiances. Second track, ´Hailstones´ is basically a beat knocking its way outside, under a heavy hi-hat hail, slashed by snares and haunted by holographic spirits. On the B-side ´Lucifero´ carries a mellow but powerful mood, sounds like a morning star that gradually transforms into a supernova, is definitely the more dancefloor oriented cut of the release. Closing the vinyl, the slow-footed ´Cocytus´ is the complete opposite of its previous track, because of a cold, grave rhythm, treated like a windswept tree.
Voiski & Roberto – Calyptraphorus Velatus [FAUK004]
Fossil Archive rolls with its 4th release. With Fossil Archive’s previous release featuring as “Tune of The Month” on Mixmag’s Techno Page, this next two-part ensemble sees two very different tracks (‘Calyptraphorus’ by Voiski & ‘Velatus’ by Roberto) leave you with little doubt that Fossil Archive remains inspired to be at the forefront of all things techno.
Donato Dozzy – Squadra Squadra EP [BK015]
It’s difficult to imagine The Bunker New York without Donato Dozzy. The roster of artists who have played the party over the past decade-plus reads like a proper Who’s Who of modern techno and house, but if there’s one artist in particular whose sound and vision has had an outsize impact on The Bunker, both as a party and as a record label, it would be Donato Dozzy.
Galaxian X Stingray313 – NU-1000 [SHIP036]
An Atlantic crossover brings together Detroit’s Stingray313 and Glasgow’s Galaxian for a very special 12″. More collaboration than split, the EP sees each artist fly solo as well as combining their admirable analogue abilities. Pressures are high from the outset, Galaxian twists and teases patterns in the reverbing reverence of “Storm Coming.” BPMs surge as the two merge for the cold “NU-1000.” Lilting notes ghost between rasping rhythms. And it is around such racing drums that warmth flows, as in the meandering softness of “Graphene.” Beats don’t abate as Stingray takes the helm for the blistering bass of “Dopant.”
The Hipodrome Of Music 