techno

Plant43 – Dreams Of The Sentient City [SEMANTICA041]

hipodrome, , , , , , Leave a comment

https://i0.wp.com/clone.nl/platen/artwork/large/plaatimage23442.jpg

Plant43 returns on Semantica with a four-track electro EP. Most of the new material exhibits the melodic and placid side of electro, starting with “Neon”, good for nocturnal downtown cruising in a light drizzle.  “Stellar Nursery” embarks on a space mission in more upbeat mood, expressed by blooming arpeggios and subtle disco bass, all resulting in a hefty dose of analog harmony. After futuristic dreaming and little melody played in “Metamaterial Cloaking”, the gates are smashed open in “Fluid Reasoning” for a turbocharged cavalry, whereas Plant43 is not afraid adding some trance quotient to this wake-up call.

listen

Plant43 – Dreams Of The Sentient City [SEMANTICA041]

Ed Davenport – Counterchange [NRKCD046]

hipodrome, , , Leave a comment

Berlin based Brit Ed Davenport presents his debut LP on NRK Music. Counterchange has plenty of concessions to filmic home listening rather than straight up dancefloor fodder. Notably, breakbeats feature heavily up the spine of the album, as does subtle vocal sampling and plenty of atmospheric tension. Starting with the brooding drums and moody voices of “Of Light & Shade” the album unfurls through the barely restrained rave euphoria of the title track, the beautifully re-worked melodies of “New Yorkshire” and “More Red Lights” as well as touching on some sombre downbeat bleakness, bold concrete funk and under-lapping deep techno. The penultimate track, “Somewhere,” is to be the album’s forceful first single: an obvious choice for its deeply hypnotic rhythms and train-track grooves.

listen

Ed Davenport – Counterchange [NRKCD046]

Gerry Read – Yeh Come Dance [DSRH001]

hipodrome, , , Leave a comment

Yeh Come Dance

Delsin launches of a new house-focussed series and the first release is from the mysterious and 19 year old Gerry Read.
“Yeh Come Dance” explores dusty and rusty loops of drums, vocals and wooden hits all of which are held together with a knackered jazzy glue. ‘Crawlspace’ on the other hand is a foggy gaggle of kicks, drums, hi-hats and cowbells coated in plenty of hiss and crackle. ‘Bozza’ again demonstrates Read’s ability to produce something that sounds two decades old yet wholly contemporary at the same time. Chord prods here, raw hits there, jazzy motifs buried within – it’s house music designed for cosy little basements in the dead of night where ‘Crooked’ is more in yer face. The loops in this one are more exposed and loud in the mix, but still feel unmistakably elliptical and raw.

listen

Gerry Read – Yeh Come Dance [DSRH001]

Shifted – Crossed Paths [MOTECD01]

hipodrome, , , , Leave a comment

Shifted’s ‘Crossed Paths’ is a record which pushes the formal possibilities of techno and is the first full length work to be released on Mote-Evolver. On ‘Crossed Paths’ the breadth of Shifted’s ideas is both subtle and devastating. As a producer Shifted’s methodology is like that of a sculptor, he works principally with textures knowing precisely when to leave edges raw and fault lines exposed. ‘Crossed Paths’ is constructed of 11 ominous cuts carved with precision and poise.

listen

Shifted – Crossed Paths [MOTECD01]

Unbalance – Fluid EP [MUX005]

hipodrome, , , , , 1 Comment

Mutex Recordings are back on wax with Fluid EP from Unbalance. His music is an incredible collage of everything you love in techno: thick groove, Detroit-styled chords and spooky futuristic effects. Jonas Kopp and Manzel, on remix duties, complete the release.

listen

Unbalance – Fluid EP [MUX005]

Martyn – Hello Darkness [BF028]

hipodrome, , , , , , Leave a comment

Cover art - Martyn: Hello Darkness

Martyn presents an exclusive addendum to his all-taking ‘Ghost People’ album, backed with remixes of LP tracks by Redshape, and L-Vis 1990 & Bok Bok. ‘Hello Darkness’ is Martyn at his most shark-eyed and deadly, and possibly his most blatant Burial tribute. Hovering ’98 Tech-Step bass  sets the vibe, while bony 2-step woodblocks and chiselled Techno drums keep the motion locked-on and hard swinging, all counterbalanced by a bittersweet rave melody and bubbling electronics. Next, L-Vis 1990 & Bok Bok rework ‘Bauplan’ according to an Eski-schematic; sparse percussion and wide-gauge sound design set a minimal and precariously balanced Techno structure ripe for crafty DJs. Redshape concludes with an ominous, driven Breakbeat Techno remix of ‘We Are You In The Future’.

listen

Martyn – Hello Darkness [BF028]

Subb-An feat. Beckford Ryan – Take You Back [SPC108]

hipodrome, , , , , , 2 Comments

Subb-an blesses Spectral Sound with another breathtaking tech-house monster.”Take You Back” wastes no time establishing itself. An uptempo, swinging bassline is soon met with claps, utterances from Beckford, metallic synth washes, snares and echo effects. And from those spare elements rise a dizzying track loaded with tension, longing and desperate hope. The flip side finds Spectral stalwart Ryan Elliott’s remix subverting the sweat and sex of the original by uncoiling “Take You Back” into a minimal techno territory. Beats rush by as Beckford’s once-soulful vocals are spliced and backtracked into mesmerizing, abstract tone poems. A radical but wholly satisfying counterpoint to the original.

listen

Subb-An feat. Beckford Ryan – Take You Back [SPC108]

Xhin – The Realm EP [TOKEN021]

hipodrome, , 1 Comment

Xhin with a four track EP for Token delivers dark-primal rhythm tracks with enough vitality to keep from getting dull. The unforgiving broken stomp of “The Realm” is enough on its own, let alone when it has great rips of tone and melody pulsing over the top. There’s deeper moments offered too, in the spacious sound bath that is “Elliptic”, but really it’s the smack down of the other three tracks that will deliver the goods for existing fans.

listen

Xhin – The Realm EP [TOKEN021]

Joachim Spieth – Sensualized [AFFIN108]

hipodrome, , , , , Leave a comment

Joachim Spieth returns on Affin with a superb remix ep of his successful tune „Sensual“ from the label‘s 100th release. Therefore Spieth included Brendon Moeller, Reggy Van Oers & Jamal Moulay. Brendon Moeller comes up with flowing fx lines, fat stabs, nice added chords, just a massive reshape. Reggy Van Oers version is more on the chords. So this one tends to be a straight but very clear sounding techno trip you won‘t forget. Jamal Moulay shows a different insight on it. A fat kick, layered chords and some nice acid extracts on a base that seems to develop constantely.

listen

Joachim Spieth – Sensualized [AFFIN108]

Architectural – Peacetime [SEMANTICA040]

hipodrome, , , Leave a comment

Architectural on Semantica with a slightly dark yet comfortable & uplifting techno tracks that will bring a glimpse of light in techno dungeons worldwide. Excellent fusion of driving Berlin techno with chords-driven Detroit techno.

listen

Architectural – Peacetime [SEMANTICA040]