Hyperbolic Paths is simultaneously deep and bleepy, accented by hi-hats in syncopation. The tom-heavy Suborbital Trajectories carries a serious groove, layered with lively melodic elements and an occasional unexpected statement cymbal crash. A haunting and hypnotic number, Inclination swells and increases in intensity, rolling on after its breakdown with a playful kick-clap interaction. Eccentricity is a spacious, dubby closing track with reverb-soaked ornamental splashes.
It’s some 15 years since Ashley Burchett first donned the Ø [Phase] moniker to lay down some surging London techno for Cosmic Records. A decade and a half on, he continues to impress with the moodiness and atmospheric intent of his hypnotic dancefloor concoctions. There’s much to enjoy on this second full-length – his debut album, Frames Of Reference, dropped in 2013 – from the intergalactic electronics and Drexciyan beats of “Remote”, and the looped marimba melodies and sludgy pulse of the title track, to the bleak, ghostly hypnotism of “Increment”, and hustling broken techno of “Nep-Tune”. This is proper techno for the dancefloor, with enough subtle variations and neat ideas to please all but the pickiest of listeners.
Token are back with their very own Indigo Kennedy, and he’s brought along a squadron of remixers to transform his recent “Requiem” tune. First up is Dial’s Efdemin, who quickly adds his signature brand of freeform deep house – sinister pads all around – followed by Kangding Ray and his slo-mo version, a truly chuggy affair in all sense of the word. The flip sees Downwards master and UK techno legend Regis inject his deep and menacing style onto the framework, and Full Panda’s Dasha Rush takes the straight-ahead techno approach but proceeds to surround the beats with gorgeous swirls of instrumentation.
Belgian techno powerhouse Token welcome back another label regular in Ø [Phase]. This Versions 12″ represents an interesting move for Surrey-based Ashley Burchett, a chance to delve into his back catalogue and offer up some versions of some of the heavy hitting cuts that helped establish him within the techno community. Versions opens with an ‘Enhanced’ and buffed up take on “Flyby / Falling” from his 2006 Espresso EP for Ingoma, complemented by an unreleased demo take on “Bulk” from the same year. Another Enhanced version, of “Obscura Mix 1” is perhaps the finest cut here though Token completists will find much to savour in the stripped mix of Mass, the title track from his 2007 label debut.
The 52nd release on Token Records is a steely and mechanical two tracker from Ø [Phase]. ‘Tunnel Vision/Internal Conflict’ 12” captures perfectly the grainy, oddball approach which has garnered Burchett’s productions so much attention in recent years. This is techno for the small hours – frantically paced, disorientating and charged with adrenaline.
And so the Token juggernaut continues, slaying all before it with some of the best club techno you are likely to find right now. Terra Incognita sees Spanish producer Tadeo debut on the label after a fine succession of 12″s in 2014 and at six tracks long Miguel Sar takes the chance to really explore his range. “Requiem” offers a foreboding beatless opener that is rife with tension, whilst “Deep Space” explores similar territory to the Something from the Sky series by Jeff Mills. From here Tadeo runs through various shades of dancefloor techno with the mind bending “Apollo 7” our pick!
If you are looking for a massive slab of techno, you won’t find anything released this week that’s as hefty as Aphelion. A triple vinyl box set from Belgian label Token, Aphelion is essentially a primer for the best in contemporary techno, featuring contributions from Surgeon, Rodhad, James Ruskin, Karenn and Planetary Assault System alongside some label regulars. You will have probably already heard “Fixed Action Pattern” from Surgeon, it’s possibly one of this year’s finest techno 12″s, but it’s got some stiff competition here with Ruskin in particularly funked up form on “No Trace”.
New release on Token, coming from Spherical Coordinates with 4 spacey but powerful cuts, straight for the floor.
This fourth album from British techno veteran Inigo Kennedy – his first since 2010’s decidedly ambient September Pieces – has something of a “catch-all” feel. You see, Vaudeville refuses to stick to one sound, style or groove, instead referencing the many styles of techno and experimental electronic music that have inspired the popular producer over the course of his 18-year career. So, there are murky, IDM-inspired techno floorfillers (the melodious but faintly foreboding “Requiem”), early British psychedelic techno (“Plaintive”), dense, darkroom grooves (“Vallecula”), classic Yorkshire bleep and bass (“Petrichor”), Kompakt-ish organic techno (“Winter”), and spooky, droning ambience (“Narrative”).
Speaker-rattling Techno sound designs. Straight-up haunting, hypnotic club tracks constructed with a real attention to detail and powerful thrust. Ø (Phase) releases his first new material after the critically acclaimed ‘Frames Of Reference’ album last year.
Arguably the two biggest R’s in techno at the moment remix [Phase], with Rodhad revealing a more emotive side to his techno, while Robert Hood delivers the goods like only he can. Rodhad’s interpretation takes away some of the original low-end heard in “Perplexed”, resulting in something that’s groovy, but still tough, while noticeable increasing the blue-noted tones of the track. Robert Hood’s love affair with “Dirto II” continues with the Detroit legend joining in on the cold temperaments for a clinical and percussively slicing remix. With rapid fire 12″s like this, it seems trying to match Token’s dominance of club techno at the moment would be a futile act.
Token brings the 2nd single, from the debut album ‘Frames Of Reference’ by Ø [Phase]. ‘Dirtro II’ is definitely one of the standout cuts of the album and shows Ø [Phase] in his darkest and deepest mood. On the b-side he is joined by one of his biggest inspirations & one of techno’s most legendary innovators: Robert Hood. The result is a carefully executed yet explosive peak time cut.
Mr. Oscar Mulero returns to Token in the company of Christian Wünsch as Spherical Coordinates, with the ‘Vector Projection EP’. Mulero & Wünsch join software and hardware to create a stellar EP that explores the deeper side of techno, on ‘SCFLS-05’ & ‘SCFLS-11’, but also hits back hard on the rolling ‘SCFLS-12’ & brutal ‘SCFLS-17’.
After deeper excursions on January’s grand ‘Cathedral’, Inigo now strikes back with a monumental new 2 tracker. Both tracks emerged from the same studio session and definitely complement each other. While the pounding drums are omnipresent on this release, ‘Emitter’ leaves us euphoric, while ‘Collector’ is less explosive, more persistent.
Phase strikes back after ‘Binary Opposition’ and does it with ease. Two tracks, two different sides of the spectrum. One takes you to the sun, the other one to the dark side of the moon. Astral travelling at it’s best.
Token sticks to its guns: Inigo Kennedy delivers a big new 12inch with a double a-side. ‘Spectre’ hits hard yet gloomy. Relentless drums bathing in reverb and a strange synth line create yet another unique IK-piece. ‘Wonderhorse’ is built on the same foundations but explores a more melodic & psychedelic trajectory.
Go Hiyama returns to Token.‘Arc One’ contains 3 tracks, each with a different timbre. ‘Farnsworth House’ focuses on hazy atmospherics over a stomping drum pattern, while ‘Dymaxion Map’ is a more of an instant heavy hitter with punishing percussion. ‘Fallingwater’ builds slowly over a tough yet sophisticated off beat rhythm. Tension grows while the haunting noisy synths lead to a thrilling breakdown, after which it kicks back in ferociously.
Token presents two remixes by Ben Klock and Inigo Kennedy for Phase’s big ‘Binary Opposition’, which took the techno scene by storm.
The Hipodrome Of Music 