Reviews!

2023

EPs

Sister Zo - Arcana

Drawing on four characters from the tarot deck's major arcana, "The Hanged One", "The Tower", "The Fool", and "The Devil", rising star Sister Zo continues to blow minds with her perfectly executed disjointed cuts of leftfield bass pressure. Having released earlier on favourite underground Scuffed Recordings and 3024, Sister Zo's pieces are influenced by the likes of European producers like Martyn and Kowton while very much her own sound. To say this EP sounds like hard drum with a sampladelic edge doesn't do it justice but this is an absolute must listen of the year so far.

Yushh - Look Mum No Hands

Like many of the finest producers, Jen Hartley, better known as Yushh is also a label curator. In her case, she is the one behind Bristol, England's stunning Pressure Dome, home to much in the way of tunes which expand the minds of dancefloor denizens, DJs and partiers alike. She has released remixes for others and oneoff songs previously with a range of labels including Banoffee Pies, Rhythm Section, and her own. On this EP, her debut, released on K-LONE and Facta's Wisdom Teeth, she displays a few different flavours and tempi of forward looking breakbeat based numbers. This auspicious EP bodes well for Yushh's career and is for me a year highlight with the potential of growing from there, and the psychedelic op art like cover is no bad thing.

Yushh - Siro Silo EP

Another brilliantly mindbending EP from Yushh of psychedelic broken beat. Nothing here that would not feel out of place on a number of labels with similar aesthetic interest in trippy hybrids of UK bass, techno, and breaks from Timedance to Livity Sound to her own Pressure Dome. Siro Silo takes us farther out than did its predecessor Look Mum No Hands but is no less vital. With these EPs under her belt Hartley shows she is more than capable as an artist and not merely a discerning curator of others' existing talent. As I write this just under a week until the end of the month, I can safely say that Siro Silo will be some of my favourite material of this year.

Toumba - Petals EP

One of Bristol, England's many strong record labels is Hessle Audio. For their first release of the year, they have released the stylings of the Jordanian producer, DJ, sound designer, and arts curator Yazan "Toumba" Zyadat, who hails from Amman. The broken beats of of UK Funky and UK bass thoroughly combined with more than just a light flavouring of dabkeh with strains from Levantine wedding music, dumbeks, and other instrumentation. Heavily swung breakbeats and other polyrhythms, microtonal strings, winds, thick globs of sub bass. Maqam rast is turned on its head for a collection of music which far exceeds the Orientalist worldbeat made by European and North American producers looking for a light sprinkling of flavour. Here's hoping Hessle Audio keep releasing such eclectic sounds showing the wonders of cosmopolitan possibilities open to digitally connected dancefloors.

DJ Manny - Feet Start Dancing EP

Although he is known as the protege of the late DJ Rashad, DJ Manny is a talented and accomplished footwork and juke producer in his own right. Here he gives us five new cuts which range from just under three minutes to just over three and a half minutes. Highlights of the EP are the opener, "Bubbly", third track "Soul Control", and the titular "Feet Start Dancing". Though containing some great numbers, Manny has had more consistent albums in the past.

ANNĒ - Blossom Tool

Rising Greek techno producer/DJ Anna "ANNĒ" Trimi continues to put out more and more great techno with incredible levels of subtlety. Though it's firmly in line with the sonic palette of contemporary warehouse sound, that's not all that's going on. Yes, it excels at that but also has little touches here and there in the production that make it feel slightly different. Plus it's nice to hear such great music from a woman in times where, despite the slow changing of the old guard, it's still very much a male dominated field.

Adiel - Everything in Between EP

The new extended play record from Alessia "Adiel" Di Livio. These four pieces of electro- and 'tribal' inflected techno are pretty distinctive and utterly reject the sometimes formulaic shape techno often seems to take. Some lovely sound design abounds throughout as well. It's more than just well put together and yet, I find myself finding it more tuneful than I'd like at times.

Inox Traxx - Indicators EP

Originally hailing from Russia, Inox Traxx now finds herself releasing her third EP in conjunction with both the Symbolic and Ben Sims' Hardgroove labels. Five pieces of atmospheric yet jacking techno with no shortage of energy which flow effortlessly over their four to five minute runtimes, any of these tracks could easily be mixed in to sets by many behind the decks. Nothing new or necessarily noteworthy but it's still highly enjoyable even if not particularly distinctive.

Stones Taro - Ton Tan EP

Modern legend Japanese breakbeat producer/DJ Stones Taro releases once again on the lovely London label Scuffed Recordings, but also be sure to check out his label NC4K. This time around, Stones Taro incorporates a bit of UK funky and "proto-dubstep wobbles" into his mixed palette. What follows is a masterclass from a preeminent breaksmith doing what he does best. Closing things out is a remix of the title track by another breaksmith known for his keeping jungle alive and well, Tim Reaper.

Sam Interface - Just Having Fun

Also known as SNØW, Sam Interface is one of the minds behind the forward looking More Time Records and a producer par excellence who deserves his accolades. On his latest EP, Just Having Fun, the label's trademark he indulges in crossing over of "global club", blending like a madman, in the process reminding us that there is far more the modern dancefloor has to offer than orthodox techno, dogmatic jungle, or hybrid trap by numbers. Drawing on soca, dancehall, kuduro, techno, UK funky, and hard drum, presenting a handful of tracks that don't totally fit any single one of these, Sam Interface is reminding us to just have fun. Yet so far (as I write this February 3rd), this is without a doubt one of the strongest releases of dance music this year. It may in time even grow to be one of my favourite releases from any time by anyone, as have some of the productions on More Time by Sam Interface's fellow label head Ahadadream.

Austen - Medulla

Forward thinking brokenbeat techno on the debut of Austen. Impeccably delivered, can't wait to hear what lies ahead given how strong a debut this is already. Great sense of staging/depth of field, if I may borrow some terms from photography. One of my favourites of the year so far.

Facta - Emeline

Oscar "Facta" Henson is an eclectic and creative producer and DJ based out of London, known equally for high energy bangers as he is mellow trippy floaters. Nine years ago, he and Joe "K-LONE" Gladwell launched their own rather excellent label, Wisdom Teeth for some of their own productions as well as those of kindred spirits. On this EP, Henson offers some of his psychedelic take on tech house. While it is certainly distinct, it doesn't seem at this early juncture to be one of the highest points in the year's musical offerings, but there is a chance it will grow on me and the last cut on the EP, "Sick Pup" is already a standout of 2023 dance music. However negative this review might sound, the music in here is never boring, and it is only because I know Facta has released stronger tracks in the past that I can say it doesn't yet seem like one of the year's best. Emeline is Henson's first set of tunes for New York City's Incienso, a label known for its releases by DJ Python, and last year released the latest LP by Huerco S, Plonk, pushing Brian Leeds towards his most recognition yet.

kotrina - Perreo Alarako

Peruvian reggaeton producer/DJ kotrina with a set of five tracks with a deliberately seductive album cover. Don't think for a moment that"Tu Felina" is about someone's pet cat. These pieces are an example of the growing neoperreo subgenre of reggaeton, which is often more queer friendly, has more progressive lyrics than its much more financially successful counterpart. Neoperreo also has more involvement from women and other nonmen outside of merely supporting roles. Musically, it is also more focused on the rhythms and other influences of club music from around the world. I don't know if this is her best release because it's my introduction to her career.

Marcal - Cyber Dystopia

Cyber Dystopia is the new four track EP from the rising young Brazilian techno producer/DJ Maracal. Released on Dustin Zahn's Enemy Records, it's hard, loopy, and at times a bit tracky but operates at a tempo that allows these cuts to work at any time in the night. Very little is on display in way of melody but this is more than made up for in the sound design department and it's hard to imagine anyone disliking much about these tracks from a prodigious talent whose star shines brighter daily. It is also secretly more inventive than it may appear at first blush, yet any number here would fit into a set from years past, too.

As One - The Unveiling

Longtime UK techno producer Kirk Degiorgio can trace his career back to the early 90s where quickly became one of the leading proponents of a strain with clear ties to the genre's origins in Detroit. The opening titular track on his new EP, "The Unveiling", would not feel remotely out of place alongside the atmospheric pieces by the likes of Model 500. Nothing on The Unveiling is especially world changing but it's good to know that older established canonical names are still able to put out something which should appeal to fans of theirs.

Black Barrel - Play EP and Leo Cap - Vertigo [b/w] Underground

Evgeny Khmel is a prolific producer of bass music, originally from Russia, but currently based in Spain. Black Barrel is his alias for drum and bass and Leo Cap, that which he uses for dubstep. While thePlay EP might not be his most creative or refined, Khmel's sense of play alluded to in the name of the EP is certainly on display. Samples abound from Blackstreet's "Physical Thing" which most know from Adam F's "Circles", Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise", and the orgasmic moans of Morenas' "Hazme Soñar" (familiar to junglists through Danny Breaks' use of it on 1993's immortal "For the Positive Thinking Crew". For my own tastes, there is no shortage of the tight drum programming that first drove me to pay attention to Khmel's output, but an overabundance of vocal clips as a means of enhancing commercial appeal weigh down upon this release. The mood on Vertigo [b/w] Underground is decidedly more severe for the most part and sort of treads the line between UK dungeon adjacent bassweight and commercial riddim sounds, so it makes sense Khmel has released with Deep, Dark & Dangerous in the past. There is a little humor in "Underground" with a clip of someone stating that they enjoy serious music. I wouldn't consider this or Play EP essential but both will be welcome additions to fans of his discography.

J:Kenzo - ZegaFunk EP

Though he dabbles in both dubstep and drum and bass, as well as increasingly probing the grey area therein, I must confess I mostly associate J:Kenzo with the first of these. On this outing, he pays tribute to classic dnb, specifically, apparently to the sound found around 1997 on Metalheadz. Fittingly, it is his first release with the same label. The EP consists of an impeccable execution of a mix between breakheavy early techstep and dubstep. At first, it might seem unremarkable, but then it becomes clear it's because it's such a seamless blending of idioms that you get an auditory sense of deja vu, ultimately making for a release which may be just under the level of a year highlight.

San - Under the Scope

Under the Scope marks San's second EP for Rua Sound after 2020's Subject 9. Discogs says of San that he provides much needed "jungle futurism, breakbeat terrorism and hardcore sub bass gangsterism". The title track's sample of someone talking about a scope on a rifle feels less decidedly dorkier than the thematically similar classic "Super Sharp Shooter" from years past. Be this as it may, the next two songs are some forward looking dnb the likes of which I have seldom heard. Sadly, the opening and closing tracks have less of an original flair to them but overall I'd still recommend this EP.

Toke - Avalon EP
Toke Nikolaishvilli is a techno producer originally from Tbilisi, Georgia, a city which in recent years has been increasingly on the radar for fans of various electronic dance related idioms. His latest, Avalon EP is released by Paris, France's Griffé and finds him blending techno, trance, and breakbeat styles with great ease and fluidity. Highlights are "Receptiveness" and the titular "Avalon".
Burna - Stargaze EP

Hailing from Perth, Australia, Burna delivers some highly accessible yet deadly dancefloor bombs here. Opening with the track that names the EP, "Stargaze" is a track based on a glossy arpeggio. "Glocken" is built around an unclear vocal clip and "Crushed" is too, though with a little more in the way of melodic content and whooshing noises. All three are tough as nails and funky as hell. Hard drum is a style which continues to pull its own weight and serve as an increasingly popular and interesting dancefloor alternative to stalwarts like house and techno.

Tim Reaper - Meeting of the Minds, Vol. 9

One of the two latest installments in UK producer/DJ Tim Reaper's series of collaborations with his friends and peers is here. And as usual, he and his colleagues deliver some topnotch junglism. Reaper's productions are among the strongest in the field--with or without any partners in production-- though his ability to coax some nonjungle dnb producers into working with amens deserves its own accolades. The many entries in Reaper's collaborative anthology are full of great dance material and encourage a spirit of teamwork and camraderie sometimes lacking from certain pockets of musical endeavours.

Biotone - D.Wave

The reissue of this 27 year old EP marks the inaugural release on Dzungla, a sublabel of the Dutch label Betonska. Biotone was one of a handful of aliases of Sebastian James Taylor, used in this case for a four track EP of progressive and psychedelic trance, techno, house, with a smattering of breakbeats making for a rather distinct listen for something of its time. Dzungla continues Betonska's mission of reissuing highly in demand old classics of dance music. It's amazing how time can make something that might have once been considered verboten by music purists can grow to heights of relevancy among tastemakers not possible to dream of during its initial heyday. Maybe I'm just such a snob but this far exceeds much of the so called "progressive breaks" I've heard.

El Gusano - El Gusano y Sus Amigos

Pablo Arrangoiz of Tampa, Florida, USA is a man of many aliases. Tampa is one of the main hotbeds within the United States of America for neoperreo and cumbia, and on this EP, he and several friends work together to bring some rather excellent little numbers which fuse cumbia digital and tech house seamlessly. A cute album cover and a simple title ensure this is an EP that will stay fresh in one's mind. At a single dollar US per track, the price couldn't be much fairer to the listener, either.

Cocktail Party Effect - Fixing the Roof EP

Known for his hardhitting leftfield UK bass tunes released on the likes of Tectonic Records and Sneaker Social Club, Charlie Baldwin aka, Cocktail Party Effect returns here with some more explicitly club oriented numbers (though not in the most mainstream sense of that) as well as some slightly abstracted junglism here and there. Might not be as psychedelic as some previous labels but nonetheless, he is in very fine form here. Incredibly understated but with the potential to be some of the nicest dance material available published this year.

Nikki Nair & Sam Binga - The Brislanta EP

Named for their two hometowns of Bristol, England and Atlanta, USA, The Bristlanta EP is the sound of two master beatsmiths collaborating with one another. Nikki Nair is an American producer/DJ whose deftness with breakbeats is already fairly legendary and has released music with the likes of Scuffed Music. English producer/DJ Sam Binga is more known for his drum and bass and footwork productions across various labels. The two come together here to bring some hybrid club sounds which are at times idiosyncratic but nonetheless could burn a dancefloor down.

Fireground - Recreation

The latest release on the Zenker Brothers' much loved techno and breakbeat Munich label Ilian Tape is the new EP by Fireground, a duet between two Italian producers (Angela "ADT" Dragonetto and Daniele Paduano) who are now based in Germany. Title track "Recreation" is an uptempo housey number which starts already in full swing and is a dancefloor bomb that could easily sweep all but the most worn out dancer back into the fray, the joy is more than merely palpable. "Spice Up" continues the infectious upbeat feeling of with some more tech house grooves which are simply absurd to not dance to. The second side is more techno-y, "Bamboo" is a bit more rigid than the first two cuts and "Noise of Light" is a more tribalistic broken beat affair, though again, not in the dark and alienated flavour one expects from this Munich label. Overall, Recreation is good deal brighter and cheerier than one usually expects from Ilian Tape but completely impossible to dislike or ignore and certainly one of my favourite things I have yetsofar this year.

Toby Davis - Locked in Room EP

Published by the Chinese label Source based in Xi'an, Toby Davis gives us five cuts influenced by the paranoid environment created in part by lockdown measures during the global covid19 pandemic. The artwork of a narrow hallway with bright green light shining out of the darkness create a visual which drives home this uneasiness even further. Musically, these pieces attempt fusing the likes of amapiano and gqom with those of grime and dubstep, to rather successful pleasing effect. The opening number "Lockdown" features some rapping from Darphy, although the other tracks are stronger without the presence of an emcee. This is not to say, however, that it would hurt to have rapping ad libbed on top in person.

Lag - Exploration of Common Materials

Serbian techno producer/DJ Milos "Lag" Martinov has released a new EP on the Italian KR/LF label with four industrial techno tracks, each exploring a different material commonly found in the modern world. First up is "Beton", which is known in the English speaking world as concrete. The textures are fairly abrasive but never too shrill or harsh that you'd want to turn it off. The piece is has no real melody as such but remains gripping through its six minute run time. Next is "Diazepin", a chemical family best known for a pill sometimes nicknamed "mother's little helper" and sold under the trade name Valium. It continues along similar lines to that of the track previous though a little more memorable and more musical in a sense even if again it doesn't possess an obvious hummable hook or bassline per se. Despite that, it too does not wear out its welcome over its length. After these two comes "Azbest" or asbestos. Named for a material whose use goes back some 4,500 years, often used for its flame retardant properties, soundproofing, shoes, flooring, for insulation, and much more which went from being seen as a miracle to an avoidable disaster waiting to happen. Causing many illnesses from asbestosis to mesothelioma, many countries have nowadays banned this material but not after companies involved in its production deliberately hid information about its harmfulness from the public. This piece and the one after it, "Kerozin" or kerosene" both have the most in the way of musical content. Kerosene has often been used in lamps and this fact connects it to another story of avoidable disaster. According to folk legend, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was started when a kerosene lamp was knocked over by a cow, which had been sitting by where she was being milked by a Mrs. O'Leary.

Aa Sudd - Pushedd

Treading the grey area between techno, drum and bass, and something rather alien is this EP on Berlin, German's Midgar Records from Sören "Aa Sudd" Re. Four pieces of thoroughly psychedelic, quite distinctive, yet impossibly danceable tuneage lie within. I can only hope Re has more like this within himself for awhile to come. For the time being, however, Pushedd will be like little else you hear from anyone and if you can keep an open mind, will leave you wanting more like myself.

JSPR - Cyborg Salsa

Five cuts of what the Los Angeles label Truncate rightfully calls "straight forward dancefloor burners". There isn't a ton else to say. These cuts are not especially catchy in any conventional musical sense. But this is techno and they have much to offer in this regard. These pieces can easily fit into any techno set you may throw them at. The EP's title is easy enough to remember, too.

DJ Swisha & Kush Jones - Respectfully

Two of the most prodigious talents in American club music, DJ Swisha and Kush Jones once again join forces for an EP of some jungle, some footwork, and some pieces in between. And, surprise surprise, it's predictably great stuff. Any one of these four cuts would get the dancefloor going with full force.

The Advent - Abacus Episode, Radar One, Radar Two, CTA Episode One, and CTA Episode Two

Continuing where he left off last December, underground favourite Cisco Ferreira, better known as The Advent, releases yet more previously unreleased germs of his arsenal of techno bombs. The Advent has long been a producer/DJ who knows how to kick the audience's ass into submission but at the same time give them something nice to eat. In other words, his tracks may be tough but there's a lot to sink one's teeth into at the same time, it's not merely a soundtrack to hundreds gurning.

Noh Face - Under the Influence I and Under the Influence II

Laksa - Body Score EP

One of my favourite contemporary dance producer/DJs is Laksa, a UK producer who decided to name himself after a rather delicious southeast Asian dish with many variations. But despite his affinity for noodles, Ross' productions are anything but limp and soggy. Rather, they hit the flavourful lively notes of the dish and he is certainly one of the most talented at marrying global percussive influence with contemporary UK bass and related sonics. The Body Score EP is the first release on the new label Laksa founded with his fellow DJ/producer re:ni which shares its name with their radio show, itself a portmanteau of their two names into a pun, RE:LAX (re:ni + Laksa). On this new EP, Laksa successfully weaves UK Funky, dubstep, and UK bass, not exactly into something new, yet still nonetheless undeniably very well executed.

Wealstarcks - Valeu e Obrigado
Wealstarcks is a producer from Paris, France. His new EP consists of 8 songs totalling a little over 19 minutes of smooth baile funk inflected house. The title of this EP and all its tracks are, appropriately then, in Portuguese. The result is more accessible to those unfamiliar with Brazilian styles might expect.
Chlär - Dance Instructor EP

Releasing on the relatively new Icelandic label, Swiss born DJ/producer/label head Chlär gives us three diverse sounding tracks which all go off rather hard. A range of musical approaches is a welcome change to what is business as usual for many in the world of techno. Ditto the fact that these pieces occupy a good deal of the audio range instead of focusing on bass to the exclusion of the other frequency bands. Some old skool rave stabs including even some mentasm on the title track show us that the dance instructor alluded to may be the producer of these cuts himself.

Lurka - Molten Drum

The first track to drop from the new EP Molten Drum by producer/DJ Lurka is "Machine", a ferocious number inspired by equal parts industrial, gqom, and UK funky. The eclecticism of Bristol, England's Lurka is a big part of what has kept each of his releases relevant to the contemporary musical dancefloor climate.

Kouslin - Patterns EP

Although not at the level of a year highlight just yet (I may feel differently with time), there is a good deal of highly enjoyable Bristolian techno/break/dancehall whatchamacallit we've all come to know and love from Kouslin and his labelmates, though much less dubby here. Nonetheless, be sure to check it out.

astatine - The Penrose Triangle

Released through the Portuguese Deployment Strategies label, The Penrose Triangle is named for a famous optical illusion also known as "the 'impossible' triangle". The first two tracks' titles, "Development" and "Pattern" are decidedly less than exciting but the last has an exciting name befitting the title's allusion to the great mathematician and physicist Roger Penrose. "Planar Net" is also my favourite of the three pieces musically, too. All cuts would be very well suited to starting or wrapping up a warehouse party.

Nørbak - Verdade Absoluta EP

Despite the Nordic alias, producer/DJ Artur Moreira, alias Nørbak, is in fact originally Portuguese. The title of this EP offers us the absolute truth. The absolute truth about what? One thing's for sure and that's that we've got six tracks here (the last two are digital exclusives) of the dark techno which the Dutch label mord have built their name upon. The menacing silhouette of a wildcat adorns the cover and we are given this poem which in tandem with the photograph says more about the music than perhaps even its title could:

"this is a madman's knife.
this is a flower.
this is a soldier marching
through the Devil's circus
and in a million rooms."

The songs aren't poorly assembled but the tracks at times seem to suffer from a problem common to much techno, namely that it seems to be designed to get maximum effect only on the latest and greatest soundsystems with the deepest bass and highest resolution sound. This might not seem like much of an issue on the surface but in practice it can create a gatekeeping effect. Not all clubs are created equal and not all techno can necessarily felt as much as heard depending on what gear can be afforded by venues and rave promoters.

DiZE7 - Cream Cheese

On Weinsheim, Germany's netlabel SchmobRec, DiZE7 gives us three pieces of techno which are far from cheesy or creamy. Slightly odd at first but easy to get used to quickly.

En:vy - Neo EP

En:vy is a liquid drum & bass producer/DJ from Bristol, England (originally hailing from Vienna, Austria) and his new EP's artwork illustrates both the fluidity and the heat found within. Things start very strongly with the five minute title track which exhibits elements of both steppiness and rolls quite smoothly. The next cut "UFO" keeps things moving nicely, with a cute sampled snippet of someone talking about a UFO. All of the drum programming on this EP is incredibly impeccable, to say nothing of the sound design, pacing, and mixing. The highlight of the EP is the middle track "You".

Pugilist - Negative Space

Although often more known for his dubstep productions, Alex "Pugilist" Dickson of Australia's continued expanding more and more influence from techno, breakbeat, house, and jungle prove to be very fruitful.

Skee Mask - ISS009

Bryan "Skee Mask" Mueller continues his incredibly strong ISSxxxEP series on the Zenker Brothers' Ilian Tape label. The man is an absolute master of breaks who can work some real wonder with them. Opener "UWLSD" is very strong and psychedelic of flavour, followed by the more house inspired "Studio 626" which is not quite on the same level for me. On the other side of the EP we have "Reviver" which is a great example of an extremely rhythm forward track with little in the way of harmonic/melodic content beyond the sounds of the drums and percussion instruments themselves where melody and harmony are shown to be less necessary than one may suppose. Closer "Bandprobe Dub" is simply lovely dubby breakbeat that despite that description never feels like dubstep or other UK bass styles, perhaps it'd be somewhat more accurate to call it breaky dub house (?) All in all, another solid EP from a master producer.

Syz- Headspin

This oughta give your head a spin, alright. DJ/Producer Oliver "Syz" Samways is back with some delightfully broken techno which also draws on grime influence. Very concise and exact in their design and sound pallet, these five numbers are some of my favourite I've heard all year as I write this in mid March, and have instantly become some of my favourite techno productions I've heard from anyone anytime.

Peverelist - Pulse EP

The new EP from label head Tom "Peverelist" Ford on his Livity Sound is the first in eight years. Despite the wait, within this new EP Ford delivers some of his finest material yet. Each cut has a distinctive sound to it yet they all fit well together in a range of tempi.

James Bacon - Diametral

Opener "Sista" marries electro techno, slightly stoned deep house, and something else. The other numbers are pretty lovely, though less distinct.

De-Tu - IMRV036

More lovely dank deep dungeon dubstep dirges from some modern heavyweights on the lovely Innamind Recordings. Not a ton to say about it, other than it's dubstep done right by some of my favourite currently in the game.

Ana Rs - Take Me There EP

Take Me There is the debut EP of Montenegran producer/DJ Ana Rs on Ben Sims' evergrowing Symbolic imprint, having previously contributed tracks to label comps for Dangerous Minds Records, Substantiv, and B55 Records. Believe me when I say these five tracks of hers will take you there courtesy of some nicely crafted hardgroove which should also appeal to those who normally look past the subgenre. Highly befitting the label "hypnotic techno" one sometimes hears slapped on this sort of thing.

QRTMT - 73044 EP

Having earlier this year released a track for the tenth instalment of 30D Records' Contact series of label compilations, industrial techno producer QRTMT offer us some creative and distinctive techno which is as industrial as it is accessible. The shortest track is about six and a half minutes and not one of the four would be hard to imagine being played either the whole way through or used as tools. This EP is just one of a few things out this year on Sweden's Counter Pulse, a label whose earliest release dates back a little over a decade now.

Bluetoof - Diggin a Hole

Infa Red label boss Ben "Bluetoof" Farjani delivers some extremely creative and highly psychedelic breaksy weirdness. Dubby sounds drawing on the likes of breakbeat, techno, drum & bass, electro, and hard drum mesh together for an altogether distinct listening experience. This marks Farjani's second release on his label, and only the third release the label has dropped, period. Keep your eyes and ears out for more from this burgeoning talent.

Henzo - A Fascinating Skeleton

Highly talented UK producer Henzo is back with some very nicely produced bangers that are creative but not hard to dance to whatsoever.

Subshell - Volyum 2
Four lovely little chuggers that sit in the low to mid 130s with a sound pulling on dubstep, techno, and related genres. All four could easily slide into many a DJ set with no problem, though the most distinctive thing about the whole release is the mindblowing artwork on the "cover".
Gastah - Want U

Three pieces of pop length "neo-grime" packaged in a vaporwave package with pastel colours, grecoroman statues, computer generated clouds... a bit calculated taken in sum, but nice enough to listen to. The grime influence isn't apparent on the title track but is on the other two, which are the better songs.

Hullabalo0 - Bassilisk EP

Based out of Reno, Nevada is a fairly prolific producer named Hullabalo0. Here, they successfully hybridize influences from trap music, glitch hop, neurofunk and psybient into a somewhat surprisingly cohesive package.

KW - ALTGR

Named after the AltGr key found on many computer keyboards is the new EP from producer/DJ Konrad Wehrmeister who is better known by his first and last initials, KW. The four tracks half a minute under five minutes exemplify a sort of breakbeat meets techno approach that the name of the Zenker brothers' Muenchen, Deutschland based Ilian Tape record label is known for, with a small twist of the so called "wonky techno" favoured by the likes of Neil Landstrumm, Cristian Vogel, Subhead, and Mr. Oizo. Not one of these cuts would be out of place in either a breakbeat or techno mix and the pieces flow well enough from one to the other, that one can enjoy it like that, if so inclined.

Om Unit - Off World Tales

One of the year's new EPs from Bristol based Jim "Om Unit" Coles is Off World Tales under his ingenious alias "Philip D Kick". While previously he has used this alias for his footwork bootleg remixes of jungle classics, this time Coles is giving us some science fictionally themed originals. Some pieces are specific references ("Replicant" to Blade Runner, "Predator" the film series of the same name), some more generally, "Orbit", "Clapping Alien Cheekz", and a reference to popular futurist theorist Alvin Toffler, "Future Shock". The artwork is at once dorky and cool combining a Reebok sneaker and an X-wing fighter from the original trilogy of Star Wars films. The pieces found here are enjoyable and anyone already into Jim Coles' other work will probably get some enjoyment here too.

Bok Bok - Duetto

Duetto is the new EP from Alexey Anatolievich Sushon, better known as Bok Bok, who is one of the two (along with James "L-Vis 1990" Connolly) founders of the Night Slugs label. It's pretty well put together but not quite at the level of his best heights he's achieved in the past.

Batu - For Spirits

Bristolian producer/DJ Omar "Batu" McCutcheon is back with his

Full Lengths

Heavee - Discovery Pt. 1

The new album by Chicago producer Heavee takes some inspiration not only from their usual footwork, but also, to some extent, gqom. Most tracks are like "Sweep the Porch", considerably more mellow than one might expect.

Bored Lord - 3213123

A variety of breaky styles explored, from house to jungle. Not my favourite of hers, nor a year highlight but still got some great moments on here.

DJ Finale - Mille Morceau

At its best, this album exemplifies a ton of what makes Nyege Nyege Tapes one of the most vital currently running labels.

Gavsborg - 1 Hour Service

Gavsborg is a member of the Equiknoxx collective of artists pushing dancehall into new places. Here he continues this in a slower almost dubbier fashion to great results. Although less energetic than Equiknoxx has often been, 1 Hour Service is a great demonstration of its creator's knack for turning dancehall in directions that people would not likely be able to anticipate twenty five years ago. Though I know dance styles are far more often EPs and singles than full lengths, I look forward to more like this from the members of Equiknoxx.

Traxman -Tekvision Volume 3

Cornelius "Traxman" Ferguson is one of Teklife's best known producers and undoubtedly one of footwork's most established voices. On Tekvision Volume 3 he continues to deliver some solid pieces. The sound here is more stripped back and less ornate than the style can be at some times, but these are battle tracks and the heart and soul of footwork is often found in the dance battles. This is dance music for dancing, so it may be offputting to those listeners who want something they deem to be "more creative". My advice to those people is that they learn to appreciate footwork/juke (and other idioms) on the styles' own terms instead of projecting their expectations. Da Mind of Traxman both volumes 1 and 2, Slash Time will satisfy them more, but it is truly one of Traxman's greatest assets that he seems to always put danceability above all else in his productions, which is not to say they are dull.

Lilocox - Drums (Lata)

Ricardo "Lilocox" Vieira, a producer from Lisbon, is a stalwart of the Portuguese batida scene with several releases on one of the labels I hold in the highest esteem, Principe. To date he has released a single EP solo five years ago, Paz & amor, Malucos de Raiz in his duo Casa de Mae Producoes in 2015, and half of a split of a Piquenos DJs do Guetto ten years ago.

Drums (Lata) marks his first full length, and full it is: the runtime is just a single minute and a second short of a full 90 minute cassette. This album has on display a variety of percussive dance idioms, showcasing his range as a producer. Things kick off with techno and house feelings of the opening handful of tunes, then progressively adding in more of the elements which have made he and his colleagues on Principe so vital. Nonetheless, starting with "Floute Style" and "Ritmos" that much of the feel that leads me to holding the music of his label mates so dear has trickled in more, albeit in tunes which would be more easily mixed into techno or house sets than is sometimes the case. Unfortunately, his considerable talents, the album sometimes feels longer than might be desirable. Still, too much of a good thing cannot always said to be a problem.

Amantes del Futuro - Kumbiatitlan

Having traveled far beyond its original home of Colombia, cumbia has grown and evolved in many different directions. One of the countries where it has taken off most successfully has been Mexico, which is where Amantes del Futuro are from. They produce what they refer to as futurist cumbia. Cumbia digital has existed in various forms essentially since the birth of the drum machine and the advent of popular electronic music in the 1980s. It has often been a fusion of pop, and hip hop, with cumbia. What's more recent however is electronic forms more focused on in the drum parts found in older forms of cumbia that predate the electronic sounds being recreated with newer means.

Oceanic - Choral Feeling

On Dutch label Nous'klaer, Job "Oceanic" Oberman has released a new full length album named for its extensive use of vocals, a double twelve inch called Choral Feeling. What follows is an album that straddles the line between progressive electronic, electro, ambient, and art pop. Some moments do genuinely feel like they could very easily find a home in an eclectic DJ's set but the overall mood is one of home listening, albeit for a fan of dancefloor idioms. It should find appeal to fans of the many arpeggiated synth wizards of history from Klaus Schulze to Steve Roach but also very friendly to the ears of lovers of quirky indie pop. In a word, this album is fun. It's not severe and self serious in the way techno music, experimental, and ambient electronic excursions often are, and certainly levity is something often which goes unprized in many corners of music listening. This early year offering is a beautiful testament to camraderie, Oberman's primary sound source for the piece is extensively sampling the voices of his friends (a note on the Discogs entry thanks them for this contribution). At fortyfive minutes, Choral Feeling never feels too long.

LVZY - Club Terror

LVZY is a producer/DJ from Uruguay. On this full length release, he mixes dembow, reggaeton, and some experimentation with the guaracha underpinning everything else. The title and the sad clown on the dancefloor adorning the artwork should give a big hint as to the vibe found on this LP. Less out there than a lot of of the experiments some do with these styles and not always as much to my liking as a lot of the other neoperreo, dembow, and guaracha I have heard.

Regal86 - La Onda

Mexican producer/DJ Regal86 works in a few idioms, mostly ghettotech and hardgroove techno it is mostly the latter on display here. Hardgroove given a feel/package not usually found and quite impeccably executed, though the skits weigh it down a little.

RP Boo - Legacy Volume 2

While not quite as strong as its similarly named predecessor put out in 2013, it is nonetheless greatly appreciated. To be able to track the evolution of Kavain "RP Boo" Space's career and hear earlier cuts than he might ever have given official release is a treat perhaps more appreciated by his existing fanbase than a way into his career. Nonetheless, as the liner notes make clear, RP Boo is to footwork what Juan Atkins is to techno, and so it's always a treat to hear something from the maestro.

EVA808 - Öðruvísi

The new full length album from Icelandic dubstep producer/DJ EVA808 is here. Öðruvísi, meaning "otherwise", is her first since 2020's Sultry Venom. Tracks on the album are from the past three years, with some cool and eclectic sounds but is unfortunately a bit of a grab bag. With repeat listens, it might reveal itself to be a year highlight, but for now I'm not totally sure.

Scotch Rolex & Shackleton - Death by Tickling

Although it has a very silly name, this collaborative between DJ Scotch Rolex and Shackleton is some highly inventive dance music indeed. I don't have too much to say other than I highly recommend it, everything Shackleton has done and everything DJ Scotch Rolex has put out on Hakuna Kulala. An essential listen for the year, to be sure. May it be the first of many.

Paleman - Veiled

UK producer and DJ, Callum "Paleman" Lee's debut full length, Veiled is published by Sciahri and Dagdrom's Sublunar, based out of Firenze. It is a strong showing of masterful sound design, the likes of which feel like a better justification for the prestigious practice of modular synthesis. Early though it is in the year (early February as I write this), Veiled feels like it's bound to be a year highlight and is certainly a techno album enjoyable at any volume and suited to both home listening and the dancefloor. One thing which sets techno apart from other electronic dance based styles is that it often can excel in both the long playing format, sometimes coupled with a sense of cohesion and sometimes even narrative rather than feeling like fortyfive minutes to an hour's worth of disparate collected tracks. There is no wheel reinvention but sometimes good texture can count for a hell of a lot more than expected. Both are certainly the case here and I look forward to more output from Lee in the future.

Orbital - Optical Delusion

Brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll have been making techno together since the late eighties. Their partnership has been under the alias "Orbital" referencing the English highway M25 which proved crucial in the early days of the UK rave scene as people would drive along it and find parties throughout the countryside. Some of the brothers' earliest tracks have had remarkable staying power. "Chime" and "Belfast" are both time capsule items that would nonetheless interest most people with an appreciation of the history of techno. But even more widely beloved is their tune "Halcyon On + On", which has been featured in the soundtracks of films like Hackers, Mean Girls, and Mortal Kombat. Many have fallen out of love with the group after one point or another and I can't blame those who have. At the same time, this album is probably Orbital's strongest since 1999's The Middle of Nowhere. The cover artwork of Optical Delusion continues in the same vein of psychedelic kitsch favoured on the duo's excellent 1996 album In Sides and 1994's more leftfield Snivilisation. The political content found on their most recent album, however, is certainly much more on the nose than one might expect. Sonically, the album contains an update to their classic sound, sometimes more unexpected turns, sometimes less. The trap sound infusing "What a Surprise" is indeed a surprise. At three seconds over 51 minutes, this latest offering only somewhat overstays its welcome. All in all, a much better album than I expected from P&P and a decent amount of material I'd relisten to but certainly not one of my favourite things I've heard yetsofar this year.

Skrillex - Quest for Fire

For an immensely successful A list pop star producer/DJ Sonny "Skrillex" Moore, draws on a decent number of influences and sometimes works with artists I'd never have anticipated. This started (?) with his collaboration on two cuts with rave royalty Ragga Twins on his 2014 album Recess. Recently, Moore continues this trend with other big names in dance music: Joker, Noisia, and Four Tet. After a period spent recuperating his mental health and honing his craft, his new album, Quest for Fire has been slated to release February 17th. In an unexpected turn, one of his more recent songs, "Xena", showcases prominent influence from dabke music and features guest vocals from Palestinian jazz singer Nai Barghouti. Another features beloved grime emcee Flowdan. A few days ago, February 11th, Skrillex released a mix on YouTube in anticipation of Quest for Fire (watch it here. Along with the dabke and grime influences, a juke mix of a tune of his comes a real surprise. A tune with (or at least sampling?) avant drummer Eli Keszler! Unfortunately, this piece is way too small to say much about except that it could scarcely be a more out of left field musician to work with Moore on a cut for the new Skrillex full length.

Caged Element - Ascension

Derby based producer/DJ Paul Bolstridge is known for many projects, perhaps most notably being a member of Concealed Sequence and also his works as Pirtek. On his new album Ascension, he has created six vastly expansive and atmospheric rhythmic techno soundscapes ranging from about six minutes to eight and a half minute longs which ought to interest to any fan of techno. They will have appeal especially those fond of both Detroit and the early days of so called "IDM" when the term mostly referred to slightly offkilter psychedelic, chillout room material -- specifically that which was ambient but not the more "washed out" sounding side of things. Use of words like "parallax", "replicated", and the term "cold fusion" continue this side of the aesthetic mentioned previously.

ASC - The Depths of Space

The absurdly prolific producer James "ASC" Clements is at it yet again with a full length new album, The Depths of Space. While the title leaves something to be desired, the eight lengthy cuts found here do not. These pieces should prove enjoyable for fans of so called "atmospheric drum and bass" along the lines of the earliest days of LTJ Bukem, with lush pads, water sounds, and deftly chopped and programmed breakbeats. Deliberately or not, the artwork on this most recent release seems to echo that of ASC's album from 13 years previous, Nothing Is Certain.

Surgeon - Crash Recoil

Anthony Child has been producing and DJing techno for quite awhile now but that doesn't mean he's necessarily given in to sameness. Crash Recoil is the first album by Surgeon in five years since Luminosity Device on his own Dynamic Tension Records and his first full length on Tresor since 1999's much feted Force and Form. Feeling that he had to wait until Surgeon felt he had something distinct and new to "say" with his music before putting out another longplayer has proved to be for the best and the result is an eclectic yet cohesive collection of work from an established master of techno.

J-Shadow - The End of All Physical Form

The new album from London-based DJ/producer J-Shadow has a rather ominous name, The End of All Physical Form, which evokes something along the lines of the heat death of the universe. Sonically, it draws on footwork, grime, jungle, and experiments with these. Despite these not uncommon ingredients, it doesn't sound like much else.

Tech Itch Recordings - COVERT:ONE

In response to a perceived rise of cloutchasing paired with a corresponding decrease in quality found in many sectors of the drum and bass scene, longtime label Tech Itch Recordings (founded by the producer/DJ Technical Itch) has launched a series of works to be released pseudoanonymously. COVERT:ONE is the first instalment in this collection of works not to bear the name or names of the producer or producers involved.

Singles

Afinity & Nevve - Back to Me

Marketed and branded as "dubstep", Back to Me is essentially a modern day contemporary soft pop ballad with the lightest possible touch of a Serum patch or two during the breakdown section. Katy on a Mission this ain't. Where Katy B was a pop singer who was very savvy in hiring hot big name producers from Benga to Geeneus to DJ Zinc, Kelly "Nevve" Bumford isn't even one of the women who is a casualty of the formula of being hired to say something that sounds sexy or nostalgic over top of some massive tuneage. I'm not familiar with Afinity's other work, but this song feels incredibly cynical/calculated and I say that as a fan of pop music as well as forms of dubstep often sneered at as being for the lowest common denominator.

Pex L - Levels

The Spanish producer Pedro Cabrera Hernandez produces a very contemporary take on dance music as Pex L. He produces bass house, which is essentially the marriage of the "brostep" side of dubstep and electro fidget house. It's a combination that works often astonishingly well, even if an individual song in the genre is not the easiest thing to pontificate upon. The main letdown is that the track shares its name with Avicii's 2011 smash hit. Many pieces share names but it's only been five years since Avicii's passing and the success of his "Levels" was more than a flash in the pan, one hit wonder, etc. Pex L's tune like any pop song worth its salt will in time work wonders as a time capsule item, that will transport the listener back to the late 2010s to mid 2020s (or whenever it is the earliest waves of bass house end up fizzling out).

Loxy - Havok [b/w] Polaris

Loxy has been steadily busy since the late 90s, often with Ink, Resound, or both. Here he is with a new single on Doc Scott's 31 Records. It's business as usualy, but I don't want to give the impression that's a bad thing at all because I would love to hear either or both of these in context. There is no reinventing the wheel going on whatsoever, but "Havok" and "Polaris" are top quality breakheavy dancefloor weapons stepping and rolling both in each cut.

Dave Angel - Glide [b/w] Peekaboo

Dave Angel is a techno, house, and tech house producer and DJ from the UK who first made his presence known in the early 90s, releasing on labels like R & S as well as launching his own rather strong Rotation Records. In addition to his works collected on his installment of the former's Classics series and his 1995 album Tales of the Unexpected, my favourite things of his have often been his high octane DJ sets which are often as fast as they are funky, chief among them being 1998's 39 Flavours of Tech Funk. On this new single for Rekids, "Glide" is very much in line with Angel's trademark style of funky techno and "Peekaboo" is more of the same.

Henzo - Humidity Valve EP

UK producer/DJ Henzo's back with some more dancehall inflected techno and it's not bad but it's not as exciting as he sometimes is. When he offers the same audio file reversed, he seems to be taking the piss but at the same time makes you realize what potential some songs have to be genuinely interesting played backwards.

Addison Groove - Eh Wut EP

Antony Williams returns to his footwork related alias for two banging cuts that seamlessly merge aesthetic sensibilities of footwork and minimal techno. Call me crazy but I would love a full length of this sort of thing. If you're reading this, Antony, please I know you have it in you! I don't have much else to say other than I enjoyed this fusion a lot and it made me look forward to more of someone I haven't heard anything new from in sometime.

Mosca - Warm Piss in a Cold Shower

Well made club ready techno from someone who has made more interesting material in the past and likely will again. Fairly straightforward, but it's not your typical four to the floor joint, either.

Noh Face - That's It... That's the One [b/w] Concrete Party

Two cuts of breaksy electro from the Portland, Oregon producer. On the "a-side" it has a feel of some synth pop influence, not exactly a belter but it has nice little melody. The flip is more dreamy and has a sort of post-industrial electro thing going on with some psychedelic ambient glitchiness and nice pads all built around an 808 groove with those cowbells and claves we all love so well. It is the latter song which stands out. These pieces are slated to be on Noh Face's upcoming full length, The House I Built With My Mind. If the album is more like "Concrete Party", I'll be very excited for it.

Ribbbit - Mangroves EP

Released on Tampa, Florida, USA's SUM R & R, both "Carousel Frog Dub" and "Botanical Waltz" are quite nice if not extraordinary dubstep that could easily have been released some fifteen years earlier. At the risk of sounding overly snarky, they would likely be good choices of newer material for a DJ to slip in to a hypothetical dubstep oldies mix.

Kaidun - Nano Swarmer

Sounds a bunch like some late 90s/early 90s Florida or West Coast breaks, for better and for worse. Not surprising that this style would be revived. Maybe a bit surprising how fresh this track feels heavy as it is on bringing an older sound back.

Soukah - Pistolero [b/w] Skin Layers

Pistolero and Skin Layers are a well intentioned fusion of dubstep with atmospheric country (think of Neil Young's score for Jim Jarmusch's "Dead Man", Earth's album Hex, Or Printing in the Infernal Method, or moments of Ry Cooder's score for "Paris, Texas"

Le Roi est Mort

Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band - Hotline Bling [b/w] Murkit Gem

The A-side is a very lovely and imaginative cover of the Drake song "Hotline Bling", which for my own tastes overshadows the original, though I wish it was longer. The B-side is a cover of a tune by El Michaels Affair.