TECHNO / TRANCE *** Justin Berkovi – Against All Odds (Lucidflow LF326)
Known from Sativae, Mosquito, Djax-Up-Beats and his own label Predicaments, Justin Berkovi can look back to a few decades in electronic music. In recent years, the UK producer has been spotted on Lucidflow, a Berlin (net)label founded by the duo Klartraum. In the new two-tracker, “Against All Odds” is a potent stepper with floral undertones and whispering angels. The title of “Death By Trance” reveals what to expect, a ten-minute journey seeking harmonies with mushrooming pads and booming bass.
Bandcamp N/A
TECHNO *** Flavia Laus & Dinamite – Reinos Elementales EP (Onna Bushi Records OB003)
Spanish-born Berlin resident Dinamite presents the third EP on her Onna Bushi label. Teaming up with the Italian Flavia Laus, the two ladies are targeting techno floors. Especially the pounding ‘El Descenso de Inanna” serves this purpose. On the B-side, “Malachite” is a solid cut that transmits beeps over the lands, before flanging “Stato Liminare” with broken beats and mysterious Italian is the achiever of the four tracker.
TECH HOUSE / TRIBAL ** Atish – Choli (Rebellion RBL110)
Bollywood searchlights are illuminating the title track, which is a rework of the silver screen classic “Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai”. Meetu Chilana’s vocals and Deep Singh’s Indian percussion are adding authentic flavour. The magic vanishes with “Interrupt Request”, which offers generic Ibiza fare and definitely isn’t for me.
Bandcamp N/A
TECHNO **** Küetzal – Folding Time (KTZ243)
Co-founder of the London label Sticky Ground supplies the floor with three tight cuts. The opener “Folding Time” is a fair pick for hypnotic techno sets, the vocal part reminding of “Bonesbreaks” atmosphere. “Cosmic Runs” plays with chopped vocals and to “Higher Rotation” I would grant less rotation, though it belongs well to the impulsive pack of the three-track digi EP. All that delivered at 140+ BPMs. Nice.
ACID / TECHNO / HOUSE *** Sansibar – We Rise (Sin Sistema SINS001)
Semi-cult artist from Finland breaks the sweet chains of other labels and sets up own platform Sin Sistema. Sansibar pours plenty of acid over the title track where the bass line reminds of “Acid Monks“. Groovy vocal part injects energy into the 303-hop “Elastic”, which is not afar from big beat influences. Tech house session “Sonic Minds” is a collab with Denzel, who releases the label’s second EP “Glorified Intake” in November 2024. Because of dubby percussion, Basic Channel can be detected in “2K”, which is written for funky techno floor.
PROGRESSIVE BREAKS / ELECTRO ** Tara Brooks – In It Together (Thrust Recordings)
The title track by L.A.’s Tara Brooks offers meandering downbeat, commencing with promising oldtimer electro before sinking into a flowery landscape. A remix by the UK producer Lee Coombs comes with psyched out vocal samples and caustic layers known from the age of progressive house guerillas. All sounding like chart-adjusted Bass Kittens.
ELECTRO / BASS *** Orlando Voorn – Hunting Season (Bass Agenda Recordings BA115)
A chase is on. “Hunting Season”, the opening track by the restless Orlando Voorn, stands for action packed and robust electro. By sound, “Quick Thinking” takes another step away from the humanity, the only relief provided by a rhythmic vocal sample. Compared to the previous ones, “The Point Of No Return” is even melancholic, bringing to us electro jazz with boing-bum-tschak stunts.
DUB / TECHNO / HOUSE **** Mark Adam Paul – Stab Etiquette (Echo Locations EL 006)
The four-tracker between house and techno comes from Mark Adam Paul, the co-founder of the Western Canadian netlabel. The dub driven title track does good to your hips and NYC garage vibes watermark the next one (“Tuffwon”). Two versions of “Kudasaru” are for calories burning. The original is a precise techno tool, whereas an excellent remix by Phost adds dubby depths to the party. A label to watch.
PROG HOUSE / NU DISCO ** Cosmosolar – Chapter 25: Cosmosolar (Critical Monday CRITMON025)
The 25th release of the French (net)label is from the Argentine-born producer Alejandro Gamba, now based in Spain. Three tracks with a touch of progressive house, especially “Fastliker” that orientates to the sound of Trelik or Guerilla. A remix by Bonnie Spacey & Rem’s Martinez attempts to add acid house angle, though not being a game-changer.
DUB TECHNO / HOUSE *** Steve Bug – The Dark Lion (DUBWAX008)
Steve Bug, founder of influential labels Raw Elements, Dessous and Poker Flat, has remained active as a producer. This year he has released a few records and “The Dark Lion” is a new one on Dubwax. Rather predictable repertoire from the minimal house expert. “Ebb And Flow” is a candid version of classic dub techno, as well as “Back From Eternity”. House tune “Lost Sector” comes with lighter notes and trippy “Shadow Master” may get the most playtime of the lot.
ACID / TECHNO *** Bloody Mary – Alternate States Of Reality EP (Dame-Music DAME-MUSIC050 – 2024)
Bloody Mary, French-born producer and DJ from Berlin, comes after us with three interpretations of reality on her own label Dame-Music. The first one, titled “Acid Mix”, is a crunchy acid techno beast, which almost short circuits the 303 machine. “Alternative Mix” is an offroad version and the title “Reality Three (909 Mix)” tells a lot about another stomper, which is garnished with hi-hats and ravish bass. For the end, a remix by the Scottish veteran duo Slam keeps the nightly excesses going.
TECHNO *** Dubfire & Flug – Magma EP (CLR121)
A meetup of Ali Shirazinia aka Dubfire, one half of Deep Dish, and Sebastian Lopez aka Flug on Chris Liebing’s CLR. Of two tracks, high-paced “Friction” is an intense banger with galloping rhythm and tense drops. The title cut moves on dubbier and a bit calmer paths, still providing good fuel for the floor.
TECHNO ***** Damon Wild – Pleasure Builder (Sonic Groove SGLP16)
Damon Wild, founder of the 1990’s influential Synewave Records in New York, is not stuck in the past. While retrieving the classics of his own label and partner organization Missile, the current resident of Warsaw has completed a convincing techno album. The tracks range from funky steppers to straight strobe-lit tools that underscore Wild’s natural gifts as a techno artist. Should not be overlooked.
ACID / CHICAGO HOUSE **** Mark Grusane & Eric Schwab – Midwest Rhythms Vol. 2 (Disctechno DMLP03)
Chicago’s Mark Grusane keeps alive the traditions of his home town. In a collaboration with Eric Schwab from Detroit, the couple pays tribute to the classic Chicago (ware)house sound. Bold and smooth opener “Easy Strider” sets the pace for the rest of the four-track EP. A welcome exception occurs in “Acid Hole”, an attack of wicked worms from the silver box on stripped down rhythm.
ELECTRO/DRUM’N’BASS **** Detroit’s Filthiest – Hell Hath No Fury EP (Motor City Electro Company MCEC076)
Acclaimed Detroit electro maverick returns to the Motor City Electro Company with a digital EP split between two styles. The horror theme starts with “Killer Instinct” and “The Evil Within”, which are creepy bass tracks for serious floor action. The other two are d’n’b cuts with Oriental touch, in a presence of zombies. Especially “As I Lay Dying” is a real game changer, followed by “Death Walks Again”.
TECHNO/ACID *** Dr. Rubinstein – Rubi’s Acid Spa EP (Uppers And Downers UPPR001)
Dr. Rubinstein launches her new imprint Uppers And Downers with a digital three-tracker. The EP’s first two cuts are taking a deep dive into acid baths. The title track runs on “Basketball Heroes” bass line and “Extacid”, powered by ‘ecstasy’ samples, sounds in the intro like a 303 version of “Sharevari”. For the end, the name of “Ravey Intro 2” says it all and rounds up a nineties driven EP.
TECHNO/ACID **** Alex Ranzino – Ride Da Perc EP (PHOQ U PHONOGRAMMEN PH.U.9)
Muscular and efficient techno from Amsterdam’s Alex Ranzino on the U-Trax offshoot. A certain old school touch can’t be denied, with Mills-like industrial loops. On the top shelf are the caustic blasts “Acid Groove” and “Machine Geweld” for peak-time action. The Advent allows a break from electro with speed racer take of the title track, while the 909-driven original shows also a melodic side.
ELECTRO **** The Advent & Zein Ferreira – Elektronically Minded (Cultivated Electronics CE046)
A family affair led by father and son, Cisco and Zein Ferreira, with their close relative Torai joining in with a decent remix of the track “Syncopated”. The opener “Basic Channelling” is classic electro, instead of dub techno as it might seem by the title. The Exaltics rework arrives with turbo beats that are finding a pleasing companion in dreamy pads. The best is B2, “Journey To The Deep”, which is an oscillating snake charmer tune with nautical notes. “Elektronically Minded EP” is the first of their two releases scheduled on Cultivated Electronics in 2024.
ACID/TECHNO **** The Exaltics – It Never Ends (Repetitive Rhythm Research RRR008)
Predominantly an electro minded producer, The Exaltics makes a diversion on the EP by dropping techno and acid tracks. Which is not a surprise on a label like Repetitive Rhythm Research. Robust bass drum rules on the A-side, heralding a vintage party time. The knobs are twisted harder on the flip, where aptly titled “Corroded (From The Future)” and its companion “Dumb” generate a true 303 mayhem.
TECHNO **** Amotik – Amotik 014 (feat. Tina Ramamurthy) (Amotik AMTK014)
Amotik hardly leaves DJ bags and now the UK-born Wahlberliner presents a new three tracker. For the vocal part he has engaged Tina Ramamurthy whose echoing narration lends a psychedelic feel to the EP. The dub driven opener “Chauhattar” reminds of Cheap And Deep collab with Uta Alder, while monotone “Pachattar” is revolving around a slightly annoying sample. “Chihattar” moves in tantric spheres, the vocalist clearly dominating my preferred track of this EP.
SYNTH/WAVE *** Albin – Diskotek (Paltunes)
Albin reports back on Paltunes, a label from his hometown Malmö. This time Sweden’s ambient and IDM artist commences the five-track digital EP in the 1970’s mood with “Diskotek”, followed by healing New Age pipes (“Tvekan”) and dub-infused tech house (“112”, “Sent”). For the end, “Gryning” returns to the krauty disco room.
TECHNO *** ASEC – Group Dynamics (ASEC006)
A six-track offering by Berlin’s techno artist ASEC, for getting lost in the maze of clubs of his hometown. Three original cuts are loud and merciless, along with a Kaiser remix, while Inland versions stand out of the rest. First, the title track gets a creepy treatment and dub-infused reverbs convincingly round up the case.