Non-Stop DJs - Furious EP      (Non-Stop Recordings)

As good friends of 11th Hour, it’d be easy to be accused of bias with this review of London’s premier Ghettotech duo’s debut to vinyl, but we still consider this EP to be more than worthy of our recommendation! As rare UK ambassadors of a sound generally confined to local sub-scenes in the Detroit, they’ve taken on the challenge of bringing this raw blend of up-tempo electro beats, Chicago style vocal riffs and lush motor city strings to a wider audience. In doing so they have infused their many electronic influences to craft a style all of their own, a great deal richer and deeply layered than many of their contemporaries (think the likes of DJ Godfather, DJ Assault, Electrofunk, Dr De etc) – giving up 6 high paced, storming cuts brimming with tough stripped down beats, slamming funk basslines and edgy pitch-shifted synth hooks. Rough, furious and totally unique – go and track this nasty fu*ker down J.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 4/5

Go to the Non-Stop Recordings website.

Scan 7 - The Result      (Btrax)

A welcome return for one of Detroit’s darker techno producers here, providing 3 tracks (with 1 remix) for new French imprint Btrax (project of local techno DJ Alex K). ‘Thoughts’ is a nice rolling track to start, with a slow house groove, subtle lead lines and occasional vocals low in the mix. The untitled cut on the inside is just too horrible to talk about though. ‘Schranz’ shite of the lowest order, devoid of any funk, soul, groove or anything – and pathetically produced too – avoid at all costs! What relation it has to Scan 7 is beyond me… All is forgiven on the flipside however – ‘Power’ is possibly the best track I’ve heard from these guys so far, an awesome electro monster, dripping with sexy synths and tough rhythm programming, featuring sweet, sassy vocals across. Essential buy for this cut! The Alex K remix of this is actually surprisingly good too, matching the vocals with a simpler, housey beat and pad groove – watch out for some horrifically cheesy breaks here and there though (including a dreaded snare roll!) – a little bit of judicious cutting when mixing easily removes these however, leaving behind a much cooler, funkier cut.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 4/5

Go to the Btrax website.

Derek Carr - Planet Jump      (Headspace)

Another beautiful record from Derek, following superb EPs on Nice + Nasty, Digital Soul and Geek, appearing this time for Tom Churchill’s Glasgow based label Headspace (itself going from strength to strength all the time). I personally feel this is his best work so far – simple, subtle and crisp yet at the same time incredibly rich and achingly soulful. Intuitively occupying the common ground between house and techno without straying into the washed out realms of ‘tech-house’- from the ultra deep strains of ‘L’Equipe’ through the bouncier groove of ‘Cuba’ to the tougher, Tejada-esque funk of the title track, every track here is impeccably designed and instinctively danceable. For those into sweet melodic techno, this is pretty much perfect.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 4/5

Go to the Headspace website.

Raiders of the Lost Arp - 4 LP      (Nature)

This label and its sound have breathed a lot of new life into European techno in my opinion, bringing a bright, synth driven feel that pulls out the best elements from 80’s pop without being retro, Italo-Disco without being cheesy and Detroit without being anal; creating something totally fresh and unique along the way – and putting some much needed sexiness back into techno. This first long-player from Mario Pierro’s project (featured also on Nature’s superb sub-label Pigna – and also one half of the excellent Mat101) is no exception, following up his distinctive EP’s in much the same style he established there – smooth yet dirty techno-electro-synth-pop of the highest order. Overall, things are a little more chilled out here for the album format, but there are still plenty of hot dancefloor moments, my favourite being the glittering chords and sick bassline of ‘City Lights’ – a track that’s destined to stay in my record box for a very long time! Most of the other tracks are a little more electro driven, ranging from storming synth workouts to more laid back grooves, equally at home in stereo or club… Definitely well worth a listen…

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 4/5

Go to the Nature website.

Beanfield - Tides (Carl Craig Remix)      (Compost)

Carl Craig comes up with his finest remix in a long time here, creating a spaced out, dubby and downright haunting version of Beanfield’s jazzy track from their current ‘Seek’ LP, featuring the unusual vocal talents of Bajka. Stripping away everything but her voice, and layering it on top of a dark kick and subtle 303 groove, Carl’s rework leaves the foundation minimal and for the most unchanging, allowing the vocals infinite room to play above – and provides all the more satisfaction when finally letting it break into thick, sweet chords at the close. Of course, most of the credit here deservedly goes to Beanfield for creating their haunting lyrics and melodies in the first place – but with a subtlety rare amongst remixers, Carl does nothing to detract from their beauty, simply removing what isn’t needed and letting the strangely harrowing soul of the vocals shine through, whilst lifting and enhancing it with his unique Detroit futurism. By far the most memorable release of the year, at least for me…

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 5/5

Go to the Compost website.

Analog Fingerprints - Dirty Sidewalk       (Pigna)

The 7th release on this Italian sub-label of Nature brings the artist rotation back to Analog Fingerprints (aka label boss Marco Passarani, also seen on Generator, Peacefrog etc). Here he delivers 3 more tracks of Pigna’s signature synth-funk, much along the same lines as previous releases – ie tough, stripped down beats and poppy grinding basslines to the forefront. Not quite as essential as earlier cuts though, this seems more like Pigna filler material without any particularly distinctive tracks - but will still work very well on the funkier dancefloor.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 3/5

Go to the Pigna website.

Iridite Productions - The Acceptable Face of Elitist Techno      (Down Low)

Following four releases on their own label, the shining lights of Glasgow’s deep techno scene, Iridite, return with another superb compilation EP (4 tracks from 3 artists) - this time for the stunning Texas-based Down Low imprint. First and last cuts come from Rei Loci, and his first excursion, ‘Silent Chemistry’, is by far the hottest work I’ve heard from him to date – a seriously funky Detroit synth workout with enough bass and groove to satisfy even the most demanding – an essential purchase for this track alone. Jason Brunton comes up with a deeper, quirky techno/house tune, ‘BOF’, next – featuring a sweet pitch shifted chord groove and jerky bassline – also excellent. On the reverse, Methodology continues the theme with ‘Re-Wired’, containing another roaring sub-bassline, before Rei Loci returns to round things off with a simpler, rolling track ‘Logician’s Nephew’. Overall, the best work from the fine Iridite crew to date, developing their unique take on deep techno to ever greater levels. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 4/5

Go to the Down Low website.

DJ Bone - R.I.D.E. / Ship Life / Physics      (Subject Detroit)

Seeing as they’ve taken the slightly odd step of releasing 3 news EPs in one go, I’ll review them all as one here. A follow up to the first superb Subject Detroit record has been eagerly awaited – being almost five years since now that rather special debut - so it is good to see the label resurrected. Sadly though, none of the cuts here quite live up to the quality of that release, although they do all have their own moments. The overall feel across the records is a very typical dark clubby vibe, much along the lines of Alan Oldham, Mills etc, not really offering much new – the standout tracks being those that break this formula. On my favourite of the three- 002 (R.I.D.E. / Rest In Drexciyan Eternity) - Wind Slaves takes the prize hands down, a beatless, pulsing mass of synths and subs; whilst the title tribute track to James Stinson provides a shimmering aquatic electro workout, with sweet vocals sliding in and out of the mix. 003 (Ship Life) also features a pretty cool cut in ‘Water Slaves’, whilst 004 (Physics) is the hardest, most club orientated of the lot, with no particular highlights for me. Altogether, the quality across the releases is still solid, but I can’t help feeling that they would have been better putting them out more gradually rather than all at once, as this method may force some people to select only the best one – which is undoubtedly 002 / R.I.D.E.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 3/5

Abe Duque feat. Blake Baxter - What Happened?       (ADR)

The seventh output on Duque’s own label, and a seriously welcome return for Blake Baxter providing some inimitably sleazy vocals over Abe’s jerky acid house grooves. Basically, this shit rocks!! Blake is right back on form, from the roll call blasting of techno bullshit and club sell-outs on the title track, the more typical heavy breathing seediness of the inside cut (no name), and the infinitely addictive hook of the main track, ‘Disco Lights’. All this atop slow, grinding, bassy and stupidly funky acid cuts, feeling at once familiar and yet totally fresh. Raw and sexy, this is not a record to be passed up lightly!

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 5/5

Dynarec - User Input LP      (Delsin)

It’s pretty rare these days that a new and totally unknown artist rises so quickly to become the name on seemingly everyone’s lips, but judging by the quality of this release it’s not difficult to understand why. Following just two previous EP’s (also for Amsterdam’s increasingly superb Delsin imprint), the secretive Dynarec has now unleashed what is probably the finest album of 2004 to date. Crunchy, synth-driven, strangely melodic, highly futuristic and funky as hell. Dripping with obvious Drexciyan influences, it nonetheless conveys a distinct aural character all of its own, and in places almost surpasses the quality of Detroit’s deep sea dwellers. The CD and LP releases differ slightly here, with the CD being worked a little more towards the hi-fi and retaining the some of the tougher cuts for vinyl – but on both versions the balance is held between electro, techno and more experimental pieces. The electro cuts generally win out though - highlights include the tough grind of ‘Primary Colours’ (on both versions), the more sublime ‘Rise of the Fall’ (sadly CD only) and the drifty fluid textures of the excellent title track – in fact, they are all pretty essential listening. I guess the only real criticism of this album is that it does sound very much like Drexciya, Japanese Telecom, Dopplereffekt etc. (Delsin assure us that Dynarec is not actually another project from that crew!) – so if you’re not into that sound then this won’t be for you, and perhaps the lines between influence/imitation are questionable - but I personally think ‘User Input’ takes another step forward, and seems firmly looking to the future, not the past. Full marks all round.

Reviewed by: Matt Chester

Score: 5/5

Go to the Delsin website.

Optic Nerve feat. Wanda Dixon & Blak Tony - Intergalactic Orgasms      (Psycho Thrill)

Do you like soulful but danceable Detroit techno? Then you'll have to check this record. Keith Tucker throws in all his trademarks like deep shivering strings, the heavy basslines and his talent for melodies you never forget plus some wonderful spoken words by Wanda Dixon on the A-side. ‘Passions’ is a great example of how lush deep techno still can move a crowd. ’We are one’ on the B-side brings us some more stomping funky techno with Keith's vocoded voice above some nice synth chords a little bit reminiscent of Dave Clarke's ‘Red’ series. ‘S.H.I.R.E.’ is again string laden danceable Detroit techno par excellence with a superb funky groove.

Reviewed by: Arne Weinberg

Score: 5/5

Go to the Psycho Thrill website.

Marco Bernardi - Morpheusis      (Frustrated Funk)

After his outstanding EP on Emoticon earlier this year, Marco surprises with a dark funk-fuelled raw dirty fast electro record on Frustrated Funk, the Clone related label of Rotterdam's Frustrated Figure. ’Morpheusis’ on the A-side is stunning dark sci-fi electro with a mysterious vocoder voice in the background and deep strings. This will rock every floor for sure. Reminds me of ‘Afro-Germanic’ on UR. The B-side ‘Error Message 1’ is heavily Drexciya influenced raw jacking freaky electrofunk. Bubbling dirty bass added to a very metallic percussion pattern. Definitely a tip for all educated electroheads out there with a sense for funk and no interest in electroclash bullshit.

Reviewed by: Arne Weinberg

Score: 5/5

Juan Atkins - Back to basics pt.1      (New Religion)

One of the godfathers of what we call Detroit techno returns surprisingly on the high quality UK imprint New Religion. And what a return! Juan Atkins is back with an amazing deep melodic electro cut that is hard to forget. A perfect bassline combined with sweet organ chords and jazzy melody lines above a solid rocking electro 808 kick/snare/clap rhythm pattern. On the B-side we get a rework by Kirk Degiorgio, better known as ‘As One’, that stays very close to the original. Kirk adds some more percussive breakbeat elements to his edit. The awesome Alan Oldham artwork rounds off a release that promises a lot to expect from Juan Atkins for the future.

Reviewed by: Arne Weinberg

Score: 5/5

Americhord - Enter      (D1)

Maura O'Boyle a.k.a. Americhord releases her first record on Dublin's finest D1 Recordings. And what a great debut! ‘Enter’ has four stunning tracks full of nice melodies, great synthwork and cool beats for the floor. Most outstanding are the A1 track ‘Sunray’ with its beautiful 101 sequences and some brilliant pad textures and the B2 track "Phoenix" with the deepest basskick ever, haunting strings, a perfect groove and again a 101 sequence that I can't get out of my head since I heard it first. Hopefully we'll get more Americhord stuff soon - a new talent is rising. Tip!

Reviewed by: Arne Weinberg

Score: 5/5

Go to the D1 website.