Techno Reviews: July 2020
Now Mixmag’s print edition is on a much longer ‘pause’ my newsletter will be the permanent home for my techno reviews. Format is still the same but you might notice the use of language is less formal, after all my newsletter is intended to be a relatively chilled, personal space…
Below is a link to this month’s mix, too. Have a listen while reading the reviews.
Each review below features a buy link, so please consider supporting the artists if you can.
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH
The Beneficiaries
The Crystal City Is Alive
[Axis Records]
A collaborative dream team unites for a one-off epic
When I heard that Jeff Mills, Eddie Fowlkes and Jessica Care Moore had teamed up for an album project I almost exploded with excitement. It’s a Detroit dream team of epic proportions; two techno pioneers and the powerhouse poet Jessica. This is a project inspired by ancestry, the future, legacy and the power of collaboration. It’s deep and highly affecting. Jessica’s words complemented by exemplary production, Eddie Fowlkes in particular pushing beyond his usual stylings to incorporate percussionists in his ‘spiritual’ compositions. At its core techno is afrofuturism, centering blackness in an unknown future. This album epitomises the roots of techno, with meaningful, authentic music that is powerful and designed to act as a time capsule for future generations to gain an understanding of present times. Outstanding.
BEST TRACKS: ‘The X’, ‘The Crystal City is Alive’, ‘People’
10 out of 10
TUNE OF THE MONTH
Lyric
Social Distance
[M-Plant]
Post-lockdown power moves from Lyric
Lyric Hood gets to work on a solo tip, throwing down with two slinky cuts in her own inimitable style. With its topical title this one is clearly the product of a post-Covid session. Strange to think that there’s so much music that has been made in the fallout from all of this, produced for the club but with no idea when it will actually be played in the environment it was meant for. This tune is menacing and rhythmically alluring, drawing you in to its irresistible flow. Can’t wait to hear on the dance floor……..
9 out of 10
Risa Taniguchi
Unchained
[Second State]
Clean and nasty
Risa Taniguchi’s Second State release is one of my favourites this month. All four cuts are polished yet raw as hell. ‘Unchained’ jabs you in the guts over and over, while a warped vocal clip repeats bar after bar. It’s so strange and seductive, yet hard-hitting and head nod-inducing. Run for cover when the breakdown lets loose, mayhem will ensue.
9 out of 10
Electrorites
Archive 011
[Structures Records]
Rave to the grave
This tune starts off with about a minute’s worth of straight up kick drums, taut and point blank in their attack. After a while we encounter an array of manic, ravey synth lines. As the low ends pumps at a high velocity, the ravetastic elements open up a portal back to the nineties - especially when the main vocal sample kicks in. It’s Charlie Chaplin’s famous speech from The Dictator, in case you’re wondering…
7 out of 10
Phara
M. at play
[SK_Eleven]
Uncomplicated and intense
Phara keeps a lid on this one as it simmers and percolates, ready to boil over when the time is right. Slowly the core elements are filtered into the foreground and, as the clarity increases, so too does the impact of this potent cut. It’s an uncomplicated, high impact tune that gets more and more intense towards the end, Phara incorporating subtle shifts to turn up the heat.
8 out of 10
Reform
Back In Time
[SOUS Music]
That sweet little breakdown though…
Loving the wavey synth riff on this cut from Reform on SOUS. It emanates a glowing neon energy, serious yet playful, encouraging you to fist pump the air. A breakbeat-driven segue takes us into fantasia for a few seconds - time to do the running man and party like it’s 1991. After that it’s back into the thick of it, with more synth tsunami action for the rest of the tune.
8 out of 10
Rebecca Delle Piane
Infatuated Of Me 2 Vers
[Symbolism]
Shivers down the spine business
Absolutely in LOVE with this EP. Every cut feels raw, with layer upon layer of intelligent programming and arrangement. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the crackles and flourishes that make this tune an eerie masterpiece. It’s that strange feeling you get when watching a horror film, unnerving yet pleasurable.
9 out of 10
Raffaele Attanasio
Bohemian Grove
[Involve Records]
Look up Bohemian Grove if you dare…
Techno meets electronic thrash metal on this crazy cut from Raffaele Attansio. Now, when I looked into Bohemian Grove a lot of strange stuff came up, which I recommend you go and search out yourself… Twisted vocals, a rugged riff, dense low frequencies and spirited flecks of analogue synth make this one a total beast of a tune.
8 out of 10
Nepotek
Anything (Jay Tripwire Remix)
[Plus Future Records]
Haile King Selassi
Nice to see an old hand like Jay Tripwire still dishing out stylish techno rollers. This remix of Nepotek’s ‘Anything’ has all the hallmarks of a Tripwire production; hypnotic, minimal and highly effective with considerate progression. I don’t blaze but I can imagine sparking one up to this and zoning out for the whole eight minutes, then starting it all over again. Even without a spliff, this took me out of my head and into a deeply meditative zone.
8 out of 10
Abi Bah, Damien Eie
Neverending Feeling (DJ Emerson Summer of 2002 Remix)
[Micro.fon]
Techno meets old school Latino
Now here’s something you don’t hear every day, a techno track that samples an old Latino song. It’s rare enough to have vocals that are anything but simple additions to the percussion, but a whole section of one song? Funny thing is, it work pretty well. I can almost imagine Villalobos giving this one a whirl during one of his marathon sessions. 9am, sun’s up, everyone’s loosened up and ready for anything, then this comes into the mix…
7 out of 10
Bleur & MB1
Cerenity
[Korpus 9]
Ceductive Cerenity…
Korpus 9 continues to release quality techno with a downbeat outlook. On this Various Artists release there are four fresh cuts, with ‘Cerenity’ a standout. Solemn and pensive to begin with, it develops into a bewildering yet seductive pumper with compelling energy and flow.
8 out of 10
K' Alexi Shelby & Tony Loveless
State of Emergency
[United World Music]
We learned violence from YOU
Part of a huge bundle release in aid of Campaign Zero, which aims to end police violence in America, this cut is poignant and emotive - using the power of techno music to relay a message. The powerful message comes from a speech made by Tamika Mallory in the days after George Floyd’s death, when protests and riots spread across America. Listen to it and feel the chills of real, raw emotion that comes from a deep place of oppression and frustration.
9 out of 10
Jon Dixon
Beautifully Equipped
[4EVR 4WRD]
Watch the sun rise (or set) to this one
Techno for a warm, hazy summer evening. Jon Dixon never fails to hit the sweet spot with his productions, and this is a great example of his prowess. A few neat little percussive masterstrokes keep things interesting beats-wise, while a simple melody is complemented by an ever-growing collection of upbeat bleeps and pads that pan across the audio spectrum.
8 out of 10
Black Girl White Girl
Telepathy
[EI8HT]
Wobbleboard bass, what else do you need?
Karin and Ty land on Eats Everything’s label with more of their built-for-the-club bangers. ‘Telepathy’ has a large dollop of wobbleboard bass, giving the low end lots of welly. Listen carefully to the drum programming, which is layered to perfection while the girls pay equal attention to the way this one builds. That’s the way to do it!
8 out of 10
Patrick Dre
Moonshine
[Drec]
This is a bit of a mad one
Cor, the beats on this one sound metal on concrete. A darkly ominous vocal pops up now and again to add an air of malevolence to the track, with a strange melody played in reverse and two different tempos increasing the weird, eerie feeling. Halfway through, there’s a rhythm switch up and it’s all a bit of a head**ck.
7 out of 10
Bodyjack
Enfant Terrible (Solitary Confinement Dub)
[FINA White]
Bodyjack, j-j-j-jack your body!
You want no-nonsense, warehouse demolishing techno? Well, look no further. Bodyjack always comes correct. The name itself tells you what to expect from this deadly producer. This ‘Solitary Confinement Dub’ is heavyweight, no frills, proper banging tunage with a wicked little dub breakout that gives us a break from the pummeling for a bit before we’re thrown right back into the lion’s den with even more slammin’ beats.
8 out of 10
Cri Du Coeur
Erickson On Acid (Umwelt Remix)
[Arkham Audio]
Umwelt broke the acid
Umwelt’s ferocious remix flips the original on its head, incorporating a cacophony of screeches and a vicious, growling acid riff that is utterly relentless. The first couple of minutes alone will have you buzzing, and that’s before it really gets going with a macabre warped vocal clip and the twisted, muzzled 303 still powering on.
8 out of 10
A.Morgan
The Cunningness of Man
[Animal Farm]
Drums, atmosphere… everything bangs
I’m a big fan of novel drum programming, and Morgan gets it bang on with this tune. The intensity is just right, not too overpowering but more than enough to get the body moving from head to toe. Spindly stalactites start to descend after a minute or so, creating a haunting atmosphere that remains for the remainder of the tune. Hang onto your hats for the second breakdown, monu-mental.
8 out of 10
Raul Alvarez
It's Time For A Revolution (_asstnt Remix)
[2RB Records]
REVOLUTION!!!!
Another ‘of the moment’ kinda tune, with a sample that feels like it was chosen to mirror the changing times we’re living in. _asstnt delivers a highly potent rework, with lashings of low end energy. The sawn-off kick drums work a treat, forming the main body of the track as the call to arms sounds off and a growing intensity spirals out of the lower frequencies up towards the higher end.
8 out of 10
Amotik
Chauwan
[Amotik]
Inspired hypnotic minimalism
Cool, almost subdued techno from Amotik. It’s rolling and thunderous but it also feels as though the real rage is brimming just below the surface here, ready to explode at any moment. Amotik’s penchant for audio hypnosis is evident here, with minimal composition. Though the elements that are in operation create a sense of depth. Amazing to hear someone do so much with what seems like so little.
8 out of 10
Dynoman
Total Mind Control
[Dynoman Music]
Operation Monarch
The title of this tune tells you all you need to know about Dynoman’s intent. Surrender to the rhythm and let the tentacles of control infiltrate your mind, taking charge of your mainframe. Dynoman establishes the vibe right away and barely deviates for the first part of this tune. However, it soon starts to shift and evolve, taking on various forms, all of which are designed to maintain control of your mind, mwahahaha!
8 out of 10
Milo Spykers
Heads Tilted Back
[LENSKE]
Maniacal marauding madness
Milo’s back on Amelie Len’s label with three rugged productions that epitomise his super-charged sonic identity. This is one of those tunes that will have your body convulsing with furious energy as soon as the beats kick in. Spykers kranks it up steadily, pushing all the right buttons to send adrenaline coursing through your veins and serotonin seeping through your brain cells. Raw to the core.
9 out of 10
E-bony
It's a Show
[PAG Records]
Excellent debut for PAG Records
Tel Aviv’s premier LGBTQ techno night launches its own label and its sets off all guns blazing with a heavyweight V/A. PAG resident E-bony brings us this jaggedy rock n roller, with its serpent-like writhing riff and jabbing beats. The power of repetition comes through layers of simple, yet absorbing percussion.
8 out of 10
Taupe
Zeus
[ÆX]
An electro trip to your innerverse
Let’s take a trip into an electro fantasy with ‘Zeus’. This track conjures up images of a cosmic odyssey through the mysterious yet enticing unexplored regions of our universe. The forlorn main melody joins forces with pads that wash over you, drifting into your ear canals and tempting your brain to imagine alternate worlds beyond our reality.
8 out of 10
Monitor: The DON Special Request dropped his R&S debut earlier this month with Spectral Frequency. Need I say more, it’s Special Request on R&S! Instant purchase.
The mighty Blush Response has an album out this month. Void In epitomises the producer’s industrial approach.
Pittsburgh Track Authority also have an album out. It’s called PA System and it’s lusshhhh!
Lone and KETTAMA join forces on a new EP for R&S Records. Simply called Lone x KETTAMA, it has a solo cut from each artist and a collaboration. Rave all the way.