Techno Reviews: March 2025
Some great ones this month!
As the year really gets going, we’re really starting to see some gold appearing. It’s such a privilege to be able to spend my time curating and listening to music every month. I remember when I first started writing reviews, the feeling I got when I successfully signed up to a new promo mailer, or I reached out to an artist/their team and got sent music way ahead of its release date… Such excitement at getting pre-release music. I still feel it when I’m trawling through my inbox on the hunt for music for this page.
This month is a nice mixed bag of styles, as always. With a mix to go with it, which you can listen to below… Let’s go!
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Sandwell District
End Beginnings
[The Point Of Departure]
Oooofffff… Sandwell District have dropped a new LP. I could probably just end the review here, as that’s probably all you need to know. No one really saw this coming, which makes it even more of a juicy prospect. The album contains eight cuts, kicking off with ‘Dreaming’ and ending with ‘The Silent Servant’. Across the whole EP, the sound design is exquisite, so much depth and detail without losing any of the power within the frequencies. The LP is imbued with grief and rememberance, at the loss of Silent Servant (who died in January 2024), and it brings in some new creative minds to the collective energy of Sandwell District - Mønic, Rivet, and Sarah Wreath. To wrap up, this is very special. Just buy it and listen to it on repeat.
TUNE OF THE MONTH
DJ AGITATED
U' Focu Ranni
[Dolly TS]
One of those undercover aliases techno producers seem to love so much. I’ll leave the sleuthing up to you… Musically, whoa, what a release. It was hard to select one standout (I put two of the tunes from this one in my mix this month), but ‘U' Focu Ranni’ pips it. The drum programming alone lit me up no end, then there’s the huge bassline and the roughneck riff. Can’t wait to play this on a massive system.
Scott Robinson
Everyone
[Abstrakt Dance]
I was very pleased when this one landed in my inbox as I’ve been hearing Colin Dale playing it on his Abstrakt Dance show recently. ‘Everyone’ has a kind of mystical quality to it, with its whole soundscape full of bright energy and mysterious melodic elements. There’s a lot going on and it totally envelops you in swathes of sound. Excellence.
Mark Broom
Nineties
[Actvity FM]
This is from a brand new Columbian label and they’ve come out blazing with their first release - a four-track V/A featuring DJ Hell, DJ T-100, Truncate and Mark Broom. A powerhouse lineup. Broom’s cut is named after the decade so many of us yearn to return to… well, I would like to anyway. It’s actually a track from his nineties DAT archives, so the title makes even more sense. Dense low end and chunky beats combine with a solid riff and barely-there melody lurking in the background. This one does the work in the mix, banger!
Thelma
Greenhouse
[ec2a]
High-octane beats and a rolling rhythm makes this one a winner for me. Thelma keeps it the central theme pretty simple with a repeated motif at the heart of it all. Around that core, there’s playful variation, moments of respite and a nice little switch-a-roo just after halfway through. Can’t stop moving to this one!
Joseph Capriati
Meandri
[Global Underground]
Signori Capriati has turned in an excellent edition for the Global Underground series and this cut was made especially for that comp. GU47: Montreal has two CDs - one showcasing Joseph’s house leanings and the other going down the long, dark techno tunnel. ‘Meandri’ is a gravelly, growling thumper that barely relents from start to finish. The first half is moody and understated, while the second beefs things up with a symphony of rave stabs. Massive.
E-bony
303 Elements
[Dame-Music]
This is taken from Volume 1 of a compilation series marking the 15th anniversary of Dame-Music. All four cuts are acid-focused and this one is particular slithery and venomous. The main acid line is insistent and relentless, E-bony building the rest of the track around the dominant 303. It gets intense, and I love a bit of intensity. Acid Forever!
Pscal Hetzel
SLT (Kaiser Remix)
[Arkham Audio]
Deep deadly rhythms on this one… Kaiser’s rework utilises hefty, snub-nosed kicks at point blank range. As the tune progresses, a heady atmosphere sweeps across the mid-range increasing the tension. The real secret here lies in Kaiser’s simple, yet potent approach. The most experienced dance floor technicians will tell you, all you need is a few key ingredients and you’ve got a winner - here’s the proof.
Paris The Black FU & Quenum
Got Feelings?
[EngineRoom]
Time for two seasoned hands to get cracking. Quenum teams up with Detroit Grand Pubahs member Paris The Black FU for this vocal-led cut. A grizzly, modulated riff is driven by sharp percussion and Paris’ half sung, half spoken-word vocal. This one is stripped back, but high impact. Once it really gets into full roll out mode at three minutes, it’s a biggie!
St. Amp
Cave (Wordcolour Remix)
[TIKHAL]
Strange and unnerving, yet danceable and captivating. One of those creatively enjoyable pieces that takes the techno blueprint and goes a little bit west. Some of the layers of sound are familiar, but the way Wordcolour has implemented them has a unique flavour. Techno chimes, for instance, are very much front and centre, but they’re surrounded by a cacophony of odd sounds. After the mind-expanding breakdown, the intensity increases and this remix really comes into its own.
Andrømeda
Lost Planet
[Rant & Rave]
We’re going interstellar with this release, which is from an EP called Dark Matter. I can barely contain myself when listening to this one, the groove is ridiculous. That low end really gets me moving. The urgent techno chimes add dynamism, while pan-pipe-esque effects in the second half raise the temperature even higher. Proper dance floor business and another one I simply need to hear on a big system.
Mücha
Skin (Surgeon Version)
[Frequency Domain]
Surgeon flexes his prowess on this moody rework of Mücha’s - the beats alone were enough to get me in a froth. Exquisite drum arrangement and rhythmic programming, along with Mücha’s vocals cascading through the layers of percussion and bass. Dark, deep and deliciously captivating.
Wallis
hope ill get back home ok
[Jell]
The sound design on this one feels so representative of the general theme of the EP it’s featured on - i.e. feeling trapped somewhere you don’t want to be anymore, but don’t know how to leave. It’s almost suffocating, with vocals buried underneath layers of uncomfortably gravelly beats. The voice kinda sings and cries out at the same time, with melancholy distorted melodic elements struggling to escape through the mire of grainy layers.
Voltaire
Detune
[COD3 QR]
Leaning more into the more “melodic” end of the techno spectrum, this is a menacing cut that has a long intro, lulling you into a trance-like state. Then those spindley stabs start piercing your mainframe. Ominous groans pepper the background and the whole thing will send shivers down your spine. Wait until its full force is unleashed. Masterfully produced with just the right amount of tension, darkness and energy release.
Möd3rn
Tension
[RSPX]
Rekids Special Projects is such an official sounding name for a sub-label. Before you’ve even listened to the music, it gives the impression that you’re about to encounter something that’s on another level. This maraunding piece gets the blood pumping and is bound to cause uproar on the dance floor. With Electric Rescue, Kmyle and Moteka joining forces as Möd3rn, it couldn’t be anything but special.
Z.I.P.P.O.
We Need Another One (ft. Celina Marie)
[Mistress Recordings]
Ahhh, I’m so glad to see Mistress Recordings back in the mix. DVS1’s label was always a trusty source of high quality electronic music. With the maestro Z.I.P.P.O. on this first release since 2019, we’re treated to a masterclass. This is effortlessly emotive electro composed with panache, combined with Celina Marie’s haunting spoken-word vocals. Just brilliant, nothing more to say.
Kmyle
Vitality
[GEM Records]
Double bubble for Kmyle this month, with the Möd3rn release and this solo effort. ‘Vitality’ is one of those “Wow!” tunes that I really want to hear on dark and sweaty dance floor somewhere. While it creeps in with a mournful vibe, the use of a solemn violin solo, which unfurls to dominate the main breakdown, is inspired. Hairs standing up on the back of your neck moments aplenty with this one… and then the kick drum slams back in. Jeez.
Jacopo Susini
Remember
[Mood]
Utterly entrancing vibes on this one. Jacopo Susini uses repetition to powerful effect, adding layers of percussion every few phrases to increase the depth. When the vocal clips start to work together you’ll soon realise they’re sampled from a very well-known piece of electronic music. Similar to the OGUZ remix I reviewed last month, I didn’t ever think I’d hear these vocals used in this way, but it really works.