Techno Reviews – April 14, 2006

Full Length Releases

No Order – 2020 Soundsystem – 2020 Vision (UK)

Continuing to push the boundaries separating indie rock, dance, and jazz, 20/20 Soundsystem drop science on this rock solid, double CD release. Disc One, “Sweatshop Studios” features nine wildly diverse offerings from the retro funk stylings of “Grey Clouds”, and the 80s modern rock flavor of “Wont Bother Me”, to the minimal house based “Tape” and the soulful “High” with vocalist Diane Charlemagne. Disc two - recorded live at Sonar in Barcelona, features all the energy and vibe that only a live performance can provide. With rocking beats from DJ Ralph Lawson, crowd noise and live accompaniment from the rest of the Soundsystem crew, this is a compelling look at one of the best live acts out there at the moment.
***** (5 of 5)

12” Singles

PM Compilation One – Various – Playmate Music (DE)

Eight fantastic tracks of minimal techno from one of the most consistent labels in the business, Playmate Music. From the simple, late night flavor of “Beauty Free” by ND, and the jacking essence of “Taiga Disco” by Niekisch & Hermann, to the retro feel of “Eye Witness” by Ron Flattner and big room mover, “Cavity” by DJ Emerson, this is a deep excursion of the first degree. Techno and house DJs alike should seek out this rock solid compilation.
**** (4 of 5)

U Are the Reason – Marko Nastic – Jesus Loved You (YU)

Rising Serbian techno star, Marko Nastic is back with release two for the Jesus Loved You imprint. This EP features 5 versions of the title track, from the “Jan Nemecek Vocal Mix” to the “Original Instrumental”, but my favorite is Marko’s own “Beats Mix”. Featuring a simple, funky tech house rhythm track and ton of tension building energy, this is a great set starter and a smooth addition to any tech house or late night techno set.
*** (3 of 5)

Roxana EP – Boriqua Tribez – Recycled Loops (YU)

Another solid techno mover from Recycled Loops, this time featuring the tribal techno madness of Boriqua Tribez. “Roxana” opens things up with forward moving beats and a ton of rocking energy, but its “Stella” that really does the damage. One part of me is honestly tired of this simple, tribal beats, roaring bassline, African vocal samples formula. But when you drop a track like this on an unsuspecting dancefloor, the resulting mayhem is undeniable…and that is the point of DJing after all isn’t it.
*** (3 of 5)

Samplified – DJ Lucca – Acapulco (CZ)

DJ Lucca is making serious moves in 2006, and this newest original production shouldn’t do anything but continue to build her reputation. While the funky, repetitive “Marko Nastic Remix” is solid, it’s the ass shaking “Original Mix” that really pays the bills. Ripping beats, compelling, old school synth stabs and a boat load of energy make this a peak time smoker.
**** (4 of 5)

It’s House – EDMX & Yuri Suzuki – Affected Music (UK)

Four tracks of quality, wildly diverse offerings from the Affected Music camp. While I am equally into the 3 breaks influenced tracks on this release, it is the truly massive acid house flavored, title cut that really does it for me. With simple, retro drums, upfront keys, vocal samples and subtle, slow building 303 bassline – this is an old school congregation of the best kind.
*** (3 of 5)

A Sleepless Malice – Dustin Zahn – Audio Assault (NL)

Straight ahead, 3 tracker from Minneapolis based rising techno star, Dustin Zahn. The title cuts takes up residence on Side A, and does the business from the drop of the needle. With dark stabs, rocking drums and evil, eerie undertones, this is ready for your next late night techno set. The flip brings us “We Want Heat”, a slow moving, techno builder with funky bassline and compelling stutter edits and pads, and concludes with “American X” a grinding, shuffling, James Ruskin flavored affair. Another feather in the cap for Dustin and the ever consistent Audio Assault crew. Wicked.
**** (4 of 5)

Inner Mexican – Daddy J feat. Just Jason – Public Access (US)

Four tracks of funky, Latin flavored house from the Public Access imprint. The vocals in the “Original Mix” walk a fine line between over the top and cheesy, but the excellent “Spettro Remix” remedies this. Removing all but the best elements, this is the version I will be reaching for again and again. The “Innergan Mix” is the work of the Greenskeepers, who take the track in an even chunkier, more compelling direction.
*** (3 of 5)

Registry Check – Texture – Klickhaus (US)

Three tracks of simple, twisted madness from this aptly named new imprint, Klickhaus. The original mix is a subtle, slow building minimal burner with thick synthline, head bobbing beats and a ton of laid back flavor. The flip brings us the “Tim Xavier Remix”, a minimal, chugging number that is 180 degrees from most of his productions. The EP concludes with the “Camea Remix”, an even more stripped down, Morris Audio flavored mover. Hot debut.
***** (5 of 5)

Homing Devices EP – Soultek + Noah Pred – Metapath Recordings (CA)

Hot new release on Noah Pred’s collaboration themed Metapath Recordings. Teaming up with Chicago based Soultek, this EP brings forth some of the best melodic techno I have heard in ages. The “Original Mix” of Mobile Homeland is up first, with compelling beats, smooth keys, and a phat bassline that induces you to move. The “Soultek Remix” takes things in a more subtle, minimal direction, adding deep, lush, sexy pads that lifts this track up to the stratosphere. The flip is equally worthy of your attention, but Side A more the fulfilling enough to warrant your attention and purchase.
***** (5 of 5)

The Flammable EP – No Boyfriend Material – Uniting Souls Music (US)

Three solid tracks here, but the one for me is “Flammable”. A thickl, butt shaking, house mover with impenetrable bass and funky, tongue-in-cheek vocals that recall a long running Seattle weekly of the same name. Solid stuff.
*** (3 of 5)

The Wipe Remixes – Teste – Polarized Records (US)

Originally released on Richie Hawtin’s Plus 8 imprint, this old school classic from 1992 is given updated reworking from Teate, Dustin Zahn and Polarized label boss, Locutus. The “Teste Remix” retains many of the original elements, adding added percussion, and effects to producer a mind altering, tension filled bomb. Minneapolis based Zahn takes things in a gritty, hard rocking direction with stripped down rhythms and a ton of filthy energy. Locutus wraps things up with fierce, bouncy affair that is sure to destroy any and all dance floors in its path.
**** (4 of 5)

Calypso for the Masses – Boo Williams – Capture Records (US)

Smooth, deep, soulful house with funky Caribbean flavored rhythms. The Demarkus Lewis’ “UGT Rubdown Mix” is the one for me, with more pumped up beats, jazzy keys, and hot flute freestyling abound.
*** (3 of 5)

Burning EP – Kut Goldcard – KG Beats (US)

Two compelling tracks from Tokyo based Kut Goldcard and the KG Beats crew. “Private Jet” is first, with gripping rhythms and stirring vocal samples, but “Long Flight” on Side B is the cut I went straight to. Head bobbing beats, dense bass and a ton of booty shaking, flavor.
*** (3 of 5)

Invasion EP – Echoplex – Soleil Records (PL)

Unfailing techno master, Peter Sliwinski (aka Echoplex), is back with another destroyer on his own, Soleil Records. No track title information was provided on this advance, but suffice to say, all three cuts are ass shaking, foundation rocking funky techno movers and have gone directly to the top of my chart. Quality as usual.
***** (5 of 5)

Wishbox EP – Damon Wild – Synewave (US)

Label boss and all around techno genius, Damon Wild is back with another tight release. “Dragonfly” kicks things off with driving beats, eerie undertones and a ton of old school, retro flavor. “Kyoto Line” is next, with lovely keys, rising synth stabs and beats that are thick enough to cut with a knife. This is a total dance floor slayer. “Wishbox” wraps things up, with lush, airy, dub flavored keys and shuffling beats.
**** (4 of 5)

Return of Evil EP - Thomas Christopher & Steve Payne – Primevil (UK)

After a two year hiatus, Primevil is back with two slammin’ techno monsters. “Someone To Abuse” from Thomas Christopher is first, with straight, driving rhythms, trippy horn stabs and two immense, tension building break downs. The flip brings us “The Pressure” from Steve Payne, a rocking jam of the first degree. Nice one from Steve, Thomas and the Primevil crew.
**** (4 of 5)

Porterhouse EP 1 – Steve Porter – FDS Recordings (US)

From his numerous original productions and remixes, to party rocking DJs sets the world over, Steve Porter is one of dance music’s hottest comodities. This EP brings us four original cuts from his recently released, “Porterhouse” mix CD. The cuts here, like Steve’s DJ sets, are wildly diverse, but the common thread lies in their fun factor. House beats, techno basslines, trancy keys and disco-esque samples come together to move you like few others. With his feet on the ground and his sights on the stars, Porter continues to impress.
**** (4 of 5)

System Wars – Photogenic – Photogenic Audio (DE)

Three more tracks of chunky minimal tech house from the ever consistent Photogenic. The title cut is up first with head bobbing rhythms, thick bass and a ton of quirky, electrified synth stabs. “Fiddler on the Roof”, is a deep, melodic number, while “100 the Gift”, wraps things up in subtle, gritty style.
**** (4 of 5)

Bad Ass Mixes – Daniel Stefanik – Moon Harbour Records (DE)

Another tight release from the Moon Harbour crew. Side A brings us the “Stefanik Remix of Them People”, from Daniel and Mathias Tanzmann. Simple drums, drop bass, and hypnotic undertones combine on this minimal monster. The flip is the real gem here, featuring the “Live Mix of Move Me” by Stefanik, one of my favorite tracks of 2005. Slow rising, retro flavored keys rise and rise, to engulf everything and everyone in their path. Truly inspiring in an early set build. Rocking Stuff!
***** (5 of 5)

Bass / At the Weekend / Come Around – Zoo Brazil – Systematic (DE)

Following up on their previous smash, Zoo Brazil is poised to do more damage on Marc Romboy’s Systematic imprint. All three tracks are worthy of your attention, but I am totally enamored with “Come Around”, a truly amazing gem. From the first beat to the last, this is a true minimal smoker. Effortless rhythms, drop bass, and a idiosyncratic, acid synthline that will rock your body and set your dance floor ablaze. Class, as usual.
**** (4 of 5)

Virtualism – Jeff Bennett – Bandos Island Music (ML)

Swedish Tech House master, Jeff Bennett drop science on this two tracker from Male based, Bandos Island Music. While “Virtualism” is solid, the real track to mention here is “Speculations”, a truly remarkable, deep masterpiece. With lush pads, effortless, repetitive bass, and a ton of laid back flavor, this track went directly into heavy rotation.
**** (4 of 5)

Organic – Jochen Trappe – Connaisseur Recordings (DE)

Young buck, Jochen Trappe brings forth his first release for Connaisseur, and what a release it is. The original mix of “Organic” takes up Side A, delivering a simple, but manic, minimal destroyer. With glitchy beats, growling keys and a ton of micro edits and acid flavored undertones. Side B brings forth the “Plain Babicz Style Remix” of Organic, and the eminently quirky “Technofunk”, a down-to-earth, understated mover.
*** (3 of 5)

Guadalajara EP – Christian Bloch – Chrono Tracks (DE)

San Francisco based, Danish born, Christian Block brings us four wildly diverse tracks of deep, pulsating, techno rhythms. From the dub flavored broken beats and synth stabs of the title cut, to the dark, simplicity of “Jerky”, and the Detroit flavor of “Dark Clown”, this is quality EDM from front to back.
**** (4 of 5)

Get Physical Compilation 1 – Various Artists – Get Physical Music (DE)

With the release of a retrospective of the best of Get Physical coming soon, this consistent imprint have decided to release several remixes of their most well known tracks from the recent past. This first edition in this series features reworkings from Jona, Troy Pierce and Konrad Black. The first track up is the Jona Remix of “Jah” by M.A.N.D.Y. Taking things in a funkier, techy direction and replacing the massive electro bassline, with more soulful keys, this mix works wonders. The other track worth mentioning is the Knorad Troy Hearthrob Remix of “Mandarine Girl” by Books Shade. Excellent release as usual.
**** (4 of 5)

Techno for Tsunami – Various – Techno for Tsunami (DE)

Inspired by the Tsunami disaster, this new imprint was established as an outlet for artists to contribute tracks, of which all proceeds will be donated to charities for the victims. Chris Liebing’s main man, Andre Walter drops “The Mourn”, a dark, brooding, techno monster with long, emotive break down and a ton of foundation rattling power. The other stand out here is “Rain” from Hertz, is a driving drum track, with deep, compelling rhythms and straight ahead beats.
**** (4 of 5)

The Warning EP – Greg Gow – Sole Unlimited (US)

Another hot release from Toronto based DJ and Producer, Greg Gow. The original mix of “The Warning” is a hard tech house mover with slow rising keys and vocal samples from the Strictly Rhythm classic of the same name. Montreal based, Mateo Murphy adds a funky remix, with head bobbing beats, shuffling percussion and keys that help this track grow and morph into a hypnotic destroyer. Two versions of “Transform”, a straight ahead, techno mover nicely wrap up the package. Rocking stuff that is destined for the top of my chart.
***** (5 of 5)

Genesis – Jaytech - Rapid Response Recordings (US)

Australian producer Jaytech drops science on this debut release from newcomer Rapid Response Recordings. The “original” is a deep, dark, slice of tech infused house with lush, hypnotic strings, uplifting female vocals and a tension filled drum track that rises as it slowly destroys everything in its path. Add a hot remix from 18-year-old phenom, Christopher Lobsinger and you have a dance floor slayer of the first degree. Already being caned by many of the world’s top DJs, this track is poised to make a mark in Miami, Ibiza and beyond.
***** (5 of 5)