Collection: Techno

Mike Dunn is a pivotal house artist who brought his own famously raw and stripped-back style combined with infectious hip hop elements. He is behind plenty of well-known anthems, most famously 'Dance You Mutha' and 'God Made Me Phunky', and founded Dance Mutha in 1988. It released music by MD Connection, Gershon Jackson and I-ROC-T, while Dunn also co-founded seminal acid labels Warehouse Records and Muzique Records which played a key role in the development of Chicago and acid house. Dunn has continued to produce over the ensuing four decades and has landed on the likes of Defected, Nu-Groove, Classic, Trax and many more. The relaunch of the Dance Mutha label has been inspired in part by Dunn's discovery of a raft of 'lost' unreleased masters from the late '80s and early '90s. It's these tracks that provide the jumping-off point with this new release. '43:31' is the first out of the blocks and brings prickly acid texture to raw analogue drums. Slapping hits add extra bite to this most stripped-back and effective slice of pure warehouse music. Then come the snappy snares and deep bass of 'Acid Feet (Phaze 1)'. This spare, impactful cut is riddled with shapeshifting acid and caustic synth textures that bring the rugged drums to life. Last of all, the excellent Time Machine' will indeed take you all the way back to the dark, delirious and delicious days of the earliest acid house with its wonky 303s burrowing deep into the night next to coarse claps and ice-cold hits. Support from Francois K DJ Bone Paranoid London Gerd Tasha Ben Sims DJ Deep Josh Wink Massimiliano Pagliara Eclair Fifi Optimo Alexander Nut

Detroit's stalwart Kyle Hall is back on Apnea Records with "Crimson Clouds," his second release for the label following the acclaimed "Cosmic Touch." This acid-infused record is a tribute to Detroit's electronic legacy, drawing inspiration from the 90s sound of labels like Matrix and Underground Resistance, all while injecting Hall's unmistakable modern flair. Tracks like "Acid Tea" showcase Hall's acid-driven approach, delivering a dancefloor twister that's pure bliss. Meanwhile, "Nimbus" stands out with its syncopated rhythms and soulful synth lines, and "Told Them Before" brings raw, head-spinning techno energy to the forefront. With "Crimson Clouds," Kyle Hall delivers another essential record that bridges classic Detroit sounds with his unique modern twist. A must.

"For ALT015, we welcome the fabled DMX Krew for a second time. The Space Is Inside EP accurately reflects the artist's multiple decennia in the studio, shaping his aesthetics on the axis of electro, techno and synthpop. On Vicious Windows, a distinct lead pierces through the ominous, unison-drenched synths stabs and square waves. As the track progresses, we are kept on our toes by drum fills that sound like hydraulic valves releasing pressure and subtle detune slider fiddling. The hot and sweaty Bass box combines zap-like bass patterns with even more jittery synth work, while the titular woofer addresses us in a vocoder voice. Warm Places echoes Dutch West Coast, and although concise, sufficient melody and modulated drums are snuck in to immediately reveal the artist's hand. On Space Is Inside dark chords interplay with a wistful FM bass melody. Subtle bursts of synth sparkle keep everything rooted in silky melancholy. While the strings on Mental Disturbance are also gloomy, the lead is more frantic. The 303's modulation is constant, and slowly flanged snare drums try their best keeping it in line. Closer Tunnel Beneath Precinct 11 sure doesn't tone down either. The spooky, reverb-laden synth work collides with a dark, catchy bass, its cutoff and resonance knobs never left untouched. It closes down an EP of machine funk that covers a lot yet manages to shape into a satisfyingly cohesive arc."

An EP of mind-massaging techno-trance futurism from Wata Igarashi. Capturing the energy of the UFO stages which indulge Dekmantel Festival's darker, experimental tastes, Igarashi turns out four shapely serotonin injections in his inimitable style. There's an immediacy to the Kaleidoscopic 12" which rushes into earshot the moment the EP fires up with the insistent acid throb of the title track. The eternal undulation of a 303 provides the bedrock for Igarashi's fluttering brushstrokes, while a tough yet supple beat charges underneath. Cascading arps are a core element of the richly melodic sound on this release, reaching measured peaks of ecstasy on 'The Sailage' without ever taking a cheap shortcut. Understated, emotionally-charged eloquence spills out of every sequence. There's a softer, blurry-eyed sentiment to the synth work on 'Steaming', while 'Interweave' tempers classic acid techno tropes with gaseous atmospherics. There are plenty of crisp edges in his tracks for the dancers to latch onto, but Igarashi specialises in a fluid motion that encourages less thinking and more feeling—a lysergic techno flow to truly melt into. Dekmantel continues to shape out the return of its UFO series with this new wave of 12"s... keep watching

Gifted & Blessed is back again, this time with his first full-length album as The Abstract Eye, bearing his soul through his arsenal of analogue and mostly vintage drum machines, synthesizers, and effects processors. You Can’t Unsee Me consists of 8 pieces recorded live and in one take at different moments over the last 10 years. Throughout the album, AE exhibits simple-yet-complex sequencing and processing while emphasizing depth, warmth, and heart. Whether you’re looking for music to dance to, music to relax and vibe to, or music to think deeply to, this has it all. One thing that’s for sure about The Abstract Eye…once you’ve experienced what he brings to the world through his signature brand of electronic music, you simply can’t unsee him.

A1 Em Tum (Original Mix) A2 BVLVD5 (Original Mix) B1 Em Tum (Radiq Remix) Remix – Radiq B2 Incepex (Original Mix)

A1 Bazalt A2 Rather Than Rain B1 Bazalt (ZTRL Remix) B2 Wolke

A1 Dici Remix – Franco Cinelli A2 Dici Remix – Dorian Paic B1 Rigid Remix – Jorge Savoretti

A1 Bez Tapok A2 Ubi Vat B1 Bez Tapok (Crihan Remix)

A1 Want A2 Drum Wick B1 I Found The Key B2 Simple Gimmicks

Sanso's debut on the prolific Wilson Records is probably the most interesting thing that happened in 2019 for all the fans of the legendary Cajual, Dance Mania, Djax-Up Beats or Peacefrog, Records. At six tracks large - three on each side - this record is a weapon for all the Djs who want to set the dancefloor on fire

Mastered At – Reel Mastering

Mastered At – Reel Mastering

Steve Murphy returns on Wilson Records with a solid electro EP that hark back to the classic sound of some of the greatest International Deejay Gigolos Records.

Mastered At – Reel Mastering