Space DJz
‘AK-47’ (2012 Remixes)
(Driving Force)
Ben Long and Janie Bissmire from the Space DJz need no introduction. At the forefront of techno music since the 90’s, they’ve crafted some of the best music the genre has ever had to offer. Their infamous ‘AK-47’ is not to be sniffed at. This is the first package in a heap of remixes that will be released and as expected, it’s mind-blowing. There are mixes from Stutter Cane and The Advent Vs Industrialyzer, but the club filler is surely BCR Boys’ dark eight-minute interpretation that goes above and beyond the call of duty. Music for techno soldiers! 9/10
Henning Baer and Ascion
‘Multicore/The Poetics Of Withdrawal’
(Krill)
If you see a release with the name ‘Pfirter’ somewhere, you need to break bones to get hold of it. And of course, this is one such release. With original tracks from relative newcomer Henning Baer and Italian Ascion, it’s the remix of ‘The Poetics Of Withdrawal’ that truly gets the juices flowing. In typical Pfirter style he throws hammers and nails into the equation: smashing the dance floor to bits and exiting stage left whilst flicking the V’s in the process. This is totally irresponsible music from the Krill label. 8/10
Perc
‘A New Brutality’
(Perc Trax)
If you’ve been covered in gunk for the last few months you’ll probably missed Perc’s debut album ‘Wicker and Steel’ in June. Now is your chance to free yourself of the mist in order to find out exactly what the fuss is about. ‘A New Brutality’ does exactly what it says on the tin, working its way deep inside your head in new and uncompromising ways that you might not have experienced before. The most immediate track is ‘Boy’ but don’t be scared to experiment with the rest of the EP. Great stuff. 9/10
Reeko
‘Ella –Episodio II & Episodio III’
10,000 words to describe just how good both these releases are would still not be doing them justice. In contention for the two best releases of the year so far, Reeko shows just why he is at the very top of his game. ‘Segmento 3’ and ‘Segmento 6’ are both the tracks to check here, with an untouchable style that will absolutely blow you out of the speakers. The bass sequences are clever and tight, whilst all sorts of analogue sequences poke in and out of the mix at random. If you don’t rewind these at least twenty times before playing them out, I will personally give you your money back! 10/10
Various
‘Structures Volume 22’
(Naked Lunch)
If anyone deserves an Olympic medal for recent services to techno music, A. Paul comes top of the list. His ‘Naked Lunch’ label has been a powerhouse for the harder forms of techno music and the ‘Structures’ series is the perfect showcase for it all. Uncovering the future talent in our scene, ‘Volume 22’ sounds both modern and fresh, whilst giving a nod to the earlier days of the genre. Tracks here from DJ Datch, Steve Kyri and Raphael Acohen. Superb! 8/10
Robert Hood
‘Motor – Night-time World’
(Music Man)
There are only a handful of labels in the world which would have the standing to be able to release an album from Robert Hood, one of the greats of techno music. As such it’s no surprise that ‘Music Man’ have taken on this task with aplomb. If it’s the typical driving, spacious Hood sound you’re after then look elsewhere. This is music for true techno connoisseurs, with the heart strings of Detroit singing from every corner. We’ve been waiting for an album like this from Hood for years and now we have it. Perfection. 10/10
