Single Of The Month: Kubra 'Control Issues (AW) Album Of The Month: Urban Tribe 'Acceptable Side Effects'(REPHLEX)

SINGLE OF THE MONTH:
Kubra
‘Control Issues’
(AW)

Early 90’s heads will remember the amazing Misjah and Tim release on X-Trax. Well this new track is DJ Tim coupled with Bas Ror from Rotterdam and it’s one of the best things out there at the moment. Perhaps the most club friendly release on AW Recordings so far, this beauty really does rock in all the right places. As if the Detroit bass doesn’t do enough your head, the crescendo slaps you senseless with a selection of notes that are simply unbelievable. All tracks are good but the A1 destroys. M8/M8

ALBUM OF THE MONTH:

Urban Tribe
Acceptable Side Effects
(REPHLEX)

This one is the dogs nuts. Low-riders beware. Featuring Drexciyan DJ Stingray aka Sherard Ingram, you can be assured of some pretty fine bass-funk indeed. The CD opens with the low end gain on maximum, so be sure your speakers can actually handle it before subjecting them to such an onslaught. The bass shakes like you wouldn't believe and the sounds are out there with the aliens. This is a catch for Drexonian beings everywhere. Such a deep feel to this. Electro, techno or futuristic drum and bass?? Who bloody cares when an alien disco sounds this good. M8/M8.

Ade Fenton Vs Gary Numan
(Healing)
(SUBMISSION)

It’s always good see an artist break out of his mould to try new stuff and Ade Fenton has achieved this perfectly with this new collaboration with pop legend Gary Numan. There always was a dark edge to Ade’s music and he’s tried to bring that to the fore whilst still trying to appeal to a wider market. The single is more sound based than what we’re used to from Ade, and with Numan’s vocal on the top, you can expect this one to cross over massively. A great attempt at difference - let’s hope it continues! M6/M8

Jamie Taylor
Paravan
(Stay Up Forever)

Peak time rave material from the label that spurts doggy diddle in your face and bends you indecently over a tree stump. Jamie Taylor is no stranger to making your ass move and ‘Paravan’ is one of the most anthemic tracks you’ll have ever heard him make. It’s loopy, it’s hard but more importantly its got all the right ravey elements that make this a perfect crossover record for a variety of club nights. A belter of a Stay Up Forever release. M7/M8

Alloy Mental
‘God Is Green’
(SKINT)

Im  not a fan of the vocal versions, but Phil Kieran’s club mix of ‘God Is Green’ cuts the mustard completely. An almost trancey minimal style techno work-out but with a harder edge - making it easy to play in a more banging techno set if you so wish. The lyrics of the album version have been cut down beautifully and there’s a story to the whole thing with the inclusion of a subtely mutating lead line. Kevin Gorman from Gigolo’s and Burglar Tom also appear on this package, but nothing comes close to Phil’s blinding rework. M7/M8

Fix 012
‘Urban Revolt EP’
(GETAFIX)

Getafix is fast turning into my favourite UK label for hard techno, with it’s refusal to compromise. Fresh out-takes on the harder side of techno are becoming the norm for label owners Marina and Pete, who’ve come up with this machine-gun of a four-track EP that bangs until you can bang no more. Every single track could have been on the A1 here and that’s particularly unusual for any label these days. Hats off to main artist Lawrie Immersion for the main stomach pounder but I really am torn between every single track here. Amazing EP. M8/M8

Lee Van Dowski
The Strike Pandemonium
(SOMA)

This track is the nuts. Play it on it’s own and it’s damn hot - but mix it with something else and you’re on fire! The track begins perfectly, lifting the energy to max before completely changing half way through into something that quite simply blows the roof off. It’s raw energy at it’s best - surely the best track Mr Van Dowski has ever produced and well worth going well out of your way to get hold of. Just be careful when mixing, as the final melody ends quite suddenly. M8/M8

Let’s Go Outside
‘I’ll Lick Your Spine’
(PNUMA)

Again, I’m not a fan of the vocal version here but flip over and Repeat Repeat get it absolutely spot on with their remix on the B-side. They do actually use most of the vocal but with it riding weirdly onto of some of the craziest miminal music ever, it takes on a whole different vibe completely. Like an underwater martial telephone call, the atmosphere on this one is dark and mysterious and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up suffocating in the sound. Incredible music. M7/M8

Pounding Grooves
040
(POUNDING GROOVES)

Mr Grooves comes up with one of the best tracks ever on the awesome Pounding Grooves label, with a distorted guitar lick to kill young babies to. It’s an insane stomp in a field full of rockers with long hair and tattoos and it’s one that bring out the air guitar at every available opportunity. Every release on Pounding Grooves just overspils with quality and this is another one of those. Hard techno the way it should be. M7/M8

Gary Beck
‘Stolen From The Jake’
(FINE ART)

It’s always encouraging to hear such a strong first release and with the style on here being totally out there, you’re left begging for the next venture at some point in the future.  It’s like a cross between minimal, electro and tech-house but with a touch of Detroit techno thrown in (especially on the last offering by Peak and Canson) - all three tracks here have something to offer. Exciting stuff from brand new label Fine Art. M6/M8

A.P Vs Zoid
‘Tribal Perks’
(YOLK)

A.P. and Zoid are two up-comers who are making huge waves in the underground UK techno scene at the moment. And it’s releases like this that are placing them bang on the world map where they deserve to be, so be assured of a huge crowd reaction to their music. Yolk has always filled the gap between artists like Elton D and the more harder sounds of techno and this release does that to perfection. M7/M8


Mogg and Naudascher
Moon Unit
(SUPERSOUL)

Mastered by Alden Tyrell, you know the vibe you’re gonna be getting here. But even though you think you have it sussed before hitting play, this baby licks you in places you wont have been licked before. Sure that typical Tyrell sound is all over this one like a rash, but the techno influence is direct and in your face like you might not have expected. The two tracks on this are over ten minutes long each, so there’s some epic journeys to be had here, but for me the goddess lies on the B-side with a Pete Namlook meets Ference type floor floor burner that is so deep you need special air breathing equipment just to hear it. M8/M8

Aleksi Perala
Project V
(REPHLEX)

If you’re a fan of early 90’s electronica, you’re gonna have a big problem when you stick this album on the CD player. It begins from the very moment you hear the first track - ‘Rocking Chair’ is one mutha of an opener. A selection of xylophonic acoustic bass notes carefully prepare your ears for the next seventy minutes. The more you flick through, the more you’re transported back to the days of Ambient Works Vol One and New Electronica. Emerging from your front door pretty damn impossible after hearing this, a superb after-techno album that everyone needs to own. M8/M8
 

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ap.zoid
written by jon connor, May 14, 2007

two good friends of mine we have grown up in the outbacks and deepest darkest depths of the wales underground party scene since we were peppered acid filled little young ones , im proud to see these boys getting to where they deserve to be, along with the rest of the fat collective they are a credit to our country Wales and uk techno. Its the boys like these who have come up through the ranks from the early teenage years to become full mature techno wariors carrying on the great trade Respect !