September Issue M8 Techno Reviews.
OK here they are! Let me know if I'm talking crap as usual.
:)
SINGLE OF THE MONTH:
Terry Mitchell
‘Carnivorous Persuasion’
(PRIMAL FORCE)
The Mark Williams mix on this ‘Carnivorous Persuasion’ EP hits you square in the jaw from the word off. It’s the positioning of the raw sounding clap loop that is so different, so it stands out a mile from most of the other records released this year. To add insult to injury, an almost Purpose Maker style bell sound creeps in and out bringing the dancefloor to it’s knees, and the club to an almost standstill. If there’s one record you need to go out of your way to find this month, this is it. M8/M8
ALBUM OF THE MONTH:
Robert Natus
‘Straight’
(T:CLASSIXX)
Robert Natus has changed the face of techno over the last few years. Along with the likes of Wittekind and Amok, he’s carved out his own style that has brought many new faces to the genre (known to many as hard techno but coined by Chris Liebing as Schranz). This is his first full-length album and if you’re a lover of his sound, you’ll find this is absolutely essential. I can’t help but wish Natus could have been more diverse here – making more of an ‘album project’ rather than a collection of music that he’s already known for. Nevertheless, there are twelve killer tracks on the CD and eight on the double DJ friendly twelve-inch. Tough, harsh and mind blowing hard shit from the master! M8/M8
Speedy J/George Issakidis
‘Collabs 400’
(NOVAMUTE)
The Collabs series is one of the best techno has seen in the last few years, with releases featuring the likes of Adam Beyer, Chris Liebing and Literon. As usual Speedy J picks himself a collaborator and let’s the music do the talking, this time with one half of The Micronauts, George Issakidis. Imagine Richie Hawtin on a mental breakdown and you’ve got some idea as to what to expect. Throbbing, sexual and druggy, the track builds into near chaos, using acid interludes directly from the future until a momentous breakdown takes hold and you’re dragged into a downright dirty section that’ll affect you in ways you never thought possible. Hold onto your marbles carefully here. M8/M8
Hell
‘The Final Countdown’
(GIGOLO)
After the classic ‘NY Muscle’ album from DJ Hell last year it was only going to be a matter of time before we were treated to more reworked releases on his own Gigolo label. ‘Follow You’ is one of the best tracks from the album and here we have a brand new remix from Dominic Eulberg that cleverly emulates several thousand men working in a Sheffield steel factory. Flip to the B-side and you have two remixes of ‘Let No Man Jack’ by Radio Slave and New York’s Abe Duque. M7/M8
Cave
‘Climatic’
(INTEC)
With remixes and releases on Patterns, Sessions, Inogma and Titanium, it wasn’t going to be long before Carl Cox’s Intec label started to sniff around the door of Cave. Although his releases have a tendency to sound quite similar, there’s an undeniable air of quality and funk when you hear the resulting collage burst through a large speaker system. The best track on here is the A-side and it’s definitely something that fits perfectly on Intec. M6/M8
Steve Stoll
‘Back Da **** Up’
(ROUTEMASTER)
Now producing music for films and crafting various well-known sample CD’s, it’s a big deal when Steve Stoll finally gets rounds to blasting out the techno and this is no exception. On the wonderful Routemaster label, Steve savagely beats his way into your head with a sledgehammer (and a packet of nine inch nails for good measure). The key to this EP is hypnotic under-rhythms and sounds that seem to creep up on you like a sex starved packet of potato chips. M7/M8
Oliver Ho
‘Changing Remixes’
(META)
These days it’s hard to find music that sticks out from the ‘throw-away’ crowd, but this one sticks out a mile. Meta provide a collectors wet dream in the form of this two-track remix EP of one of the best tracks on Ho’s recent ‘Soft Machine’ album. Oliver himself provides the hardest track, hypnotically bringing out a lush sax sound, whilst keeping the drums mechanically charged and bursting with excitement. But the personal favorite lies on the B-side from Rob Hood – a nostalgic journey back in time to the beginnings of Detroit techno music. M7/M8
Vitalic
‘No Fun’
(PIAS)
Driving French electronic techno music that hit’s the spot when it comes to Saturday night mosh-pit nonsense. Fling yourself into the weird synth noises that develop and let the kick drum do the work on your backside. You’re given the beating of a lifetime and it’s one that leaves no doubt in your mind that Vitalic must have appeared, even in a cameo role, on the latest series of Doctor Who. Three other tracks await you on this value for money EP all the way from those lovely guys at PIAS. M7/M8
Oliver Giacomotto/Alex Marqz
‘Dial T for Techno EP’
(ITURNEM)
Time to put on those dancing trousers and catapult yourself to the front of the speaker stack, because this is one that everyone will be screaming blue murder over when it hit’s the floor. Iturnem is Mistress Barbara’s own label and she shows that she’s a dab hand when it comes to A+Ring the new talent out there today. Both sides of this two tracker are similar, relying on a deep and steady breakdown to give the track its impact when the heavy kick comes in. But it’s the bass synth on the A-side that sends everyone into overdrive. M6/M8
Paul Mac
‘From Below’
(SINO)
Paul Mac is a one man mission when it comes to releasing techno and with nearly 100 releases on over 30 different labels, it’s no surprise that his sound is as polished and rounded as almost any other artist out there. There are the obligatory tribal elements to this release, that many of his releases have, but this time you’re looking at a more uplifting feel in the middle with a simply world-shattering string pattern obviously influenced by the early house sound of the 80’s. Why don’t more people make music like this? M7/M8
Oliver Giacomotto/Alex Marqz
‘Technorumba’
(YIN YANG)
Tribal vocals can seem a little over-done in techno music these days so if you flick through this one too quick you may miss the real gem that lies on the B1. Entitled ‘Split’, this uses a similar structure to the A1 but the feel is much more driving and much more Saturday-night-heads-down, meaning plenty of spotty-types at the front of the decks wondering what the hell it is. Good stuff. M6/M8
Umberto Carmignani
Rhythm Imprint EP
(ROTATION)
Italian born Umberto Carmignani is relatively new to the world of production but his last few releases on a variety of well-known labels are not to be sniffed at. ‘Rhythm Imprint’ is his latest offering and it’s obviously been influenced by the likes of Corola, Cerrone and other Italian luminaries. The sound is aimed directly at the club floor and this Rotation release will prove to be an essential tool for your box if you manage to bag a copy. Rolling basslines and the usual peaks and troughs mean an incredible reaction when played loud. M6/M8
DDR & Chris Liberator
‘Aqua 320’
(MAXIMUM MINIMUM)
I’m a little late discovering this one and although it’s been in the house for a good few months, it got overlooked like so many great records do simply because it didn’t fit with my set at the time. This is a drug induced plodder of a record that does nothing for your relationship with the old bill, especially at 5am on a Monday morning in a sweaty warehouse full of like minded individuals. Highly recommended if you haven’t bought it already. M6/M8
Elton David
‘The Dark Onvi’
(PRIMAL FORCE)
Cool, dark techno music that may just get you chucked off the decks in the right type of club. Watch enviously as the crowd in the club systematically produces razor blades from their pockets and set to slashing each others wrists in a bizarre ritual that threatens to have you ejected from the club head first. If it’s a stink you want to create, you’ve come to the right place. M7/M8
Mix Machine
‘Phreak EP’
(OZONE)
Electro-techno lovers beware, because this is about to call up your mother and demand all those embarrising 80’s photo’s with silly hair cuts. The arpegiated bass line is the key to the sound here, transporting you back into a world where Kajagoogoo is a word that actually makes sense. Kiko and Gino S are the guys behind this one and it’s already a huge dancefloor smash in France with many of the most well known jocks playing it for the last month. Released mid-September, keep your eyes on the racks so as not to be disappointed. M7/M8
The Black Dog
‘Remote Viewing’
(DUST SCIENCE)
‘Remote Viewing’ is a prelude to The Black Dog’s astonishing ‘Silenced’ album, forthcoming on Dust Science. Although it’s certainly not the best track on the album, it’s an incredible work of art and more than deserves a place in the record collection. For those unfamiliar with The Black Dog, they are the perfect accompaniment after a Saturday night on the razzle with low, slow-motion backdrops and sly, mysterious funk. Two new tracks appear on the B-side, completing this essential chill out release for the discerning techno lover. M7/M8
