January: 19 techno releases you need to hear this month

Romans 'Valere Aude' (The Bunker New York)

Romans is the name of the two-man project helmed by Tin Man and Gunnar Haslam. For the last few years, they’ve been crafting the kind of acid-tinged techno that fills your spine with tingles, and now ‘Valere Aude’ consolidates their respective backgrounds into one wonderful album. From the first tentative analogue chirps of opener ‘Cirta’ you get a strong feeling of the inspiration behind the LP, which Tin Man says is based on “a fantastic fictional history in which we are imagining attitudes lost to the waters of time”. Certainly, the notion of going on a journey is present throughout: there are moments of tension, travelling and sombre ambient interludes. ‘Via Agrippa’ is a great example of the beatless intermissions binding the record together, while experimental cuts such as ‘Cyrene’ stretch its core ideas out even further before ‘Markouna’ heads back to the dancefloor. It’s what one might call a ‘proper’ LP, with its theme providing the foundation for some fantastic techno.

9/10

Adam Beyer vs Dense & Pika 'Going Down' (Drumcode)

We’re certain that there are thousands of Drumcode fans out there who’ll be feeling like all their Christmases have come at once when they find out about this collaboration. Beyer teams up with the mighty Dense & Pika for ‘Going Down’, which has all the hallmarks of one of the label’s trademark destroyers thanks to its stomping chuggy beats, moody bassline and pitched-down vocals.

9/10

Martin Buttrich & Timo Maas 'Nach Acht' (Rhythm Assault)

Seeing Martin Buttrich and Timo Maas’ names on the production credits for the same track is almost too exciting for words. Thankfully the music, which is part of Buttrich’s Collaborator project, lives up to our childlike excitement as the two men embark on a scintillating meeting of minds on ‘Nach Acht’ (‘After Eight’). Running for over 10 minutes, it’s clear they enjoyed getting together on this tune: it’s been designed to lock you into its hypnosis chamber, escalating in tension and energy as it slowly progresses.

9/10

Mike Parker 'Gyroscopic Precession' (Tresor)

Tresor continues to power on and, after celebrating 25 years in the game, it’s business as usual with this four-track EP from the master of meticulously hypnotising techno, Mike Parker. So focused and so unflinching in his approach, Parker has carved out his own niche, and ‘Gyroscopic Precession’ is the perfect representation of his sound. On the surface it seems minimal, but listen closely and you can hear all the subtle inflections: the rise and fall of sounds, the intricate interplay and the careful layering that makes this a killer cut.

8/10

Quince 'Coï Tus' (Something Happening Somewhere)

This track kicks in with a chunky square wave bassline, which is soon complemented by a dour atmosphere. Insistent stabs punctuate each bar as delicate percussive elements keep the energy rolling. There’s an air of mystery that pervades this track and Quince is assured in his production throughout, removing or adding key elements at just the right time to increase or decrease energy levels.

7/10

Shlomi Aber 'Related Sources' (Non Plus)

You’ll be removing the grit from your ears once this track is over; it sounds like it’s been covered in glue and then thrown into a bucket of gravel. Shlomi uses space to really give ‘Related Sources’ its gripping atmosphere. Sometimes producers can use too many sounds, but here he keeps it minimal and very engrossing as he steadily builds the atmosphere with a short, sharp rise in tension halfway through, before continuing with the same stripped-back and gritty soundscape as before.

7/10

Inter Gritty 'Car Park Ranger' (Catch Recordings)

Catch Recordings returns to techno territory with a neat little package from Inter Gritty. ‘Car Park Ranger’ is no-nonsense fare with a powerful heartbeat. The first couple of minutes establish the infectious rhythm while analogue melodies lurk in the background, giving the track more character and depth. There’s not a whole lot of deviation from its overall theme, besides a couple of short breaks. It’s simple and repetitive, but still does the job well.

6/10

Obscure Shape & SHDW 'Die Weiße Rose' (Tale of Us & Mind Against remix) (From Another Mind)

Obscure Shape & SHDW have not only called up Tale Of Us to remix one of their tunes, they’ve also brought in Mind Against – and this is just one of the remixes on a stonking double pack, which also includes reworks by Rødhåd, Inland, James Ruskin, Dax J and more. It’ll come as no surprise to anyone who knows Tale Of Us and Mind Against that this is an emotional rollercoaster, created to whip dancefloors up into a frenzy.

9/10

Phil Moffa 'Decimation' (BleeD Music)

Some techno producers can lack a little soul and funk in their music, but Phil Moffa is not one of those people. As soon as ‘Decimation’ gets started, there’s already a hint of a groove that remains quite subtle, but still provides the backdrop to a slick, moody workout. Though it might not be as hard-hitting as some of the other tracks on the accompanying EP, ‘Decimation’ benefits from its simmering atmosphere – it proves that you don’t always need to sledgehammer people with kick drums to create something moving and engrossing.

8/10

Esteban Adame 'Descendants' (Juan Atkins remix) (EPM Music)

The man who invented techno steps in to remix ‘Descendants’ by Esteban Adame. This has all the key characteristics of a Juan Atkins classic, from its familiar cosmic tropes to the retro sound that inspired so many people around the world. But it’s also all wrapped up in a contemporary blanket of polished production, too. There’s no doubt Juan’s masterful touch has brought the original mix a whole new lease of life, in a way that only a pioneer could achieve.

9/10

Mark Broom 'Shanty Star' (Beardman)

There’s a chaotic, tribal energy pulsating out of this cracker by Mark Broom. You can imagine Luciano throwing this down at the peak of his set and crushing yet another dancefloor. With a superb Latin-esque riff and rip-roaring beats clattering all over the place, it’s one of the most infectiously energising tracks we’ve reviewed this month.

8/10

Camea 'Signs' (Andre Kronert’s Groovekeeper mix) (Neverwhere)

Sounding like the soundtrack to a dusty, darkened cellar where all manner of creepy monsters lurk, this is another strong release from Camea’s new Neverwhere label. Andre Kronert turns things very murky with his morose interpretation of Camea’s original: the beats stomp, the atmosphere is thick with strange allure and the whole thing is bound to send chills down your spine.

8/10

Ecotone 'Fantasmagoria' (Constant Variables)

Crunchy distorted beats get this highly charged workout off to a raucous start, before soft pads are juxtaposed with the potent drums. As the track moves along, a symphony of pads give it a strong emotional edge and squelchy analogue globules help create a further dramatic tone before dropping away. Then, those trundling beats rise to prominence once again and the pads return with that same solemn melody.

7/10

Nathan Jonson 'Softly' (lo bit landscapes)

Nathan Jonson, brother to Mathew, has been working under his Hrdvsion moniker for a number of years now, but with this new release he uses his real name to explore the beatless side of techno with two lush soundscapes. ‘Softly’ lasts for just under four minutes, but envelopes you in its silken layers within seconds; the track’s almost Arabian-like mystical atmosphere takes you out of your body and into a distant realm where everything feels as though it’s made from marshmallow.

9/10

Bjarki 'Genat 8' (Trip)

One of the cornerstone artists on Nina Kraviz’s Trip label, Bjarki is a favourite of ours. He always manages to pull it out of the bag, whether he’s in straight-up techno beast mode or producing something that errs on the side of weirdness. ‘Genat 8’ is definitely on the odder side of his spectrum, with decayed beats and strange female vocal clips at its core.

8/10

Uun 'The Talisman' (Ego Death)

This feels like it would have worked as part of the soundtrack to Arnie’s famous Predator movie. The stuttered, hunter-esque beat evokes images of the sweaty rainforest where the film was shot and it has an air of menace pervading throughout, with haunting chants reverberating in the background. Uun does a great job of building that unnerving feeling, and the religious singing adds to the overall unsettling sensation. We picture Arnie in his final battle with the Predator, bounding through darkened canopies while being pursued by a blood-hungry alien.

8/10

Lunatik 'Annulla' (DE vs Troit remix) (Absolute Records)

Here comes a battering ram of a track from the aptly named Lunatik. This remix comes juddering and pounding with no relent right from the very beginning, too: the pulsing energy is high and builds into a crescendo around the track’s midpoint, where things get really oppressive. A serious piece of music that uses a subtle build to generate some truly explosive energy.

8/10

Marco Bove 'Fluctus Born Out' (Mattia Trani remix) (Fluctus Soul)

Something a little bit lighter and more melodic, here, from Mattia Trani’s remix of Marco Bove’s ‘Fluctus Born Out’. The Italian has been touted as one to watch and certainly demonstrates his talent on this rework. It has a classic feel to it – perhaps because of its dainty keys, or the cosmic aesthetic that harks back to the days when techno producers would try to create a soundtrack for an imaginary future. That future is now upon us, and this is exactly what it sounds like.

7/10

Michael Klein 'Signal Response' (BLK DRP)

Michael Klein delivers a subtle groover for his new label BLK DRP. It feels like a good fit for an intro track, instilling high drama with its galloping beats and stirring top layer. As it moves forward we’re gripped by its morose vibe, and there’s also a satisfying breakdown which drops neatly into the final stages
of the track. It probably could’ve done with a teeny bit more variation, but on the whole, it’s a nice track.

7/10