April: 22 techno releases you need to hear this month

Florian Meindl 'Time Illusion' (Flash)

We live in a chaotic world, one which the powers-that-be are constantly trying to control. On this album, it feels as though Florian Meindl has captured some of that chaos and distilled it through a techno filter. Analogue bleeps collide with synth lines, while rumbling bass tones wiggle and vibrate under acid licks. It’s all under control – just. Tracks such as ‘Andromeda’, for example, feel apocalyptic to a certain extent, though just kept on a leash enough so as not to frighten you off completely. ‘Space Traveller’, meanwhile, takes things down a tad with a nod to the breakbeat era, while the likes of ‘Colorful Cage’ transmit pure emotion. The album is unified by its polished yet gravelly aesthetic, with each track a chapter in the much bigger story. Serious.

8/10

Carl Craig 'Sandstorms' (Versus version) (Infiné)

An all-time techno classic reworked by an orchestra with Carl Craig at the helm makes this an instant Tune Of The Month. Nothing else comes close; as soon as those horns start parping out the main riff, it’s game over. The soft keys, hypnotic waves of analogue and spine-tingling strings all culminate in a thing of beauty. Craig’s dream was for an orchestra to recreate his music, but the end result is a dream come true for all of us.

10/10

Saytek 'Revolutionize' (Live) (KMS Records)

Being a good person gets you places in this business, and Joseph Keevil (aka Saytek) is most definitely a good egg. His live show continues to expand and evolve as he invests all his energy into making it the best it can be. These two cuts on Kevin Saunderson’s KMS label are taken from that same show and give you a small insight into just how great it is, as deep grooves and shimmering synth lines are combined with a reggae sample.

9/10

Kaelan 'Self Deception' (EarToGround)

Somehow, this track manages to be subdued yet powerful at the same time. Driving deep in the lower echelon of the low-end is a muted kick pushing it ever forward, while both the middle and top-end create a solemn atmosphere, using various shades of grey to envelope it in darkness and shroud it in gloom.

8/10

Steve Stoll 'She Rises Up' (New York Trax)

New York techno pioneer Steve Stoll has been back in the limelight recently thanks to Nina Kraviz dropping a couple of his tracks on her Trip label. Now he turns to New York Trax for a killer EP which features ‘She Rises Up’, a dangerous slice of technoid funk. There’s scant deviation from the track’s theme, which is where its power lies: repetitive and contagious, it’s the work of someone with years of experience.

9/10

Quadratschulz 'Obselete Formats' (Housewax)

Languid, retro stylings from Quadratschulz (try saying that with a Malteser in your mouth!), ‘Obsolete Formats’ is a raw and analogue cut that channels techno from circa 1987 (or, perhaps, even earlier). Certainly there are echoes of the electro era in the track. and it feels naive. Simplicity reigns, here, as it toddles along with a jaunty yet laid-back flow.

7/10

Decka 'Behemoth' (SPE:C)

Decka is back on our radar again with a neat follow-up to his last release on SPE:C. We’re really feeling ‘Behemoth’, as the producer manages to create beats with a strong identity. The whole thing sounds like nothing else, although it’s not so far off the beaten track as to ostracise anyone who’s more into mainstream techno. Very strong work.

8/10

Black Swords 'Death By Wire' (Noiztank)

We like it weird sometimes, and this cut from Black Swords is definitely a bit on the strange side. Over the course of 14 minutes, we’re confronted by slamming, propeller-esque beats matched by a heavy amount of doom and gloom. The track’s intensity increases steadily as it draws closer to its end, which culminates in a wave of noise.

8/10

Premiesku 'Point Phrase' (2020Vision)

Rumbling techy fun from the Romanian trio known as Premiesku, who are renowned for being live performance masters and gear fanatics. On new release ‘Point Phrase’ they get busy with a collection of typically oddball sounds, while the bassline looms heavy over proceedings. The beats, samples and layers of FX work so well together: it’s a treat for your eardrums and your hips will be slinking from side to side in an instant.

8/10

Patrice Bäumel 'Engage' (Afterlife)

Patrice is on fire right now, and here he serves up some mesmerising tribal rhythms. ‘Engage’ is overflowing with emotion and has an infectious low-end, with the kind of bass that catches you right away and refuses to let go. At the upper levels is a sweet melody that tugs at the heartstrings, and beautiful pad work that will lift your soul out of your body and back to the heavenly source of all life itself.

9/10

Roman Lindau & Roberto 'Nerinea Trinodosa' (Fossil Archive)

The chilling clang of metal on metal is present on this cut from Fossil Archive, one of the best labels to have appeared in the UK over the last couple of years. Run by Roberto and mostly comprised of his own music, every release is a winner. ‘Nerinea Trinodosa’ is no exception, as crunchy synths and hard-hitting beats are complemented by sombre atmospherics.

9/10

Preslav 'Driver' (Motech)

Preslav steps up to deliver a venomous little stinger. Punchy drums support a malovelent riff which helps make ‘Driver’ feel immediately unsettling. There’s no let-up in the repeated riff as it progresses, either, but the percussion is manipulated to increase and decrease the energy levels.

6/10

White Girl 'Good Ol’ Days' (Vonda7 remix) (Lauter Unfug)

Berlin-based producer Vonda7 has been steadily been building a great reputation for herself, and her rework of this Black Girl/White Girl track is top-notch. She builds the tension carefully on her measured remix, never overdoing it and releasing it at just the right time to inject a fresh boost of energy when needed.

7/10

Boxia 'Colour Sequence Orange' (We Are The Brave)

Alan Fitzpatrick’s new label We Are The Brave continues to stride confidently into its release schedule., and this new one from Boxia (an artist with a lot of promise) is just what the techno doctor ordered. Rave makes up the DNA of both tracks on this release – just listen to those old-school pads on ‘Colour Sequence Orange’, combined with stomping beats, repeated vocal clips and sombre piano keys to produce something oddly lovable.

7/10

Binny 'Lunar' (Tortured)

This new EP on Billy Nasty’s trusty label has many moments of mania, as well as a few that are calmer. ‘Lunar’ sits somewhere in the middle of those two extremes: its hectic drums add to its fast pace, but somehow Binny adds layers that feel a tad more measured. After a couple of minutes, though, that feeling fades away and more percussive elements push the whole thing into a choatic zone.

8/10

Nothus & Delikwe 'Requiem' (XCPT)

Any track with the title ‘Requiem’ is hardly going to be bouncy and jovial, a theory proven by Nothus & Delikwe’s new cut for the excellent XCPT label. There’s a glimmer of hope embedded in its moody armour and, however hard it tries to suppress the positivity, it just can’t quite stop it from escaping; it’s like a child being tickled while in a sulk.

8/10

Billy Johnston 'Flat Wheel' (Retune)

Miami-based artist Billy Johnston puts his skills to good use on ‘Flat Wheel’, steadily unfurling the muted menace of the track with impressive panache. This marauding killer is sure to work at peak-time moments, thanks to the way its eerie melody creeps out from the depths while a buxom kick reverberates around the cavernous interior.

8/10

Fixmer/McCarthy 'Chemicals' (Sonic Groove)

One of our favourite tracks this month comes with a health warning: this will make your eardrums bleed when played at high volume, but it’s worth it. Adam X’s ruthless Sonic Groove label hosts Terence Fixmer and the legendary Douglas McCarthy, founder and frontman of the pioneering EBM project Nitzer Ebb. The combination of loud noise and McCarthy’s vocals make it an instant classic; go and get it now.

9/10

A Sagittariun 'Kobalt' (Elastic Dreams)

The bassline on this cracker bubbles and percolates under a layer of gauze; it’s like a shot of morning coffee being prepared by a skilled barista. A Sagittariun builds a soothing layer of synth to counter the frenetic low-end before throwing it straight back into action. The beats keep things angst-ridden, meanwhile, as the track rolls out with much the same feeling throughout.

7/10

Strisc 'Degrade' (Konstructiv)

Fierce is the appropriate word here, as the ‘mysterious’ Strisc degrades his kick drum in order to give the track its snub-nosed sound. Given that ‘Degrade’ is constructed quite minimally, its ferocity comes from that kick, with its atmosphere murky and unsettling but stripped back to the bare essentials. Definitely one that will annoy your parents if you whack it up loud at home.

6/10

Patrick Conway 'Self Deception' (Rekids)

This chilling cut conjures up ominous futuristic scenes as soon as it gets rolling. The stuttered beat supports a variety of analogue effects, from pipes to the eerie vocal sequences howling and moaning in the background. The sound of chiming bells and voices crying out only add to its industrial feel

8/10

Dark Sky 'Kilter' (Monkeytown)

Dark Sky delivers a warrior charge with this snarling beast. The pace is probably a little slower than most 127bpm-plus techno but its ferocity is raw. The main synth line is like something out of the drum ’n’ bass stable No U-Turn, while a sublime refrain allows us some breathing space before it continues in the same vein.

8/10