January: 18 albums you need to hear this month

Sven Väth 'Sven Väth In The Mix: The Sound Of The 18th Season' (Cocoon)

Sven Väth single-handedly brought techno to Ibiza nearly 20 years ago. Ever since then, the influence of his DJ sets and famous Cocoon parties have continued to loom large: you simply can’t do a trip to the White Isle without heading to Amnesia on Monday to see the master of big-room sounds at work. It would have been easy for Väth to trade on reputation, to keep on playing the hits. But he hasn’t. Instead, his passion isn’t faked, as proven by the latest entry in this long-running series, which aims to sum up the sounds of the season that was.

It’s filled with a broad selection of cuts that have largely been released in the last year or so. There’s no cronyism, either: this isn’t a celebration of Sven and friends, but of modern techno at large. From underground acts such as Willow, Hodge and Barnt to more established names including Slam, KiNK and John Tejada, both mixes are multi-dimensional and cover sounds that are, variously, physical, deep, emotive and intense. Disc one is a showcase of building tension and suspense through loopy percussive tracks, droning synths and thudding drums.

Things never boil over, though, and the promise of there always being something more to come keeps you locked in. And then it does on CD 2, when wildness takes over and things really start to bang. As a window into a techno night in Ibiza, it offers a view filled with the sort of rises and falls so many main-room acts wrongly shun. Eighteen years in, then, and Sven Väth is still setting the agenda. Kristan J Caryl

8/10

Nabihah Iqbal 'The Weighing Of The Heart' (Ninja Tune)

As Throwing Shade, Nabihah Iqbal has built a very impressive catalogue of poised club constructions that are full of insidious synth hooks and processed voices. But here, under her born name, she’s stepping forward and letting her own guitar, vocal and songwriting dominate. That’s not to say she’s made a heart-on-sleeve singer-songwriter record, mind: for all its skill, ‘The Weighing Of The Heart’ is still deadpan in its delivery and cool in its dynamics. There are touches of minimalist composition, 80s new wave and the psychedelic shoegaze fizz of Lush and Cocteau Twins – all music where individual expression is subsumed to sound and texture. Lyrically, though, the LP examines the traps of routine and the possibilities that dreaming and music offer to escape from them – and however distanced Iqbal might seem in her performance, as a listener you’ll quickly find both real connections to the album’s themes, and the variety of gorgeous sounds that she uses to express them. Joe Muggs

8/10

PBR Streetgang 'Late Night Party' (Line Skint)

Metro Area, the New York duo of Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani, only released one LP, 15 years ago. Their sound – a synthesis of Detroit techno’s minimalism, Chicago house’s melodicism and NYC/Jersey attitude – crackled with slow-burn energy: uplifting and sparkling, yet made for sweaty, late-night activity of the dancing kind. They’re adjectives you’d equally ascribe to the music made by PBR Streetgang’s Bonar Bradberry and Tom Thorpe. Products of the highly productive Leeds scene, PBR Streetgang are big fans of Metro Area, it transpires. Classic house and disco tropes are the bedrock of ‘Late Night Party Line’, but it switches gears with ease.

The Metro Area influence is particularly discernible on ‘Transfunction’, with its brutal bass keys, whiplash percussion and machine-funk rhythm. The Loleatta Holloway-sampling title track is a firm nod to the vocal house tunes they were weaned on; ‘Money, Casino, Brass’, meanwhile – its title a cheeky reference to their Yorkshire roots – hauls you into a glittering, grinning riot of disco shimmer, big-room chords and machine-gun handclaps. They like a curveball, too: take ‘Everything Changes’, a not-too-distant cousin of LCD Soundystem’s‘North American Scum’. Its languid, guitar-spiked groove, pitted with cowbells and vocals from The Rapture’s Mattie Safer, takes you back to the dance-punk revolution of the early 00s. Here, PBR Streetgang prove themselves as masters of no-nonsense dancefloor devastation. From Yorkshire, with love. Stephen Worthy

8/10

Fever Ray 'Plunge' (Rabid Records)

A simmering energy courses through ‘Plunge’, the second album from Karin Dreijer as Fever Ray (it will be available on all formats in February; the early digital release was to stop the LP from being leaked). Each track feels on the cusp of overload, with elements that surge upwards to levels of intense mania, like the horror-esque violin in ‘Red Trails’. Dreijer’s lyrics, meanwhile, tackle themes of love and politics in viscera terms. “Destroy nuclear, destroy boring,” she screams on ‘This Country’, while on ‘To The Moon And Back’ she declares: “I want to run my fingers up your pussy.” Peder Mannerfelt, Paula Temple and NÍDIA are among the producers who worked on ‘Plunge’, bringing 150bpm batida rhythms and searing rave stabs to one of 2017’s most thrilling LPs. Patrick Hinton

8/10

Superpitcher 'The Golden Ravedays' (Hippie Dance)

‘The Golden Ravedays’ is a truly vast body of work. It’s being released on Hippie Dance, the label Aksel Schaufler co-runs with his partner in Pachanga Boys, but still bares the hallmarks that made him one of Kompakt’s longest-serving artists. It’s a mature electronic record that combines lullaby-like melodies, pop ambient overtones and soothing chords; with 24 tracks that are all more than 10 minutes-long, it touches on a myriad of moods. Next to dubby comedowns such as ‘1984’ or the lazy summer sounds of ‘Blood & Berry’, there’s also the darker, more menacing ‘Protest Song’, while ‘Flying’ is full of suspensory celestial delights. Listening to the LP in one six-hour stint might be daunting, but the reward is akin to musical meditation. Kristan J Caryl

8/10

Kaukolampi 1 'Svart'

For Blade Runner 2049, composer Hans Zimmer created a dense electronic soundtrack that was ominously futuristic and hung over the film as a driving presence. Timo Kaukolampi, the frontman of Finnish space-trance heavies K-X-P, mines a similar vibe on his solo debut, but occasionally amps it up with a relentless Krautrock pulse. It’s compulsive and hypnotic: with three of its five tracks coming in around the 10-minute mark, the opening, closing and middle tracks are mood pieces, swamping the ears with synthesised portent, while the other two cuts are techno-flavoured journeys into space. If ‘1’ is Kaukolampi’s solo mission, let’s hope ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ soon follow. Thomas H Green

8/10

Keinemusik 'You Are Safe' (Keinemusik)

Keinemusik, the powerhouse formation of Rampa, Adam Port and &ME, present their full-length array of scorching house and progressive for clubbers from all walks. Pinging synths on the title track? Check. Pulsating techno with stand-out drums on ‘Civilised’? You got it. London vocalist Chiara Noriko’s tones sensually curl around a modern r’n’b take on ‘Up And Down’, while ‘Muyé’ is reminiscent of Rampa’s previous banger, ‘Bimma’. ‘MBH’ has snarling guitar lines that merge with percussion and hypnotic chants, and ‘You Are Safe’ finds the trio painting with a palette of their collective tastes and individual ventures. Throughout ‘You Are Safe’, they straddle a diverse electronic spectrum with ease. Leah Connolly

8/10

Zombie Zombie 'Livity' (Versatile)

French outfit Zombie Zombie first appeared to much critical acclaim with their ‘A Land For Renegades’ album almost a decade ago, resulting in many remix offers and festival appearances. Disappearing from the scene in 2012, they’ve spent their time composing for films and events, but now return with a new album co-produced by Parisian dance music doyen I:Cube. ‘Livity’ is a rich stew with flavours ranging from busy avant-jazz techno in the Laurent Garnier vein (‘Looose’) to droney psychedelic tribalism (‘Livity’), and ending with a 14 minute space-jam (‘Heavy Meditation’). Zombie Zombie are clearly aiming for the lysergic head as well as the ecstatic feet and the end result is an organic concoction that doesn’t disappoint. Thomas H Green

7/10

DVS1 'Fabric 96' (Fabric recordings)

If you had to find three words to sum up Zak ‘DVS1’ Khutoretsky, they’d probably be honest, hustler and human. From organising raves in his hometown of Minneapolis to a brief period of incarceration and now as one of Berghain’s favourite adopted sons, he’s maintained his passionate belief in the restorative powers of techno. His Fabric mix is detailed and technical yet fluid, balancing big names with newer acts. As Planetary Assault Systems, Luke Slater contributes ‘Fathom Deep’, which thunders past like a squadron of attack helicopters, while Vergilov’s ‘Boring Shit’ is a menacing swarm of Sputnik bleeps and subterranean beats. ‘Fabric 96’ is a United Nations of Techno, and DVS1 is its Secretary-General. Stephen Worthy

8/10

Various 'The Orb Chronicles' (20 Years Of Shitkatapult) (Shitkatapult)

Berlin might be the place where you can turn on a tap and get formulaic techno, but there’s a lot more to its electronic scene. And as you might guess from its confrontational name, the Shitkatapult label doesn’t specialise in the obvious. For two decades it has dipped in and out of techno, but – as this compilation shows – has also touched on ambient, post-rock, glitchy electronica and a whole lot more. The Orb were the perfect choice to mix up the chaos: rather than making a standard mix, they’ve chucked in sharp left turns, and delivered an album as obstinate, ornery and odd as the label itself. Long may this nonsense continue. Joe Muggs

7/10

Various 'Tides' (Subterranean Wavelength)

From the deepest soulful house to the electronic madness of gqom and Shangaan electro, the richness of South Africa’s dance and electronic music cultures can’t be overstated. And that’s just as true away from the dancefloor, too: this new compilation
of female artists and producers is mainly a laid-back affair, ranging from Jill Scott-style neo-soul to wobbly electronica via Flying Lotus-like psychedelic beats – but the quality
is simply astonishing. There’s only one misstep into bland r’n’b-influenced pop included here, and a couple of slightly untrained bits of rough production – otherwise, ‘Tides’ isn’t just a showcase compilation, but an absolute gem of a record in its own right. Joe Muggs

8/10

Pete Tong with The Heritage Orchestra 'Ibiza Classics' (Universal)

There is potential here. The Heritage Orchestra and Jules Buckley have a rich history, Pete Tong obviously knows his onions, and the tracklist is great. But sadly, it’s something of a missed opportunity: orchestral arrangements could add so much to dance tracks, but these songs are often note-for-note recreations, which take away all the original sonic invention and add little else in return. Okay, there’s a little bit of extra disco lavishness to ‘Sing it Back’, a little sensitivity added to ‘Finally’ – but honestly, do you really need to hear an overly reverent version of ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ or The Prodigy’s ‘Outer Space’ without the sampling? This is expertly done, but ultimately too slick for comfort. Joe Muggs

6/10

Claro Intelecto 'Exhilarator' (Delsin)

Mark Stewart would probably be playing huge gigs if he lived in Berlin or Detroit – but as he’s actually from Manchester, he’ll just have to settle for living legend status instead. The dubby techno he makes as Claro Intelecto is recognisable for its minor-chord string drones, embracing bass and elegant devastation of your emotions. And on his first album in five years, all that is fully intact: there might be the odd diversion into jazzy shuffle or pure ambience, but this is the work of someone who understands their own sound, and as such can deliver it like nobody else. If you’ve ever cared about techno’s ability to wring humanity out of machines, then get to know. Joe Muggs

8/10

Aria Rostami 'Numb Years' (Inanimate)

Aria Rostami is a super-talented producer from San Francisco who now lives in New York and calls himself “the Sarah McLachlan of boxing”. His sound is light and delicate (think Kieran Hebden-ish techno with glacial ambient soundscapes), and he has a great way with words, too. ‘Where She Untied Warm Glowing Arms’ is ice-cool Aphex-style bliss, while ‘And I Forgot Naked Subtle Pathways’ seems as inspired by Japanese gardens as it is by his previous work on labels such as Spring Theory, Glacial Movements and Dark Entries. He’s a heavy thinker (this LP was made under extreme, and extremely low-paid, circumstances), and ‘Numb Years’ reflects that with its sublime, soul-flecked depth. Ralph Moore

7/10

The Go! Team 'Semicircle' (Memphis Industries)

Brighton six-piece The Go Team! imbue ‘Semicircle’ with the high-octane vibes of a marching band taking on block party jams, Northern Soul and cutesy indie pop. It might sound crazy, but it works beautifully: it took them to the US and the Detroit Youth Choir, who steal the show with their energetic, soulful contributions on an album full of day-glo intensity. It squeezes together Motown, chattering funk, classic hip hop and uplifting pop. In the shape of ‘Semicircle Song’, a wide-eyed, vitamin E shot, or the magical rush of ‘If There’s One Thing You Should Know’, The Go! Team fashion the kind of sugar-coated gems that should be made freely available on prescription. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Null + Void 'Cryosleep' (Hfn music)

Depending on when you popped up, the debut LP from electronic outlier Null + Void (aka Kurt Uenala) may either sound like the spirit of 80s electronic goth/pop with a dash of Detroit atmospherics, or a gently revived hour of electroclash dystopia featuring Shannon Funchess of Light Asylum and Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan. On ‘Into The Void’, Kurt’s music could actually be ‘Black Celebration’-era Depeche if they’d been produced by Four Tet, while Kurt’s actual Gahan collab, ‘Where I Wait’, soars as high as anything he made with Soulsavers. The lithe ‘Asphalt Kiss’ will get the nod of approval from fans of labels such as Turbo, and the epic ‘Come To Me’ could be an outtake from Blade Runner 2049. Ralph Moore

8/10

Prins Thomas 'Prins Thomas 5' (Prins Thomas Musikk)

Along with fellow Norwegian sonic traveller Todd Terje and his old mucker Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, Thomas Moen Hermansen has been on a remarkable journey, with all three now elevated to cosmic disco royalty. ‘Prins Thomas 5’, however, feels like a soft launch for Prins Thomas 2.0. You can hear it from the off on the glam-tastic ‘Here Comes The Band’, said to be influenced by the veteran Glasgow melodic indie band, Teenage Fanclub. Elsewhere, it alights on sun-kissed analogue ambience (‘Aske Hermansen’) and brooding, low-slung acid (‘Æ’). He hasn’t entirely flung his future boogie credentials aside – ‘Å’ shimmers in a psychedelic 4x4 haze – but this is still a delicious vision of Thomas’ future. Stephen Worthy

8/10

Björk 'Utopia' (One Little Indian)

Let’s not beat around the proverbial bush: Björk’s last LP, ‘Vulnicura’, was no carefree walk in the park. It was bloody, brutal and covered in bruises, the result of an ill-timed breakup. But ‘Utopia’ is an absolute turn towards the light, and it’s covered in flutes (especially on ‘Courtship’); as a result, it’s an album you’ll want to return to again and again. You’ll already know ‘The Gate’, which is Björk and co-producer Arca at their romantic, wide-eyed best, but it’s also joined by ‘Loss’ and the near career-highlight ‘Body Memory’. The Rabit co-produced ‘Loss’, meanwhile, is an expert exploration of the human condition with some of the finest beats we’ve heard this year, while ‘Future Forever’ finds an optimistic Björk in world-beating form. Ralph Moore

9/10