June: 19 techno releases you need to hear this month

Marcelus 'Vibrations' (Tresor)

Marcelus drops his debut LP with the label arm of renowned Berlin club Tresor. The Frenchman’s mastery of the techno genre has been proven time and again, and this LP is another step in his development and growth as an artist. Of course, an album provides an opportunity for a producer to explore and experiment with their sound, which is exactly what Marcelus does across these 13 tracks. Melancholy rhythms, gloomily muffled sounds, tough beats, rolling basslines, hypnotic atmospheres: they’re all here in abundance as he takes us on a trip into his fertile mind. Darkness-shrouded tracks such as ‘Transient’ channel that Tresor basement vibe perfectly, while ‘Multiply’ wiggles and squirms with a squelching bassline. Title track ‘Vibrations’ is a measured, eerie workout, and ‘Same Where, Different When’ dips its toes in the leftfield, making things slightly weird. However much Marcelus moves between dub, experimental and futuristic styles, ‘Vibrations’ remains cohesive and engaging.

8/10

Paul Woolford 'Mother & Child Divided' (Hotflush)

We’re big big fans of Wooly here at Mixmag, so it was a real treat to take delivery of his new release on Hotflush. ‘Mother & Child’ rolls out on the A-side, with nerve-tingling strings, a stirring bassline and a beautiful harp-led breakdown. It’s on the ‘Divided’ flip that Woolford really goes to town, though, as he turns the original into a beatless odyssey that stretches out over 10-plus minutes of moving sound.

9/10

Cassegrain 'Skull Gun' (Arcing Seas)

Arcing Seas is the anagram-alias which Cassegrain were using to anonymously release music on Our Circula Sound. Now the cat is out of the bag, though, as the pair launch their label of the same name. Too much techno these days relies on the same old sounds, which is why this is a breath of fresh air, with its unusual jangly analogue stabs and slightly off-key rhythm. Why not push things into leftfield a little bit? It certainly makes things more interesting.

7/10

NX1 'B04' (NX1)

Chaotic drums and bass are the foundation of this track from NX1. Somehow, they supplant the slightly awkward beat arrangement with a swathe of gloom-filled pads which work in tandem with the other elements to craft a narrative, giving us a story to listen to. Described as NX1’s more ‘intimate’ music, this tugs on the heartstrings as it develops into an all-out emotional assault.

7/10

Eschaton 'No Other Gods' (Before Me Token)

Ancient Methods and Orphx collaborate on this new killer release from Token, arguably one of the most consistent labels out there right now. The audacious name of this track is matched by its ferocity, as the gritty intro pushes us into a cauldron of volcanic analogue activity. It’s almost beatless, with just a simple solitary drum being thwacked at the beginning of every four bars, and the atmosphere feels alive with malevolence. It could almost be the death knell sounding out, in centuries past, as a techno Viking is led to his imminent termination.

9/10

Max Durante 'The Resistance' (Sonic Groove)

Max Durante gets straight to work on this four-track collection that doesn’t pussyfoot around: this is big and bashy techno that will rattle any club with a proper soundsystem down to its very foundations. ‘The Resistance’ stamps its authority with a serious uncompromising energy, getting more intense until it abruptly fades out. A surprising end, but a super track regardless.

7/10

Mike Gervais 'Deep Breath' (Symbolism)

Smouldering techno, here, from Mike Gervais. For the first part of this track, everything feels like it’s bubbling under, tapered and ready to burst but not quite getting there – although it still gets you moving. When the high-end starts to flow in, though, things get tense, and both the tone and pitch rise. Some kind of cataclysmic event is sure to unfold, as a breakdown pushes the intensity up to the boil and brings us back to the track’s simmering start.

7/10

Physical Therapy 'Push Me' (Work Them Records)

Physical Therapy, aka Daniel Fisher, seemingly refuses to follow the standard path when it comes to making music. Never content with using run-of-the-mill sounds or techniques, his Therapy tunes always sound mutated, as if they’ve been run over by a combine harvester or dropped into a chemical bath. This is a great example of that warped sound, as muted bass, hoover-esque effects and thumping beats combine with a piano melody. Does it work? Of course it does.

8/10

Keith Worthy 'Rarified Air (Hieroglyphic Being’s Experience 43 mix)' (Aesthetic Audio)

Jump-up beats and a dirty kick drum get this one off to a firing start. That’s followed by a spunky bassline and, layered on top of it all, another lovely melody played out on piano keys. It’s just the right mixture of the sublime and the gnarly. The energy stays high throughout, and the way Hieroglyphic Being merges the two juxtaposed layers is a joy to behold – especially when those endearing cosmic bleeps get involved.

9/10

BNJMN 'Droid (Inland remix)' (Delsin)

How Inland manages to do it every single time is a mystery to us. Ed Davenport’s alias seems to be on our radar all the time, simply because the music he’s making is so good. This is hard-hitting with very little breathing space, but we like it that way sometimes. Juddering percussion, simmering pads and that potent, propulsive kick make his remix of ‘Droid’ a surefire winner. Just before the three-minute mark, we get a slight breather before Inland smacks us in the face with that kick again.

8/10

DJ Spider 'Montag' (Rekids)

DJ Spider returns with a crunchy, decayed slice of techno wizardry. On ‘Montag’, delectable drums pump along surrounded by a variety of interesting percussive additions, with bongos and wooden instrumentation working together with the kick. “Concentrate,” urges the track’s vocal, as it tries to lull you into Spider’s web-like groove. There’s so much going on with this one, but it all flows together smoothly and keeps you locked in tight right until the very end.

7/10

Bloody Mary 'Make Space In Your Life' (Dame-Music)

From the moment we heard this track start life with its ominous pads, we knew it was going to grow into something likeable. ‘Make Space In Your Life’ is further proof that Bloody Mary has really started to own that space between throwback techno vibes and contemporary atmospherics. As a female vocal utters a positive mantra, driving analogue pushes the low-end forward and the pads rise and fall to add a touch of mystery to proceedings. Lush.

8/10

Ben Kaczor 'Ahh' (Files Rec.)

‘Ahh’ is one of those tracks that seemingly starts off with its cards fully laid out on the table. There’s no messing around here – just a pumping kick, some jittery drums and morose, sorrowful pads .Toms collide against each other and the intro opens the floodgates for a series of claps to join the fray. But after three minutes, Ben flicks a switch and we get some eerie naughtiness for the remainder of the track.

7/10

Volte-Face 'Dead Cat On The Dinner Table' (BleeD)

Despite having a name that will leave RSPCA supporters feeling thoroughly disturbed, this is a stormer of a track from a man who’s proving to be a potent force in the world of techno. We’ve covered Volte-Face a couple of times already, and deservedly so; the oddball creations currently escaping from his studio are just what the techno-hungry doctor ordered. This one in particular is almost perverse in its use of layered, chilling vocals, eardrum-piercing squeaks and a generally disconcerting atmosphere.

9/10

Decka '003' (SPE:C)

Techno from Bristol: that’s basically all we should need to say here. Decka comes with a big, bad bassline on this cut, one of three on fledgling label SPE:C. We’re really feeling the way he intersperses a vocal clip in among the beats; it’s an all-purpose riddim that will do damage on dancefloors across the world. Somehow both understated yet also pretty bloody rugged, the best thing about this track is its rhythm. It’s impossible not to dance to this one.

7/10

Ruede Hagelstein feat CAR 'Footprints (Ruede Hagelstein remix)' (Watergate)

Some moody business from the Ruede boy himself, who remixes his own track on an EP for Berlin’s Watergate label. Here we have gloomy drums and bass setting things off, with occasional futuristic cheeps growing into a symphony. It takes a few minutes to really unfurl, but once it does we arrive at a tense breakdown which will get those hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention.

8/10

Second Storey 'Grand Rapid' (Houndstooth)

Here’s a slice of wriggling, wobbly and IDM-inspired high tempo bounciness from Second Storey. Houndstooth keep the levels up with every single release thanks to the A&R skills of Rob Booth, and this is the label’s latest delicious release. With cutesy robot beeps, off-key cosmic chimes and an ingenious drum arrangement, there’s something quite magical about this track. This one’s sketched-out in places, and utterly whimsical.

9/10

Sascha Dive 'After The Storm' (Minimood)

A chunk of warped minimalism from the masterful Sascha Dive, whose propensity for suave, stark techno with dark tropes makes him an artist we’re always eager to hear from. This creeper moves along slovenly with mysterious chimes, indecipherable vocals, a solitary piano key and a steady beat that keep the energy locked into a groove. Very, very good.

8/10

Camea 'Undisclosed Location' (Neverwhere)

Camea launches her own label Neverwhere (named after her acclaimed 2014 BPitch Control release) with this three-tracker brimming with darkness. We selected ‘Undisclosed Location’ as our pick, partly due to its title (no doubt a nod to clandestine raves), but mainly because of its solemn atmosphere. It gets increasingly foreboding as the synths rise and fall in intensity, until we’re left with its bare bones.

7/10