From soft and progressive to brutal and careless, here’s a few quick picks of fresh techno from the past few weeks.
Kaelan – Inner Expanse
As ever, I prefer my 16th-note rolling techno without too many breakdowns and fancy toppings. In this regard, the originals on this release do exactly what they should. No deeper meaning, no end-of-the-world buildups. Just techno.
Dino Sabatini & Luigi Tozzi – Manticora
I sort of felt like I knew that the combination of Tozzi and Sabatini would occur, and I am not surprised that it turned out well. Breathing new life into what would otherwise have been three very routinely Sabatini productions, Tozzi’s arrangement input is invaluable here. Let’s hope for more collaborations between the two!
Ntogn – Sathurnus
Extremely heavy, stomping sounds from the founder of Hypnus. I do not recall ever hearing such a heavy and roomy rhythm section that sounded this good on a pair of whimpy portable headphones. That said, do try it on a full-range speaker system.
YYYY – Relic EP
A surprising but pleasant pick from Planet Rhythm. Like many of YYYY’s works, this one no doubt demands my attention, but it also provides some lovely psychotic desperation in return. Extra points for the nasty kick drum on “Instrument of Self Evasion”.
Sciahri – Devotion Part 1
Featuring practically no harmonic melody at all, and with the bass drum in a constant quarrel with the unstable riffs on all tracks, I can imagine this release being quite a nightmare to listen to if you’re not into its style. On the other hand, if you appreciate chaotic soundscapes in simple arrangements, you’ll love it.
Wata Igarashi – Ciphers EP Remixes
A versatile remix collection full of insane, genre-forking freedom. While I mostly stuck with the title track on Igarashi’s original EP, I find all of these equally interesting. Check out the digital exclusives as well.
Patrick Siech – Eter
Classic rhythm sections and moody pads. I’m sold.
Acronym – Off The Grid
Previously reviewed on our website, this long-awaited continuation of Acro’s own Dimensional Explorations series is finally out. The gritty acoustic that used to be part of Acronym’s signature soundscape is now replaced by something bright and gooey which reminds me a lot of the more recent “June” and “Guadalquivir”. It’s vinyl-only, so don’t sleep on it.