Techno News

After a quarter century of nearly nonstop activity, dystopian Detroit synth-punk institution ADULT. have perfected a strain of stylistic cohesion in the album format, "but for this we wanted something that's falling apart." Becoming Undone, the 9th official full-length by cofounders Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller, explicitly succeeds in this aim, simultaneously rejecting and reflecting the planetary discord that inspired it. Begun in the latter half of 2020 against a backdrop of unprecedented flux and seismic isolation, the duo kickstarted their muse by sourcing fresh additions to the rig: a vocal loop pedal for Kuperus and Roland percussion pads for Miller. Reconnecting with legacy influences like the politicized industrial percussion of Test Department and the queasy miscreant synthetics of TG's 20 Jazz Funk Greats sparked a series of fruitfully frenetic sessions, centered on themes of impermanence and dissonance. Miller's rationale is blunt: "We weren't interested in melody or harmony since we didn't see the world having that." From the tense technoid blitz of "Undoing / Undone" to the twitchy EBM of "Fools (We Are_)" and "I Am Nothing," the sides bristle with strident acidic revolt and black leather sequential circuits, unhinged and unforgiving. Elsewhere, slower tempos of purgatorial unraveling ("Normative Sludge," "She's Nice Looking") showcase a breadth of vocal FX, Kuperus sounding alternately indignant and possessed, decrying the crimes, fears, and failings of a deluded world. Throughout, the band's chemistry crackles with revulsion and strobe-lit dissent, equal parts exorcism and denunciation. "Humans have always been pretty terrible," Kuperus explains. "But every year the compromises of culture just accelerate." Becoming Undone is also freighted with a more personal pain, as Kuperus' father passed away during the height of the pandemic, just before the album took root. As his hospice caretakers, she and Miller faced the banality of finality, surrounded by objects drained of meaning, "the joy of having a body, but also the drudgery of having one." The record's bewitching closing track, "Teeth Out Pt. II" - which happens to be the first ADULT. song in the group's history without drums - speaks to this sense of doomed corporeal mass and the looming, lightless unknown that binds us all. A seasick haze swells and subsides in slow, low waves, flickering with ring modulation, above which Kuperus sings in a dazed, brooding, transcendent state, as if having finally glimpsed beyond the pale: "Some day / some day I will be silent and free / of this relentless gravity."

The year is 2k22 and the mixtape vibe is still strong.
It's here. Finally. The 10th release since the label initially launched back in 2001 and therefore Intrauterin Tapes is proud to present „BOOTY.“ - the next instalment of the series put together by Intrauterin Recordings mastermind baze.djunkiii.

A frantic celebration of original DJ culture and a bass- and 808-heavy journey into the realm of dirty ghetto anthems, classic booty bangerz and hard hitting underground cuts covering a musical spectrum from Electro to GhettoBass and stripped down Chicago Basement tracks. 100% vinyl,

two decks and a classic battle mixer is all it needs to get things going. Resistance is futile. You will rave to this.

Written & Produced by Karl O'Connor (Regis) & Simon Shreeve (Kryptic Minds). Recorded & Mixed at DNS Essex.

The third release on U-TRAX in 1993 was also a third debut, this time by Natasja Hagemeier and Jeroen Brandjes. Early in their career, they used several artist names, but became most commonly known as The Connection Machine. With their debut mini-album The Dream Tec Album they more or less described their style: dreamy techno. It became an instant Dutch techno classic and U-TRAX is proud and delighted to offer a fully remastered re-release, including three never before released bonus tracks (one of which is digital-only).

Natasja and Jeroen resided in Utrecht back in the 90s. In 1991 they assembled all their ideas and recorded the track "24 Hours" with DJ Paradize. Soon after this experience, they started to buy their own gear, all strictly MIDI (which wasn't too obvious in those days). In their early recording years, they had three producer-names (Syndrome, The Connection Machine and Bitch&Bites), that were all collected under the The Utroid Machine Missions umbrella, which was used for their debut on U-TRAX.

All tracks on The Dream Tec Album are The Connection Machine's earliest works, from the 1991/1992 years.

"An Overflow of the Mind" is a beautiful, dreamy track with almost divine sounds and strange voice-samples that serves perfectly as an introduction to their entire repertoire.

Their first production was "24 Hours", and what a brilliant one it is! A well-known jazz-musician talks about a "24 hour party going on", on top of a sinister and trancey rug, woven of sampled sounds from pioneers in electronic music and nailed down to the floor with a deep pounding bassdrum. At the time they made this track, 141 bpm was unbelievably fast...

"Evilish Cosmos" is all about a very sad and personal emotion, so everything we say about it will be absolutely wrong. Just listen to the meandering piano line, distorted voice samples - and feel it.

The first bonus track on this release is "Recognized Pain", which was intended to be part of the original The Dream Tec Album. It had appeared on the Phuture Classical Section C cassette in 1993, on the famous Drome Tapes label that formed the roots of U-TRAX. It truly is an amazing track: pure sonic terror with haunting rhythms, psychedelic synth lines and shards of voice samples that make the listener feel slightly uncomfortable.

"X_Manray" is many electronic music lover's favorite track. It is sooo deep that it is hard not to get hypnotized by it. Warm strings are coupled with deep beats that show up and disappear every now and then. Could serve perfectly to start off any DJ's set, as long as she or he has the guts.

Though "Braindrain" is probably the most danceable track on this album, it is carefully designed to tease the listener. Everything in this track drops in too late and every tone, melody or loop last exactly a few bars too long. Designed as a DJ-teaser and so it is.

The second bonus track, "Cafe d'Anvers", is another previously unreleased work, of which unfortunately no master recording was saved. All that is left, as far as we know, was an old VHS Hifi tape from the U-TRAX Archives. And that is where this bonus track was taken from. Mastering engineer Thee J Johanz managed to restore the quality of the recording somewhat, while at the same time maintaining its dark, clubby sound, a tribute to the famous club of the track's name in Antwerp, Belgium.

"Dream Affected Dream" is one of the most recent productions on this album. It was recorded with CNN playing live on top of it. At this exact moment, CNN was having an interview with David Koresh, the leader of the infamous Branch Davidians sect from Waco, Texas, while they were under siege by an armed police force. Natasja and Jeroen were just ready to record Dream Affected Dream, and spontaneously decided to mix in the audio from CNN. Not very long after that, the cult members set fire to themselves. A very strange and oddly funky track, that also serves as a time-document.

The final track is another bonus track. Like Cafe d'Anvers, "Voight-Kampff" is taken from on old U-TRAX VHS Hifi tape and masterfully mastered into a lovely relaxed dreamtech piece. Very suitable to start the Sunday after a long night of clubbing. This track is available for free to buyers of the complete digital album only.

Original release date: July 1993.

Reykjavik-born producer Volruptus, kown for several crazy bombs on трип, bbbbb or Sweaty Records (with Jensen Interceptor), is back with a 4-tracks EP that is made with hypnotic elektro, brutal braindance, and many explosives substances. Ignite your senses ! Feed the fire burning within! Blaze through explosive soundscapes where the heat is blistering ! Detonate into a feverous rage! Get engulfed in it's flames!

Italian master, London based Stefano Ritteri takes centre stage for the latest edition of Shir Khan presents Black Jukebox — number 32 in this illustrious series. This one is a chiefly electro-flavoured affair, joining the dots between the genre’s past, present and future across four slick tracks — with a dash of garage at the end.
‘Slow Tripping’ is a homage to the charismatic boogie sound of the early ‘80s, resplendent with beautiful melancholic melody and a wistful air. As the name suggests, the lazy beat perfectly compliments the array of dreamy sounds, and there’s a definite nod to French disco/electro/hip-hop fusions of days gone by.

‘Donna’ is a collab with Mytron (Bordello A Parigi, Multi Culti)which continues the chuggy theme, its gently swaying synth arpeggios and unhurried beat recalling some of Soulwax’s more pared back material. Its simple arrangement is kept engrossing with synth automation and subtle atmospheric touches.

‘Brutesque’ strips things back to an almost minimalist approach, where twanging, monotone sounds slowly morph over a taut backbeat and a variety of bleeps and blips. With its spoken word sounds and Krautrock-ish mixture of sounds, it recalls the work of Public Service Broadcasting.

‘Robot Love’ takes its cues from the sweeter side of 2-step garage, bubbled down to a more laconic pace. Cute melodic refrains and big reverbs adorn the stuttering rhythm to make for a colourful, atmospheric, reflective track.

Low Tape returns to eudemonia with his second EP for the label. This time the talented russian produces shows again his craft to produce club-ready emotive electronic music. The EP consists of four tracks which can shine at any moment.

Unpredictable trip through future-facing electro, hardcore and ambient influences on this 7th release of Akoya Circles. Parco Palaz returning to the label with a driving EP that blends influences from across the dancefloor continuum. Beginning with the physical and urgent 'Sword', a cerebral dose of body music that unravels layers and layers of cybernetic detail, Palaz immediately takes the EP in myriad uncompromising and unexpected directions. 'Nomadology' slaps with a raging, bass heavy energy inspired by the cross- cultural, halcyon days of UK rave culture, hitting harder with each breakdown and mutating around a cosmic MC sample. 'Burning Heart' is deeper but no less infectious, a sly blend of liquid funk and futuri! electro, buoyant with optimi!ic energy and skittish rhythms. Shorter and crunchier, the Drexciya homage 'Sierra Nevada' sees Palaz turn his analogue gear inwards in order to create a ruthlessly calculated rave weapon that wears its influence proudly. The record only grows denser amid the high-tempo of 'Equations', a frenetic drum pattern giving way to the record's underlying texture of melancholy and even contemplative nature, as heard on the wi!ful frequencies of EP closer, 'Surface'. "Musicians are compelled to play anything", a voice notes as the record winds down. "It goes !raight to the throne of the universe." - John Thorp

4-part various extravaganza with unique graffiti tagged artwork per copy!

RAWAX welcomes Kamyar Khnanzaei aka Kamyar Ring from Iran to the family.
Kamyar delivered here a beautiful dubby electro release
Highly recommended!

Alako supplies an elegant mixture of IDM, downtempo and acid beats.

Fabio Vinuesa returns to District 91 to deliver the fourth installment of the label. A five-track EP with essential club material.

On side A we have "Analog Activity" a track focused on the dancefloor with speedy drums, raw basslines and dreamy pads. "Acid Pepa" immerses us into retro style using classic synths and acid hits.

Side B begins with "Self-Programming" heating our instinct showing the most darkest track on the record."Corrupted Data" bring us the electro-cybernetic sound mixing acid basslines and vocal-glitches from Google´s I.A. And finally closing the album “28045” with an evocative ambient sequence.

*Repress*

Dutch producer Danny Wolfers aka Legowelt needs little introduction unless you’ve spent the past two decades buried beneath a Mont Blanc avalanche. His enormous collection of synthesizers, as well as his unwavering love for analogue production tools, justifiably places him in the synth music “Hall of Fame”. Since releasing his first material in the early 1990s, Legowelt has incessantly produced music and continues to display seemingly limitless creativity. As a result he has built an unparalleled discography that also includes an assortment of artist aliases.

Legowelt’s new EP ‘System Shapeshift’ will be released on Lapsus sub label C.E.E., specializing in more club-oriented sounds. The label returns to action after a two-year hiatus, during which time its intrepid explorers failed twice to scale the dizzy heights of Nanga Parbat. Now back at sea level C.E.E.’s head honchos have confirmed the release of Legowelt’s new five-track EP, bursting at the seams with 30 minutes of unrelenting old-school techno, synth house and snaking electro bathed in pure acid. The EP is a genuine time bomb, ideal for the most discerning of electronic music lovers.

The story continues and for the second release in the Astra Spectra series, Science Cult co-owner Stefan Weise aka SYRTE presents five intense and dark electro tracks. The theme of this EP revolves around the delicate nature and moral implications regarding humanity’s evolving relationships with machines.

All 5 cuts on this release, presented as a limited run on red transparent vinyl explore our relationships with machines and those in our future. Many of the sounds were sampled from Stefan’s studio using electromagnetic sensing microphones. The soul of the machine is in every track.

Stefan Weise envisioned the “Astra Spectra” series as a celebration of mankind’s vision for space exploration, past and future, while also expressing a love for space science, science fiction and the spirit of discovery. Each release in the series is representative of a color frequency in our sun’s absorption spectrum and the element which is represented by that, hence the name, which means “Solar Spectrum”.

Tag & Wandrach are returning to Burial Soil and this time with a bang. For this amazing EP they could win none other than Legowelt and Maelstrom to remix their song "Zusammenkunft". And in traditional manner our Label head Ravn Jonassen laid his hands on their b-side tune "Aus Der Ferne". You can expect some great variety in all the remixes.
White Vinyl + Full Printed Cover.

In 2022 Listen is presenting its very first compilation as an extension of its year-round Our Scene platform. This release unites a wide spectrum of electronic music on a double gate-folded vinyl. With 12 artists serving up anything from ruff techno to ambient, the Our Scene Compilation sketches a profile of the diversity that characterizes Brussels’ music scene.

Ben Kaczor & Morphing Territories teaming up for the Allumination EP on Ben`s KCZ Label.
A metallic dub oriented EP made for dreamers on the dancefloor, two tracks written out of a Jam
Session and one of each Artist that fits the vibe.
Limited to 100 Copys