Back catalogue: Minimal/Tech House

Review: A musical fightclub that has 3 winners on the remix side!

Review: Third part of the compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Milanese record shop. This collection is entirely composed of previously unreleased music, exclusively produced for the occasion by many artists of great relevance in the worldwide music scene, who supported the store over the last ten years. The artists who produced the music for this compilation are Egyptian Lover, Ellen Allien, Thomas Brinkmann, Neil Landstrumm, JD Twitch, Matias Aguayo, San Proper, Tolouse Low Trax, Jay Glass Dubs, Dj Marcelle, Jorge Velez, Tamburi Neri, Fabrizio Mammarella, Heith, Itinerant Dubs, Timeslip89, Kreggo and Intersezioni Ensemble. The entire work is composed of 4 x 12", plus a bonus EP.

Review: Motech is one of those label that has been an ever present in the underground for years and it likely always will be that way, such is the consistency of the output. Label head DJ 3000 steps up for this latest release which takes the label ever closer to 200 outings over all, and as always he mines a perfect sweetspot between techno, breakbeat and house. 'Meze' has tense drum tech underneath mystic and exotic leads from the Middle East, while 'Humble Quest' keeps things nimble with deft synth smears over thud drum funk. The synth-infused and Detroit style techno of 'Tanbur' makes for a serene listen while 'Snake Eyes' brings a little freaky synth energy to close out.

Review: Thisisnegentropy's fourth outing looks all the way to Bangkok's own DOTT who runs the More Rice Record store in Bangkok and has studio skills to spare. He heads down a minimal path here with 'Dem Swing' a kinetic mix of dry hits and well swung kicks and tripped-out FX. 'Mind Designer' then gets deeper, with more lovely hits this time landing on tight drum patterns that are detailed with whirring synths and chopped-up vocals. The flip side is taken up by 'Trouser In The Heat', a more manic cut with dense percussive layers and edgy synths that never settle and always keep you guessing. Another fine statement from this top Thai talent.

Review: Leading Romanian minimal proponent Dubtil is packed with some literally and metaphorically heavyweight wax via the Playedby label out of his homeland. 'I' kicks off with lush under-lapping grooves and silky pads that mesh perfectly with the lithe bass. It's loose body music followed by 'II', a darker cut with snaking and paranoid bass and crispy hits pinging off the groove. 'III' brings more layers of symphonic sound over tight, pinging kicks that meander onwards and sink you into a meditative state. 'IV' closes out with a more sparse and eerie vibe, occasional hits and lazy dub vibes that cast your mind free.

Review: Dubtil finally launches his own label here and it's called Infrequent, which we hope won't be a case of nominative determinism. It's something minimal and tech house fans have long been wanting and this first drop doesn't disappoint. One of Romania's most accomplished DJs and producers lays out a fine vision here with the spaced out tech funk of 'I' kicking off with its dreamy pads and clipped beats. 'II' is even more out of this world with its wiry synths and aline life forms over heftier drums, then 'III' closes out with brilliant drum programming, pinging bass and the sort of smeared pads that bring real death.

Review: The latest Pampa twelve sees label boss DJ Koze share the vinyl with Border Community don Nathan Fake and as you'd expect from two such esteemed knob twiddlers it's a very good look. Fake takes the A Side with the festive sounds of "Xmas Rush" which is perhaps the first Christmas themed descent into brilliantly twisted techno freakout in history. Inherently psychedelic and filled with plenty of acid reflux mind f*ck potential, there's also a warmth to the track that makes it quite special. On the flip DJ Koze presents an equally twisted but totally different dedication to Jamaican left anarchist dub poet Michael Smith, tragically beaten to death by political opponents in 1983. Covering Smith's signature track "Mi Cyaan Believe It" Koze drops a highly pressurized rough minimalist techno beat with added throb potential via the droney melody which presents itself as the perfect backdrop to Smith's distinctive tones (check the track at 33RPM for added freakout potential).

Review: Aaron Andrew's Chubby label doesn't rush things. Since launching in 2018 and now only just hitting its sixth release though the music sure is worth the wait and is proof that quality will always win over quantity. Leonid's twin brother, Al Smith opens up with the cuddly and cosmic depths of 'Drama Room' before getting more dark and unsettling with his twisted synth modulations on 'Full Of Music', which then becomes a gorgeous downtempo cut with star-gazing pads and splashy hits within the Specter remix. Dan Piu picks up the pace for some delightfully warm deep house dynamics on 'Days Gone' and 'Snows Of Solaris'. Last of all is the more scuffed up, heads down deep house murk of Rai Scott's remix of Dan's intro tune, 'Day's Gone'.

Review: Though his career has taken many turns over the last decade, DJ Koze has remained that most illusive of creatures: a minimal-minded producer with an ear for a melody. This fourth full-length, packed to the rafters with big-name collaborations (Apparat, Caribou, Ada and Matthew Dear all feature), continues his move towards the home-listening sphere. So, while many of the heady rhythms and shuffling grooves hark back to his stripped-back past, Amygdala impresses with its woozy songs, genre-straddling fusions (see the modern soul meets deep house of "Homesick" or the steppy, tropical vibes of "Marilyn Whirlwind") and homely atmosphere.

Review: Looooooongish Cat and Davecoin have come together for their debut album Realizer on Adeen. It is a record that swings from the dark and mysterious to the more upbeat and playful as it explores a range of techno styles. The material originates from the pair's live set so has a real dynamism to it as well as it moves through ever-evolving psychedelic soundscapes. Vocals, synth lines, and guitars have all been laid down on tape and then resampled and deconstructed to "create an analog patchwork which floats over the hard-hitting beats and fat analog synths and bass lines." It's an immersive and inventive record that also has a fresh cover design.