Tag Archives: techno

Quentin Hiatus – Time Continuum / Gully [Onset Audio]

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The ever prolific Quentin Hiatus is back and this time he’s dropping experimental riddims for Onset Audio. Time Continuum harnesses the spirit of Techno for a quirky, robotic workout with some interesting switchups, apparently exploring the vastness of time & space via it’s various peaks and troughs.

Gully meanwhile drops the tempo slightly to the 160BPM region and blends the techno influence found on the first track with crusty old school breaks and more unusual rhythmic manoeuvres. These beats will have you constantly guessing! Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite digital outlet to grab them right now.

Theme – Scenes 1-4 EP [Samurai Red Seal]

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Berlin-based producer Theme returns to Samurai Music after a popular release on their Horo imprint with a new EP blending halftime D&B with elements of dub techno, and the results are pretty stunning. Shimmering synth progressions, reverb drenched snares and a muted yet euphoric vibe characterise the tunes, and the compositions really draw you into the abstract world of their creator via a hypnotic, enveloping array of sonics.

While words like “hypnotic” and “meditation” get thrown around willy-nilly when discussing electronica that draws on ambience or floaty synths, these descriptions seem entirely fitting here. What exactly Theme is meditating on via these tracks is probably known only to him, but the body of work certainly carries a serene, thoughtful aesthetic which isn’t common in drum & bass…but then to many this isn’t drum & bass, and isn’t really trying to be either. The overall tone certainly shares more in common with dub techno, though the tempo and drum structures give away the influence of 85/170BPM music, call it what you will.

Pointless chin stroking regarding “true genre” aside, Scenes 1-4 is a breathtaking selection of tracks and one of the best attempts we’ve heard recently at the kind of musical zen producers of Theme’s ilk endeavour to create. Check out the clips below and lose yourself in it all…then head over to the Samurai Store and grab a copy on vinyl or digital, out right now.

If you want more from Theme, be sure to check out his mix for the Samurai Podcast below; 58 minutes of dubbed out halftime selections.

Fearful – Premonition Remix Contest

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Fearful has been a busy man of late! Between releases for Diffrent, AutomAte and a fantastic mix for DNB Dojo, Chris has also found time to craft a fresh bit of techno in the form of self released track Premonition. The producers in the Dojo readership should be interested to hear that he’s running a remix contest around the track, with first place netting a white 12″ DIFF025 vinyl and runners up treated to early copies of Fearful releases on digital.

You can check out the original track below in all it’s brooding glory; head over to Soundcloud to grab the stems and get your remix in to the Soundcloud group by September 21st 2015 to be in with a chance of winning.

 

Erkiu – YRA EP [Shiro]

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Apparently not content with already running three of the most esteemed labels in the scene, Samurai Music are launching their fourth imprint in July, named Shiro. Focussed exclusively on new artists who’ve never had a vinyl release, the label will produce limited white label runs with the first due on July 13th.

The music on this debut release comes from Polish producer Erkiu, who’s previously had digital releases on Cylon & CX:Digital. The EP showcases his gloomy, atmospheric sounds, blending techno influences with halftime D&B to create tracks that are minimal yet engrossing in nature.

Hollow Idol stands out as the Dojo favourite for it’s insistent groove, creepy pads and intricate percussive flourishes. Check out the clips below and hit up the Samurai Store to pre-order now.

The Stairs EP [Slinkie Music]

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Nottingham label Slinkie Music caught our ear previously with Revaux’s Titan EP but the crew have been pretty quiet since then. Thankfully they’ve broken their silence with a brand new EP featuring three new tracks from bright new producers.

Revaux leads the EP with the grimey vibes of Peeper. There’s some serious menace on this track, not least in the distorted amens found in the second half of the tune. Gunfingers at the ready!

The rest of the EP features worthy house and techno flavours from Elabor8 and Pender Road, the latter providing a cheeky slab of acid influenced techno that definitely floats our boat. Check out the clips below and grab this one from your favourite digital outlet right now.

DYL – Occultism EP [Terra Null Recordings]

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The latest release on Cirrus’ Terra Null Recordings imprint comes from Romanian producer DYL who brings an experimental sound to the table, blurring the lines between techno and D&B. Macelarie kicks things off with a weird rhythm which just refuses to drop the kick drums where you expect them to land, set to a rich texture of atmospherics. Occultism straightens out the groove a bit, keeping things pretty dark and ominous as it drives along at a steady half-time gate.

Signal 1 amps up the industrial vibes, with static and crunchy drum impacts pervading the mix to great effect. Last but not least Galleria sees DYL teaming up with Mauoq for a slice of moody halfstep punctuated with jungle style break fills. Tasty stuff! Check out the clips below and look for this one from April 13th.

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AMIT – 4 Stories EP [AMAR]

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Fresh material from AMIT is always a treat, and a relatively rare one at that. The elusive producer seems content to buck the trend that sees many in the scene releasing new records as much as twice a month, preferring to bide his time and hone his craft, and the quality of his output is a fierce testament to that ethos.

As with the previous two releases this latest selection of beats comes via AMIT’s own AMAR imprint, and spans a variety of tempos while exploring his very distinctive sound. Hunted follows in the footsteps of Human Warfare and Killer Driller, blending ominous vocal samples and old school reese bass with a half-time gate and more than a hint of techno as the kick drums drive the tune on. Chalvey Town meanwhile brings a dub vibe to the table set over another techno-esque kick beat, bending the 170BPM tempo to his unusual template and sending it out to space.

Frequent vocal collaborator Rani pops up on Survivor, which sees the tempo drop to 140BPM and the tone back in haunting, creeped out territory. Last but not least, Mind Over stops the flirtation and jumps into techno territory with both feet, to great effect. Check out the clips below and look for the EP on vinyl and digital via the AMAR Bandcamp.

Seba – Inside Yourself / Berberian Sound [Secret Operations]

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Seba’s latest single sees him blending the sounds of deep house and techno with the tempo and rhythms of Drum & Bass. For once the description in the press release is actually pretty illuminating: “This is the type of sound that I listen to when I go out clubbing. The only difference is that the tempo is usually 125-130 BPM”. The stabs, pads and general atmosphere of Inside Yourself will certainly be familiar to anyone with an ear for techno production.

Berberian Sound moves things into spookier territory, with the synth lead and booming bass both lending the track a tense, ominous edge. As usual Seba’s ability to craft detailed, clever beats with one foot on the dancefloor and the other in some strange dimension remains unassailable. Check out the clips below and watch out for this one dropping on vinyl and digital from Feb 16th (though judging by the delays on the last Secret Operations release, this may slip).

Rockwell – INeedU / 1_2_3_4 [Shogun Audio]

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Rockwell returns to Shogun Audio with a fresh single that is sure to prove as divisive as it is innovative. Indeed the comments on the various social feeds are already polarising between love and hate! A side INeedU knocks down the door with a four-four backbeat, a melodic set of hooks and vocals and a slightly hyperactive array of FX and sonic details – it’s difficult to take it all in at first listen. You can hear the influences of disco, techno, D&B, footwork and who knows what else being smashed together here; D&B purists are sure to loathe it, and in a way that only makes it more brilliant.

Over on the flip the imaginatively titled 1_2_3_4 continues where previous Rockwell banger Detroit left off, combining influences from Techno and Ghettotech with Rockwell’s ludicrously tight engineering and that D&B energy we all know and love. Punchy sub bass and rapidfire beats should have any party bou-b-b-b-bou-bou-bouncin’, though once again the purists will likely be unimpressed. Haters gonna hate; make up your own mind from the clips below and watch out for the release dropping on digital from July 20th and vinyl from August 4th.

Quentin Hiatus – Zanj Rebellion [Translation Recordings]

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Translation Recordings continue their excellent run of forward thinking releases with an EP from Quentin Hiatus. Zanj Rebellion combines shimmering pad ambience, warm low end and heavily syncopated, off-kilter rhythms to create a sound that feels like the spirit of drumfunk channelled via recent footwork influenced production.

Over on the flip Solidify continues the trend for heavily syncopated rhythms but with more of an industrial vibe, and hints of dub and techno sitting prominently in a mix that features some excellent stereo separation.

As if that wasn’t enough there’s also a free track available for download in the form of Summer in Winter, featuring more in the way of rich synths and weird rhythms, this time overlaid with some Burial style vocal echoes. Check out the tracks below and grab the release from the Translation Bandcamp.