Reports
Reports
The Hacker - Laser & Smoke
The Hacker, an artist known for his tongue-in-cheek approach to electro music, is set to release his latest work, Laser & Smoke (2025), via Rekids. The record blends retrofuturist elements with post-Y2K themes, particularly evident in the track 'Turborave', which features a bass progression paired with 80s drums and vocal shouts. The B-side, 'Harmonia', showcases a glitchy lead that invokes a playful yet grotesque vibe reminiscent of animated shows. Overall, the album is characterised as top-tier electro house music that embraces a fun, unpretentious spirit, underscoring the human quality of the tracks.
Klint - Dynamo EP
Klint's latest EP, Dynamo, on ARTS, showcases a unique blend of eccentricity and proficiency. The title track sets an off-kilter tone, while 'Subculture' explores sparse dub techno elements. 'Time Flies' captures a minimalistic groove with atmospheric sounds, evoking a truly esoteric experience. For a more straightforward techno vibe, 'Supernova' delivers pulsating energy with nods to 90s techno. Klint's sound is characterised by rich details and a blend of styles, firmly rooted in warehouse music but leaning towards the experimental, which makes the sound distinct and well-suited for a more bespoke club environment.
Various Artists - AniaraWL05
The contributions of Swedish minimal artists Skudge and Dorisburg are storied to say the least, with genre-defining releases, highlighting their experience and distinct sounds. Swedish minimalism often features muted drums and funk-style bass, aligning more with early Techno than House. Their latest single on Aniara Recordings showcases both artists in the new AniaraWL Series, encouraging creative freedom. Skudge's track 'Break1' is more energetic and warehouse-focused compared to his usual style, while Dorisburg's 'Untitled' features intricate sound design with various rhythmic elements and surprising motifs, keeping listeners engaged.
Oxhy - The Names of God
Oxhy 2025 release, The Names of God, shifts away from the softness of Woodland Dance (2021) and To Keep The Desert Blooming (2024) to explore modern anxiety through chaotic soundscapes. The album blends noise and abstract pop, and punk, while employing a variety of sound design techniques to create a diverse listening experience.
Key highlights include "The Grotesque" and collaborations such as the opener with CRYSTALLMESS and the track "Goth", which showcase dynamic movement despite a grim tone. The album balances darkness with pieces like "Telephone Ring," offering intricate soundplay. Oxhy revives big beat sensibilities infused with punk and noise influences, exemplified in "Critical Threshold" and culminating in the closer "Not God's Gift."
The quality of layering adds depth to the album, exploring themes of chaotic loneliness and the struggles of urban life. The overall narrative presents a bleak yet energetic view of modern emotional states, embodying the resilience of the human spirit amid isolation and disconnection.
Tren - Tears of Things, Sorrows of the Universe
Tren showcases a post-rave style of club music that originally developed in response to modern EDM, emphasising a rejection of commercialisation. Labels like Giegling focus on music over celebrity, fostering slow builds instead of mainstream drops. Tren's album, "Tears of Things, Sorrows of the Universe," embraces the open-air dreamscape by exploring themes of escapism, euphoria and surrender.
The album features emotionally charged tracks that combine the hypnotic rhythms of ticking clocks and ambient, lush, spaced-out soundscapes. Tracks like 'Lumen' and 'Stor' combine danceability with atmospheric elements, maintaining a pulse without becoming overwhelming. 'Aether' offers an intimate ambient techno sound, while vocal chops in 'Remembrance' and 'Birth of Hermes' add something new to Trens' palette. The track 'Into the Abyss' contrasts with its more overt rejection of the commercial, focusing on substance and creating a dream-like quality reminiscent of minimal and trance influences.
Shimpei Watanabe - Yoro Falls
The appeal of retrofitting classic house sounds to modern music has been around for a while. Still, one of the new highlights is Shimpei Watanabe. His track 'Gorilla Biscuits or Cookies' features polished Chicago influences, energetic percussive elements, and modern production techniques, while the A-side delivers a captivating bassline. The B-side, 'Owl's Mambo,' is described as fun and free, with catchy hooks, shimmering melodies, and solid beats, making it a favourite for dance floors.
Lorenzo Senni - Canone Infinito Xtended
Lorenzo Senni's Canone Infinito Xtended (2025) is a masterclass in minimalism, merging electronic music with modern classical elements. The album explores themes of change and reflection through its soundscapes, with tracks like 'Trapped in an Oil Painting' contrasting plonky tones and piano. 'Andromeda A6 Interplay' features harsh synthesised notes alongside subdued piano, creating depth through tonal modulation. In 'XEurekaX Demo,' beauty emerges within strict artistic boundaries, blending aggressive melodies with delicate notes. 'Minimalism on Steroids' captures rising tension and emotional conflict through contrasting melodies, while 'The Romantics were Prompted' evokes a cooling, nuanced emotional response. Overall, Senni's work aligns with artists like Catarina Barbari and Barker, highlighting the beauty of synthesis and emotional expression.
Anysia Kym & Loraine James - Clandestine
Anysia Kym and Loraine James' Clandestine EP blends R&B with ambient music, infusing UK shoegaze elements for a refreshing yet melancholic vibe. The tracks exhibit dynamic shifts in pace, showcasing storytelling as a core theme. The EP employs chopped-and-screwed sampling techniques, creating rhythmic sections from melodic loops that feature notable contrasting rhythms and fast-paced emotional moments. It reflects a raw percussive ambience associated with recent UK artists. It evokes early Internet nostalgia through its lo-fi textures. The soft, characterful vocals enhance the storytelling, giving the EP a voyeuristic quality that feels intimate and natural.
Merv - Recollection
Merv's latest release features a warm campfire vibe, showcasing stripped-back dub techno. The A-side, 'Inward,' features springy rubber basses and a steady loop, combining rich, atmospheric elements with dubby echoes. The B-side, 'Suspended', offers a more subdued and introspective sound, featuring tactile stabs and a slow-moving kick, which creates a deep mood ideal for early morning listening. The record highlights Merv's ability to blend complex textures and emotions within the dub techno genre.
Ploy - It's Later Than You Think
Ploy is known for his distinctive production style, which is showcased in his 2021 album, Unlit Signals, which captures the essence of the underground electronic scene. His latest, It's Later Than You Think (2025), departs from his darker, underground grooves, showcasing a blend of early electronic influences, including Krautrock and Prog House. The album features tracks like 'When In Room,' 'Stringz,' and 'Admirer,' incorporating complex rhythms, evocative synths, and a variety of genres. While It's Later Than You Think has a more festival-oriented sound, it maintains the genre-bending characteristics of his earlier work. The album updates familiar sounds, offering a fresh take on electronic music, although not all tracks will appeal to everyone. It's fun, suitable for peak-time performances, and likely to resonate with the summer party vibe.