Reports
Reports
Psyk - Scope Drift
In recent months, some music industry professionals have criticised the hard dance and hard techno subgenres for being overly commercialised and focused more on visuals than sound. In contrast, a group of artists is moving toward a more minimal and intentional style known as deep techno. Spanish artist Psyk's latest EP, "Scope Drift," serves as an excellent introduction to the genre, featuring steady rhythms and immersive sounds that entrance listeners. The EP focuses on drums, captivating basslines, and intricate synthesis. It also includes a remix by Erik Luebs, which showcases a different side of deep techno with melodic depth. Psyk's title track stands out for its slow evolution and energetic feel, appealing to deep techno enthusiasts.
Albert van Abbe - Broken Cymbals
The "Broken Cymbals" EP by Van Abbe creates a lush, atmospheric sound influenced by My Bloody Valentine and Dub Culture. The music showcases a deep understanding of minimalism, with each track using fundamental sounds to foster creativity. Van Abbe uses enveloping, whispered horns and minimalist loops to create a haunting experience. Groggy tones combine with staccato elements and galloping subbase, showcasing dance music expertise. Van Abbe emphasises the power of selective sound choices and minimalist techniques, illustrating that creativity can thrive within self-imposed restrictions.
Blndr - Radiolaria
Blndr's HYPNUS045 release features intricately squelchy sound design and experimental rhythms that create a complex auditory experience. Blndr opens up with 'Dictyocha,' which blends unique percussion sounds with a deep atmosphere, and 'Acantharia,' inspired by Boddika's sampy vibe. 'Retaria' stands out as a dance floor anthem with evolving patterns and a darker, more occult aesthetic. The closing track introduces a cybernetic offbeat sound, reminiscent of machinery. Overall, the EP seamlessly fits into the Hypnus discography while encouraging exploration and deeper listening beyond just the dance floor energy.
Angel Investor - I Can't Smell The Roses Underground
Angel Investor's debut album, I Can't Smell the Rose Underground (2025), is an emotionally resonant blend of indie folk, distorted guitar sounds, and sepia-toned noise, brought to life by Jack Dione and Silas Johnson through Jane Records. The album features a mix of gentle melodies and grainy chords, tied together under wobbly vocals that feel so intimate. The album explores and twists genre conventions, merging shoegaze and grunge influences, especially evident in 'Stillicide' and incorporating early 2000s pop inspirations in 'In The Headlights'. The personal and uncomfortable themes resonate strongly in songs like 'I'm Gone', exemplifying a relatable loneliness. Produced with an analogue warmth, the album creates a nostalgic yet fresh listening experience, perfect for autumn nights. While some stylistic choices may detract from the overall narrative, the album's unique sound and emotional depth make it a standout debut.
Various Artists - Tectonic Sound
Tectonic Recordings, founded by Pinch in Bristol 20 years ago, is a significant player in the dubstep scene, known for its unique sound that diverges from mainstream trends. The label strikes a balance between influences from various genres, including Jamaican roots, world music, and footwork, emphasising playfulness and innovation over self-seriousness. The New compilation, Tectonic Sound (2025), showcases the label's current sound, featuring various artists like Pevrelists and Re:ni, and includes a mix of genres that blend techno and dubstep. Highlights include contributions from rising star Beatrice M and techno duo FJAAK, creating a dynamic collection that maintains Tectonic's innovative spirit with tracks that push boundaries while remaining accessible but stylistically forward-thinking.
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.