The July Mix - Part 2

This mix turned out as a balance between melodic and hard techno, with 16 excellent techno tracks building up from the easygoing nature of dubby techno to the gritty face of acid-tinged tunes, finishing with a touch of light and melody. Featuring original songs and remixes (including one of a classic 1997 tune), this collection will take you on a 80-minute ride to techno bliss. All tracks were reviewed on this blog from July 16 to 31, 2018.

Tracklist:

1.- Isolee - Yes Let
2.- H.O.S.H. & Groj - Jedi
3.- Der Dritte Raum - Blau
4.- Oliver Lieb - Gone
5.- Locked Groove - From Beyond
6.- Carlo Ruetz - Kolaps
7.- Mono Electric Orchestra - Neutral Density
8.- Xenia Beliayeva & Maksim Dark - Sold Out
9.- Teenage Mutants - Into The Rave
10.- Skream - Poison (Alan Fitzpatrick Remix)
11.- Assailants - Effort 8
12.- Wehbba - Catarse
13.- Shlomi Aber - Whistler
14.- Phase Fatale - Reverse Fall
15.- Thomas Schumacher - When I Rock (Thomas Schumacher Remix)
16.- Bastian Bux - Somia

Selected and mixed by courin

Thomas Schumacher - When I Rock (Thomas Schumacher Remix)

Techno veteran Thomas Schumacher remixes his very own When I Rock, a 1997 track released on Bush Records that became a huge techno hit, thanks to its pounding beats, killer bassline and aggressive vocals. 20 years later, Schumacher gives the tune an update by bringing the BPMs down a notch, stretching the bass and adding a sharp acid line after the breakdown, but still keeping the flavour of the original. The remix EP, released by Arts, also includes the original version, as well as a stomping remix by Emmanuel.

Isolee - Yes Let

Waves of echo and reverb wash over the rhythm in Yes Let, Isolee´s contribution to Cocoon Recordings´ Compilation R, a dubbed-out track that marches along while dropping depth charges at every turn. The collection features music from other artists like Pig & Dan, Mano Le Tough, Ingo Boss and Eduardo De La Calle, exploring the different faces of deeper techno.

Skream - Poison (Alan Fitzpatrick Remix)

Since his early days as a dubstep pioneer, Skream has undergone a transformation both as a producer and as a DJ. Embracing the club sounds of techno and house, he´s made a name for himself in this circuit as well thanks to his unique and eclectic style. Poison is a techno clanker released by We Are The Brave and remixed by label head Alan Fitzpatrick, who refurbished the groove and added a meaty acid line after the preachin´, twisted breakdown.

Shlomi Aber - Whistler

Bass-heavy, stomping techno tunes are always a welcome thing around these parts, and Shlomi Aber´s Whistler checks all the right boxes in this respect. A tune that rises up progressively from the muddy depths into the twisting heavens, it will linger in your head long after it´s over. 

Teenage Mutants - Into The Rave

Teenage Mutants dig deep and come up with a synth riff that takes us back to the early days of rave, backed by a modern-day techno base. Their Into The Rave EP, released by Octopus, features three club-ready cuts and different vibes, with the title cut offering plenty of reverb and a monster breakdown.

Assailants - Effort 8

Ben Sims and Truncate, two of techno´s most venerated producers, join forces to both create music together as Assailants and to start the Obscurity Is Infinite label to release their output under that name. Needless to say, their first EP Chase Sequences is a jackin´ powerhouse sure to wreak havoc on any dance floor. Effort 8 pairs a killer modulated bassline with distorted beats and a recurring vocal sample, using repetition to pound audiences into submission.

Phase Fatale - Reverse Fall

New York-born and Berlin-based, Phase Fatale lives under the influence of two of the busiest and most energetic cities in the world, something that translates to his techno productions under the guise of industrial coldness, blanketed by a thin veil of human emotion. Reverse Fall is no exception, a blistering track that will chill you to the core. Included in the Reverse Fall EP, released by Ostgut Ton.

Bastian Bux - Somia

A musically minded techno producer, Bastian Bux offers us five tracks on the Somia EP that go from the deep and groovy Edenvale and the corrosive The Game to the emotional title track. A well-rounded release by Suara that further showcases this artist´s talents in the studio.

Oliver Lieb - Gone

A very well-known name in the techno scene, Oliver Lieb has been involved with the genre for over 20 years, producing an impressive number of EPs, LPs and remixes, as well as running his own labels Maschine and Solieb. His Gone EP, released by Tronic, features three booming tracks filled with spacey and melodic techno vibes.

Xenia Beliayeva & Maksim Dark - Sold Out

Maksim Dark is a specialist when it comes to creating dark, meaty grooves, accompanied, in the case of Sold Out, by the chilling delivery of German DJ/vocalist Xenia Beliayeva. The young Russian producer has been catching the ears of names like Richie Hawtin and Dubfire and it´s no wonder, judging by the massive beats he turns out in the Sold Out EP, released by Dense Audio.

Mono Electric Orchestra - Neutral Density

A nervous synth pattern, an evocative melody and dub sensitivities are the building blocks for Mono Electric Orchestra´s Neutral Density, part of the Louder Than Silence EP, released on Bedrock. Barry Jamieson has been involved in the evolution of electronic music since the 1980´s, both as a studio engineer and as a producer, and his latest release under the Mono Electric Orchestra moniker is a fine example of his mastery in sound exploration.

Wehbba - Catarse

With his Catarse EP, Wehbba continues his incredible output of releases showcasing his talents in bringing out magical moments from the hardest techno grooves. Using melody and contrasting sounds, uniting the darkness and the light in his productions, he has been able to create some of the most engaging music of the year. Released by Drumcode, the EP contains four tracks of techno goodness, touching on everything from hard beats to minimal sounds to the power of a well-produced, killer melody.

Der Dritte Raum - Blau

Der Dritte Raum is one of electronic music´s best-known names, thanks to a 25+-year career in which he has created such classic tunes as Hale Bopp and Electric Friends. The German producer is still very much in the game, and continues to release moving and energetic house and techno tracks, as he has done on the RGB EP, released by Harthouse, with three funky tunes of which Blau offers the most hard-edged grooves.

Carlo Ruetz - Kolaps

Carlo Ruetz has followed a very impressive path as a producer, with his music being played by names such as Richie Hawtin and released by Minus, Deeperfect, Sci+Tec and KD Music. He brings his Stormer EP via Mood Records with four tracks that range from the urgent Stormer to the hazy Silence, with Ruetz´s moody, melodic side represented by Kolaps. 

H.O.S.H. & Groj - Jedi

Part 4 of fryhide´s Instant series brings us Jedi by HOSH and Groj, two names that are by now synonymous with well arranged, captivating music, pushing the boundaries of techno towards the richer, greater depths of melody and sentiment. Combining enigmatic vocals and enveloping sounds with a hard-edged beat works very well, creating a very distinctive and unique track.

Locked Groove - From Beyond

Locked Groove is a Belgian native based in Berlin who first caught the eye of Scuba´s Hotflush label, which published his debut and several other releases. Afterwards, his work has been featured on many influential labels like Suara and Afterlife, and he has also started his own Locked Groove Records, where he concentrates his more personal productions. From Beyond comes from his label, and shows how much of the 90s trance and techno sound influence his music, adopting a melodic and subdued style that shares the dramatic feeling that was abundant at the end of last millennium.

The July Mix, Pt. 1

This mix features some left-field tunes as well as proper techno bangers, so it turned out somewhat eclectic. Weird melodies get paired with massive kicks for a shifting and heady session, covering the many different faces of techno, as The Techno Chapter´s mixes always do. All tracks were reviewed on this blog from July 1-15, 2018.

  

Tracklist:

1. Barnt - If She Says She Is A Healer, She Is A Healer

2. Red Axes - Sipoor

3. Darlyn Vlys - Faux Semblants

4. Dubspeeka - Contras II

5. Fideles - Lotus

6. Eitan Reiter & Ella Gotman - Spin

7. SCB - Extint (ANNA Remix)

8. UMEK - Foresight

9. GusGus & Metodi Hristov - Magenta (Skober Remix)

10. Ronnie Spiteri - Thunder Life

11. Marco Faraone & Hertz Collision - Terraforming

12. Person of Interest - Neurogenesis

13. Flug - Rejected

14. Rebekah - Enigma

15. Boston 168 - Cosmic Tribe

Rebekah - Enigma

As in-your-face as a techno tune can get, Rebekah´s Enigma oozes attitude and power, with an unstoppable beat and industrial stylings that infuse it with a corrosive, yet compelling, aura. Hard techno the way it should be, from one of the most successful techno DJs out there. Released by none other than Soma Records.

Flug - Rejected

Argentinian artist Flug continues his output of white-hot blistering hard techno with the Rejected EP, released by JAM. Huge kicks, frenetic cymbals and percussion, a distorted and repeating voice sample and a piercing acid line make the title track perfect for levelling any dance floor when played at the right time.

Dubspeeka - Contras II

Bristol´s Dubspeeka is one of dub techno´s most prolific producers, with a constant stream of releases and remixes complemented by a busy touring schedule, making him a recurrent name in the game. His repetitive and hypnotic style has been embraced by labels like Drumcode, Get Physical, Crosstown Rebels, among many other major players. Odd Even released his Contras EP, a collection of five original tracks full of groove, echo and reverb that get into your head.

Person of Interest - Neurogenesis

Multi-faceted American DJ and producer Person of Interest is a hard to pinpoint artist, thanks to his unique approach to dance music. Neurogenesis is his latest release on L.I.E.S. and includes three tracks, of which the first two are quirky and weird explorations on sound while the title cut translates the weirdness to a steady beat and adds a whimsical melody, resulting in a completely different sound for a techno tune.

SCB - Extint (ANNA Remix)

Scuba´s ice-cold techno sound has by now become his trademark, with crisp production and robotic, repetitive loops and rhythms that seem alien and devoid of feeling but nonetheless compelling and entertaining. His Extinct EP, released by his very own Hotflush label, includes two original tunes and two remixes of the title track, with ANNA´s version bringing out its deeper, tougher side.

Barnt - If She Says She Is A Healer, She Is A Healer

Barnt is a founding member of Magazine, the Cologne label he runs alongside Jens-Uwe Beyer and Crator, which explores the many experimental sides to electronic dance music. His quirky, unconventional style is all over the If She Says She Is A Healer, She Is A Healer EP, out on Holger, from the crazy title to the two tracks it contains. The title cut is a melodic workout that mutates with every bar and keeps you drawn in with its cryptic synth notes.

Fideles - Lotus

Tale Of Us´ Afterlife concept includes a series of events as well as a record label focusing mainly on the melodic side of techno. Their Realm of Consciousness Pt. III compilation features 15 tracks from artists like Recondite, Scuba, Edit Select and many more, and includes Lotus, by Italian duo Fideles, a cut that carries a unique groove and melody.

Ronnie Spiteri - Thunder Life

Ronnie Spiteri is a DJ and producer from Birmingham whose work has been released by labels like Truesoul, Cr2 and Knee Deep In Sound. His melodic brand of techno is all over the Thunder Life EP, on We Are The Brave, featuring two cuts that delve into deep bass, pounding rhythms and melancholic synths. 

Boston 168 - Cosmic Tribe

With a nod to the past and a look to the future, Italian duo Boston 168 release their Drops in Heaven EP on Bpitch Control, with three tracks that explore the different sounds and textures of the genre, while adding their own personal touch. Cosmic Tribe opens the EP with a booming kick and clashing breaks, hailing back to the rave sound and giving it an intensity that´s partly subdued by the pulsating synths that ride along the rhythm.

Eitan Reiter & Ella Gotman - Spin

Israeli DJs and producers Eitan Reiter and Ella Gotman launch acid into space in their Flat Earth EP, released by Be As One. Three deep, spacey cuts with tasty 303 lines to give them that analogue edge, of which Spin carries the most drive with mighty techno beats.

UMEK - Foresight

UMEK is name that is well known to any techno fan, thanks to a 20 year career that has taken him more than 62 times around the world and spans 4 albums, 550 releases and countless remixes, compilations and radio shows. He´s also the head of 1605 Music Therapy, where he publishes his own output as well as music from many other techno producers. His first EP on Filth On Acid is Amnesiac, with three scorching techno tracks full of UMEK energy.

Darlyn Vlys - Faux Semblants

Darlyn Vlys is a native of Montpellier, France, who moved to the Spanish city of Valencia to produce his own brand of techno and house. 2018 has seen the release of his debut LP Prince In the Rain on Sincopat, as well as of the EP Faux Semblants on Upon You, with two tracks that explore deep into techno territory. The title cut is full of effects and noises that bring a kind of ominous feeling but still manage to sound attractive and engaging.

Red Axes - Sipoor

Tel-Aviv based DJs and producers Dori Sadovnik and Nik Arzi first performed as members of the new wave/post-punk band Red Cotton, turning to techno and house in 2009 and releasing several records under the Red Axes name. Their Sipoor EP comes from Phantasy Sound and includes three original tracks with an electro-techno sound. The title track chugs along at 118 bpm with a pulsating bass and new wave stylings, accompanied by a quirky vocal sample.

GusGus & Metodi Hristov - Magenta (Skober Remix)

Fusing hard beats and an acid line to the progressive stylings of the original, Skober´s remix of Magenta from GusGus and Metodi Hristov turns it into a stomping techno track that also carries a melodic edge. Record label Set About released Magenta as a 9-track EP that includes 8 remixes of the title track from Frankyeffe, Teenage Mutants, Maksim Dark, among others, as well as remix of GusGus´ Featherlight by Hristov.

Marco Faraone & Hertz Collision - Terraforming

A sinister kick introduces us to Terraforming, a track from the Solar Shade EP by Italians Marco Faraone and Hertz Collision, giving way to heavily modulated bouncing notes which imprint it with an unstable and mutating feeling. A weird but great record released by Uncage.