Selector’s Sounds series follows a procedure that puts music quality before status or industry relationships. Learn how it works.

Max Gardner and Cory Simpson have inaugurated a new label called Peer with Gardner’s techno EP, This Is A Test. Three original singles are supported with remixes by Drumcell and Insolate. The EP was released on Bandcamp in February 2022 in digital format.

Thunderous bass beats kick off the EP’s first track, “Clamor” before quickly unfolding into a War of The Worlds-style alarm call. Bell tones round out the sound for a multi-dimensional experience. The resulting impact is huge, and the rest of the EP measures up similarly.

Next, “For Realness” takes Gardner deeper into dark territory with pulsing discord as off-kilter sounds morph and twist through the track. The Insolate remix supports the gravity of the original with an even stronger emphasis on hard dissonance.

Then, evoking a soundtrack to a deep hypnosis session, swirling loops and glitches meet more driving beats on the EP’s title track. Drumcell’s remix pares it down without losing traction, boosting the bass further.

Max Gardner is the founder of the Direct To Earth event series in San Francisco. Cory Simpson is cofounder of the DEPTH Seattle collective.

Purchase This is a Test in digital format via Peer Bandcamp.

Selector’s Sounds series follows a procedure that puts music quality before status or industry relationships. Learn how it works.

Uun (real name Ryan Malony) is a Detroit-based techno producer and DJ whose tracks aren’t for the faint of heart. His latest EP, Infernal Measure, premiered in January 2022 on legendary techno label Mord, which is run by Bas Mooy out of Rotterdam.

Each track has a consistent vibe of a ball bouncing down a dark alley towards the underground. Then, atmospheric sounds seem to bridge time and space. Standout tracks from Infernal Measure include “Lethe” and “Circadian Forest.”  Both have a spacey feel while grounding your perception in dark subtleties of the night.

Akin to Malony’s ambient project Araceae, this heavier collection welcomes you to lose yourself on a dark dance floor. Syncopated breaks flow effortlessly across the EP.

The Bandcamp digital release includes three bonus tracks. There are only nine vinyl copies left at the time of writing, and 69 artists have supported the Uun release to date.

Lead track “Reach a Climax” does just that. It features a dark, syncopated beat with an atmospheric backdrop and humming alarm call to the dance floor. “Weak Spots” pulses forward, squishing the rhythm through the peak-time soundscape. Coming from the depths of the underground is “Cleverest Demon,” evoking a damp, cave-like vibe.

Album artwork from Reeko borders on the semi-creepy. Crystal Clear features a peeled-open eyeball superimposed with crystalline shapes obscuring deep scratches. It’s an appropriate visual that complements the track collection.

Operated by techno artist Leiras, the Berlin-based techno imprint Ownlife gave Reeko the spotlight for its 23rd release. Label mates include Joey Beltram and Tensal.

Bounce, claps and a driving pace permeate the EP’s sound. It could easily be mixed all the way through to adoring peak-time crowds worldwide. Tracks “Crestfall,” “Call” and “Advanced” trend toward harder, faster sounds. the Wrong Assessment and Franz Jäger remixes of “Advanced” and “Crestfall” respectively round out a fresh take on techno that bridges cultural and geographic landscapes.

Debuting in 2021, Cratan has released three EPs including Crestfall that maintain his consistent minimally melodic style throughout.

Observant is an electronic music label founded by DJ and producer duo Audio Units (real names Ashwin and Ashrith Baburao). Indian techno thrived pre-pandemic with international support by heavy-hitter DJs and festivals like Awakenings and DGTL. Where Goa and psytrance have historically dominated that scene, techno is now a secured mainstay at clubs and festivals.

Selector’s Sounds series follows a procedure that puts music quality before status or industry relationships. Learn how it works.

Set to release on February 18th is the new Mata Disk EP, Surrounder. Nous’klaer Audio, a Rotterdam-based label and news source since 2013, has previewed two tracks online ahead of digital and vinyl offerings.

Also from Rotterdam, Mata Disk (F.K.A. Ice Viper) keeps in step with the label’s local focus. It has been a challenge for the past five years to hone in on a sound worthy of release. His style and tastes changed frequently until finally Surrounder took shape.

That shape is breaks-centric experimental techno, and he’s on a mission to convince listeners it’s ready for prime time. The title track starts with heavily syncopated, high-flying loops mostly anchored by its core melody. Bass and a four-on-the-floor beat pick up halfway through, making this a good transitional track from a breaks-to-techno set.

“Chooser” is the other preview offered, with a similar vibe and structure plus bigger, sustained beats. Spacey melody floats overhead for a quick couple minutes of introspection.

Preorder Surrounder in digital or 12-inch vinyl record format via Nous’klaer Audio Bandcamp. 

Selector’s Sounds series follows a procedure that puts music quality before status or industry relationships. Learn how it works.

Ryogo Yamamori has released his latest track, “Plumeria,” on the Spanish techno label Non Series. It is available on Bandcamp as track B1 on 12″ vinyl and digital download.

Yamamori A.K.A. DJ Kikai is a Tokyo-based techno mainstay. Head of label Kagerou, he also has releases on Nina Kraviz‘ трип label. 20 years of experience playing at clubs in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, U.S.A., China and Korea speaks to his widespread international acclaim.

Wavy, subsurface-level sounds are punctuated by high-bass blippy beats on “Plumeria.” It evokes a determined, spacey feeling that rides through the cosmos onto the dance floor.

Formed in 2011, the independent Non Series label is created and programmed by Psyk (real name Manuel Anós). Label artists include DJ Nobu, Nastia Reigel and Luigi Tozzi.

Catch Ryogo Yamamori playing at VENT in Tokyo on February 26th.

Oldham has been based in Berlin since 2005, and it’s rubbed off on him in the best way. The dark, bouncy “Untergang” merges his native Detroit techno style with hard-hitting beats typical of prime-time sets at Tresor. It’s not off base considering he released a double LP/CD for Tresor’s imprint back in 1999.

Anyone who has followed Oldham’s four-decade career knows he’s more than meets the eye. A multifaceted talent, he started out as a cartoonist, graphic designer and radio host. He put the likes of Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig and his mentor Mad Mike Banks from Underground Resistance on the Detroit airwaves.

By creating art for their releases, Alan Oldham became entrenched in the Detroit scene and eventually made his own name as DJ T-1000, producing live techno DJ sets and recordings on two proprietary labels. He simultaneously maintains a strong presence in the fine art world, showing large-scale drawings and paintings internationally to sold-out acclaim.

Don’t Complain, Don’t Explain Tracklist:

1. 1. Untergang
   2. Codeswitch
   3. Indonesian Girl
   4. Resonance
   5. Resonance (Gene Richards Jr. Remix)

Planned upcoming Bandcamp Fridays will happen on February 4th, March 4th, April 1st, and May 6th.

The first of many Bandcamp Fridays to come was launched on March 20th, 2020 as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Music consumers spent $4.3 million on downloads, physical copies and merchandise — 15 times the amount of a normal Friday. All revenue goes directly to artists whose livelihoods have been impacted by the disruption of live shows.

Bandcamp’s initiative will continue providing support to the many artists who depend on touring revenue. More info about the no-fee holiday can be found here, and check this link for details and a countdown to Bandcamp Fridays.

DJ Paulette had a residency at Manchester’s now-shuttered club The Haçienda, one of only two women to hold that title. She also held down residencies at Heaven and Ministry of Sound, both in London.

The upcoming book to be published by Manchester University Press details DJ Paulette’s ultimate love for the industry as experienced by a Black woman.

Her recount includes firsthand accounts of racism, classism and misogyny – issues as prevalent today as 30 years prior. Her intent is to spark conversations around these issues with “authenticity and humor,” she told Resident Advisor.

DJ Paulette’s SoundCloud spans a wide range of styles and tastes, including hip-hop and funk to jacking house and techno. Included are recent contributions to well-known mix series like BBC Radio One, Rinse FM and Dekmantel Selectors.

Cutmaster Ace is featured on the re-release with two A-side tracks that barely have any digital presence. Title track “London Vibes (SW15)” includes an emcee voicing over a two-toned synth baseline that evokes images of classic ’90s UK warehouse raves. “Escape (SW15)” is equally driving, bringing the bounce immortalized by UK garage. The tracks were remastered by Simon Davey and pressed onto 10-inch white label vinyl.

Shuffle ‘n’ Swing was launched in 2018 as a DJ collective before expanding into a record label. The outfit’s mission is to bring old classics back into pressing and give a platform to new talent in the UK garage genre. Rarities and new classics are their specialty as they link old and new school vibes into a cohesive catalogue.

New editions of a series called SnS Members Mix are regularly uploaded to Shuffle ‘n’ Swing’s Soundcloud.