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.

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

The venerated SK_eleven has signed the latest release by Holden Federico to its SK_X sub label. The Deliverance EP consists of dark, hypnotic and even melodic techno. It released in digital and vinyl format on October 22nd.

“This Is Who You Are” pairs a stripped-down melody with ambient textures before “Either One Of Us” takes the EP in a more suspenseful direction. “As Infinite” employs more chord progression than any other track on the effort, and the title track closes it out with another dark, brooding motif.

Who is Holden Federico?

Based in New York City and boasting a classical music background, Holden Federico is just beginning to establish himself as a recording artist. Prior to the Deliverance EP, he cultivated an audience on Instagram as a crate digger of ’90s techno classics.

An SK_eleven release certainly reinforces his credentials. The label has largely served as an artist imprint for releases by its founder, Setaoc Mass. The SK_X series has signed releases by the likes of Cravo, Yant and Rene Wise, however.

The Deliverance EP is sold out in 12-inch vinyl record format. Purchase it in digital format via SK_eleven Bandcamp.

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

Collaborating once again, U.K. artist Karim Maas and Chicago’s Stave have delivered an experimental techno album titled Godless [UVB76-LP002]. Comprising seven cerebral soundscapes, it arrived by way of UVB-76 Music in digital and vinyl format on September 24th.

From the percussion-free “Interlude” to the glitch-heavy “Blakk” to the ambient noise of “Track4,” Godless doesn’t test the limits of techno – it fully crosses over into noise at various points. Tracks like “D_A_T” and “Project 1,” on the other hand, keep the listener tethered to some semblance of familiarity. The title track closes the effort out with grating textures and high-pitched tones that bring an abstract finality to the effort as a whole.

UBV-76 Music, Karim Maas and Stave

UVB-76 Music was founded in 2015 by Canadian artist Gremlinz and Bristol trio Ruffhouse with visual themes by James Hewitt. Dedicated to leading the way “in the field of underground sonic art,” the label has given a home to releases by the likes of Overlook, Clarity and Pessimist.

Karim Maas (real name Thomas Cooper) and Stave (real name Jonathan Krohn) have been key contributors to the UVB-76 sound. The former hails from Bristol and the latter from Chicago. Although they’ve worked together since 2019, Godless marks their first collaborative full-length effort.

Godless is sold out in vinyl record format. Purchase it in digital format via UBV-76 Music Bandcamp.

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

Los Angeles DJ and producer Truncate has celebrated the 10th anniversary of his eponymous record imprint with the release of a techno EP titled First Phase. With the help of techno royalty James Ruskin and Luke Slater (A.K.A. Planetary Assault Systems), the effort delivers two original Truncate works alongside an array of remixes.

First Phase‘s namesake track sees Truncate experiment with a hypnotic, shuffling sound as the tune progresses through a percussion-driven rhythm laced with a morphing, siren-like synth and jarring toms at the base of the groove. Planetary Assault Systems serves up three unique remixes of the original, taking the percussion even further on his first rendition with intricate drum work and precision shakers.

The first of two “PAS Jams” dials back that drum work to give way to arpeggiated synths in a higher register, as a rolling, reverberated accent synth gives an eerie ambiance to this space-age rework. The second takes the concept even deeper, retaining focus on the arpeggios in a more subdued fashion that emphasizes the low end of the frequency spectrum. The groovy rhythm remains throughout each of Planetary Assault System’s offerings, but every one of his remixes is characterized by a sound all its own.

“The Eve” takes an acid approach, with Truncate’s original still focused on the drum work courtesy of rolling toms and syncopated 909 claps. The hypnotic melodies instill an anxious atmosphere, suiting the track well for peak-time selection. James Ruskin serves a more powerful kick drum to underscore the groove, taking “The Eve” to new heights with a jarring and boisterous remix that puts the stereo field to the test.

Truncate’s First Phase is a testament to the strength of his own imprint, and a pure reflection of the reason he’s become a respected techno act over the years.

First Phase is available for purchase in digital and limited splash color 12-inch vinyl record format via Truncate Bandcamp.

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

In late 2020, Bulgarian producer, DJ, and singer Gabriella Vergilov‘s “The Love Anthem” was released as part of Northern Parallels‘ Gradual Landscapes compilation to much acclaim. Now, four remixes for the track have been released, each one bringing with it a unique and exciting take on the original. In addition to Lindsey Herbert, Ray Kajioka, and Mike Derer, Vergilov has also put forth her own alternate version of “The Love Anthem” as part of the remix package.

Herbert, who hails from San Francisco, kicks things off with a driving, hypnotic techno spin that employs Vergilov’s vocal samples as a rhythmic element. She repeats them in sync with the rolling bass line and percussive elements to create a perfect peak time atmosphere. Kajioka’s remix highlights syncopation in the drums with a sizzling off-time snare and ride cymbal that change the groove of the track, as it builds toward an airy, pad-laden breakdown that mirrors the melodic elements of the original.

Subdued drums give way to a distorted synth lead in Derer’s minimalistic rework, giving the track room to underscore the vocal samples in a dreamlike fashion. Vergilov herself rounds the release out with her “Acid Bang Remix,” which lives up to its name with a playful arpeggiated synth that evolves throughout the song as a dirty kick drum punches through. The remix is entirely different from its ethereal original, trading in a soothing atmosphere for a more upfront and aggressive approach.

With the help of three skilled techno compatriots in Herbert, Kajioka, and Derer, Gabriella Vergilov’s latest offering only further progresses an already impressive catalogue that includes releases on Enemy Records, PALINOIA, Suara, and more in addition to her previous offerings on the Northern Parallels imprint.

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

Finalversion3 has debuted on Barcelona label Devotion Records with the Costilla de Adan EP. The five-song effort showcases the DJ and producer’s at once organic and corrosive style of techno. It released in digital format on September 20th.

Dark and hypnotic, tracks like “Barrancos,” “Esporas” and “Astrolabio” (a Brumann collaboration) pair abrasive textures with hints of exotic instrumentals. “Mirada Poderosa,” the arguable standout of the EP, centers around a drum beat with groove uncommon to techno. Lastly, the effort closes out with Vegim‘s upbeat remix of “Barrancos.”

Finalversion3 and Devotion Records

Finalversion3 debuted as a recording artist with a remix of “Opium” by Alexander Piers that appeared on the 2019 EP of its namesake via Sungate. He has since released on Gordo Trax and Newrhythmic Records. Prior to the Costilla de Adan EP, the latter label gave a home to his four-track record, La Estructuro del Silencio.

The brainchild of Lucas Freire and Fernanda Martins, Devotion Records has released techno and adjacent music since the former’s Follow Your Dreams EP in 2015. Six years later, the label’s discography includes records by the likes of Dave Sinner, Drop-E, Ken Ishii and Elias the Prophet.

The Costilla de Adan EP is available for purchase in digital format via Devotion Records Bandcamp.

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

Spanish producer ORBE has landed his first EP release on Token Records: the hypnotizing Transhuman. Tying together intelligent sound design and a taste for the warehouse aesthetic, ORBE’s debut on the Belgian label is set to stun.

The EP opens with “FM-2030,” a trance-inducing dark techno offering with a rich and boisterous soundscape driven by a nearly liquid lead. As the rhythm moves the track along, the splashy lead exhibits impeccable sound design against a glassy, atmospheric pad.

“Extropy” takes the same approach. Albeit more subdued than the EP opener, the track follows the same formula complete with booming bass and clever percussive elements and effects.

Transhuman‘s namesake offering is more acid tinged, building suspense through an ever-evolving lead synth that morphs across the six-minute arrangement. A powerful kick drum moves things along as “Transhuman” continues to mutate through off-kilter modulated synth work.

A warping synth lead also rounds the release out on “Posthuman Being,” a peak time roller whose sound design mirrors the aquatic inspiration that opens Transhuman. At times, the lead feels submerged, letting the calculated percussion float above – but it returns with a vengeance again and again throughout.

Transhuman sees ORBE (real name Fernando Sanz) wonderfully follow up his Abstract Reasoning release, Retrofuture, with a sonic delight that capitalizes on his futuristic and ever-improving style. His eponymous imprint, ORBE Records, has seen the producer cultivate a large following and faithful community, garnering the support of acts like Rødhåd and Marcel Dettmann.

ORBE’s Transhuman EP can be purchased in both digital and 12-inch vinyl record format via Orbe Bandcamp.

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

Sebastian Krenzlin, known mononymously as Krenzlin, has landed on Warg with his latest three-track record. The Just No Reasons EP encapsulates the German DJ and producer’s sonically crisp style of techno. It released in digital format September 13th.

In the title track, metallic textures give way to the lead synth’s haunting arpeggio in a progression that plays out gradually over the course of the arrangement. “Transpose Reaction” incorporates dubby reverb delay into the formula, and “The Fifth Day” closes out the effort with higher tension. As a whole, the Just No Reasons EP consists of straightforward techno with an uncommon standard of execution.

Krenzlin and Warg

Krenzlin debuted as a recording artist in 2011 with the Outward EP on Hypnotic Room. A decade later, his discography includes releases on labels like Synewave, Slap Jaxx, Extrasolar Records and Wall Music.

By comparison, Warg is a much younger brand. Launched in 2017, it primarily organized events in Melbourne before expanding to include a record label. Thus far it has given a home to music by Arnaud Le Texier, Rohar and ASKE prior to this month’s release.

Purchase the Just No Reasons EP in digital format via Warg Bandcamp.