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ORBE‘s latest on Manuel Anós‘ Non Series record label, a four-track EP titled Binary Function, is a compelling techno release from start to finish.

Beginning with “Prisma,” the EP starts things off simply with a stripped-down beat accompanied by faint samples and the occasional burst of energy before evolving into a light, minimalistic soundscape. Its title track fleshes things out by building on the faint samples and crackles of energy boiling underneath the surface to deliver a more complex sound. He closes things out with “Repetitions,” a track that sees him discard a lot of the previous themes to explore a more primal, almost tribal sound that ebbs and flows with confidence.

More About Orbe

Spanish producer Fernando Sanz has been making music since the age of 14 in the city of Algeciras. He founded his own record imprint, Orbe Records, in 2014. Known for his conceptual, surreal sound, his EP Music of the Spheres gained him a following in the international techno community.

With this newfound recognition, Sanz performing as a DJ in countries such as Germany, Holland, and Lithuania. In 2016, he released his first LP, Kepler 438, on Shlomi Aber‘s record label, Be As One.

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

Based out of Chiba, Japan, DJ Nobu‘s record label Bitta is home to a wide variety of techno artists. Its recent release, Torn Relics by producer Refracted, is an EP that Nobu calls an “open-air techno masterpiece.”

Refracted’s penchant for deeply exploring the depths of techno is evident in Torn Relics, as each of the four tracks deliver a unique permutation of his sound. Beginning with the title track, listeners are treated to an atmospheric sound that gradually crackles to life with tinges of trance. Things take a turn with the sharper, more industrial hum of “Grind You Under” before sailing along to a more hypnotic techno sound in ‘The View From Cal Companyó.” Refracted ends the journey with “Down Under,” a moody, tribal-tinged exploration clocking in at around seven minutes.

About Refracted

Spanish producer Refracted has been actively producing techno since his 2012 EP, Quantum State. He’s worked with numerous record labels to release experimental techno, including five albums through his own Mind Express imprint, which he founded in 2015.

DJ Nobu has been a supporter of Refracted’s work, supporting his tracks at various times. “Refracted is a unique techno producer whose work I have been playing in my sets for a long time,” he’s said of the artist.

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

London DJ and producer Inigo Kennedy has delivered a unique techno record by way of his Asymmetric record label. Abacus Frames offers five sonically diverse tracks that examine the genre through a seemingly innocent lens. It released in digital format November 12th.

Kennedy’s EP helps dispel some of the preconceived notions often associated with techno. Straightforward and synthy, the title track and “Pulse Train” deconstruct the fundamentals of the style. “Stepping Stones,” “Laterna Magica,” and “Divide And Fall” utilize more visceral textures and chilling atmospheres as their storytelling medium.

Inigo Kennedy Revisited

Kennedy boasts a recording career extending back 25 years, with releases on labels like ZET, Token Records and Pole Recordings. He launched Asymmetric in 1999 with the EP Preliminary Statements, and after a relative lapse he returned to the imprint with the September release of a ten-track album, Eyes Closed in the Sun.

Purchase Abacus Frames in digital format via Asymmetric 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.

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.

In August 2019, Dutch duo Abstract Division released the Nobody is Anywhere EP as a form of sonic commentary on the indecision they felt techno artists faced at the time. The Anybody is Nowhere EP sees them close the symbolic loop on that sentiment. The four-track EP released in digital and vinyl format via their own Dynamic Reflection imprint on October 22nd.

“Emergence” introduces the EP with a hypnotic techno motif that conjures cosmic imagery before a remix by Anthony Linell adds a layer of tension to the source material. “Discharge” offers grittier textures and suspenseful lead synths, and “Polarise” closes out the effort with more of the serene, aquatic sound design that ushered it in.

Abstract Division Revisited

Boasting a combined 25 years in electronic music, Paul Boex and Dave Miller formed Abstract Division 10 years ago with the advantage of being able to mix and master their own tracks. The same period marked the launch of their record label, Dynamic Reflection, through which they have released the lion’s share of their discography.

The duo have also put out records through Labrynth, Spectral Rebel, and Figure Jams just to name a few. Meanwhile, Dynamic Reflection has given a home to music by the likes of Yan Cook, Stefan Vincent, Jonas Körbl and Linear Search.

Purchase the Anybody is Nowhere EP in digital or 12-inch vinyl record format via Dynamic Reflection Bandcamp.

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

The latest release out on Manuel Anós‘ Non Series imprint is a four-track EP by Italian DJ and producer Luigi Tozzi. Almost Blue, as it’s titled, encapsulates a sublime range of the deep techno spectrum. It released in digital and vinyl format September 24th.

Bordering on downtempo, the subdued rhythm of hypnotic cuts like “Black-Eyed” and “Narcoleptic” leave ample room for the undulating leads overhead. The title track differentiates itself with crystalline atmospheres suited well for an ambient set. “Flesh Mechanics” closes out the EP on a relatively abrasive note – a reversal of the trope common to techno tracklists of late.

Luigi Tozzi Revisited

By the time Luigi Tozzi debuted with 2014’s Myrmidion EP on Dynamic Reflection sub label Digital Reflection, a growing audience for techno’s subtle side received his meditational signature sound well. The next couple of years saw flurry of releases on such imprints as Hypnus Records, Mental Modern and Outis Music.

Now an international staple, Tozzi has graced the decks at nightlife institutions throughout Europe. Most notably, he held down a residency at Tbilisi club Khidi before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the events industry.

Almost Blue is sold out in 12-inch vinyl record format. The EP is available for purchase in digital format via Non Series Bandcamp.

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

Lower tempos and breathing room might not be in high demand in the current techno market, but Bleepazoid by Mike Parker challenges that paradigm. With his full EP debut on Kynant Records, Parker dispatches a fresh supply of psychedelic soundscapes that don’t shy away from experimentation.

Mayhem ensues off the bat as the the exquisite “Heat Inducer” opens the release with saturated cymbal work and a delayed clap over the the rising bass line. Its metamorphosis from a low-key introductory elements to the highlight of the arrangement comes about through clever modulation and filtering. As the bass line develops through repetition, the atmosphere builds itself through reverberation in the alarm-like synths and expert drum work.

“Bleepazoid (Part 1)” brings the energy down with a lower tempo, still very much focused on modular synthesis and off-time repetition. The star of the show remains the acid-tinged synth work, but the cadences and pauses between leave plenty of room to take it all in. “Bleepazoid (Part 2)” flips that notion on its head, trading in the upfront synth lines for a deep and full-bodied, yet subdued ambience elevated by a dark and broody lead and rumbling kick drums.

The EP closer, “Kinetic Statues,” mirrors that sentiment. It retains all the deep elements of the previous track and ties in a low tempo and jarring bass elements that feel like the culmination of all of Bleepazoid‘s offerings. A cheeky sub sweep adds to the subtlety of the groove, but “Kinetic Statues” feels more about introspection and reflection than dance floor presence.

A compelling Kynant Records debut, Mike Parker’s Bleepazoid serves as a reminder that experimentation can provide truly stunning results. Parker’s signature sound is more than evident on the release, and Bleepazoid furthers an already impressive catalogue in the producer’s next chapter.

Bleepazoid is available for purchase in digital and 12-inch vinyl record format via Kynant Records 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.

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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.