From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.

1. Deepchild – Music For Ecstasy [Seppuku Records]

“Music For Ecstasy” sees Australian producer Deepchild pay homage to one of his home country’s most celebrated venues, Club 77. It’s a deep, lush techno roller that slowly unfurls across its nearly ten-minute runtime, layering reverbed vocal shots with warm pads and tight drums.

2. Baby T – Free Thinking She Punk [Banshee]

Baby T has launched her new label with a huge statement of intent in the form of “Free Thinking She Punk.” Abrasive, gnarly breakbeat centered around distorted TR-909 kicks, chopped-up amen breaks, and classic sound clash effects define this track.

3. Bawrut – Azadi [Ransom Note Records]

Man meets machine in “Azadi,” a delightfully weird electro-tech workout. Bawrut combines Arabic vocal refrains with European neo-trance stabs, wonky effects, and classic drum machine grooves.

4. The Trip – A Bit Spooky [Tessellate]

“A Bit Spooky” could easily be a lost progressive house cut from the mid ’90s for how accurately it captures that era’s aesthetic. The Trip layer cheeky vocal loops over punchy drums, a funky bass line, and uplifting synth stabs before dropping into a breakdown and coming out the other side of it with squelchy acid sequences added to the groove.

5. Das Komplex – Wanna Do It [20/20 Vision]

If Crazy P select your track for inclusion in their Crazy P Curate Series, you are obviously doing something right. “Wanna Do It” is Polish artist Das Komplex doing what he does best: creating a chugging, tripped-out cosmic groove that has touches of soulful, melodic flair.

6. Millsart – The Wise One (Khufu Mix) [Axis]

Nobody can question Jeff Mills‘ credentials when it comes to dance floor-obliterating techno bombs, but many often overlook his ability to create intelligent, densely layered sonic stories that are as conceptual as they are danceable. “The Wise One” (Khufu Mix) is one such piece of music. This winding, percussive trip combines sci-fi weirdness with pulsing, organic rhythms.

7. v0ll – Blender [Self-Released]

v0ll takes us on a deconstructed, meditative journey that touches on elements of techno, dub, and electronica with “Blender.” This one is for people who like their techno on a more challenging tip.

8. Amotik – Tihatar [Amotik]

“Tihatar” is the kind of track that is impossible to classify. Amotik delivers driving, emotive minimalism that manages to be both euphoric and melancholy thanks to a unique combination of stripped-down drums and massive, dreamy pads.

9. Epsilon – Goddamned Soul [Bloody Fist Records]

Legendary Australian label Bloody First Records has been steadily rereleasing their back catalogue via Bandcamp for the last couple of years, and finally “Goddamned Soul” is here. Epsilon‘s gnarly, cut-up, heavily distorted breaks, huge bass growls, and strange sample manipulation are perfectly at home on one of the most absurd record labels to ever exist. Finally, a whole new generation get to enjoy it (or not).

10. T5UMUT5UMU – Troop Of Apes [Self-Released]

“Troop of Apes” is quirky, uptempo tribal bass music from Japan’s T5UMUT5UMU. East meets West in an off-kilter blend of ragga vocals, effects, dub horns, and rapid-fire percussion.

From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.

1. Toumba – Rashash [Nervous Horizon]

Toumba draws on his Jordanian heritage with “Rashash,” a contemporary club banger that blends traditional Arabic percussion with rapid-fire kicks and gnarly drones. Nervous Horizon is the perfect home for this kind of forward-thinking, experimental bass music.

2. Dennis Quin – Temptation [Dennis Quin]

The title track from the Temptation EP sees Dennis Quin returning to his self-titled imprint with a classy slice of uplifting house. A bouncy, ’90s-style bass line and swinging beats lead the way, complemented by fluttering pianos, classic rave stabs, and a catchy vocal sample.

3. Trunkline – Overlaps (Sterac Remix) [Arkham Audio]

Dutch techno legend Steve Rachmad dons his Sterac alias to remix “Overlaps” in his inimitable style. Rachmad strips down the drums and adds dusty dub chord sequences that slowly build and release tension as they wash in and out of the mix.

4. Jeff Mills – The Other Maria [Axis]

“The Other Maria” sees Jeff Mills heading deeper down the rabbit hole of leftfield, experimental techno, adding touches of cinematic sound design to his now signature sci-fi flavor.

5. Sully, Coco Bryce, Dwarde and Tim Reaper – Synergy [Future Retro London]

Four absolute powerhouses of the contemporary jungle scene team up on the aptly-titled “Synergy.” Sully, Coco Bryce, Dwarde, and Tim Reaper each bring their production strengths to a collaboration that is more than the sum of its parts. Roughneck breaks, sub-rattling bass, and trippy synths conjure images of hazy warehouses in the mid 90’s.

6. Radio Slave – Strobe Queen (Kirk Degiorgio Remix) [Rekids]

The already lush and uplifting “Strobe Queen” heads into full-on Balearic territory thanks to Kirk Degiorgio. The tempo gets lowered, and the strings and pianos of Radio Slave‘s original are replaced by reverbed acid licks, soaring pads, twinkling synths, and a warm, fuzzy bassline.

7. JC Laurent – Chemical Clouds [Cielo Records]

JC Laurent gets deep with a heady, minimal and percussive soundscape that draws influences from techno, drum and bass, and ambient. Despite its stripped-down aesthetic, “Chemical Clouds” is a thunderous track that will do serious damage when played through a big sound system.

8. Loleatta Holloway – Crash Goes Love (Jaymie Silk Remix) [Jaymie Silk]

Disco luminary Loleatta Holloway is the latest to get the Jaymie Silk edit treatment. Her powerful, catchy vocals from “Crash Goes Love” get layered over chunky kicks, rolling bass, and chopped-up tribal loops.

9. Sanguine – If You Know [Pure Space]

“If You Know” is a slowly-evolving, spaced-out tribal techno journey in which Sanguine seamlessly combines warm, subtle melodies with precise drum programming and booming low end. One of many highlights from Pure Space’s latest compilation in the Proximity series.

10. Rebecca Goldberg – Automated (Mark Broom Remix) [Phoq U Phonogrammen]

Straight-up hardgroove goodness from one of the pioneers of the sound. Mark Broom adds some thumping TR-909 patterns and rolling sub bass to “Automated” while retaining the hypnotic synth sequences from Rebecca Goldberg‘s original mix, cleverly combining elements of both U.K. and Detroit techno.

From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.

1. Arcane and Jon1st – Honey Dew [Defrostatica]

Bristol-based producer, multi-instrumentalist and breakbeat aficionado Arcane teams up with world champion turntablist and live act Jon1st for a high-octane, choppy footwork/jungle hybrid. Deadly breaks, big bass growls, and cheeky vocal stabs make “Honey Dew” a must-have for fans of 160bpm music.

2. Ruff Stuff – Growler [Ruff Stuff Music LTD]

Delightful deep house from Ruff Stuff on his homonymous label, which sees the producer flirting with higher tempos while retaining his trademark warmth and funk. “Growler” is propelled by a bouncy acid sequence and chunky drums, with lush, sparkling pads and strings adding a soulful edge to the proceedings.

3. Musta – Where Is Juanito [Fulltime Production]

Taken from his album Tamburi Parlanti, “Where Is Juanito” sees Musta leaning heavily on Afro-funk influences to create a rolling, hypnotic, and percussive house groove. Focused primarily around an ever-evolving live conga rhythm peppered with washes of reverb and subtle bass stabs, it evokes images of folkloric, primal rituals.

4. Jeff Mills – The Storyteller [Axis Records]

Detroit techno mainstay Jeff Mills has nothing left to prove at this point, but that doesn’t stop him from continuously pushing sonic boundaries. “The Storyteller” is a heady techno trip that ratchets up the tension with swirling, eerie pads, delayed sine sequences, and crisp drums.

5. Henzo – Survivorship Bias [Nervous Horizon]

Henzo wraps up a stellar 2022 with a chugging, sludge-drenched bang. “Survivorship Bias” is a crunchy half-time rhythm that takes influences from dancehall, techno, and drum and bass, mixing dusty vocal loops with wobbly bass and a dissociative break.

6. Umbo – Foolin’ Around [Timewarp Music]

“Foolin’ Around” is raw, hard-hitting contemporary funk from Croation duo Umbo. Rugged freestyle drum breaks, an infectious bass line, and a vibrant sax solo take center stage for the track’s peak, while feelgood keys and guitar plucks keep the vibes high during the bridge.

7. Dre – Eastwood [Music For Change]

Andreas. dons his alter ego Dre for some spacious and atmospheric, dub-infused electronica. Recorded on tape to add a little extra warmth, “Eastwood” is perfect for lazy afternoons with headphones on and eyes closed.

8. Simone de Kunovich – Primal Dream [Mule Musiq]

A highlight from the final installment of his Mondo Nuovo series, “Primal Dream” sees Simone de Kunovich crafting a percussive organic house jam out of warped drum grooves, distorted animal calls, and wobbly effects. Kunovich is heavily inspired by a love of exploitation and arthouse films, and it shows: This could easily be from the soundtrack of an experimental film set in a dangerous and unfamiliar rainforest.

9. Ranjit Nijjer – Mission Briefing [Machine Label]

Ranjit Nijjer explores the deeper, more stripped-down end of the techno continuum on “Mission Briefing.” The single blends precise percussive grooves with a subtle, funky bass line, echoed sci-fi vocals, and synthetic bleeps and bloops.

10. Franco Alesso – Blue Nebula [trau-ma]

Fast-paced, funky, and full of attitude, “Blue Nebula” is hardgroove techno at its finest. Franco Alesso combines tough, rolling drums with jazzy chords and sultry female vocal stabs for maximum dance floor effectiveness.

“The focus of this project and presentation examines the art of mental persuasion and how the mind can control as well as fall vulnerable to subservient ways,” Mills said of the album, according to a press release. “It allows the means to look creatively and more in-depth to a subject that applies to every person and at every stage of life because how we perceive or sense something is part of our evolutionary survival pattern.”

Mills statement continues: “Because there is no exact mental compatibility between any of us, speculation and misconceptions are not exemplary, so an emphasis on ‘the presentation of facts, ideas and methods and what we knew as true by example’ are the major points that drives the overall purpose of this album project.”

Jeff Mills – Mind Power Mind Control from AxisRecords on Vimeo.

The music itself encompasses a diverse range of rhythms, tempos, and textures without abandoning Mills’ experimental yet somehow familiar take on techno. Film score samples give way to tones reminiscent of Indonesian gamelan ensembles in “Scarlet,” whereas a syncopated beat creeps along to set a suspenseful ambience in “Hatsumi.” “Transmutation” comprises warbling, soft-edged synths juxtaposed with heavy bass stabs and no percussion to speak of. The digital release includes two bonus tracks: the vaguely orchestral “Radiance” and “Units.”

Few artists have contributed as much to the subtle mystique of techno as Jeff Mills. Originally a hip-hop DJ known as “The Wizard” for his sets on Detroit radio station WDRQ, he produced music as one half of the industrial duo Final Cut before making a name for himself globally as one of the cofounders of Underground Resistance. The group posed incisive social commentary on predatory music industry practices with the broader mission of paving a path forward for young, Black men.

In November of last year, Mills found himself on the receiving end of industry critique. Along with techno superstars like Amelie Lens, Carl Cox, and Sven Väth, he appeared on the lineup of a Saudi Arabian festival called MDL Beast. Human Rights Watch called the gathering a “reputation-launder scheme” and encouraged artists to speak against the Saudi government’s human rights abuses or not participate.

Mills defended his appearance in a subsequent statement. “…We never know who might be there in the audience, listening, and trying to connect with something greater than ourselves [sic],” he wrote. “This music needs to be accessible to anyone and everywhere!”

Jeff Mills also recently closed out the main stage of Movement Electronic Music Festival 2022 on the final day. Read Selector’s full review of the three-day gathering here, and purchase Mind Power Mind Control in digital or double 12-inch vinyl record format on the Axis Records website.

The end goal of Mills’ ambitious new project is to produce “everyday music” — songs that provide comfort and enjoyment in any scenario — through live instrumentation and a laid-back, unprocessed approach. Pairing a lifelong love of jazz with his constant inclination to explore new soundscapes, Zanza 21’s initial iteration will be instrumentation programmed and played by the producer himself.

Mills’ vision for the project extends far beyond that, however. The first Zanza 21 releases are meant to serve more as blueprints for the introduction of a live band down the line.

With the inclusion of live instruments, Zanza 21’s essence leans more toward a compositional approach to songwriting, rather than the electronic fare for which he is best known. It’s simultaneously a testament to Mills’ jazz roots and the realization of a desire to produce music that isn’t only meant for the dance floor.

Zanza 21’s first planned release comes in the form of a 12-inch vinyl record titled When The Time Is Right, due “soon” on Axis Records, according to a preview posted to Mills’ Facebook page. More Zanza 21 releases are also coming down the pipeline, with a second EP, Chin Tiki, due this fall, followed by a third. Mills hopes the initial releases will pave the way for implementing the live band element, which would breathe life into the concept behind Zanza 21: a human connection to the music.

The original version of the single appeared on Think Again, the Millsart EP that directly followed the conclusion of the project’s 20-year-running Every Dog Has Its Day series. Leafar’s instrumental abstractions complement the dissonant progression of the source material well, expanding the range of emotion captured in the core motif.

“When I created ‘Infinite Voyage’ for the Millsart Think Again album, I had a feeling that I was just skimming the top of this concept and that there could be more work to do on it,” said Mills in a press release. “When a close friend in Detroit turned me onto Rafael Leafar and what an amazing musician he is, I thought this might be an opportunity to explore further.”

He continued: “What Rafael did was re-adjust context of time and atmosphere that surrounds the the elements by an almost orchestral way of adding various horn parts and effects. Now, its deeper than deep!”

Jeff Mills needs no introduction among longtime fans of electronic music; over the course of his nearly 40-year career his music and philosophies have played an integral role in the evolution of techno. Leafar, by comparison, boasts a shorter tenure. Since 2009, however, the Detroit Civic Jazz Orchestra alumni has managed to work with the likes of Reggie Workman, Robert Hurst, Marcus Belgrave, Luis Resto, Vincent Chandler, Jeff Tain Watts, Marion Hayden, and Sterling Toles.

Mills himself has been notably drawn to the same styles as of late. Last spring, he shared plans to expand Axis Records’ offerings to include jazz, classical and film scores, and in January he released an electronic jazz album titled Counter Active alongside instrumentalist Jean-Phi Dary as The Paradox.

The update of “The Infinite Voyage” will arrive in digital format only to accompany the vinyl record release of Think Again on April 16th.

Although digital, The Escape Velocity Magazine uses online publishing platform Ziney to emulate the layout of a physical booklet. The cover art was designed by AbuQadim Haqq, who has assisted with the visual branding for labels like Transmat, Tresor Records and Planet E.

The first issue sets forth Mills’ mission to highlight boundary-pushing electronic musicians and “act as a liaison between their ideas and an audience ready to analyze them.” In addition to writings on individual Axis releases, the magazine includes interviews with DVS1, Terrence Dixon and Jonas Kopp, among other features.

“The creation of The Escape Velocity artists program and magazine are our contributions to these topics,” reads a statement by Jeff Mills, who serves as editor in chief. “We’re ready to examine and explore all that revolves around the mechanics of creativity. Subjects that at first glance, may not appear to be influential to what you hear, but are in fact, primary reasons that had help fuel many creative efforts by many electronic musicians and artists for decades.”

Read the first issue of The Escape Velocity Magazine here.

In an effort to enhance the mystical nature of the album, in a press release, Mills shared specific instructions on how one should listen to the album. Describing it as something similar to a seance, he recommends users create a low-lit, quiet environment to get the full effect out of the music.

“The album plays in the way of a metaphysical seance and should be listened to in a darkened, candle-lit room, Mills wrote. “A silent space, free of outside noise, chatter or talking, and other visual distractions. The album should be listened in full – from beginning to end.”

Mills has kept busy as of late. Earlier in the month, he announced his new media effort, The Escape Velocity Magazine. In addition to the aforementioned publication, back in the fall, he teamed up with Jean-Phi Dary for a new electronic jazz project, The Paradox.

The Clairvoyant by Jeff Mills is slated for release on Friday, February 26th on his own Axis Records. You can learn more about the upcoming release and purchase a copy for yourself via the label website.

Mills has yet to reveal the specific topic matter of the magazine, sharing only that it will be “focused on all that inspires creativity.” Its name is inspired by the physics concept of escape velocity, meaning the minimum speed necessary for an object to be free from the gravitational pull of a larger one.

Jeff Mills presents The Escape Velocity Magazine. A quarterly produced digital magazine focused on all that inspires creativity. Coming soon at https://t.co/F6YcqjUW7F pic.twitter.com/PqUWBcFXuS

— Jeff Mills (@DJJeffMills) February 5, 2021

More on Mills

A key personality of second-wave Detroit techno, Jeff Mills made a name for himself as one of the founding members of Underground Resistance – the group perhaps most responsible for techno’s legacy as protest music. In the three decades that followed, he went on to contribute to the abstract philosophy around the genre as well as branching out into other styles. In May, for instance, he announced that Axis Records would expand to release classical music, jazz and film scores.

Mills has not announced when the debut issue of The Escape Velocity Magazine will be published. He has said that more information will become available on the Axis Records website.

The range of sound explored by DVS1 (real name Zak Khutoretski) throughout the album touches on eclectic influences while still making a singular sonic statement. “Alpha-Theta” opens Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm with tranquil ambient textures before percussive elements foretell of what the rest of the album holds in store. “Drifting” and “Transient Response” each offer suspenseful disharmonies as their centerpiece, whereas tracks like “Delta Wave,” “The Five Aggregates” and “Solfäge’s Framework” are largely defined by dubby, meditative drone.

If the titles weren’t a clear enough indicator, Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm derives conceptual influence from sleep state sensorimotor activity. “From the perceiving body to the liminal space of the dream-state, audible frequencies send a neurofeedback message,” reads an album description on the Axis Records website. “A paradigm-shift is activated in the mind. A movement from the present hour toward the realm beyond measure.”

A Russian-born immigrant, Khutoretski began his electronic music career in Minneapolis in the early ’90s. In addition to running a 4,000-square-foot warehouse venue where he hosts his Future Classic event series (COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding), he’s the brainchild behind the Wall Of Sound events in which DJs perform in a darkened booth while the sound system takes center stage. His last release was the six-track Hush 20 which came out via his own label, HUSH, in 2017.

Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm by DVS1 is available in digital format via the Axis Records website.