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.

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

Techno has long offered a case study of how music can tell a story through unconventional methods. Operator‘s latest release sits in the far fringes of this already obscure aesthetic. The 10-song Theurgy EP released on Mord in digital and vinyl record format on July 12th.

Tracks like “Proxima B” and “Apex Cut” are about as melodic as the EP gets, with the abrasive textures of “Complex Raid 2089” and “Arcturus” encapsulating more challenging concepts. Perhaps the standout of the EP is “Century Station.” Hinging around samples of a train horn, the single demonstrates the sonic appeal of urban noise a la Luigi Russolo.

Operator is the alias of South Coast U.K. DJ and producer Rich Jones, who launched the project nearly a decade ago. Since then, labels like MindTrip, Audio Assault and Soma Records have provided a platform for his music. He additionally runs his own imprint, Gnosis Records.

The Theurgy EP is available for purchase in digital and 12-inch vinyl record format via Mord Bandcamp.

Mord, the record label of Dutch techno mainstay Bas Mooy, has delivered the latest edition of a six-year-running a compilation series. Herdersmat part 30-33 comprises 18 dark techno tracks from up-and-comers and established names alike. It released in digital and vinyl format January 20th.

Perhaps the most recognizable name on the tracklist is SHXCXCHCXSH; the Norrköping, Sweden duo kick off the effort with the well-executed “EAUOAI.” Italian duo Tapefeed deliver “Unshackle,” the arguable standout of the compilation for its corrosive textures and intentional composition. Also included on Herdersmat part 30-33 are tracks by Kaiser, Go Hiyama, Antony Doria and Operator, among others.

More on Mord

Bas Mooy launched Mord in 2013, inaugurating the label with Radial‘s Linea Recta EP. Over the years the label has given a home to such artists as W.I.R.E., Sleeparchive, Oscar Mulero and Neil Landstrumm.

Herdersmat part 1-7 came out on Mord in 2015, and its 28-song tracklist included music by Rebekah, Lag and Ontal, among others. The numbering and frequency of the series is apparently irregular; part 8 came out in 2016, part 9-15 in 2017, part 16-18 and part 19-22 in 2018, and part 23-29 in 2019.

Herdersmat part 30-33 is available for purchase in digital and vinyl format on Mord Bandcamp.

Rotterdam techno label Mord has carried forth its legacy as a platform for deserving talent with a sonically eclectic EP by Hiroaki Iizuka. The Japanese producer has offered up eight inventive tracks for the Reflect EP, which arrived in full on December 28th.

Songs like “Cycle,” “Eucharythm” and “80017A” are driven by tastefully discordant melodies, with noise and glitch effects artfully incorporated into each arrangement. The title track, “Strum” and “Rise & Fall” showcase Iizuka’s expert sense of polyrhythms, with “Constant Wave” falling on the harder end of the spectrum. “Vapor” closes out the EP with serene ambient – a departure from the rest of the effort, but familiar territory for Iizuka nonetheless.

The Enigmatic Hiroaki Iizuka

Despite boasting a career in electronic music that extends back at least as far as the inclusion of “Tera” on Tresor Records‘ Demo Tracks #01 in 1999, Hiroaki Iizuka maintains a notably low profile. No pictures of him can be found on his social media pages – which he uses to share music with scarce commentary.

Over the course of his career, Iizuka’s music has landed on labels such as Coda Records, Kazumi, THEM and Monocode. Although perhaps best known for his eclectic style of techno, he also produces ambient and IDM-leaning compositions, often using modular synth setups.

The Reflect EP is available in 12-inch vinyl and digital formats via Mord Bandcamp.