Jack Roland
It Felt Like a Kiss

Beware!.. This is an adapted relic from a past future... Know your technos!

The rattle of drums, scattered along the beaten track, hypnotically guiding you to a place not yet visited; yet all too familiar. Whispers and forgotten chants in surround sound luring an inner urge to surrender, to drink from Sepehr’s Diaspora Cocktail. The 5 track EP finds dwelling on Planet Euphorique for its historical 20th release, emitting a vibration of deeper dance and intriguing electronia the label is notorious for. The first sip opens your ears to the Iranian-American’s sonic sphere, rooted in live freakouts that may or may not be fuelled by his potent audio elixr, a signature special of hedonistic heat. Intoxicated by fragments of percussive EBM, tweaked out dungeon techno and sexy electro, the liquid drips and the delicious potions are stirred and shaken for your pleasure.

The second release on Lapse records welcomes UK Tech House mainstay Len Lewis, who’s extensive catalogue of club music stretches across the last few decades, along with newly appraised London based DJ and producer Mariiin. The split EP supports a four track selection of old and new head down club music touching different moods.Len’s inserts lead on the A side with the carefully sampled Matrix acapella laid across “Morpheus”, a tweaking and dusted 2 step thrill, in keeping with the left leaning spooky tone of the first Lapse release and label sound. “Do U Want It” follows in similar ilk to the self professed Sinister tech house sounds previously ventured on the likes of early Swag and Poodle Records releases of the early 2000’s that became essential points of reflection for the genre’s progression since.The B side spans a more contemporary 4x4 influenced thread of this style that circles closer to the outer rims of techno and acid. The Italian born producer joins the label with the “Snake Is Changing It’s Skin” and “Impasse” which continue fittingly to carve their signature sound, a style consistent in their early releases on the likes of BPR and EYA Records and across their DJ sets as Pleasure Club resident.

Expansion is the 7th EP on Belgium based Nightflight Records. On several levels it is a deft alignment of the label’s emotional techno aesthetic with Mihail Petrovski’s ability to deliver exquisitely poised music that drives deep into the mind and soul. The EP is a fine addition to his discography presented by the likes of Ferox, Common Dreams, Verdant Recordings & Distant Worlds over the last half decade. Petrovski possesses an incredible appreciation of the history of deep techno and evidently distils that into his own craft, whilst adeptly melding a sound that is undoubtably his own. This 4 tracker, all original compositions, manifests an uncluttered platform to fully appreciate those talents. Elegantly programmed percussion is balanced with sumptuous basslines and pads but leave wide open spaces for heart warming melodies on each of these tracks. Tsuris is arguably the most urgent on the record with a warm pressing kick. Omec switches around a superb elastic bassline. Dream Thief brings the tempo down but its innocent celestial melodies linger in the mind. Closing out with Circadian Rhythms, its broken percussion becomes the focus with a sophisticated nod to the finest of mid 90’s UK deep techno.

This new Ep is the symbiotic union between the human mind of 616 and his machines. These tracks have been controlled, created and recorded in real time directly to tape without the help of a computer and microchip…love transistor.

Blazej Malinowski joins forces with Neel, Claudio PRC, Milena Glowacka and Svreca for a collaborative EP via his own Inner Tension imprint this May.Over the past decade, Poland-born now Berlin-based producer, DJ Blazej Malinowski has been deliver his twist on Techno via imprint such as Semantica, Kvalia, TGP, 012 and of course his own Inner Tension label where he returns here with a new collaborative EP. The idea behind the record was to merge Blazej with artists he has close connections to and create music that would capture the moment in time at which it was made, based on pure emotion and without limitation. The resultant 'Are We All Alone or Just Overwhelmed?' EP is testament to Blazej's inherent connection to Techno.Up first on the package is 'Time Is Relative', a collaboration with Italian DJ, producer and engineer Neel which meanders through an amalgamation of intricately intertwined synth leads, robust percussion, and a grinding low- end drive. 'Riddle' with Claudio PRC follows and wanders into deeper territories via ethereal, billowing textures, metallic chimes and resonant synth flutters floating atop a circling bass groove and crisp drums.On the flip-side Milena Glowacka joins Blazej for 'Equal', a subtly unfurling composition laid out across seven minutes with bubbling tones, dynamic percussive elements and a pulsating low-end. 'Coincidence', composed with Svreca then rounds out the release, a murky journey through haunting atmospherics, bumpy off-kilter drums, and eerie percussive fills.