RW009

#1 Volpe - Sense Of Identity: Let’s kick things off with Volpe’s new EP on Mitsubasa. The Buenos Aires act, now based in Berlin, has managed to craft that typical Detroit sound with beautiful chords and dub influences. A consistently relaxed and great-sounding EP. I think the tracks are perfect for a nice warm-up: warm synths and pads that set the evening up perfectly, smooth and gentle without being overpowering. A thoroughly well-rounded release.

#2 Nørbak - THERES NO LESSON EP: Speaking of a more heavy-handed sound, let’s move on to Nørbak. Bleepy, sci-fi, but also with an uncompromising and gritty Reeko remix. This EP, originally released in 2022, now reappears in fresh form on the same label as the original: Soma. Unusually, the track that shares its name with the EP is on the B2 instead of the A1, but the B2 is the one that pushes me the most. Still, I have to say: no filler, only killer! A strong record with a timeless character, probably why it got a reissue.

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#3 Janein - Here & There EP Feat. Olga Phage: For about the last eight years, Janein has been a familiar name in the Leipzig techno scene, especially with the label SEELEN., which has put out some strong releases. I haven’t often dug deeply into Jan’s sound myself, but this EP immediately caught my attention, and I have to say, two really strong original tracks. Judging from the tempo and its idea, I’d say these are built to last and will still be remembered 10–20 years from now. The VRIL remix on the B1, however, steals the show a bit. What a banger! Gorgeous bassline, pads, and strings. It works perfectly with the vocals and delivers a goosebump-inducing atmosphere. On the B2, Phil Berg turns the original into something with a groovy drive instead of a sledgehammer, soft but still hitting hard. And the shakers, awesome! Highly recommended!

#4 Various Artists - Orbital Vibrations: The description for the “Various Artists” release said “4 tracks with 90s feeling”, and you know that’s an instant hook for me, right? Haha! And yes, it’s got those 90s vibes, and I especially love the A1. Honestly, I usually don’t like anything with “Progressive” in the tag, Progressive Trance, Techno, or House, it just sounds too plasticky and artificial for my taste. But here, the proggy vibe only peeks through very subtly, so it doesn’t bother me. Kind of like a nut bar with a little blackberry jam in it: the blackberry doesn’t bother me there either! You get what I mean, or?!

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#1 Various - Experimenta: A Various Artists from 1994 on A13 that’s both easy on the eyes and ears. This record has been in my Discogs wantlist for exactly 16 hours now, but it’s been in my mind for much longer. I’m talking about Dave Angel. X-Mix 4 is, in my opinion, one of the top 5 mixes of all time IMO, and yesterday I was sitting with Kai-Uwe Müller at the Dortmunder U, drinking a beer, and showing him my favorite parts of the set. That’s when I finally started identifying the track IDs for those moments. Luckily, there was already a Discogs list with all the tracks. But honestly, Kai-Uwe knew them all too, a walking search engine without needing the internet. Anyway, the A1 just kills me. The other tracks? Honestly, I’m not interested. I just had a quick listen. DAVE ANGEL IN FIRST PLACE!

#2 Low End Theory - The World Is A Ghetto: Hahaha, is it that time again? If it’s not an Umek record, I’m probably mentioning at least one Dance Mania record every single time. What can I say: I just love that label. For me, it’s the best, even though most of the pressings are sadly in crappy quality. One night during my vacation, I was on YouTube watching some streamer while scrolling through the Discogs app. Then I came across this record and just had to have it. The A2 launches me straight into the universe, how insanely funky is that track?! And more tracks on the record push! A brilliant release that I’ll probably keep playing for years. Haha.

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#3 Various - Pulseman E.P.: Another Various Artists where I’m only after one track, even though I have to admit the other two are extremely good! Ninjahead – Pulseman Vs. Sineman, played by Sven Väth @ Hessentag 1995 in Schwalmstadt. That legendary set. And Ninjahead sets the stage for complete ecstasy on probably every dance floor. What a track. Almost 10 minutes long, pushing forward in every sense. That acid line, the repetition, and the screaming (or moaning?!) vocal on top. A masterpiece!!!

#4 Murat - Moments: Ahhhh, this record is just insanely good. Technically, none of the tracks even have a bassline, yet they still pump so hard in the club. Incredible. That amazing Detroit style: minimal, raw, pure techno. I think it’s brilliant! A1 and B2 are my favorites, scratchy, raw, just awesome. A must-have!!

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#5 Jeff Mills - Skin Deep EP: Jeff Mills isn’t just a revelation, Jeff Mills is the revelation. And this time, I’m bringing you a small revelation from 1999 on Purpose Maker. It’s the 008, which includes “Call Of The Wild”, among other killer tracks. Such amazing tunes. I got the record from Kathi for my birthday. Another gift was Zelda: Ocarina of Time for N64. Pretty epic combo, right? Get this record: it doesn’t get much better than this!

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#1 Alfonso Bottone - The Bar Floor EP: My research tells me: Alfonso is Italian, has been releasing soulful House and Deep House since 2019, and also puts out music under his alias “Wearing Shoes”. I have to say, I love it. Today is the first time I’ve heard of Alfonso Bottone, but I’ll be diving deeper into his work. Deep House is a genre that, in the mid-to-late 2010s, became extremely commercialized and completely lost its appeal for me. I still remember when some Bachelor contestant from one of those dumb so-called “reality TV shows” started playing Deep House. But Alfonso is pulling me right back into the beautiful world of Deep House. Simply fantastic, beautiful, and I’ll be sharing this with friends who were into Deep House back then and who I used to party with to this music. The Bar Floor drops on September 19, 2025!

#2 E-Dancer - KMS Sampler Vol. 1: E-Dancer, aka Kevin Maurice Saunderson from Brooklyn, US. You know what, I don’t even need to say anything about such a legend of house music. Just listen to the record, support this icon, and make sure to congratulate him on September 5th for his 61st birthday. I bow to you, Kevin! Release date: September 19, 2025.

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#3 Steve Bicknell - Lost Recordings #4 [In Order To Remember One Needs To Know]: And finally, Steve Bicknell is my new favorite when it comes to techno. For a long time, I wasn’t into Steve’s sound at all. I even saw him playing in Amsterdam once and… meh. Just never clicked. But sometimes it takes time. Now, with his new EP, it sounds like a typical User record, but with tons of space and air, big reverb, and echoes. And somehow that’s just so damn good. I love it. TIP! Release date: 19th September 2025!

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Dominatrix - Possession (Baby Doc Remix) [ASCUK15]

Dream Plant - The Mighty Machine (Original) [KULT014]

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#5 Takaaki Itoh - Answer EP: Japanese techno? Always a seal of quality. Whether it’s DJ Shufflemaster, Chester Beatty, or Ken Ishii, they all deliver. But Takaaki Itoh takes it even further: dark, uncompromising, yet always driving. His Answer EP on the label Electracom (definitely worth digging through their catalog!) is a real weapon. Especially the B2 track “Rodeo” hits hard. Fun fact: I once drove 130 km to a Discogs seller just to pick up this one record. It was cheaper than shipping, and completely worth it.

#4 Nico Awtsventin - Tranquility EP: Ah, the 2000s… when producers had more aliases than some people have socks in their drawers. Behind Nico Awtsventin is none other than Vince Watson, known for his deep, melodic sound that sits between dub, atmosphere, and groove. Even under this alias, he stays true to himself: the Tranquility EP, released on Robin Porter’s label Immigrant, blends tribal-heavy rhythms with floating pads and warm chords. The A1 has the potential to be a set highlight. The B-side takes things slower, delivering deep, tech-house-flavored sounds to dive into.

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#3 Aural Float - Freefloat: Let’s drop the BPM for a bit… The late 90s / early 2000s weren’t just a golden era for techno. Back then, downtempo / ambient / dub from Frankfurt was in high demand. Pascal FEOS (R.I.P.), Gabriel Le Mar, and Alex Azary, under their Aural Float moniker, shaped this sound and, with the Space Night compilation and their Elektrolux label, created a home base for high-quality chill-out music. If you’re in the mood for some audiophile descent into sound, check out acts like üNN, Fresh Moods, Index ID, and The Sushi Club. Fun fact: My dad listened to Space Night almost every evening when I was a toddler. Probably why atmospheric pads are still a huge plus for me today.

#2 Bryan Zentz - Indulge EP: If you ask me who my absolute favorite producers are, it’s not an easy decision. But one name that must always be included is Bryan Zentz. The American, originally from Virginia (yeah, Virginia - not exactly the epicenter of techno), is, for me, the undisputed king of blending funky elements with powerful basslines. Picking a favorite from his catalog is nearly impossible. With Zentz, there’s no such thing as a weak release. A standout example of his unique fusion sound is the Indulge EP on Jel Ford’s Jericho label (by the way, one of the best labels ever in my opinion). The A-side track is pure magic. His older releases on Intec are also essential listening. And while his newer productions aren’t as techno-focused, they’re still worth checking out.
P.S.: Bryan, please: make techno again.

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#1 David Pereira Vs. Bios - Neve: You often think you’ve heard most of the names out there, and then someone like David Pereira pops up. A perfect example of why crate digging is worth it: I stumbled upon Neve by chance at Killa Cutz in Amsterdam. Released on Zzino’s label Corachi Records, it packs a punch. The remix by Redhead & Tomaz is especially strong. This track has everything a good tribal track needs: driving percussion, a samba vocal, and loads of low end. So much that you can only feel it properly on a solid sound system. Since I found it, I’ve played it in almost every set. It’s been my secret weapon until now :,).

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