r/ProperTechno - 2

Out now on Rekids: lnk.to/REKIDS192

Although based in Berlin for several years, Dustin Zahn has continued to exert influence over the fertile but steadfastly underground Minneapolis techno scene as part of the Intellephunk collective whilst cultivating a worldwide rep via releases for Blueprint, Token and his own Enemy Records. The ‘Gain of Function’ LP sees Zahn channelling the groove-fuelled techno of the late ’90s and early ’00s and shaping eight powerful but funky contemporary techno tracks that display the decades of experience under his belt. 

Forged from a series of live jams with two drum machines and two synths, the album is a refined collection of raw, purist techno brilliance. Across the A-side ‘Tell Me About Paradise’ brings shimmering staccato chops under bright and airy percussion before ‘Tangie Groove’ picks up the pace with floating pads, vocal slices, and a rumbling bassline. On ‘Lucid Dreams’, scattered percussion plays with hypnotic synth licks, while ‘Smoking in Silence’ sees off-kilter leads dancing between emotive vocals and evolving drum loops.

Opening the second disc is the deep and shuffling ‘Crimson Cheeks’, with trance-inducing samples nestled between sharp drum hits and rolling synthesis, and ‘Days Like These’ takes a darker turn as twinkling arps and droning pads carry the track. ‘Shark Rodeo’ featuring Jeremy Black mangles samples into a dense rolling affair, before closing number ‘Next Level Looseness’ drops the 4/4 pattern for a raucous club track, combining oddball sound sources and unruly production techniques for a trippy finish to the album. 

Since the late ’90s, Zahn’s hypnotic and driving techno has consistently caught the ears of top DJs and labels worldwide, with anyone catching his marathon sets at the likes of Berghain exposed to expansive sets. In addition to his techno-heavy catalogue and DJing prowess, Zahn has lent production and engineering skills to bands and singers, recently working with Poliça and on Carm’s Pitchfork approved eponymous album. Beyond this, his vital work with Intellephunk includes the nearly two decades long running Communion after-hours events, cementing his invaluable contributions to the scene.

Dustin Zahn

Tangie Groove

Dustin Zahn - Tangie Groove

Lisbon's Paraíso bring their A&R a-game once again with a stellar EP by one of the city's most beloved techno DJs - @vilmusic - and a chef's kiss remix by the one and only queen of twisted dance, @ednd from Algarve.

VIL effortlessly strikes a balance between his seasoned raver's effective ammunition approach and his penchant for freshness that has accompanied him since his early days as a dubstep DJ. Concise elegance and banging inventiveness meet in the opener Rotari, as the A2 follows with detroitian levels of class and relentlessness, all ecstatic hats, warm stabs and beautiful percussion. Ghet09 closes the A side with tom-filled jack-infused beats and smooth keys with an instant-classic quality, all offset by eerie pads cause it's techno we're gladly witnessing after all.

Anjos, the new Birmingham brings in-your-face energy in the tight drum programming and a dash of trippy, quasi-dubby melodic elements in an ode to Lisbon's tentative premier techno neighbourhood Anjos.

Deranged yet loved-up, the B2 is a perfect peak-time dreamy mood-setter - proving we're in the hands of a skilled emotion-to-dance translator. The record closes with a stellar remix by one of Portugal's innovators, EDND herself, who drowns the opening track in mysterious waters and adds beautiful melodic elements, perfect for that much-appreciated deep dive moment on the dancefloor. There's a wonderful digi bonus for the heads, where oneiric pads are punctuated by vocal chops from a very familiar classic.

BUY VINYL/DIGI

Digital Bonus - Vil - Soul Thing

Dreams

Out now on RSPX: lnk.to/RSPX42

UK techno legend Mark Broom returns to Rekids Special Projects with Vol. 3 of his ‘Mutated Battle Breaks’ series.

Following the first two volumes of ‘Mutated Battle Breaks’ and two recently acclaimed albums in ‘Funfzig’ and ‘100% Juice’, UK stalwart Mark Broom returns to Rekids. Bringing the third collection of heavy hitting techno weapons for Radio Slave’s techno-focussed imprint, ‘Mutated Battle Breaks Vol. 3’ showcases eight precision-built no-nonsense tools, delivering yet another techno masterclass across the release.

Releasing on labels such as Rekids, M-Plant, and Blueprint, the wildly prolific Broom has consistently been at the forefront of the techno scene for decades with his gritty, groove-based output while, away from the dancefloor, his The Fear Ratio project with James Ruskin continues to win critical acclaim.

Mark Broom

Disco Story

Mark Broom - Disco Story

Upcoming track on my EP "The Soul Is Healed", the first reference of my new label Transcend!

Release date: 01.12.2023

https://transcendrec.bandcamp.com/album/the-soul-is-healed-ep

The Soul Is Healed EP

Present Reality

Volpe - Present Reality [TRNS001]

TheLoopmasters - Time Mover

https://airtexture.bandcamp.com/album/hardwired-curated-by-jakojako

KUSS - Limits - Hardwired curated by JakoJako

Memory Zero

DTR3

artist: Steffi & Rosati
title: Memory Zero
label: Dolly
cat #: TS-08
release date: 31 January 2025
format: vinyl & digital

tracklist:
A1. Bring The Beat
A2. Minor Slider
B1. Big Rooms
B2. Memory Zero

Label boss Steffi joins forces with Rosati for TS-08! Their collaboration, “Memory Zero”, delivers a potent blend of driving techno with elegant Detroit touches. Crafted during an intense week of jam sessions at Candy Mountain
Studio in Portugal, this EP brims with powerful percussion, sparkling stabs, and beats designed to move bodies.
This is techno built for serious impact!!

GTG Premiere | Steffi & Rosati - Minor Slider [DOLLYTS08]

christmas song 025

DJ H-Force remix 1845

Benales - Basalt [TH ± Tar Hallow]

Counterclockwise EP

Counterclockwise

Bandcamp: artsrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/cold-spots

Yan Cook is one of our most versatile artists on the label, he is back on Artscore with a record that combine Functionality, Precision, and Elegance all in one place. Out on 12" and Digital Worldwide.

Note: First run is stock out after few days, the repress is already in the works.

Dreams

Fireground

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