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Release: Being Alone
Label: Drumcode
Genre: Techno
Release Date: 2017-10-30
Catalog: DC181

Ramiro Lopez drops the electrifying follow up to his 'Pretending' EP from May this year. 

For almost a decade, Spain's Ramiro Lopez has established himself as one his country's leading proponents of techno, with strong releases across labels that include Suara, Intec, Octopus Recordings and Bedrock. He first debuted on Drumcode in 2016 with the rousing collaborative track 'Clap Your Hands' that ranked among one of the label's standout tracks for the year. With one Drumcode release already under his belt in 2017 and a new label project Odd Recordings with fellow DC cohort Arjun Vagale recently launched, he's enjoying another strong year.

His return to the label comes in the form of 'Being Alone', a powerful trio of cuts, all of which featured in Adam Beyer's Awakenings Festival Day 1 performance. The title track is a multi-layered weapon, propelled by a dizzying vocal, swirling synth effects and pin-sharp percussion that build toward a smooth classy finish. 'Dark Science' is an effective stomper brought to life by a bell chime hookline and undulating synth melody ensuring its peak-time prowess. 'Der Raum' rounds out the EP, highlighted by Lopez's deft drum work, proceeded by a driving, euphoric climax.

Ramiro Lopez - Der Raum (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ramiro Lopez - Dark Science (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ramiro Lopez - Being Alone (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Drumcode favourite Harvey McKay returns to the label with a darker new sound.

The Glaswegian has been a regular contributor over the years, highlighted by the memorable ‘The Illusion of Control’ EP in 2014 and his newer work with brother Ryan under the Alias moniker. Earlier this year Drumcode released the duo’s ‘Pentatonic’ EP and featured a mix on Adam Beyer’s radio, which included ‘Black Dolphin’, kickstarting the hype on the track.

Named after the infamous Russian prison, the title track is dark, tough, deeply textured brooding affair, with a menacing touch than runs through its core. McKay then brings in a huge synth line and changes up the dynamic of the track, giving it a powerful and driving feel. ‘Retox’ is a dark and twisted heavy-hitting cut, driven by aggressive drums and bassline, while a hypnotic synth line sustains a sense of tension throughout the six-minute track. Concluding the package is ‘Cover Up’, a fantastic stripped back exploration into dark atmospheric techno territory that’s tailor made for the winter warehouse raving season.

Harvey McKay - Cover Up (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Harvey McKay - Retox (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Harvey McKay - Black Dolphin (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Following on from his debut EP on Drumcode earlier this year, Ilario Alicante returns with a generous 6-tracker. For the past few years Ilario Alicante has enjoyed something of an unintentional Ibiza kinship with Adam Beyer. When the Swede played his special annual sets on the Amnesia Terrace for Cocoon, for three years out of four, the Italian has been right there playing alongside him, ensuring his talents were on the radar of the Drumcode chief. Ilario made his first appearance on the label in 2016 with the stirring 'Temporary' featuring on A-Sides Vol.4, before securing his first full-length release with the 'Awakened' EP that dropped earlier this year. 'Figures & Echoes' deepens his contribution to the label with half a dozen powerful cuts. 'Virgo's Echoes' opens the EP, a persistent synth line combining effectively with lush layers of melody to create an atmospheric introduction to the work. 'Third Eye' delivers an exhilarating dose of rave thanks to the hypnotizing riff that runs throughout. 'Figure of RA' combines a rousing vocal loop, pulsating beats and an effective melodic interlude to fantastic effect. 'Acid Runner' is true to its name, with echoing vocal effects that lead to a piercing 303-line that hits with peak-time power. 'Atonal' is a late-night burner, as mesmerizing pads rub shoulders with sparse percussion to create a beautiful seven-minute piece. The package concludes with the pumping 'Leave Me', with its funky deep bass stabs, ensuring the EP maintains its energetic vibe from start to finish.

Ilario Alicante - Leave Me (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ilario Alicante - Atonal (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ilario Alicante - Third Eye (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ilario Alicante - Virgo's Echoes (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ilario Alicante - The Acid Runner (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Ilario Alicante - Figure of RA (Original Mix) [Drumcode]

Shlomi Aber makes his debut on Drumcode Ltd with a piercing four-tracker for the vinyl only offshoot.

Israel’s Shlomi Aber remains of techno’s most consistent artists, with a career stretching back 15 years. The label boss of Be As One, Aber has also had his music released on such imprints as R&S, Figure and Ovum, reinforcing his status as a purveyor of classy yet impactful techno.

His contribution to Drumcode Ltd puts a fresh take on the classic pounding DC sound of the label’s early years, an era the DJ/producer has long been a fan of. Beginning with ‘Inflict’, the EP lays down its heavy-hitting intentions from the onset, as a persistent muffled vocal build beneath a bed of steely percussion, creating a dark tension-filled atmosphere. ‘Accelerator’ follows, the title track that was quite literally born at Basel’s own techno temple Nordstern this year when Aber crafted it into a stunning cavernous beast, using his 909 and XOXBOX Acid machine. ‘Typeface’ is stripped back and functional, an energy-packed tool for building extended techno journeys. The four-piece is rounded out by the fantastic ‘Rain Storm’, that lowers the intensity, as the six-minute cut introduces a new groovier element to the work and concludes the EP is sharp fashion.

Shlomi Aber - Rain Storm (Original Mix) [Drumcode Limited]

Shlomi Aber - Typeface (Original Mix) [Drumcode Limited]

Shlomi Aber - Accelerator (Original Mix) [Drumcode Limited]

Shlomi Aber - Inflict  (Original Mix) [Drumcode Limited]

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Lorenzo Atencio