sev dah and his label proletarijat. rom the near intimidating gravity of strah to the dystopian fight music of zastava m48, via the solemn yet commanding hymn for fallen comrades in tovaris, sev dah manages to create somethingthat is as personal as it is universal. techno with a firm standpoint and loads of force to back it up.

dasha is back on sonic groove for her first outing on the label in six years. in this time elapsed dasha has released just two dance singles both some years ago. her last musical outing in 2015, is the stunning masterpiece experimental listening album entitled -sleepstep- on raster noton. now finally after a quite long hiatus from releasing dance music. dasha returns with -ain t no god nor king-, a four song extended play release . this deep minded, beat driven journey starts off with -katusha- a hard minimalistic, mesmerizing affair with strong delay effects on the kick drum forging a subconscious state of time and space as it echoes it way through mountainous canyons far away from civilization. next up is -dystopian drive-, a percussive song which brings an atmosphere of doom and gloom full on, with a gritty & stringent ebm bassline and tripped out layered acidic effects riding the thick bass waves. -black swan- takes it a few steps further into even darker dismal territories, a nearly nine minute journey which is a fitting sound track for surveilling a haunting post nuclear apocalypse scene from up above. -acid melancholy- is a 303 tweaked ambient sound sculpture with a metronomic pendulum rhythmic perc swinging back and forth which signals that time has run its course and the end is near.

ruffien’s debut presents six songs of therapeutic ambience and enchanted basement workout. in its aesthetic, aired follows in the footsteps of modern day techno pioneers like actress or terrence dixon by creating a world in which all sounds are free-flowing but are fully under the control of the rigorous rhythmic chant of sidechain compression. the result is an ep that calmly embraces its dystopian and earthbound nature and keeps things organic and vibrant within its confines.

amsterdam s let recordings is back for a sixth release, titled communication , this time by jon hester. hester hails from chicago and minneapolis, and is now based in berlin. eps on dystopian and rekids spx have established him with a loopy and hypnotic techno sound that fits perfectly with let.

dalmata daniel s next up is a collaboration with the bristol-born „weirdo disco guy- antoni maiovvi and also a contribution of heinrich dressel who is an unavoidable column of rome s electronic music scene. maiovvi s pleasure model project is all about youth – replaced by blade runner-esque replicas. his first release under this moniker was „kendo dynamics- on 100% silk in 2016. it aimed for presenting a persuasive world of fiber optic paranoia and technoid effacement. dd006 is the next level of the concept and the first time on vinyl. the tracks are driven by the characteristic haggard drum machine s sound on side a with a melancholic or dark synth themes what becomes a dreamy melody in the „prism riot- on side b. the remix by heinrich dressel is a turn back directly into the darkness, but it is faster and more like a film soundtrack with his own characteristics, of course. the whole ep has a strong vintage mood and sound. it can be said that update 1.1 is definitely dystopian, coming from the future of our past.

it goes without saying that space has always been central to techno – both in terms of its cosmic and futuristic trajectory, as well as in the spatial dimensions of sonic elements. etapp kyle’s first full ostgut ton ep release sees the ukrainian-born, berlin- based berghain resident emphasizing the connection between the two, while avoiding techno’s overt intergalactic clichés. by partially linking to his continuum ep (unterton, 2016), the results are four tracks of pristine, sci-fi minimalism, propelled by ambient synths and percussive explosions in distant skies – more utopian than dystopian. opener “alpha” establishes the cosmic theme from the get go, with chord swells and a whirring, phasing spacewind panning across the stereo image. while a subdued kickdrum gets things started, it’s the rhythmic interplay between dynamic high-hats and halled-out rimshots that guide the track through space. from there, “quantum” on a2 strips the voyage down to a glowing, unwavering arpeggiated synth line, interspersed with twisted, high-pitched bells and updated 909- esque snare patters.

restive plaggona is the music project of the corfu-based artist dimitris doukas –also producing under matriarchy roots, leftina osha and plaggona-. after releasing a series of cassettes in different labels along 2016 and 2017 –including his own several minor promises- “leaving the body” arrives as an electronic composition of beats and synthesizer bodies disguised as a sense of provocation and mystery. each of the seven pieces offers more than a smattering of interesting textures separated by spans of great decline, but a master class of permutations in-between accompanying sounds, stretching rhythms and viscera-and- violence noises. driven by a deeply expressive narrative, restive plaggona makes a strong statement about his post-industrial vision adding technoid inclinations in a delightful dystopian world.

new york collective sheik ‘n’ beik continue to expand an impressively developing catalogue adding to releases from xamiga, keita saino and jeffrey scott with a fresh 12” from voodoo down records owner and fellow brooklynite n conduit. having utilised voodoo down as a platform for his own brand of rich, emotive house music n conduit now dims the lights a tad in offering up 3 neatly reduced techno tracks that meld dystopian drones with disquieting melodies and tough, swung drums. ‘echo must die’ kicks things off with looming pads and glistening synth tones. a bold, punchy kick drives a purposeful march forwards whilst mangled computer fx pepper the high-end.

this summer path records launches its 2017 campaign with freshly recorded material from reade truths fate 258 moniker. the games with blades ep delivers an epic dose of material once again deeply rooted in the mysteriously seductive sci-fi themes the artist and label are well known for. games with blades visits the dystopian subject matter of the ultra-classic bladerunner and furthers reflection upon its themes of immortality, empathy, and the femme fatale. much like 1999s highly sought digger-classic why 2k this ep provides an enticingly varied mixture of flavors. deep and heavy techno, raw and rhythmic house and funkier electro styled breaks are all on display alongside fate 258s heavy bed of intricate sample-work. path records are leaders in the left field, providing dance floors with unique, conceptual future-classics that sublimely push a futuristic vision.

greetings fellow lovers of abstract truth. how s living in a dystopian now working out for you? here s hoping a new birdscare release can help take the edge off... it s by zu dobson. and who s zu dobson? i honestly wish i could tell you. she approached me at an a.l.f.o.s. gathering of the faithful and gave me a cd of her work with nothing on it but a po address written on it. after corresponding by letter for a while we agreed that -apple knife- and -wisdom of rumi- would be the first release (of hopefullly many). i only met ms. dobson fleetingly and she has no on-line presence so her identity is vague even to me. so next time you re on the dancefloor that young woman dancing next to you could well be zu dobson. fondant regards... andrew weatherall

dystopian dreams are often used by our minds to try out new, scary scenarios. they are the perfect playgrounds because they combine elements of our real world with speculative elements that do not exist in real life. viers gets to work on his own visions of dystopia, with this menacing 12” tripped with hidden spooks and monster pummel lines.

los angeles droid behavior celebrates its 15th anniversary with a two-part release from its principal artists. over the last 15 years, droid behavior constructed, developed and institutionalized the west coast techno scene with their lauded event series interface. the label droid recordings fol- lowed with the launch of its first release -negative 01-, a compilation of l.a. producers showcasing new perspectives from north american techno. the forthcoming compilation negative 02 explores the label s vision from the voices that have laid its foundation, from the dark and strange, to the slightly experimental, to streamlined dance floor tools. part 1 of the compilation delivers 4 tracks from l.a. techno stalwarts, leading with label head drumcell. with releases on clr, dystopian, detroit underground and his own experimental label bl__k noise, drumcell s channels his diverse sound into a pitch-black banger in -dividing- a thick chugging track with an undercurrent of hypnotic stabs, pads and vocals.. the second track features one of the techno s most celebrated artists - truncate. also known as audio injection, david flores turns in the ultimate dj tool with -down,- a mastery of sequence subtlety layered on this introspective production. droid cofounders and vrv label heads rai&#769,,,z contribute the most entrancing arrangement for negative 02 - -ephemeral beings- which warns of social decay and encourages positive change via this and dark and beautiful composition. longtime droid resident viktor carrillo offers his debut release for the label with -coma walk- an ingenious application of the goa sound in conjunction with clever fm synthesis which makes for highly effective mix addition. a second release will follow to celebrate this anniversary, featuring more from the droid family including luis flores, hyperactive, subversive and aaron litchke.

for over ten years, até has been fine-tuning his craft in his studio in antwerp. together with his partner he founded the athea label as an output for his music and his partners visual works. athea releases are limited to 300, hand stamped copies.
title track ‘guardian angel’ is a drum-oriented stomper, with até’s beloved alpha juno all over it. ‘dark days’ conveys images of dystopian winters with endless nights trough deep strings, resonant bass lines and garage infused drums. closing off the ep is ‘deejay d’, a hissy and fragile electronica jam to warm up your broken heart, bringing you comfort and solace in even the darkest of days.

straight outta houston texas, za’s sound is a cauldron of edgy, raw, scourged techno & electro. the hague sound if it was relocated to an intergalactic space station. a human relocation experiment turned dystopian isolated resistance faction.

transit records 005, -without end hours“, comes loaded with phat, but definitely distinct dancefloor bangers that take the title of the ep quite literally. they cover a full night (and day) out in the club, and range from dark, technoish house („when your groove is mine-), over uplifting re-interpretations of classic house anthems (-without end hours-), and dystopian tech-house (negativ dekadent remix), through to sizzling after hour house (zuckermann remix). ryoma sasaki’s originals show his love for classic electronic music blueprints and how he is able to turn them creatively into something compellingly fresh and contemporary. it feels like listening (and dancing) to something you know, but not from the past, more so from the now. and while they wonderfully work in that now of the night, negativ dekadent turns this familiar feeling into an uneasiness with the future, only to make you forget about it in the abyss of his beats and overwhelming synth patterns just before the morning breaks. finally, zuckermann fully beams you into the slightly distorted new world you might find yourself in anyway at 11 am on a beautiful sunny morning on one of those (berlin) dancefloors.

we’re glad to welcome back aun to cyclic law for their latest opus! aun’s music as always suggested forays into other dimensions, be it to imaginary worlds, industrial wastelands, through space and time, or via mind altered states. from the ominous dystopian artwork, of a city being drained of its energy by some mysterious black hole, to the first notes of the title track “fiat lux” we are once again transported on aun’s otherworldly travelling path. ever since the space industrial and power electronics of aun’s previous cyclic law cult release “black pyramid”, the world has become even more sinister, but in contrast, “fiat lux” exudes even more of aun’s melancholic hopefulness. the disintegrating chords and densely textured waves, anchored by a left field industrial pulse, invoke occult drug enhanced, future psychedelia. created in part in their montreal studio, these tracks were extensively performed live, prior to recording, and refined while on tour breaks in montpellier, barcelona and tokyo. the energy of these cities is definitely at work in these recordings, which also features a french connection of experimental heavy hitters: witxes, frédéric d. oberland and philippe petit have helped round out dumais and leblanc’ arsenal. fiat lux: let there be light, from light will come darkness.

berlin-based mancunian setaoc mass returns to his own sk_eleven imprint with now the fourth outing. confirming the label s emergant position as the home of purist, highly-distilled club weapons, see through marries a muscle-bound groove to arching synth strings and sci-fi encentricities for a hypnotic juxtaposition, followed closely by passive - another roller to completely loose yourself in. flipping over, the producer explores a dystopian wasteland populated by cavernous reverb-drenched claps and a nagging, mutant synth chord, whilst disrepair flaunts coates budding trademark electro strut, with bellowing kicks, crisp snares and futuristic undertones all in check.

in 2016. i rented out a small piano studio in east london for nearly the whole year and set out to write an introspective, trendless, and mostly beatless album. inspired by albums from this mortal coil and scott walker, who also sought freedom to work outside of the expectations of their previous work, i limited the instrumentation to mostly an acoustic piano and effects, which left space to expose a lot of emotional vulnerabilities about myself and people close to me. writing lullabies about being a mother in a dystopian world, with pensive words about swimming against the current as a female artist, i felt free enough to tell untold truths that i’ve never felt comfortable talking about within music. free, liberated, empowered. naked.

having made himself an indispensable member of the uk soul/funk scene, playing live performances of ‘zoology’ to much acclaim, as well as setting up a regular groove night at london’s 606 jazz club, carl has recently finished work on his second album - pixel planet, which tells the story of an alien spacecraft, exploring our solar system, 30.000 years into the future - looking for the last bastion of human activity long after we have departed. this dystopian tale is told using a huge array of cosmic electronics, many of which were soldered together by carl himself, including his own diy synthesiser - the recyclotron 64 - constructed out of commodore 64 chips and built in an mdf box, and providing some of the monster bass lines on this album. as well as calling in the digisoul gang, some new friends appear on this album, including powerhouse drummers pete ray biggin, and ‘jungle’ jimmy norden.

parisian von grall contributes a new records four track counting ep to the planet rhythm black series.
“tracking happiness” is a lush piece of esoteric techno that spans over six minutes and showcases von grall’ s artful approach to contemporary eletronics.
“case history” is a percussion laden cut that delicately changes further on with slabs of fx while maintaining it’ s mystic atmosphere. “state of being violin” is a state of the art piece of techno music completed by deep percussion and moments of wild fx. “self portraits” serves as the closing track.
this cut showcases taints of experimental electronics and dystopian techno.

alek stark is responsible for some of the finest boutique vinyl releases available. his 808 boxes, dmx drum machine replica and plexi-glass sleeves for fundamental records are legendary in the electro fraternity. starks attention to detail in everything he does is particularly apparent in his music - his tracks are all first class analogue electro. he pulls no punches on this e.p. with heavy 808 percussion alongside a myriad of modular noise and synth workouts. cold, robotic and reminiscent of early psyche / bfc with deep chorused pads creating an off-world dystopian theme that runs throughout this release

empty vision provides the next pillar to the structure of lanthan.audio and is the latest project of the italian-rooted damiano di cagno. in addition he was able to convince distant echoes dystopian and the well-known chris stanford to paraphrase his visions.
pressing on translucent blue marbled vinyl.

usas jon hester serves up four heady techno cuts for the second installment in rekids newly launched techno orientated series special projects. based in berlin, hesters discography may be humble but it is one of pure quality. the american techno producer has released on rodhads dystopian, appeared on a release alongside the likes of dj richard, hinode and arthur kimskii (point break) on l.a.g., and now joins the rekids special projects series featuring fbk, markus suckut and dj deep. heaving distorted kicks and echoing stabs lay the blueprint to inertia whilst intricate hats make way for metallic melodies. speeding things up, on the move is a more driving cut in comparison with its trippy atmospherics and crunchy percussion, whereas the surging short circuit demonstrates syncopated percussion and ominous synths for a rhythmic dancefloor workout. finally, neurons sees various cosmic elements ebb in and out of the mix for a mesmerising conclusion.

macon is techno for noise heads, noise for techno heads, music for infamous clubs, basement bars and shady backrooms. macon is real low-key techno, not as an aesthetic viewpoint but only as a consequence of impotency. file under dark 90’s belgian rave and dystopian techno.

* limited edition gatefold 2lp set with printed inner sleeves. * following their surprising debut on cassette tape in past february, magamura put out the vinyl version of supernaturals. comprised of eril fjord and laurine frost, the hungarian duo have carved out their reputation through live performances at renowned festivals and venues like arma in moscow, combining the formar’s indie aestheric and the electronic music prowess the latter has proved on work for the nervmusic imprint. despite their huge influence from the 70-80s experimental music, supernaturals is not so much retrospective as ominously dystopian. it captures and distils their well-known improvisational mutability into a testament to their promising potential, which will stand the test of time. this is kebko music’s first instalment on vinyl. following our tradition of carefully-wrought artwork, the lp comes in a gatefold sleeve designed by damien tran. * kebko music is tokyo-based akiko kiyama’s independent music label focusing on releasing avant-garde music which is not bounded by any specific genres but embraces the whole range of techno, experimental music, field- & live-recordings and classical music. the label owner established her name by richie hawtin featuring her track in his well-known de9 transitions mix in 2005. since then, her music style has gradually changed to explore the edge of electronic music. the core of the label is based on small handcrafted editions of cassette tapes. it aims to give a chance for all of artists and listeners to explore their musical experience and creativity.

acid pauli is a name synonymous with certain aesthetic towards electronic music culture - both a part of the unhooked generation of that grew up experiencing his revelatory sets at places like bar 25 and fusion, and yet deeply rooted in musicality and adventurousness. bld, the second full album from martin gretschmann, (aka acid pauli), builds on his already impressive back catalogue which spans back to 2005, and includes a debut album released on nicolas jaar’s clown and sunset. over the course of the eight tracks here, gretschmann explores some of the many facets that have made him one of the most trusted artists in his field. released on his own (and nico stojan’s) label ouïe - the album is the perfect expression of the imprint’s commitment to diverse, exciting sounds, freed of the conventions of traditional club music. the album covers a number of moods and emotions, from dystopian carnivalesque vibes to moments of high intensity, through to deep melancholia and synth laden ambience. gretschmann’s well documented love of the sampler shines throughout - tracks are textured and colored with different hues from his extensive sound palette, whether it’s a part of his more psychedelic moments, or concentrated on his innate knowledge of dancefloor dynamics. as such bld sits together as a complete piece of music - to be relished just as much by blissed out home listeners as the left-field dancers.

after his successful ‘i’m made of stars’ lp last year, michele pinna brings his time traveler moniker back to his chronicles diary imprint with ‘chapter v: chronicles from 1957’. following the label’s concept ‘chapter v’ is dedicated to his mother anna maria and time is being stretched back to her birth, where past and future seem to collide through time traveler’s dystopian vision of techno. a1 opens the ep with an industrial killer groove and time traveler’s distorted vocals prompting to follow him in an out of control journey. a2 rushes in with a more mental and compulsive beat, where synths and percussions converge. on the flip side, we find b1 infused with hypnotic modular melodies and intense rolling analog grooves. b2 concludes time traveler’s journey with its finally crafted, hammering beats, ecstatic bass synths and drum patters.

repress 2017 , following a killer split 12inch w/ djrum for the zenker brothers ilian tape label, new artist struction debuts for r&s newcomer struction joins the r&s family for a titanic ep of dystopian post-rave experimentation - the 4 track release, entitled gefüge, effortlessly crystallises the best parts of r&ss storied musical heritage without coming off like pastiche. from the jacked menace of opener kreen, a dizzying percussive assault of breakbeats and 808 kicks, its clear that struction means business. warrior follows on with deep end breakbeats cut through with melancholic synth washes. the flip side commences with ai, all skittering percussion, swelling distorted pads and relentless kick drum thrum, while dolly rounds out the release in fine style, quickening the pulse with its hypnotic fm bass polyrhythms, scything cymbals and icy strings. with this release struction marks himself as one to watch very closely for the future, as well as once again showing r&ss commitment to nurturing new talent, as well as releasing the best cutting edge electronic music.

rbchmbrs debuts with a stunning, gnarled take on drum & bass. dystopian soundscapes, jagged rhythms, warped breaks and forlorn vocal samples abound here, with a wicked sense for funk underlying the whole release. killer at 45 or 33 rpm..

the third release on ascorbites own corseque records is not for the faint-hearted. advance the flight and inadequate demeanor are clearly twins, delivered from the darkest corners of ascorbite’s mind. the bold, pounding quality of the ep brings adam x or grovskopa to mind but ascorbite has a dystopian touch that’s entirely his own. advance the flight is like a battle track for an intergalactic armada being attacked by an infinite horde of swarming space ants. inadequate demeanor, on the other hand, is a grim steampunk fantasy of a black, shining locomotive plainly out of control, raging on red hot rails towards the end of the line. however, while both tracks are rough and unforgiving, ascorbite manages to invigorate them by the use of subtle melancholic atmospheres – like rainy skies over a concrete desert. a balance between brutalism and vitality. a trademark of ascorbite and corseque records.

after an ep on creme organization off-shoot jericho one as dj plant texture, dona basile now assumes his dona alias for a new ep on the main label. entitled the v.g.p sessions, it features four new cuts from the italian, with three of them being dj pt mixes. up first is a live cut version of energia , a bristling electro track with globular bass and coarse hits. turbulent but full of synth based serenity, it is a fine start. cigarettes (djpt mix) is rugged and broken, with glossy idm synths and corrugated drums all loosely arranged into something prickly and unsettling. the deads at twelve (djpt mix) then gets even more fucked up, with rusty synths and blown out drums making for a dystopian house groove that will likely soundtrack the apocalypse. last but not least, nr. 13 (djpt mix) mixes up detroit synths, wild acid, heavenly chords and chopped up, buried deep vocal samples into something that will fire every synapse in your body. this is outlier stuff from dona that sounds like little else.

invaderband are a garage/artrock band assembled in 2012 in derry, northern ireland by mancunian singer, guitarist and songwriter adam leonard who enlisted local musicians to voltage-enhance his dystopian post-punk songs.
leonard has a prolific history as a musician with an extensive back catalogue of solo and collaborative work, and was an occasional member of one of stewart lee’s favourite bands, the owl service. he was also the winner of the uk city of culture 2013 resonate award for best song. invaderband’s lead guitarist / synthmeister is chris mcconaghy aka our krypton son. bass frequencies are provided by gavin mccartney (of here comes the landed gentry, the murder balladers) and drums are handled by rion mccartney (on the album) and john goodman (live).
invaderband’s debut single the implausible man was issued on record store day 2015 and the follow-up, attack of the pod people arrived in december ‘15. the singles were picked up by local, regional and national bbc radio, with the latter making it onto the bbc 6music recommended playlist.
the self-titled debut album (below) is released by tectona grandis, the vinyl release includes a download code.

nice price deal !!! honest peak time techno bangers. suburban avenue welcomes two other great artists in its team. sav007 is a splitted ep between the german-based djs and producers, johannes volk and savas pascalidis. volk delivers two works: a1, >dont be afraid, theres no hope< is a an elegant and minimalistic techno tune, that seems to reveal his dystopian vision of the future, a2, >wrong prophecy< is a proper detroit banger track. pascalidis gives his contribution to this release with other two amazing cuts: b1, >night force< is a perfect track, ready for the big floor: noisy, boomy with a straight groove. b2, >strobe< is a classy and effective techno tool, lost in space.

with 4 releases under their belt and more to follow, it clearly shows the alliance between hunter/game and the icelandic band kura, can do no wrong. their band, landside, is now primed to get an accompanying remix ep following up from signs of change and desert lake. drawing their inspiration from a cumulation of music that inspires them, they call up a diverse selection of artists to the task, which present an astonishingly coherent vision. from the stormy modulated chords of robert hood and trickling pads crafted by etapp kyle, to the dystopian narratives expressed by bambounou and edanticonf, the re-visionings provide additional star-power to what is already a fine, shimmering series.

berlins true romance is back on the disco train for their fifteenth release. label boss tensnake is at the wheel this time and cooked up two irresistible a sides. first in line is the sci-fi infused machines, a catchy slow analog burner with deep synthetic bass lines, etheric melodies and floating french vocals. the perfect soundtrack to blissfully cruise the foggy, neon-drenched nights of a dystopian future. on the aa side, the vinyl only black as flies slings us back under the blazing sun. starting with sultry vocals and a stripped down disco-not-disco vibe, the track morphs into a unique blend of italo-zouk madness. heavily road tested by the man himself, this one is a certified exotic weapon. limited pressing - dont sleep!

moonlit bat
on a silent wing
midsummer hunt
her face well turned away
from the memory of the one
who did her so great a wrong

vinyl comes in a vacuum packed transparent sleeve cycle ep is the first public transmission from w.t.r, setting the syntax for subsequent label releases to come, cycle ep comes offered as a unique handmade vacuum packaged production, praising the records functionality as well as a utility for the worlds need to dance. the eponymous title track cycle brings the listener gale force into a tunnel, packed dense with repetitive computer servers, crashing through a thrum of gated rim shots and acid splashed cartoonish sequences, don’t be disturbed by the repetitive glitch of parasites rising slowly inside your ears. the alternatively named title chain guides the listener into an immersive walloping ravy realm, satisfying the desire for the motorik rhythmic. a slick, sensual and sublime introduction into the world of reless. and no need to introduce you to shlømo, a rising darkstar in french techno scene who s take on cycle pulls apart the harsh dystopian factory sounds cultivated in the original track, exploring a more organic and hazy constitution, retaining the stern demand for the listeners attention, while exploring the original records ability to make people communicate within any space and species, at any time of the night or day...

2020 repress , with no artwork - just standard cover - the music counts.
recondite returns to hotflush with two unique techno narratives forged in his inimitable style. since 2014s smash, caldera, the prolific producer has released two studio albums, as well as a string of notable eps for the likes of innervisions, dystopian and life & death. at once subtle and grand, phalanx/warg sees recondite exploring the full range of his distinctive voice. deep, sinewy techno set with a genuine sense of intrigue, both cuts flood the dance floor with an unsettling warmth.

after a refreshing and vibey summer of sun, beats & parties, dext hq is firing up for our next release which is set to drop this autumn it is an absolute pleasure to welcome back one of our stable artists, callahan, for the follow up to his well-received dext debut don t need. callous ep shows the same rawness and intensity of his earlier work but with a more polished and refined production sound, focusing on a few key elements that are executed to perfection. right from the off, the title track callous draws you in with its haunting and somewhat dystopian synth line that rides along the track s jagged percussion. the result is the kind of danceable groove that has become the calling card of the more exciting techno music to come out of the uk in recent years.

avalon emerson’s latest ep, narcissus in retrograde, explores four different styles that shape her distinct voice as a producer and songwriter, from symphonic showstoppers to broken acid. opener “natural impasse“ ferries massive melodic themes through a network of emotive capillaries that’s underpinned by charging drums, while “dystopian daddy“ dons a theatrical flare with costume-changing arpeggiators and digital brass beef that command attention like a stage-hogging space alien diva lip-syncing for new wig money. the b-side takes a more menacing turn with “why does it hurt“, the outright techno achievement of the record, and the snarling closer “groundwater“. ethereal vocals on the former punctuate kicks and growls that sound like they were pulled from a pedal monster’s electric guitar, and on “groundwater“, a crucible of fucked breaks and acid cut a ravine through a bed of off-staccato hats and a sample swamp.

wm009 is the debut album from white material co founder young male. a collection of dark ambient and textured experimental songs created as a personal soundtrack for life in uncertain times. paranoia, lust, virtual experience, and tension/release are themes explored in this tour through a dystopian american landscape.

following the acclaim of time travelers im made of stars lp, michele pinna presents the remixes report i, featuring remixes of tracks from the album by four key names in european and us techno. these remixes take pinnas dystopian sci-fi vision and place it firmly in the club, with each artist providing their own unique take on a different track from the album.

cbrb s latest triptych for phantasy takes their sound into a more dystopian direction, a world of concrete shopping centres, the occult and physically irresistible repetition. the title track “mecanique sauvage” is a muscular industrial / outsider house track, a stop start rollercoaster that constantly intensifies. one part a brutal exercise in poise and restraint, and one part undiluted disco excess. a contradictory beast of a track. something of a epic (at over 8 mins long) “children of the monolith” drops the tempo to 100 bpm and takes the listener on a very different kind of trip. a widescreen composite of tribal drums, sinister synths and the beguiling mantras of an arcane cult. don t touch the brown acid... “soda jerk” is the everything but the kitchen sink moment on the ep, a hymn to over indulgence. unhinged electronic body music, a gloriously relentless assault on the senses. resistance is futile!

detroit isn t just a place. sure, it is a place, and those who physically live there know its triumphs and its tragedies far better than anyone else. but detroit is also a feeling, a sound, a philosophical home for those who connect with the futuristic, dystopian sounds of detroit techno and electro on a deep level. those tendrils of connection reach far and wide, bringing people from all over the world into orbit with the people and sounds of the city, connecting through the snap of a snare, the wiggly groove winding its way through the beat, the beauty in the sound of strings, the anger in a bubbling bassline.

tom hang is the solo electronic work of lobster theremin label owner jimmy asquith. despite being ridiculously busy either quaking dancefloors across the globe and flowing into the world a continuous catalogue of acclaimed electronic heat, jimmy has found time to follow up his ‘tidy bedroom versions’ release with more original tracks from the heavily dusted harddrive. ‘the new world’ is a sphere where pummelling techno burners teeter on the edge of freedom before winding and convulsing themselves into varying mutant zones that straddle the lines between experimental statement and tightly locked grooves to create a record of pure dystopian dancefloor heat. there is an odd and refreshing unity here within the strict, bare, functional, consuming percussion and the heady, playful, and freeform nature of hang’s melodic grip.

a negative hallucination is an idea that was first put forward by sigmund freud in 1890. he used the term to describe how a hypnotised person could be led to be unable to see a person or thing that was right in front of them once out of the hypnotised state, creating a gap in their reality. sadly, this gap in reality seems endemic in the minds of many in the world, whether from lack of access to facts or from wilful ignorance. the result is the same regardless: a world where many oppressed peoples reality is edited out of the conversation. noleian reusse (half of africans with mainframes) and thomas cox (one third of pittsburgh track authority) got together in the studio in pittsburgh during a week of extreme social unrest in the usa in late 2015, resulting in these recordings. the tracks are crafted with a stripped back electronic funk and a stark, relentless feel that reflects the energy in the air at the time. as long time fans of politically and socially charged music like public enemy, underground resistance, nwa, dopplereffekt, and gil scott-heron, noleian and thomas have taken these influences and mixed them with their own styles to come up with a modern dancefloor version of those ideals. lead track solidarity fills the whole a side with its optimism. soulful melodies and strings conquer the driving rhythms, bringing a sense that through sticking together, a better future is possible. the b side s perspective is darker. police state is a crazy raved out banger that combines gritty acid and harsh tones that channel the day-to-day existence for far too many urban people. the third and final cut, surveillance, is a paranoid, spacey techno track that would be ideal as a soundtrack for closed-circuit television video reels. this snapshot of urban life is tied together through artwork by andrew burger, whose mix of throwback style and current ideas nails the dystopian existence that is now reality as predicted so long ago by orwell, huxley, lucas, and many more.

the next cellar session result is dropping on franse and provides a dystopian summer soundtrack. shifted layers and drum machine patterns act as the usual suspects on this one-sider, laying the foundation for a ubiquitous but never fully arriving synth line. vinyl only, hand-numbered and limited to 170 copies.

following the release of 2015’s animistas album on mindtours, steevio returns with the fourth and final volume in the modular techno series after starting the project in 2012. initially conceived as he moved his studio practice towards a purely outboard, analogue, modular synthesiser set up, the modular techno series has charted the development of steevio’s exploration of this working practice both on record and on stage. the work involved in live appearances across the uk and europe over the past four years have fed into the creative process, with rehearsals for sets often yielding the material that has ended up on vinyl. volume 4 is arguably the darkest instalment in the series to date, dealing in a strict economy of minimalist rhythms and off-key melodic touches while still easily identified as the unmistakable tones and distinctive grooves of steevio. in the grand tradition of techno as visionary music, the dystopian tone that lingers throughout modular techno vol 4 points to a future of uncertainty, but this is far from nihilistic music, always within the darkness remains a glimmer of hope.

i-f, helena hauff & intergalactic gary favourite! double artist debut on bio rhythm, delivering its darkest release so far. despite all corporate techno gentrification rises mirror man, from the ashes of what once was this dirty dystopian hardcore heaven, and he s a mean motherfckr who has been battering us with his haunting dj mixes already for a while. on the flip the pleasure gets even darker with satanist west coast act leaders of the wild hunt on remix duties. the beauty of paranoia... perfect soundtrack for the summer of 2016.