tadd mullinix, who s best known for the hip-hop he makes as dabrye and the acid-tinged house and techno under jtc, has added yet another alias to his repertoire, and it might be his most inventive project to date. x-altera and its debut album, the eponymous x-altera, were born from a fit of rediscovery. all at once, the ann arbor-based producer reconnected with the jungle he produced in the late 90s as half of soundmurderer & sk-1, revisited the forgotten b-sides of his drum & bass record collection, and fell back in love with the deep, melodic techno of detroit and london.
the double vinyl release includes a download code.

solo instr. without orchestra

following a stellar run of jungle and breakbeat-oriented releases including the foundational foul play origins set and the visionary proto-retro styles of x-altera, sneaker social club welcome a true master of drum science.

remixes by x-altera , dj guy

for over 18 years, spectral sound, the dance music imprint of ghostly international, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. it has been a source of support for numerous djs and producers during that time, from matthew dear and benoit & sergio to avalon emerson and hieroglyphic being. now, spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. despite the wide-ranging selections on spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. rising talents such as minimal violence, russell e.l. butler, and earth trax x newborn jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. veteran producers bring their own edge as well: d marc cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of regularly people, and nigil caenaans januarys end, a low-key detroit classic from the late 90s, closes spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. gunnar haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, versione antica. and ghostly regulars like tadd mullinix, who drops a lush jtc remix of his new x-altera alias, and matrixxman, who collaborates with riccardo limiti on the cavernous inferno, tie everything back to the label s roots. the double 12 compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by los angeles-based artist nina hartmann. her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as ascetic house and big love, and the pieces for spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. the marriage of hartmanns striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.

an excellent two tracker. the a side is a killer chicago influenced techno track with plenty of bite. it has great melody hook lines and punchy drums. the flip is a real treat – it is an electro mix of altera – the previous smith and selway track from last year. a worthy purchase!