Page 75 - Zone Magazine Issue 030 - Lexicon Avenue

mark@zone-magazine.eu \\ TUNES
AMBY IGUOUS - NIGHT TRAIN [NFFEKTED TRAXX 009]
Nffekted is the relatively new label set up by Nutty T, who is best known for hardstyle productions on his own 'Nutty Traxxx' label. I met James at the Mad Hatters Techno rave in Bristol last year and it's safe to say he's as mad as a hat! Ha-ha. He's a top bloke and you will obviously find him doing reviews in Zone as well. The original track here is a dark and broody stripped back Techno cut which I'm sure will appeal to folks wanting that deep and hypnotic vibe. For me though it's all about the remix. The Nutty T remix to be presice. It is a tough, driving affair with crisp percussion, a very nice simple but effective melodic synth and clever atmospherics which keep it on the darker side of things. A very diverse remix which will appeal to many genre's. Will be playing this out for sure! https://www.beatport.com/release/night-rain/2812466
VARIOUS ARTISTS - PROGRESSION [SYNTAX ERROR 001]
This is a brand new 'Vinyl' label bought to you from Plymouth's Louk and what a debut release! Progression (UK) is first up, with a rumbling
monstrous track titled 'Prism'. Dark eerie atmospherics, thunderous kick drum and sub bass, snappy percussion and an awesome repetitive bleepy synth are all the makings of a killer tune! 'Bounce Back' by that man G.T.O (fresh from his great EP on UKR recently) is another slice of quirky bass heavy Techno. 'I'm a make you bounce back that ass up!' exclaims the vocal on this slamming track which is already being supported by the legend Jerome Hill. Great work. Fresh from releases on Dax's Monnom Black, Pitch Dark and Stroberload, Aahan is up to his usual tricks with 'Reaffirming Thunder' which is a relentless pounding track of sheer quality with marching perc's, strange vox and a HUGE kick. Quality! Boglin (Louk and Blair (Audios) give us the final track of the ep with 'System Shock' and it certainly rattled the
Keep Bristol Techno rig when played at System Feedback the other month! It's a big slice of deep, thumping warehouse Techno, that wouldn't sound out of place on Monnom Black. All the tracks here have been mastered by Paul Mac @ Hardgroove mastering and sound awesome. Early support coming from Dax J, Remco Beekwilder and Stephanie Sykes to name three. Out now on vinyl and digital on Bandcamp. https://www.traxsource.com/title/1264965/syntax-error-001
ULRIK - THE PHANTOM EP [KEEP ON TECHNO 108]
Ray Marshall's quality Keep On Techno imprint come up trumps with their latest release. 'Ulrik' is new to me tbh, but after a bit of digging I found out this is Spanish Techno Producer Eric Sand's darker alias. 'Phantom' is a rip roaring tough tribal groover, with crisp rhythmic hats, an excellent thumping double kick and a sweet Electro synth. 'Part Of Me' is another stomping slice of quality hardgroove, darker than the first track with a slightly tougher distorted kick. Some of the stuff that's labelled 'Hardgroove' doesn't cut the mustard with me, but both of these tracks are highly playable dance floor tools. Good stuff Ulrik and KOT! http://classic.beatport.com/release/the-phantom/2813185
GABRIEL WNZ - ARTEFACT EP [REFINED FORMAT]
Refined Format is quickly becoming one of my favourite labels and this release will show you why. The lead track from Italian Hard Techno producer Gabriel Wnz is a heavy dark Techno workout with a thumping great kick, excellent marching percussion, and a cool 'You are my ecstacy' vocal. Label boss A.P. Delivers his hardest remix on the label so far with thunderous bass, clever looping re arrangement of the vocal and super slick rhythms. Track 3 'Cheese and Chips' is a cracking percussive banger full of quirky analogue bleeps. All three of these tracks are packed full of energy and will rock many dance floors. Quality gear! https://www.beatport.com/release/artifact-e-p/2821134
DARKMODE - PORNOCRACY EP [BIOTECH RECORDINGS 088]
I have been a 'Virtual' friend of David 'Darkmode' Dodds now for many years and have released lots of his tracks on my Filth label, as well as him giving me my first solo EP on his Biotech imprint back in 2017. The Geordie legend is a fine producer of Techno, but I think he excells when he makes Electro! There are four quality Electro tracks here to pick from, all with a distinctive Detroit vibe of yesteryear, albeit with a modern twist. 'Pornocracy' 'A maze Of Death' and 'Cash Money' are all cool but my favourite is 'Electro Shock' which is the toughest of them all with a lovely deep rumbling analogue bass line, heavy kick drum and you can tell David is a movie fan with the futuristic sounding Sci-fi synth pads throughout. Quality EP this, if Electro is your thing I suggest you go buy it. Already being championed by Dave Clarke! https://www.beatport.com/release/pornocracy/2801487
DROUGHTWERK - EXIT BURDOCK [DROUGHTWERK 001]
This came in at the last minute and isn't out until mid April, but have to quickly include it. A brand new label by the same name as the artist 'Droughtwerk' who is also new to me. Straight to the point with this release, 'Thunks' is my pick, although 'Exit Burdock', 'Skylar' and 'Definition' are all very playable. Four peak time warehouse rumblers full of attitude with machine funk Grooves, tough jacking loops and subtle eerie and sometimes dark melodies. Reminds me of some early Par Grindvik tracks. One for the heads this, ACE! https://www.instagram.com/droughtwerk
YAN COOK - COUNTERCLOCKWISE EP [COOKED 06]
Another that just came in before the deadline is this stonking EP from Kiev's Yan Cook. Fresh from releases on Micro.Fon, Planet Rhythm and
Noir, he returns to his own 'Cooked' label with release No' 6. Yan doesn't fuck about here and supplies four awesome pacey hard Techno tracks. My picks are 'Counterclockwise' and 'Abstract' which are full of mind bending wonky hypnotic synth patterns throughout, along with thumping kick drums and an industrial backbone. Wicked tunes! These would go down a treat at peak time in a dark and seedy sweat box. 'Tidal Disruption' and 'Noiser' are both worthy of a mention which are more purist and stripped back affairs (still nice and tough though) Quality EP! https://www.deejay.de/Yan_Cook_Counterclockwise_EP_COOKED06_Vinyl__946916
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