[Something]

A decade after Matthew Herbert released his Let’s All Make Mistakes mix for Tresor comes a worthy addendum to the art of doing things incorrectly from Stephan Laubner. This release is no bolt out of the blue however, and with the exception of some brief dalliances with labels like Smallville, the German producer has devoted his releases on Something to the offbeat, awkward and sometimes just plain wrong. Therefore, while it would be inaccurate to say Mistakes is just more of the same, it does follow a loosely-based narrative created by Laubner’s previous releases on Something.

Check out a mix of samples from Mistakes Are Made For Everyone

Lead track “Fast Forward” embodies this healthy disregard for perfection and precision: the beats are skippy and raw and the brittle percussion makes it that little bit more engaging, but its stop-start nature and the fact that Laubner is constantly adding and subtracting elements — a rumbling bass here, melancholic chords there — ensures his sonic misadventure doesn’t sound samey. Laubner’s overall approach is the same on “Juggle It” and “Easy Morning,” but he taps otherworldly jazz riffs and uses rasping bass lines to create a more swinging sound. “Seductive Temptation” sees Laubner deliver a more ominous sound, as a prowling bass line and spooky chords are merged with his crunchy beats. But despite his predilection for awkwardness, Laubner’s music is at times also utterly charming, as evidenced on the gloriously melodic synths of “The Something Like.” If you like house that comes delivered with grimy thumb marks instead of polished surfaces, this release is for you.

14. KiNK, “Kiss The Sky”
[Boe Recordings] (buy)
Written by a producer whose tracks often sound like classic house pastiches, “Kiss The Sky” found KiNK shelving his touchstones and creating something utterly beautiful and his own. Although held together by characteristically tight drum programming, the tune feels weightless and luxuriant as its chords stretch outward in balmy waves. It seems another gorgeous sound is around every corner, from wordless coos and stuttering syllables to sweeping harp runs and tremolo progressions, leaving the listener dazzled at the many splendors KiNK packs into six minutes. Boe Recordings were wise to snap up this summery jam and potential underground classic in its own right for their Halal Prepared Vol.1 EP. (Steve Mizek)

13. James Blake, “I Only Know (What I Know Now)”
[R&S Records] (buy)
Appearing suddenly half way through last year with the Air & Lack Thereof twelve inch, the superbly unique James Blake has gone from hotly tipped wunderkind to full blown auteur with each of his five releases in 2010 seeming to outdo the last. Firmly entrenched in the post-dubstep camp with his first few releases, his more recent work shows he looks set to crossover — if not to the mainstream, then definitely to his own unexampled position within music. The hints are in the genre tags on the Klavierwerke release in its Discogs entry: modern classical, dubstep. From that EP comes one his most intimate moments of the year, the achingly beautiful “I Only Know (What I Know Now).” Comprised of Blake’s voice and a melancholic piano bursting through packets of tape noise, all wrapped up in a woolly blanket of bass, it was the downbeat highlight of the year and a prescient taste of what’s to come on Blake’s debut album, slated for a February 2011 release. (Per Bojsen-Moller)

12. Axel Boman, “Purple Drank”
[Pampa Records] (buy)
Despite or perhaps even because of the increasingly frantic pace at which life flies at us, music saw the opportunity to slow down in 2010 and grabbed it. Whether it was a new crop of languid house and disco producers imagining DJ sets never reaching 120 BPM, the advent of a new, buzzed over scene heavily indebted to chopped and screwed hip-hop a la DJ Screw (let’s call it drag), the preponderance of UK bass music artists whose best work ambled by at house friendly tempos (or below, eg. “Wut,” “Blue” or “I Only Know (What I Know Now)”), or Justin Bieber slowed to a Sigur Ros-styled pace, musicians of all stripes enjoyed their chance to pull back on the throttle. Count newcomer Axel Boman among the slow burners, largely thanks to his codeine-dazed hit single, “Purple Drank.” From the heavy-lidded vocals to the gut-punch bass line, Boman’s signature tune felt pleased with its own heaviness and drowsy pace without burdening dancers. But was the quivering organ line — soaring at a moments notice but quick to subside — and brilliant details like cola bottle percussion that kept the track afloat and glued to my turntable. Who knew such sleepy inspiration could generate such compelling tunes? (Anton Kipfel)

11. NDF, “Since We Last Met”
[DFA] (buy)
If ever there were two genres us music snobs are supposed to be pretty well over by this point, minimal and indie rock are those genres. How peculiar, then, that one of the year’s best tracks spends an all-too-brief ten and a half minutes toeing the line between the two and makes exquisite work of the combination. “Since We Last Met” works (and makes weirdly perfect sense on DFA) because Bruno Pronsato understands tech-house better than practically anyone else still playing by its rules: rather than an invitation to turn down the thermostat, it’s an opportunity to crank up the resolution. And what high-definition heartache Pronsato and his NDF cohort Sergio Giorgini have unleashed here. Every bit of the arrangement — from those subtly swelling bass hits to Giorgini’s exhausted croak — exudes nuance both sonic and emotional. What results is a track as likely to resonate with your audiophile side as that part of you that’s wrestled with the peaks and troughs of love. “Since We Last Met” is that rare anthem as at home on the dance floor as between the sheets. Pigeonhole it however you like, just so long as you also call it excellent. (Jordan Rothlein)

>> 5-1
>> 10-6
<< 20-16
<< 25-21

[Something Records]

Every producer wants to make records that set themselves apart from other records. You’d think this would have to be true, right? Otherwise, why would anyone take the time and considerable cost necessary to create a piece of dance music? Practically every producer I hear strives to differentiate him or herself by way of the sounds — to get them as far away from the presets as possible; to design the presets of tomorrow, perhaps. Yet so many of the best moments in house and techno are those when the music itself fades away into a feeling. You can tune your drum machines all day, but if you can’t get something more out of them than soundwaves — if you can’t tease out that hypnotizing x-factor that makes certain dance records good beyond words — then you’re missing something critical.

When most producers just want to get their head above the floodwaters, it’s easy to get tunnel vision about crafting the most distinctive and attention-grabbing sounds possible. STL (born Stephan Laubner) certainly makes distinctive, attention-grabbing tracks; his smash “Silent State,” for instance, made it to the top of our 2009 poll. But as soon as he’s got your ears, he strives to switch them off and just make you feel. It might be that STL’s latest, … And His Quest For Sound, has approximately twice as many tracks as his typical transmissions, but I found this dissociative quality to be particularly potent on this doublepack. As I listened to these tracks, replete with the kind of lilting beats and narcotic micro-melodies that have long characterized STL, I found myself zoning out pretty consistently, and in the best way possible.

Which isn’t to say that STL’s Quest For Sound hasn’t produced a collection of tracks that’s tightly constructed and deliciously varied. Tracks like “Jump And Run” and “Cranky” pair his signature mix of nerves and nerdiness with a big-room, floor-executing, vintage techno-referencing stomp. Sometimes, like on “Night Sky Watching,” he’s content to give those nerves free-reign, letting Oni Ayhun-style resonance slowly meander out of murky triplet rhythms. He finds a similarly off-kilter groove on “Come Together,” but melodically, he’s found himself squarely in lush deep house territory. It’s commendable how fresh the guy can make those same Moodymann chords practically everyone’s been ripping off for the past few years. Even when STL is at his moodiest and subtlest, as he is on “Third Ear,” he makes sure everything sounds like it’s in its proper place: as if they’re kicking fog, extremely detailed drums shake around heavy, sustained dub chords for a surprisingly tense nine-and-a-half minutes.

Anyone familiar with the prolific STL’s output won’t be terribly surprised by the music etched into these four sides. But I can’t help but feel like this Quest For Sound has brought STL even closer to that place where his sonic signature is something you can’t merely hear. The appropriately titled “Silent State,” with its ultra-minimalist snare and nearly invisible wisps of melody, undoubtedly reached this ideal, but it made for something of a sonic departure. Back on his own Something label, STL achieves this kind of silence while sounding like no one but STL. He has long ended his sides with “Loops,” locked grooves featuring twitchy beats that will keep pounding away as long as you leave the needle down. Four of these make their way onto Quest For Sound, but I can’t help but wonder if Stephan Laubner has started to move beyond them, if he’s finally getting his linear productions to coax listeners into the state that an extended playing of these circular ones long has: time disappears, attention is lost, and the music becomes merely a vehicle for sweet, sweet hypnosis.

04. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up the Break Up” [Thesongsays] (buy)
His only release for 2009, Bruno Pronsato’s “The Make Up The Break Up” is bewilderingly an off-cut from his Why Can’t We Be Like Us album. Clocking in at an Olympian 38 minutes, the ambitious epic contains enough material for an album, both time and ideas-wise, and as such the vinyl release saw the track spread over both sides. Continuing with the themes set in Why Can’t We Be Like Us, Pronsato engages sparse snatches of sounds, collaging them into a bigger picture that slowly reveals itself over the course of the track. Shifting organically through several moods, Pronsato displays his experimental genius at the height of the track by incorporating a psychedelic theme reminiscent of Velvet Underground and sometime singer Nico. Like his most far out tracks even this lengthy exegesis resolves itself, coming back to a central groove that ties everything together. From anyone else I suspect such a project would have been little more than self indulgent twaddle, but “The Make Up The Break Up” highlights a vanguard producer at the height of his powers and one of the most compelling moments of the year. (Per Bojsen-Moller)

03. House of House, “Rushing to Paradise (Walkin These Streets)” [Whatever We Want Records] (buy)
If ever a track earned its title, this is it. “Paradise” isn’t an abstraction to those versed in dance music’s history — it instantly evokes New York’s Paradise Garage, where resident DJ Larry Levan is said to have regularly conjured an atmosphere of fabulousness unmatched since. It takes balls to attempt to recreate the euphoric rush that those late disco records so effortlessly incite, but Olivier Spencer and Saheer Umar must be hung like elephants. This remarkable record is neither nostalgic nor ironic. The charging piano and soaring, lovelorn vocal hearken back to Levan’s seminal era, but House of House is not stuck in the past — nearly ambient sections frame the track in a thoroughly contemporary context. Spencer and Umar take their time with tracky foreplay, slowly building to the exhilarating climax. Try to resist the temptation to attempt to cuddle with the vinyl afterward. (Shuja Haider)

02. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme] (buy)
Before the release of “Swimsuit Issue 1789″ in June this year, I’d felt that Pépé Bradock’s last few releases had been somewhat lukewarm. “Rhapsody In Pain,” “Sakura Incident” and “Intriguing Feathered Creature” had been interesting but far from enthralling experiments, failing to recreate the strange alchemy of the eccentric and anthemic that made classics of “4,” “Life” and of course “Deep Burnt.” It was a pleasure to realise that water is still boiling in Pépé’s pot with the A-side of this year’s solitary Bradock release (excluding the superb remix retrospective Confiote De Bits). “Path Of Most Resistance” is every bit as brilliant as the previously mentioned masterpieces, synthesizing the weird elements with the floor-filling. Let’s start with the latter; a shuffling beat, 808 claps and solid bass line ensure that it gets bodies moving, but the melancholy, sustain-drenched chords, chopped vocals and bizarre buzzing noises make it a record only Julien Auger could produce. Like a more poignant Todd Edwards, every time I heard “Path Of Most Resistance” out this summer it was accompanied by closed eyes, wistful smiles and renewed energy for the long night ahead. The label of “Path Of Most Resistance” instructs the user to “PLAY SUPER LOUD!”; advice well worth taking. (Peder Clark)

01. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records] (buy)
This year has brought us peak time tracks, deep interlude tracks, decrepit warehouse tracks, sweat-dripping basement tracks, ticklish warm-up tracks, amygdala-twisting afterhours tracks, Sunday barbecue tracks, Tuesday night bedroom dance party tracks — and then there was STL’s “Silent State,” a track with the capacity to be any of these, all of these, or none of these. While I only need a cursory glance at blogs and charts to confirm my suspicion that this masterpiece constitutes a high watermark for Stephan Laubner, the Smallville imprint, and very likely contemporary house and techno as a whole, I’ve yet to hear two DJs play that elliptical bass line, whipcrack hi-hat and gossamer melody to exactly the same effect. So much dance music these days suffers from interchangeability, but “Silent State” thrives on it, albeit interchangeability of a different sort: I’ve heard it make as much sense as a massive, euphoric vamp (as Lawrence used it in a brilliant set at what turned out to be the final House n’ Home party in Brooklyn) as it does as a trippy ambient sinew between tough techno jams (as exhibited by Marcel Dettmann at his second Bunker appearance this summer). Lacking an obvious hook or carbon-dateable production technique to grow tired of, I suspect we’ll be pondering its delicious elusiveness — not to mention watching it pop up in crafty DJ sets like some dub techno “Where’s Waldo,” or at least a latter-day “Trespassers” — for years to come.
(Jordan Rothlein)

<< 10-6
<< 15-11
<< 20-16
<< 25-21

++

Staff Lists:

Per Bojsen-Moller:

01. Bruno Pronsato, “The Makeup The Breakup” [Thesongsays]
02. Intrusion w/Paul St. Hilaire, “Little Angel” [Intrusion]
03. Ben Klock ft. Elif Biçer, “OK” (Kenny Larkin Remix) [Ostgut Tonträger]
04. Floating Points, “Love Me Like This” (Nonsense Dub) [R2 Records]
05. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
06. Martyn, “Seventy Four” [3024]
07. Mount Kimbie, “Sketch On Glass” [Hotflush Recordings]
08. Floating Points, “Vacuum Boogie” [Eglo Records]
09. Motor City Drum Ensemble, “Raw Cuts 5″ [MCDE]
10. Various Production, “Lost” (Actress Remix) [Various Production]
11. Donnacha Costello, “Always A Why” [Look Long]
12. Moderat, “Rusty Nails” [BPitch Control]
13. Anton Zap, “Spain” [Uzuri]
14. Mount Kimbie, “Maybes” [Hotflush Recordings]
15. Cooly G, “Love Dub Refix” [Hyperdub]
16. Trickski, “Lost Jams A” [Stilove4music]
17. Lawrence, “Jill” [Mule Electronic]
18. Kode9, “Black Sun” [Hyperdub]
19. Scuba, “Golden” [Hotflush Recordings]
20. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
21. Thomas Brinkmann, “Isch” (Soulphiction Remisch) [Petite]
22. John Roberts, “Relate” [Laid]
23. Baby Ford, “Gravy Train” [Perlon]
24. Burial + Four Tet, “Moth” [Text Records]
25. Linkwood, “Barely Eagle” [Firecracker Recordings]
26. Omar-S, “Flying Gorgas” [FXHE Records]
27. Santiago Salazar, “La Minora” [Historia Y Violencia]
28. Pearson Sound, “WAD” [Hessle Audio]
29. Andy Stott, “Night Jewel” [Modern Love]
30. Holger Zilske, “Druckraum” [Playhouse]

Richard Brophy:

01. Newworldaquarium, “Trespassers” (Redshape Remix) [NWAQ]
02. Steve Poindexter, “My So Called Robot Life” [Mathematics Recordings]
03. Legowelt, “Slompy Jitt” [M>O>S Recordings]
04. Optic Nerve, Reassimiltion EP [diametric.]
05. Gesloten Cirkel, “Gesloten Cirkel” [Murder Capital]
06. Omar-S, “Blown Valvetrane” [Sound Signature]
07. Kassem Mosse, “Workshop 08″ [Workshop]
08. XDB, “Cagomi” [Metrolux Music]
09. Levon Vincent, “Six Figures” [Novel Sound]
10. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
11. O/V/R, “Interior” [Blueprint]
12. Silent Servant, “Negative Fascinations” [Sandwell District]
13. Mike Dehnert, “Umluft” [Fachwerk]
14. Norman Nodge, MDR5 [Marcel Dettmann Records]
15. Paul Du Lac, “Kira” [Clone]
16. Levon Vincent, “Solemn Days” [Deconstruct]
17. Marcello Napoletano, Prescription of Love EP [Mathematics Recordings]
18. Robert Hood, “Superman/Range” [M Plant]
19. Frozen Border, “Frozen Border 01″ [Frozen Border]
20. Marcel Dettmann/Tama Sumo & Prosumer, Phantasma 3
[Diamonds & Pearls Music]
21. Newworldaquarium, “The Force” (Ame Remix) [NWAQ]
22. Delta Funktionen, “Electromagnetic Radiaton 2 [Ann Aimee]
23. Function, Remixed [Sandwell District]
24. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
25. EQD, “Equalized #002″ [Equalized"
26. Peter Van Hoesen, "Face of Smoke" [Komisch]
27. Hauntologists, EP 1 [Hauntologists]
28. Wax, “No.20002-B” [Wax]
29. Horizontal Ground, “Horizontal Ground 01″ [Horizontal Ground]
30. Fanon Flowers, “Acid Kush” [Studio Sound]

Chris Burkhalter:

01. Scott Grooves, “Detroit 808 (Dub Delay)” [Natural Midi]
02. Joker, “Digidesign” [Hyperdub]
03. Santiago Salazar, “Arcade” [Macro]
04. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
05. Isolée, “A Nightingale” [Diynamic Music]
06. Peter Van Hoesen, “Attribute One” [Time To Express]
07. Black Jazz Consortium, “New Horizon” [Soul People Music]
08. A Made Up Sound, “Bounce” [Clone Basement Series]
09. Pépé Bradock, “Path Of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
10. Kode 9, “Black Sun” [Hyperdub]
11. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled A1″ [Workshop]
12. Urban Tribe, “Gencon” [Trust]
13. Donato Dozzy & Cio D’Or, “Menta” [Time To Express]
14. Scott Grooves, “Detroit 808″ [Natural Midi]
15. Even Tuell, “Untitled A1″ [Workshop]
16. John Roberts, “Maroon” [Dial]
17. Joy Orbison, “Hyph Mngo” [Hotflush Recordings]
18. Omar-S, “Blown Valvetrane” [Sound Signature]
19. Kai Alcé, “KZR Gruv” [Deep Explorer]
20. Peter Van Hoesen, “Continued Care” [Komisch]
21. Odd Machine, “Phase In” [Non Standard Productions]
22. Burial + Four Tet, “Moth” [Text Records]
23. Benjamin Brunn, “Approaching India” [Mule Electronic]
24. STL, “Check Mate” [echospace [detroit]]
25. Anton Zap, “Spain” [Uzuri]
26. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
27. 2562, “Love in Outer Space” [Tectonic]
28. Floating Points, “Argonaute II” [Eglo Records]
29. Cio D’Or, “Goldbrokat” [Prologue]
30. STL, “Moonlight Reflections” [Something]

Andrew Clapper:

01. House of House, “Rushing to Paradise (Walkin’ These Streets)”
[Whatever We Want Records]
02. The Revenge, “Heavy Love” [Instruments Of Rapture]
03. Mark E, “Formed” [Under the Shade]
04. Rainer Trueby, “Ayer’s Rock” [N/A]
05. Walter Jones, “Living Without Your Love” [DFA]
06. Ronda, “Folana” [Bear Funk]
07. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
08. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
09. Still Going, “Spaghetti Circus” [DFA]
10. Motor City Drum Ensemble, “Raw Cuts #6″ [MCDE]
11. Lindstrom & Christabelle, “Baby Can’t Stop” [Feedelity]
12. Linkwood Family, “Miles Away” (Intrusion Sunrise Dub)
[Firecracker Recordings]
13. Bottin, “No Static” [Bear Funk]
14. Prins Thomas, “Mammut” [Full Pupp]
15. Rick Wade, “The D” [Laid]
16. Prosumer & Murat Tepeli, “U & I” [Ostgut Tonträger]
17. The Revenge, “Hotz 4 You” [Instruments Of Rapture]
18. Junkie XL, “Dream On” [N/A]
19. Rainer Trueby, “To Know You” [N/A]
20. Delano Smith, “Cosmos Revisited” [Third Ear Recordings]
21. Ben Klock ft. Elif Biçer, “OK” (Kenny Larkin Remix) [Ostgut Tonträger]
22. Basic Soul Unit, “Basic Necessity” [New Kanada]
23. Beatfanatic, “Prince of Darkness” [Soundscape]
24. Soul Clap, “Love Light” [Wolf + Lamb Music]
25. Social Disco Club & Maia, “The Way You Move” (Greg Wilson Version)
[Bear Funk]
26. Massimiliano Pagliara, “Sometimes at Night” [Live At Robert Johnson]
27. Move D & Benjamin Brunn, “In the Beginning” [Smallville Records]
28. Santiago Salazar, “Arcade” [Macro]
29. The Hasbeens, “I Fall to Pieces” [Frustrated Funk]
30. DJ Koze, “Mrs. Bojangels” [Circus Company]

Peder Clark:

01. Pépé Bradock, “Path Of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
02. LCD Soundystem, “45:33″ (Theo Parrish’s Space Cadet Remix) [DFA]
03. Leron Carson, “Red Lightbulb” [Sound Signature]
04. Legowelt, “Lovestory SH21″ [M>O>S Recordings]
05. Bruce Ivery, “Rush” [Stilove4music]
06. Ben Klock, “Subzero” [Ostgut Tonträger]
07. Tevo Howard, “Everyday House Music” [Beautiful Granville Records]
08. Christopher Rau, “Ne Travaillez Jamais” [Dérive Schallplatten]
09. Big Strick, “Buckle-Up!” [FXHE Records]
10. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
11. Levon Vincent, “Six Figures” [Novel Sound]
12. Julius Steinhoff, “Something Like Wonderful” [Smallville]
13. Dplay, “Tschaka” [Running Back]
14. Shake, “Indagoo” [Morphine Records]
15. Margaret Dygas, “Frankly” [Perlon]
16. Wbeeza, “He So Crazy” [Third Ear Recordings]
17. John Daly, “This Is A Lonely Beat” [Drumpoet Community]
18. Delano Smith, “This Heart” [Mixmode Recordings]
19. Steinhoff & Hammouda, “Touch” [Smallville Records]
20. Precious System, “The Voice From Planet Love” [Running Back]
21. DJ Jus-Ed, “Some New Shit 2 Dub” [Kinda Soul]
22. Mike Dehnert, “Umlaut 2″ (First Version) [Clone Basement Series]
23. John Roberts, “Blame” [Laid]
24. Linkwood, “Barely Eagle” [Firecracker Recordings]
25. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled B1″ [Workshop]
26. Robert Dietz, “Witness” [Running Back]
27. Norman Nodge, “ManMade” [Marcel Dettmann Records]
28. XDB, “Cagomi” [Metrolux Music]
29. Actress, “Crushed” [Prime Numbers]
30. Tony Lionni, “Found A Place” [Ostgut Tonträger]

Shuja Haider:

01. House of House, “Rushing to Paradise (Walkin These Streets)”
[Whatever We Want Records]
02. Rainer Trueby, “To Know You” [N/A]
03. Floating Points, “Love Me Like This” [R2 Records]
04. Osborne, “Wait a Minute” [Spectral Sound]
05. LCD Soundsystem, “45:33″ (Theo Parrish’s Space Cadet Remix) [DFA]
06. Shake, “Indagoo” [Morphine Records]
07. Mutant Beat Dance, “In a Daze” [Discos Capablanca]
08. Juju & Jordash, “Same Ol’ Day” [Juju Music]
09. Leron Carson, “Red Lightbulb” [Sound Signature]
10. Pépé Bradock, “Path Of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
11. Still Going, “Spaghetti Circus” [DFA]
12. Walter Jones, “I’ll Keep On Loving You” [DFA]
14. Black Jazz Consortium, “Build It” [Soul People Music]
15. Prosumer & Murat Tepeli, “U & I” [Ostgut Tonträger]
15. Tensnake, “In the End (I Want You To Cry)” [Running Back]
16. Capracara, King of the Witches (Rub ‘N’ Tug Remix) [DFA]
17. Neville Watson, “Up Yours” [Clone Jack For Daze Series]
18. Theo Parrish, “Space Station” [Sound Signature]
19. Prins Thomas, “Mammut” [Full Pupp]
20. Norman Nodge, “Attitudes” [Marcel Dettmann Records]
21. Mount Kimbie, “Maybes” [Hotflush Recordings]
22. Cobblestone Jazz, “Traffic Jam” [Wagon Repair]
23. Moody, “Desire” [KDJ]
24. Rick Wade, “The D” [Laid]
25. The Future, “They Call Me” [Sect Recordings]
26. Hunee, “Rare Silk” [W.T. Records]
27. Kinoeye, “Mean Old World” [W.T. Records]
28. Bsmnt City Anymle Kontrol, “The Perfekt Sin” [Wild Oats]
29. Brawther, “Endless” [Balance Alliance]
30. Solomun & Jackmate, “Carnivale” [Phil e]

Todd Hutlock:

01. DJ Koze, “Dr. Fuck” [Circus Company]
02. Stefan Goldmann, “Art Of Sorrow” [Victoriaville]
03. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
04. Âme, “Ensor” [Innervisions]
05. House Of House, “Rushing To Paradise (Walkin These Streets)”
[Whatever We Want Records]
06. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
07. Isolée, “A Nightingale” [Diynamic Music]
08. The Mole, “For The Lost” [Internasjonal]
09. Ben Klock, “Before One” [Ostgut Tonträger]
10. DJ Koze, “Mrs. Bojangels” [Circus Company]
11. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
12. Intrusion w/Paul St. Hilaire, “Little Angel” [echospace [detroit]]
13. Theo Parrish, “Space Station” [Sound Signature]
14. Minilogue, “My Teenager Gang” [Mule Electronic]
15. Loco Dice, “Black Truffles In The Snow” (Mike Huckaby’s S Y N T H Remix) [Desolat]
16. Minilogue, “Animals” (Luciano Remix) [Cocoon Recordings]
17. Linkwood Family, “Miles Away” (Intrusion Sunset Dub)
[Firecracker Recordings]
18. Omar-S, “Blown Valvetrane” [Sound Signature]
19. Luciano & Guy Gerber, “Arcenciel” [Cadenza]
20. Deuce, “Twerp Wiz” [Ostgut Tonträger]
21. Burial + Four Tet, “Moth” [Text Records]
22. Wareika, “King’s Child” (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [Motivbank]
23. Matias Aguayo, “Bo Jack” [Cómeme]
24. The Field, “The More That I Do” [Kompakt]
25. John Roberts, “Mirror” [Dial]
26. Baby Ford, “Gravy Train” [Perlon]
27. Thomas Brinkmann, “Isch” (Souphiction Remisch) [Petite]
28. San Proper, “Keep It Raw” [Perlon]
29. Omar-S, “Still Serious Nic” [FXHE Records]
30. Bvdub, “To Live” [Smallfish]

Anton Kipfel:

01. Wax, “Dub Shed” (STP remix)
02. Bodycode, “Imitation Lover” [Spectral Sound]
03. Kode9, “Black Sun” [Hyperdub]
04. House of House, “Rushing to Paradise (Walkin These Streets)”
[Whatever We Want Records]
05. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled B1″ [Workshop]
06. Moritz Von Oswald Trio, “Pattern 1″ [Honest Jon's Records]
07. Marcel Dettmann, “Helix” [Diamonds & Pearls Music]
08. Shake, “Levitate” [Morphine Records]
09. Efdemin, “Acid Bells” (Martyn’s Dark Mix) [Métisse]
10. Moderat, “Rusty Nails” (Shackleton Remix) [50 Weapons]
11. Roman Fluegel, “Discofiasco” [Turbo]
12. Anton Zap, “Mon 16_46″ [Uzuri]
13. Peter Van Hoesen, “Attribute One” [Time To Express]
14. Shackleton, “Slow Train Coming” [Perlon]
15. Odd Machine, “Phase In” [Non Standard Productions]
16. John Roberts, “Blame” [Laid]
17. Baby Ford, “No Day” [Perlon]
18. Marcel Fengler, “Twisted Bleach” [Ostgut Tonträger]
19. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
20. D. Quin, “At The End of the World” [Slow to Speak]
21. Moody, “Freeki Mutha F cker” [KDJ]
22. Planetary Assault Systems, “Whoodoo” [Ostgut Tonträger]
23. Anstam, Cree [Anstam]
24. Joy Orbison, “Hyph Mngo” [Hotflush Recordings]
25. Ghostleigh, “Tumble” [Ghostleighdubz]
26. Matt O’Brien, “Blackwood Freestyle” [Off-Key Industries]
27. Enliven dOP Acoustics, “The Dust” (Enliven Deep Acoustics Mix)
[Enliven Deep Acoustics]
28. Freestyle Man, “Vibin” [Hairy Claw]
29. Toby Tobias, In My Eyes (Tensnake Remix) [REKIDS]
30. Lee Curtiss, “Smoking Mirrors” [Spectral Sound]

Kuri Kondrak:

01. Walter Jones, “Living Without Your Love” [DFA]
02. Floating Points, “Truly” [Eglo Records]
03. Hunee, “Rare Silk” [W.T. Records]
04. Patrice Scott, “Excursions” [Sistrum Recordings]
05. Keith Worthy, “Lost in Sound” [Aesthetic Audio]
06. DJ Sprinkles, “Grand Central, Pt 1 (Deep Into The Bowel Of House)” (MCDE Bassline Dub) [Mule Musiq]
07. Santiago Salazar, “Arcade” [Macro]
08. Juju & Jordash, “Deep Blue Meanies” [Dekmantel]
09. Scott Grooves, “Detroit 808″ [Natural Midi]
10. Efdemin, “The Pulse (John Beltran’s Summer Light Remix) [Metisse]
11. Subotika, “Moving On” [Motech]
12. Kuba, “Message From Earth” [Matrix Records]
13. Black Jazz Consortium, “New Horizons” [Soul People Music]
14. Wax, “No.20002-B” [Wax]
15. Shake, “Indagoo” [Morphine Records]
16. Dynamodyse, “Gare Du Nord” [We Play House]
17. Mr. Done, “Diamond” [Altered Moods]
18. Orlando Voorn, “Power of Beauty” [Divine Records]
19. Agore, “Café Au Lait” [4 Lux]
20. Numbercult, “See feel” [Numbercult]
21. The Florian Muller Project, “Sur Le Fil” [Logos Recordings]
22. Ican, “Make It Hot” [Ican Productions]
23. Tony Lionni, “Found A Place” [Ostgut Tonträger]
24. Dam Funk, “Galactic Fun” [Stones Throw Recordings]
25. Redshape, “Bound (Part 1 & 2) [Delsin]
26. Brawther, “Asteroids and Stardust” [Balance Alliance]
27. Morphosis, “Cetrik” [M>O>S Recordings]
28. Kinoeye, “Mean Old World” [W.T. Records]
29. Mark Grusane & Mike Cole ft. Deanna, “Time & Space”
[Hour House Is Your Rush Records]
30. Sidearms, “Humantics” [Logos Recordings]

Will Lynch:

01. Benoit & Sergio, “Full Grown Man” [Thesongsays]
02. Black Jazz Consortium, “New Horizon” [Soul People Music]
03. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
04. Motor City Drum Ensemble, “Raw Cut #6″ [MCDE]
05. Reagenz, “Keep Buildin’ (feat. Fred P)” [Workshop]
06. Motor City Drum Ensemble, “Raw Cut #3″ [MCDE]
07. Wolf + Lamb, “If U Had” (Shaun Reeves Edit) [Wolf + Lamb Music]
08. Nina Kraviz, “Gonna Be Mine” [Underground Quality]
09. XDB, “Desert Storm” [Metrolux Music]
10. Black Jazz Consortium, “Steps Beyond” [Soul People Music]
11. Margaret Dygas, “Frankly” [Perlon]
12. Levon Vincent, “A Melody For Everyone” [Novel Sound]
13. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
14. Losoul, “Deuce” [Playhouse]
15. No Regular Play, “Derecha” [Wolf + Lamb Music]
16. Omar-S, “Flying Gorgars” [FXHE Records]
17. Mountains, “Etching” [Thrill Jockey]
18. Big Strick, “A Walk Down Linwood” [FXHE Records]
19. 3 Chairs, “War on Woodward Ave” [Three Chairs]
20. Marcel Fengler, “Twisted Bleach” [Ostgut Tonträger]
21. Nina Kraviz, “Voices” (Jenifa Mayanja Remix) [Underground Quality]
22. Black Jazz Consortium, “Black Light” [Soul People Music]
23. Levon Vincent, “Late Night Jam” [Ostgut Tonträger]
24. STL, “A Beautiful Mind” [echospace [detroit]]
25. Lerosa, “Fags” [Uzuri]
26. Anton Zap, “It’s Your Wave Too” [Quintessentials]
27. Oni Ayhun, “OAR003B” [Oni Ayhun Records]
28. Jitterbug, “Speakers Corner” [Uzuri]
29. Steffi, “24 Hours” [Ostgut Tonträger]
30. Delano Smith, “Truth” [Third Ear Recordings]

Chris Miller:

01. Peter Van Hoesen, “Attribute One” [Time to Express]
02. Mount Kimbie, “Fifty Mile View” [Hotflush Recordings]
03. Pearson Sound, “Wad” [Hessle Audio]
04. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
05. Deuce, “Twerp Wiz” [Ostgut Tonträger]
06. Geiom + Appleblim, “Shreds” [Berkane Sol]
07. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
08. Oni Ayhun, “OAR003 B” [Oni Ayhun Records]
09. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled B1″ [Workshop]
10. Scuba, “Aesaunic” [Hotflush Recordings]
11. N/A, “Variance III” (Marcel Dettmann Edit) [Sandwell District]
12. Rndm, “Third Hand Smoke” [Laid]
13. Peter Van Hoesen, “Face of Smoke” [Komisch]
14. John Roberts, “Blame” [Laid]
15. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
16. Silent Servant, “Discipline” [Sandwell District]
17. Giorgio Gigli, “Spazio” [Prologue]
18. Donato Dozzy & Cio D’or, “Menta” (Peter van Hoesen Remix)
[Time to Express]
19. Untold, “I Can’t Stop This Feeling” [Hessle Audio]
20. Ramadanman, “Humber” [Apple Pips]
21. Ben Klock, “Before One” [Ostgut Tonträger]
22. Donnacha Costello, “Fathoms Deep” [Look Long]
23. Dimi Angélis & Jeroen Search, “Our Life With The Wave” [Smallville Records]
24. Planetary Assault Systems, “X Speaks to X” (Appleblim and Al Tourettes Remix) [Ostgut Tonträger]
25. Levon Vincent, “Games Dub” [Underground Quality]
26. Marcel Dettmann, “Kernel” [Marcel Dettmann Records]
27. Appleblim & Ramadanman, “Sous le Sable” [Aus Music]
28. Scuba, “Symbiosis” [Hotflush Recordings]
29. DJ Koze, “Mrs Bojangels” [Circus Company]
30. Reagenz ft. Fred P, “Keep Buildin’” [Workshop]

Steve Mizek:

01. Wax, “No.20002-B” [Wax]
02. Black Jazz Consortium, “What’s Up With the Love” [Soul People Music]
03. Rainer Trueby, “To Know You” [N/A]
04. Ben Klock, “Subzero” [Ostgut Tonträger]
05. Paul Frick, “Steal My Heart” (dub) [Kalk Pets]
06. Tensnake, “In the End (I Want You to Cry)” [Running Back]
07. Prosumer & Murat Tepeli, “U & I” [Ostgut Tonträger]
08. Animal Collective, “My Girls” [Domino]
09. Joker, “Digidesign” [Hyperdub]
10. John Roberts, “Mirror” [Dial]
11. Kassem Mosse, “Untitled A1″ [Workshop]
12. House of House, “Rushing to Paradise (Walkin These Streets)”
[Whatever We Want Records]
13. Wax, “Dub Shed” (STP Remix) [Subsolo]
14. Martyn, “Elden St.” [3024]
15. Portable, “The Shallow” [Musik Krause]
16. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
17. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
18. Ben Klock ft. Elif Biçer, “OK” (Kenny Larkin Remix) [Ostgut Tonträger]
19. Linkwood, “Falling” [Prime Numbers]
20. Newworldaquarium, “The Force” (Ame Remix) [NWAQ]
21. Kode9, “Black Sun” [Hyperdub]
22. Rndm, “Third Hand Smoke” [Laid]
23. Peter Van Hoesen, “Attribute One” [Time to Express]
24. Âme, “Ensor” [Innervisions]
25. Oni Ahyun, “OAR003-B” [Oni Ahyun Records]
26. Bruno Pronsato, “Make Up the Breakdown” [Thesongsays]
27. Bodycode, “Imitation Lover” [Spectral Sound]
28. The Chain, “Geo” [R & S Records]
29. Santiago Salazar, “Arcade” [Macro]
30. Ralph Falcon, “Whateva” (House Mixx) [Nervous Records]

Jordan Rothlein:

01. Levon Vincent, “Solemn Days” [Deconstruct]
02. Moritz Von Oswald Trio, “Pattern One” [Honest Jon's Records]
03. Untold, “Anaconda” [Hessle Audio]
04. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
05. Shackleton, “It’s Time For Love” [Perlon]
06. Darkstar, “Aidy’s Girl’s A Computer” [Hyperdub]
07. Levon Vincent, “Late Night Jam” [Ostgut Tonträger]
08. Shed, “Another Wedged Chicken” (Martyn’s 131 Remix) [Ostgut Tonträger]
09. Reggie Dokes, “Dancefloor Spectacle” [We Play House]
10. Tin Man, “Constant Confusion” [Cheap]
11. Joker, “Digidesign” [Hyperdub]
12. LCD Soundsystem, “45:33″ (Theo Parrish’s Space Cadet Remix) [DFA]
13. Sideshow ft. Paul St. Hilaire, “If Alone” (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix) [Aus Music]
14. Santiago Salazar, “Arcade” (Stefan Goldmann Mix) [Macro]
15. Matias Aguayo ft. Ladybumbox, “Bo Jack” (Vocal) [Comeme]
16. Joy Orbison, “Hyph Mngo” [Hotflush Recordings]
17. Thriller, “Freak For You” [Thriller]
18. Deuce, “Twerp Wiz” [Ostgut Tonträger]
19. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
20. Wax, “No. 20002-B” [Wax]
21. Nina Kraviz ft. Raphael M., “FREE” [Underground Quality]
22. Hieroglyphic Being, “The Future Shock” [Slow To Speak]
23. Cooly G, “Love Dub” [Hyperdub]
24. Jenifa Mayanja, “Bearings” [Bu-Mako]
25. Patrice Scott, “Excursions” [Sistrum Recordings]
26. Ben Klock feat. Elif Biçer, “Goodly Sin” (Robert Hood Remix)
[Ostgut Tonträger]
27. Levon Vincent, “Six Figures” [Novel Sound]
28. Appleblim & Ramadanman, “Sous Le Sable” [Aus Music]
29. DJ Jus-Ed, “Sweetness” [Underground Quality]
30. Hector & Bryant, “Tension” (Appleblim & Al Tourettes Remix)
[Phonica Records]

[echospace [detroit]]

When the time comes for year-end wrap-ups, count on STL’s pursuit of techno’s humid depths to be one of 2009′s leading stories. The past eleven months saw Stephan Laubner following other creative muses as well (and prolifically), but between the “Silent State” EP for Smallville and a mix CD tellingly titled Dub Techno Explorations, it seems safe to declare a new chapter in the STL legacy. Despite its reverb and grit, “Silent State”‘s bass lines were so buoyant that many notched it as house, but Exploration‘s seventy minutes of dub techno oxidation aimed more for texture and atmosphere. Appropriate enough, then, that the Echospace crew took interest, helping Laubner issue — by my count — his tenth record of 2009.

The two STL tracks featured here, “Check Mate” and “Beautiful Mind,” both appeared on Explorations mix (tracks 2 and 5, if you want to check). Tenuously contained between hasty fade-ins and fade-outs, these aren’t autonomous tracks so much as windows opening on sonic continuities exceeding the capacity of vinyl. Not that they’re less entrancing for it, though. Hypnotic, soft focus, texture, murk, haze, smoke — you know the tags. But this is nebulous even as dub techno goes, the ponderous chords, treated percussion, and field recordings matted into diffuse abstraction. The listless, tinny percussion in “Check Mate”‘s high-end captures the track’s sense of absent drift but, all the while, churning bass grooves and neat kick drum patterns steadily pull us forward. It’s the permeating fog that registers most, of course, and that goes double for the sleepy-eyed “Beautiful Mind.” Dub techno lends itself well to headphone-listening, and Laubner’s gift for early morning, solitary music really blossoms on this track. Behind a drizzle of shakers and dripped drum taps, the atonal chords moan like emanations from some distant shipyard. It’s gently immersive but, more than that, its casual melancholy achieves an emotional depth that sets it apart from just about everything else on the field.

We’re also treated to a rare remix of STL’s work, courtesy of cv313. Their “Remodel” of “Check Mate” — actually positioned at the front of the record — asserts dub over drift, its tougher kick drums and cheerier rhythms resulting in a firmer track with a lot more oomph. Offering a sort of counterpoint to STL’s take on the genre, it’s another fine entry in cv313′s run of dub-inspired head-nod. There’s not a complaint I can lodge against this package.

[Smallville]

“Smallville ist nicht Dial.” A De:Bug review of an early Smallville release (DJ Swap’s superb “The Walk”) made this clear, but until last year, many people still persisted in treating it as a mere sub-label of the more established Hamburg imprint. Of course, this is understandable, given Peter Kersten (Lawrence/Sten)’s involvement in both, not to mention the similar influences and palettes. Both have grown out of the Hamburg scene, share a reverence for Afro-American music, and have a sophisticated yet melancholy European air, but this past year has seen Smallville come gloriously out of Dial’s shadow. Where Dial releases music as much for the couch or even concert hall as the club, Smallville is more firmly dance floor-orientated. Still, as this CD compilation And Suddenly It’s Morning proves, their music is equally at home, well, at home.

Label owner Julius Steinhoff’s “Something Like Wonderful” opens up, and fully lives up to it’s faux modest title. Urgent snares and a hearty, thumping beat are joined by warm pads for the most accomplished track of Steinhoff’s short career. The influence of Lawrence is palpable and natural considering the pair’s close working relationship, but it also provides keen competition for Detroit’s Beatdown operators as late night music par excellence. After such a high benchmark has been set, it’s a wonder that Christopher Rau’s “Childhood” isn’t a letdown. “Boards of Canada go to the club” is a phrase that springs easily to mind, but the pistoning beat and insistent, clipped keys that bleed in halfway through keep this from kids-in-the-background-and-pastel-pads pastiche. Rau shares a further track with the unknown Bon with “Cloverleaf Days,” which unwinds elegantly like a ball of wool rolled across the floor. On both occasions, Rau cements his reputation as a newcomer to watch, after his standout contribution to the first Dérive twelve earlier in the year.

Move D and Benjamin Brunn reunite for “In The Beginning,” which will come as a tart surprise to anyone expecting reprises of last year’s blissfully bucolic Songs From The Beehive. Putting the “…Was Jack” into the title of the track, crackling snares, a wonky bass line and fierce Motor City synth stabs make this the most peaktime moment either producer has achieved for a very long time. An obvious highlight, may the pair reunite for many more similar outings at the earliest opportunity. The previously released tracks by Lowtec, Dimi Angélis & Jeroen Search and Steinhoff & Hammouda should already be familiar to LWE readers, and little more needs to be said other than that they still sound as great now as when we first waxed lyrical about them. Lawrence, who can be seen as the godfather of this compilation, contributes a strong track after his below par album Until Then, Goodbye. Where that album failed in its unsuccessful forays into near beatless territories, “Don’t Forget” takes Lawrence back to his Absence Of Blight heyday. The latter record still stands as one of the finest German house albums ever committed to good ol’ polyvinyl chloride, so hopefully Lawrence will consider this a knot in his handkerchief to remind him of his subtle powers.

Of the remaining tracks, Sven Tesnadi’s “Winter” and STL’s “Neurotransmitting Clouds On The Secret Freeway” play very much to both producers’ strengths, and while doing so, end up rather unremarkable in the company of high achievers. Tesnadi’s effort is a strong club track that kicks in all the right places, while Stephan Laubner seems a little on autopilot, reminiscent of how Floating Points might sound on downers. Perhaps the one criticism that could be leveled at And Suddenly It’s Morning is its consistency. There are no hip dubstep influences, house divas, or any other zeitgeist references. Just good music, pretty much from start to finish. For newcomers to the label and old friends alike, this is excellent fare. It’s a fine summation of Smallville’s progress to become one of Europe’s premier imprints. Let’s spell this out once more. Smallville is not Dial; for the past year at least, it has been better.

[Something]

2009 may go down as the year of the private press, but STL (aka Stefan Laubner of Bad Harzburg) has traveled this hand-paved road for six years with his Something imprint, issuing scuffed-up house and techno tracks, field recording collages, and numerous combinations thereof. The best of these come off as soft-spoken bedroom curios, but garner enthusiastic support as potent groove tracks. Juggling a prolific release schedule and bankable quality control, STL’s steadily amassed a loyal fan base. Farming out the occasional release to Perlon can’t have hurt either, but it’s a new alliance with Smallville, bringing with it the overwhelmingly embraced “Silent State” EP, that’s really raised STL’s profile this year. Yet his in-house press is as busy as ever. Arriving in June, “The Unseen Voyage” is familiar, steadfast STL, a sign perhaps that neither “Silent State” nor the increased attention have disrupted the Something agenda. Don’t mistake it for a retread, though. “Space Warriors,” the EP’s opener and longest track, manages to feel unmistakably like STL while sounding nothing like anything he’s done before. The track layers a shrill ascending squeal — sounding like the Something logo’s UFO soaring into the heavens — over a frenzied keyboard jam that similarly presses us forward, but keeps us on the ground. The shortcut description, though, is to call this STL’s “Mouth To Mouth” basement tape, a feverish cycle of swelling build and celebratory release, all captured on Super-8.

The B-side switches to weathered, dusty house, following a line of Theo Parrish-derived, plaintive deepness that’s regularly turned up on Something and seems to be getting more and more raw. “Walk With Me” works a rough sketch of a keyboard line, a brief spoken sample, a patter of hand drumming and, of course, a muffled kick drum heartbeat. A different kind of “late night” feel than we usually talk about at LWE, it’s eloquently emotive, but retains a smoky funk — ideal for solitary headphones listening. Ditto the aptly titled “Me Myself And I,” which lays haunting Carnival of Souls organ over a rhythm of metallic taps, smothered crashes and, yes, more of that dull kick drum throb. There are echoes of “My Home,” my favorite from 2007′s Night Grooves, but this is a more jagged and altogether eerier track. Add to all this a two-and-a-half minute slice of musique concrète and the usual bundle of locked-groove miniatures, and you get the impression that Laubner must have cabinets bursting with this stuff. Indeed, while reviewing this one, another new EP popped up on the Something site. Not to worry, though; Laubner will find plenty of listeners happy to help him clean house.

[Styrax Records]

The title of Styrax’s In Loving Memory series is both intriguing and provocative. Is the compilation intended as the final epitaph on techno’s gravestone? A nostalgic tribute to the pioneers of all things deep and dubby? A signpost to the mournful nature of much of the music contained in the four volumes? Or just a Moodymann reference? The label, along with its subsidiaries Styrax Leaves and Millions of Moments, have always celebrated techno’s past while keeping one eye on its future as well. Alongside essential reissues such as G-Man’s “Quo Vadis” and records by John Beltran, Monojunk and Aaron Carl, it’s also introduced the world to newer artists such as Redshape. The three previous In Loving Memory 12″s paired secret classics by Deepchord, Laurent Garnier and Octave One with newer productions from the likes of Atheus, Remote and Arne Weinberg, reminding listeners that much of the techno made today, and in particular the dubbier side, owes much to innovations made at least a decade or two ago. Whether this is a negative thing is mainly up to personal taste, or perhaps whether you were there the first time around.

The eight contributors to 4.4, split across two 12″s, almost all do fine jobs, but with the title as an albatross around their neck, sometimes it’s hard to forget it’s all been done before. Predictably, John Daly stands head and shoulders above the rest, with his debut release “Birds” made available again for the first time since 2006. Deep and dubby it is, but somehow the way in which the layers come together so effortlessly make this essential listening. Similarly, Morphosis (the housier alias of Ra.H) does a brilliant job with a handful of elements — a thumping bottom end, a monosyllabic choir and the occasional snare — so that “They Just Don’t Care” can stand side-by-side proudly with Patrice Scott’s oeuvre. STL’s effort is probably the perkiest thing Stefan Laubner has ever made, but steers too close to Theo Parrish’s wonkier side to make it stand out. Of the rest, Sven Weisemann’s “Deep Passion” (Sven’s Repassion Remix) is polite to a fault; Lowtec’s “Stamping Ground” is given a necessary re-airing after its 2002 release on Move D’s Source label, while John Beltran, Sam McQueen and Derek Carr all provide homogeneous homages to the Artificial Intelligence era. In Loving Memory is far from the final nail in the coffin of techno, but also serves as stark warning against having too respectful an attitude towards its past.

Chart courtesy of The Economist.

01. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
What more can we say? EP of the year so far?

02. Ben Watt ft. Julia Biel, “Guinea Pig” (DJ Koze’s Vocal Variation remix) [Buzzin Fly Records] (buy)
We’re starting to believe DJ Koze is giving Ricardo Villalobos a run for his money as techno/house’s most beloved auteur. He’s an irrepressible force always undermining the boundaries of dance music and electronic music more generally, often busting out in inexplicably appealing ways. His remix of Ben Watt’s “Guinea Pig” is similarly alluring, a tangled narrative of unstable vocals, shuddering snare hits, lucid marimba notes, disconnected phone numbers and a pumping arpeggio, all held together by the sheer quality of its disparate parts. DJ Koze’s music is so unabashedly original yet ultimately accessible, and each new release only furthers that reputation.

03. John Daly, “This Is A Lonely Beat”
[Drumpoet Community] (buy)
Had we not known it was John Daly’s work when “This Is A Lonely Beat” poured from the PA, we wouldn’t have believed it. His productions are almost always melodically bountiful but rarely outright poppy, which is what he achieves for Drumpoet Community. In fact the only thing that gives him away is the subtle dub iterations ringing the hypnotic churning riff. Otherwise we migh’ve suspected a long forgotten French house master was behind the jittery vocal snippets, snug and chugging percussion and gregarious bass line. And try as we might, masks and all, John Daly’s newest is too infectious to resist.

04. Boris Hotton, “Bon Voyage”
[Troubled Kids Records] (buy)
Boris Hotton has been lurking around techno and house since 2005, but it wasn’t until his remix of Sven Weisemann’s “Slices” for liebe*detail spezial that he gained any visibility. He makes his solo debut on the similarly nascent Troubled Kids Records, and his two originals manage to best remixes from Motorcitysoul and Jesus Gonsev. The sultry “Bon Voyage” is tops in our book, even though it traffics in many “deep house” tropes that have grown vastly overused. Yet his arrangements are more complex and heartwarming, like the way he drapes a vocal over the hardened drums, the way his synth lines and string progressions sweep over the dance floor like a sudden flush of emotion. “Bon Voyage” is unlikely to end up Hotton’s calling card, but it bodes well for future releases and will nicely round out deeper DJ sets.

05. Gruber & Nurnberg, “Traffic” (Agnès remix)
[Bloop Recordings] (buy)
What’s incredible about Agnès’ remixes isn’t just their reliable quality, but how much musical DNA they share regardless of the source material. It’s as if he’s turned his Swiss studio into a factory where the top sellers are elastic synth stabs, billowing pads and segmented diva vocal samples. But for all the homogeny, I’ve yet to find an Agnès remix unremarkable; his version of Gruber & Nurnberg’s “Traffic” is latest to follow the trend. The pinching ancillary percussion spinning cobwebs between solid house rhythms recalls Around the House-era Herbert — a great set of touchstones — and helps an otherwise by-the-numbers remix stand out. Here’s hoping this is one factory the global economy won’t cause to shutter.

06. Dplay, “Huub Sand” [Running Back] (buy)
Until now, Dplay only hit our radar when his star was hitched with Manuel Tur’s, but his ambitious new EP for Running Back suggests he’s a force to be reckoned with even solo. Rounding out a rather diverse and at times unusual release, the title track distills all Dplay’s personality into a simpler structure. Smooth and sober without plodding, its eight minutes are covered with the sheen of humming pads, rolling along at the behest of pneumatic percussion and a pulpy two-fingered progression. We can’t help but think of Global Communication when hearing “Huub Sand,” but it’s a good sound for Dplay, one likely to be heard as the sun warms the dawn sky into a blushing shade of purple.

07. Martyn, Great Lengths [3024] (buy)
08. Point G, “Headache” [Innervisions] (buy)
09. Ben Klock, One [Ostgut Tonträger] (buy)
10. Kode9, “Black Sun” [Hyperdub] (buy)

Check out LWE staff charts after the jump.
Staff Charts

Bill Bearden:

01. Benga, “Buzzin” [Tempa]
02. Caspa ft. Dynamite MC, “The Takeover” [Sub Soldiers]
03. Distance, “Night Vision” (Skream remix) [Planet Mu]
04. MRK1, “Kill Zone” [Contagious]
05. Benga, “Technocal” [Tectonic]
06. Joker, “Do It” [Kapsize]
07. Jakes, “War Face” [Hench]
08. Breakage ft. David Rodigan, “Together” [Digital Soundboy]
09. Rusko, “Moaners” [Sub Soldiers]
10. Starkey, “Gutter Music” [Keysound]

Per Bojsen-Moller:

01. Martyn, Great Lengths [3024]
02. L-OW, “Moment of Truth” [On The Edge]
03. Pier Bucci & Jacek Sienkiewicz, “Skazka” [Recognition]
04. N/A, “Varience III/IV” [Sandwell District]
05. Freund Der Familie, “Sark” (Marko’s La Coupee Mix) [Freund Der Familie]
06. Joe, “Grimelight” [Hessle Audio]
07. Jamie Vex’d, “In System Travel” [Planet Mu]
08. Anonym, “Hart Plaza” [Pariter]
09. Fever Ray, “When I Grow Up” (Scuba’s Straight Down Mix) [Universal]
10. Michel Cleis, “La Mezcla” [Cadenza]

Chris Burkhalter:

01. Isolée, “A Nightingale” [Diynamic Music]
02. Black Jazz Consortium, “Living the Dream” [Soul People Music]
03. Joker, “Digidesign” [Hyperdub]
04. Alex Cortex, “déon” [Pomelo]
05. Anton Zap, “Spain” [Uzuri]
06. Raza, “Gonna Make You Work” [Millions of Moments]
07. October, “My Left Tool” [Perspectiv]
08. DJ Koze, “Mrs. Bojangles” [Circus Company]
09. Shake, “Space Probes” [Morphine Records]
10. October, “My Left Tool” (tobais. remix) [Perspectiv]

Peder Clark:

01. Jus-Ed, “Some New Shit 2 Dub” [Kinda Soul Recordings]
02. STL, “Silent State” [Smallville Records]
03. John Daly, “This Is A Lonely Beat” [Drumpoet Community]
04. Tony Lionni, “Found A Place” [Ostgut Tonträger]
05. Anthony “Shake” Shakir, “Indagoo” [Morphine Records]
06. Dplay, “Tschaka” [Running Back]
07. Culoe De Song, “The Bright Forest” [Innervisions]
08. Leonid, “Shortwave” [Sistrum Recordings]
09. Paul Du Lac, “Kira” [Clone]
10. Newworldaquarium, “Trespassers” (Redshape remix) [Delsin]

Nate DeYoung:

01. Joker, “Do It” [Kapsize]
02. DJ Koze, “Mrs. Bojangles” [Circus Company]
03. Mark Pritchard, “?” [Ho Hum Records]
04. Floating Points, “Love Me Like This” (Nonsense Dub) [R2 Records]
05. El-B, The Roots of El-B [Tempa]
06. Tensnake, “In the End (I Want You to Cry)” [Running Back]
07. Starkey, “Gutter Music” (Instrumental) [Keysound]
08. Tony Lionni, “Found A Place” [Ostgut Tonträger]
09. Matias Aguayo, “Bo Jack” [Còmeme]
10. Precious System, “The Voice From Planet Love” [Running Back]

Todd Hutlock:

01. Âme, “Setsa” [Innervisions]
02. Thabo, “Downstream” [Ornaments]
03. Baby Ford, “Gravy Train” [Perlon]
04. LoSoul, “Up The Beach” [Playhouse]
05. Len Faki, “BX 3″ [Ostgut Tonträger]
06. Minilogue, “Animals” (Luciano remix)” [Cocoon Recordings]
07. Ernesto Ferreyra, “Caleza” [Cadenza]
08. Donnacha Costello, “Gatsby” [Look Long]
09. Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas, “Tirsdagsjam” (Lang Versjon)
[Eskimo Recordings]
10. Wareika, “Ascending” [Tartelet Records]

Will Lynch:

01. LoSoul, Care [Playhouse]
02. Black Jazz Consortium, “Structure” [Soul People Music]
03. Dplay, “Browse” [Drumpoet Community]
04. Delano Smith, “Synergy” [Third Ear Recordings]
05. David Labeij, “Lenny” [Sushitech Purple]
06. Wolf + Lamb, “If U Had” (Shaun Reeves edit) [Wolf + Lamb]
07. Anton Zap, “Mon 16:46″ [Uzuri]
08. Jamie Vex’d, “In System Travel” [Planet Mu]
09. John Daly, “This Is A Lonely Beat” [Drumpoet Community]
10. Nick Holder, “Feelin’ Sad” [Sushitech Purple]

[Smallville Records]

As the owner and sole driving force behind the label Something, the enigmatic Stephan Laubner manages to freely indulge his prolific nature without sacrificing quality. In 2008 alone he notched up six well rated releases, three of which could be considered albums, only one arriving on another label (“Lost In Brown Eyes” for his friends at Perlon), and he’s already released a new 2×12″ in 2009. Laubner’s efforts also seem immune to easy characterizations. They stretch from massaged field-recordings to wistful deep house, caustic techno to more chipper tech-house treats, and that’s ignoring the many loops etched into most STL releases. What’s surprising, then, about STL’s debut for Smallville Records is not that it turns the page in the self reliant producer’s catalog, but rather its potential to loom large over what came before it.

Silent State finds Laubner introducing dub techno’s vast palette of reverbs and delay to his repertoire and varies greatly from track to track. The most fascinating is the title cut, a sub-aquatic meander whose elegant craftsmanship unfolds across 12 minutes without feeling even a second too long. Ambling forward as an enthusiastic guide, the tuneful bass line steers listeners towards several synth lines mingling at different depths, ripples following wherever they go. Each melody flows at its own pace yet feels interconnected to its companions, even the sharpest, most fleeting progression and sustained snare hits. Laubner’s command of synthesizers is so great he’s captured an entire eco-system in flux in the form of a functional techno track. To call it breath-taking is almost not enough.

You’d be forgiven if it takes a few spins before feeling ready to flip the record, but side B is equally rewarding. “Six In A Row” is a substantially grittier affair that channels its energy into the grumbling central riff. Squirming along a bed of tape hiss and street noise, reverb magnifies its jagged edges until they gnash together, their resonance creating eye-opening new pitches. And while “Six In A Row” could easily find its way into many techno sets, it’s not too far a stretch to include the rarefied lo-fi aesthetics of black metal among its extended family. While more conventional than its siblings, “From A Distance” is impressive in its own right. As the insouciant yin to “Six In A Row”‘s overcast yang, the tune’s placid underpinnings are as celebrated as the dubbed out washes bouncing gamely off the walls. Hushed Rhodes tip-toes between two chords, holding together the unpredictable reverberations like a serene glue. Its lucid beauty rivals some Maurizio tracks, so don’t be surprised when “From A Distance,” like the rest of the EP, is stuck in DJs’ rotations. If STL hasn’t yet been canonized on the strength of his bountiful back catalog, Silent State seems poised to be his ticket to the front of the line.