January chart

First chart of 2012 (a bit late). January uses to be more quiet when talking about releases and this has not been a big exception.

The first record I've added to my list this month is a quite deep two track EP that I'm really enjoying. I'm talking about the 8th reference on Dekmantel. 

My second choice, has been Chimera EP on one of the most difficult to type (for me, of course) but most active labels during the last 3-4 years: Nachtstrom Schallplatten. Yes, I know, that's not such a long name. I have memorized lots and lots of labels and references. But when I try to write the name of this one, I always put a letter in a wrong place or something like that... Pure darkness on an EP that I'll play a lot. Specially Perc's remix, a quite industrial track that makes want to dance agressively. Both tracks by Ralph Mirto are also great if you want to deliver some punishment to the dancefloor.

Figure is one of my favourite record labels and A. Mochi has always been a really interesting artist for me. If you check this EP you will know what I'm talking about. I think "Black Reign" and "Phantom" could be a great definition of what could be considered Figure's message when looking into its pure dark techno oriented side, and "Stray" contains the restrained dose of dub that this label uses to supply.

Let's go a bit more serious and continue punishing the dancers down there with Perc Trax' nr. 51. When it comes to this, this label doesn't use to have any punches, and I love it. I mean, is like when you're buying a Token release. You know that you're getting a very useful tool when looking to get some response.

And as if I were preparing a set right now, I think it would be really effective to continue with any of the tracks included on Gynoid's 8th reference. Original by Sev Dah, remixes by Mr. Suckut, Donor / Truss and Grovskopa (it looks like this is going his last released track for a while...).  I think that could be enough to start a bit of self-punishment if you miss your copy of this... I think this could be my favourite on this chart, and I'm sure it'll be a faithful sidekick. Ultrarecommended!!!

A bit of good and hot dub from Eduardo de la Calle in his own label Ánalog Solutions. This is not the firts time I talk about EDLC and AS, but the fact is he's been doing a great job during several years now and I think he's not getting as much attention as he deserves. I love the classic feeling he keeps in most of his tracks. I sometimes miss the mixture of dub and acid I used to listen in the late 90's stuff and Eduardo keeps working on that feeling and he does it at a high level.

The man of the moment, Marcel Dettman has released on Music Man an EP that has really surprised me. The oringinal track is just perfect in my honest opinion. I've never seen this kind of sounds on Dettman's portfolio before and I'm loving it... Deep, hard, away from the typical 4x4 fat bass techno beat he uses to deliver and a perfect deeper, in possible, and more hot remix. A must, even just for listening.

Let me add a bit of Electro-House to my collection. When talking about originality and effective music, I think Modeselektor is name to mention. Please, let me know if you don't agree. But I'm sure you won't. I think this is their 3rd year running their own label: Monkeytown and this is the 20th release. Ain't that amazing? Well, we all know what's the deal when talking about this duo. Freek techno, electro and house. That let me be a amateur soothsayer will be followed but some remixes EPs that will gild the lily. Let's see, maybe I'm wrong.

Token, nr. 20, Phase, sold out. I won't say anything else.

And last but not least, limited edition on M_Rec by Mr. Ben Gibson. For me, he's one of the techno lords in the line of people like Inigo Kennedy, Jeff Mills, Surgeon, James Ruskin... well, you know what I mean, right? This release, sold out too, is a clear example of what I'm talking about. The sounds on it are on a level above most of all the stuff coming out lately. That's my opinion of course. Three tracks by Gibson and a really well worked remix by Samuli Kemppi... ah! I was late for this one. I hope I can put my hands on it!!!

Check my January chart here

December chart

Wow, didn't 2011 pass too fast? I simply can say that when looking back... well, I also can say 2011 has been an amazing musical year... I'm really happy because I've discovered a lot of new music and I feel like my mind is a bit more open after the last months.

I know I always say it's very hard to choose ten records per month but that's for real... This month has been even harder for me, I had 15-16 records on my list during the last week and today I felt like some kind of executioner when deleting some records from my list.

I start my December chart with BCR Boys' (Ninjatechno) release on Nachstrom Schallplatten. It looks like 2011 has been the most productive year for these boys. This reference, is a four tracker fully produced by BCR and plenty of bass techno on the so called Berlin way. I'm really feeling the A side.

Deeper and dubber comes Eduardo de la Calle with his 12th Ánalog Solutions (and not Analogue Germany as Juno states...). This record contains two delicate music pieces that I strongly recommend to check.

I love to find new names, this is my main purpose here, and I really find a cause for celebration when amazing and original music comes with it... Lakker is my new name of this month and Killerkill my new label to follow from now on... great one!

A bit more easy listening but full of dub comes Tacito with his last release. Soft and warm techno for those special moments on A side. And a G.Gigli remix with a playful track on B side, both still filled with well selected chords.

Antonio de Angelis, another new name for me, looks like another name to follow coming from Italy. He has a couple of releases in Safari and another two releases in Gynoid. One of them is the one I'm charting this month (Gynoid 07). A side starts with a remix by our favourite red beard, a pure club oriented techno track followed by the original track by de Angelis interpretation, which has nothing to envy from the previous one, I really don't know which one I'd choose if had I had to choose one of them. The original track  on B side is a bit darker and more mental than the two on A side, filled with some scary textures that really do the job in my opinion. Arnaud Le Texier's remix goes further with the interpretation of the track and I love how he took it to the other side, the dark one.

Well, Semantica did it again... This label never stops impressing me, this is pure music. Soulful, well done, original, varied but still following a thread. I'm talking now about the fourth release on their 5 year compilation. I really won't say much more about this release although it deserves a full entry on my blog. Please, let me just advise to listen to it and ask you to come back to me if you don't like it...

Another pretty young label, Abstract Acid, has released the 5th reference. As soon as I started listening to this one I thought: "Come to meeee!". This record has taken me to my very first techno years. Pure classic acid techno is what you can find here. But REAL acid techno, you know what I mean?

Dettmann has given the chance to Wincent Kunth this time and I'm pretty sure he's not dissapointing anyone... dark Berlin techno at it's best from a Swiss guy this time. I really like this record because every track is very different from the others but maintains the dark berlinesque atmosphere I said before. I really see this guy on OTON.

Delsin, my loved Delsin, has served another full of love and good music release. Morphosis has made a great job this year and Delsin has proved it. Arabic feeling and dark filling on the original track that fixes every dj set, even if it's not a techno one. Same for both re-definitions, coming from Marcel Dettmann. Both are really deep but the second one is, maybe, a bit more housey... I think this is one of those "love it, or hate it" records. I love it, I love it so much that I think my wife could feel a bit jealous... 

And the last one, is a new edition from one of my all time favourites. James Ruskin's "Work" (sorry, I didn't find another version for the original one youtube). Both tracks on this record are recorded live. I must admit I've charted this one because of "Work", but the other track is a very useful piece too in my opinion.

Check my December chart here.

November chart

 Last month before Xmas distortion and good stuff keeps coming out. This month it's been quite hard again to choose ten records that every techno/dark electronics lover should have (in my honest opinion, of course).

I can luckily say that the first one on my list is already on my hands. It's been a long time since I bought my last Drumcode reference, it was DC43 if I remember correctly so we're talking about more than three years. This time, I'm buying the second DCLTD edition served by Nihad Tule and Bauri, two swedish producers coming with two strong minimalistic tracks. I love the beat and the atmosphere they apply in both tracks.

The second reference I've chose this month is Liber Nox a limited edition 12" from The Black Dog. What can I say about the Black Dog? I think it's all said about them. Just check this two tracks they are bringing through they home label: Dust Science. The first piece it's an orchestral electro track that I think can perfectly fix every dj set when looking for "that special climax". Second one, much more British techno, makes the listener travel to haunted inhospitable places. It really reminds me that old Birmingham stuff that I miss lately...

There's a lot of Dubstep going out. It's been like that for the last two-three (?) years. It's hard sometimes to find the good stuff between all the amount of ... well, maybe I shouldn't use any adjective when talking about something that depends so much on musical tastes (respect!). The fact is I've found the B side on TKR's new EP on Paradise Lost nr. 16 just amazing. A side is OK but B side is great. I'm talking about "Breath" and it's Twisted Flying Carpet remix. The beat on the first one makes me inmediately look for a dancefloor and a strong soundsystem to play it. Pretty clean track where the rythm is filled with some tribal elements and a soft dub melody that perfectly does the job... Same as the remix, coming with a very simmilar beat, without all those sounds that put you in the middle of the jungle on the previous one, and adding some extra claps on it making the track a bit more energetic, if possible.

One of my favourite labels, Times to Express, has just released the 18th reference. I never get tired of T2X sounds... I must admit this is the first time I see the name of this artist: SP-X but the track he's serving on the A side is one of those tracks that will come to my mind when someone ask for the definition of techno. I think this time Mr. Hoesen and his amazing techno mind had an easy job to do the remix. The third track is also a pure techno track, please listen to that beat bringing all those Purpose Maker classic tracks to your mind... just delicious! SP-X a name to watch.

Let me approach this November chart to some, let's say, more ambiental and full of vibrations sounds. Synkro is a very special artist. For me, correct me if I'm wrong, he's in the middle of Scuba's and Burial's style. Two of my favourite non techno producers to define another artist, that can only be good... The three tracks on this release are calm down music. Maybe too far from the rest of the releases on this list but hey, I think it's a dj's job to make very different tracks sound good together if needed!

And here we go with the third and fourth Innertia compilation releases! I made an entry to speak about these amazing MUST HAVE compilation. I won't spend to much words again although I think this compilation deserves many of them, all positive of course. Let me please just mention my fave on each one... or... you know what? I won't do it, I'm feeling all the tracks from the first sound until the last one goes and leaves place to the static... because I'm always talking about vinyl, I hope that's clear huh?

Why do all Mike Paker's tracks sound so similar? And why do I like them so much? If you make that question to me, is because you didn't listen to him or, at least, not enough... I'm a big Geophone fan and I'm a big Semantica stuff lover too. Believe me: If we talk about abstract techno we can't leave all these names out. This time, Parker releases the 32nd reference from this Spanish Label owned by Svreca who's serving on this EP a very effective remix too. Go and get it before they're gone, because that's what uses to happen with Semantica releases... I can say that's been my own experience several times...

Can I say Sir Ruskin and Sir Broom to refer the two masters of good techno who have just released an album? One of those albums containing tracks that don't need to the mixed on a set to be properly listened to? One of those techno albums where techno is the less important part of the definition because we're talking about pure music? Where every track is an amazing track to the best electronica that only could be made when two specific minds put together all their wisdom? Of course I can, all these words are not enough to refer the incredible album James Ruskin and Mark Broom have released on Blueprint records, under the name of The Fear Ration (I love this alias). Please, go and have a listen. I've listened again and again for the samples on Juno and I just hope this is not sold out before my next order...

I'll finish this month's chart with Oscar Mulero's new reference on one of his labels Pole Recordings. What a relief! Mulero has been one of my biggest influences for me and I've been feeling the need to see him renewed for quite a while now... Listening to this EP made me happy, I was sure he was able to do it and he's perfectly done it! He's adapted his personal sounds to the actual needs and I'm really satisfied with the way he's done it... There's still Mulero's essence on this EP no doubt, but he's come out from the loop in which he was, this is a personal opinion. The opinion of a big Mulero stuff lover, not just criticism...

Check my November chart HERE

October chart

Another month has passed and another barrage of good releases has made it hard to me to select ten records between all the amazing music coming out. It's a bit frustrating for me because I made an order simulation with the records I'd buy this month if I could afford all of them and well, it was around 300 EUR... impossible... 

First of all, I've found a label I'll try to study carefully. I say that because it's new for me and, mainly,  because seeing the names on the first releases and listening to this 8th release I've charted, make me think this is one of those extremelly eclectic labels that use to hide some musical jewels that don't get the attention it deserves. I'm talking about Idle Hands, a Bristol based label that has just released this amazing two tracker produced by AND.

This month has been really productive for me, I've made several findings and I'm really happy to see new labels that still believe in vinyl and it's charm, and more if it's a Spanish one. First because it's my country and second because it looks as the only European country that's not being refreshed with the new sounds wave that floods all the continent at this moment. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good producers and some really strong and respectable labels, but I didn't see any evolution for the last 2 or 3 years, unless certain exceptions. Eleve records, from Spain, is one of them in my honest opinion. It has released his first reference and I want to express my full support to this project, started some years ago and focused in the most ambient/dub side of techno music, have a listen to this EP and feel this special sound they have. And keeping the dub feeling, I've also found very impressing the last Echocord release by Skudge. I've still so many things to learn... I found Skudge like a new name for me and they have even their own label! Well that's the beauty on life, isn't it? This time I found a still dubby release but more dancefloor addressed release than what I'm used to find on Echocord... another useful record to put your hands on, if you can.

Julien H Mulder is the responsible of Färden nr. 3 and it looks like this release is his master piece. This is a very personal opinion but I think at this moment the best acid is coming from Sweden. A clear proof of it are these three outter space acid tracks that in some moment could have some millesque reminiscences. This is the kind of techno that really touches my brain and makes me want to be on a dark dance floor somewhere in Mars... very good one!


Nachtstrom Schallplatten 042 (42!), by Tex Rec. Well... I think they don't need any presentation. The great job this label has done since it came out in 2008 and the great evolution Tex Rec has made during the last years, only can provide a highly effective EP on which I'd specially recommend the third track "Androlium" ... supertrack! Supertrack is also "Pretend" from Emika on every one of the versions they've recorded. I have a special feeling for the Brandt Brauer Frick version, just sublime. Seeing it live is just a gift.  You'll also find two versions of "Professional Loving" on this release. Emika has her style, and I simply love her stuff.


It was a big and welcome surprise when I saw another producer that's raising the roof lately publishing in one of those labels you think, in your intimacy, that only you and few people follow... I'm talking about Apotek, I have some releases from this label and I have to be sincere: if you asked me if Xhin could fix on Apotek my answer would be "NO". But this time I'd be wrong again. 


I won't commit demagogy and I won't repeat what's everybody already said and it's obvious so, if you didn't yet, GO AND BUY NEW P.A.S.' ALBUM ON O-TON! Even if you don't spin records anymore... I think this is the perfect definition for "a must have", even if it's only for collectors motivations.


For collectors too and if you don't believe me, just come back to me in a couple of years, it'll be this new Inertia series from Ann Aimee. I hope I can get the four of them before they are sold out! For the moment I've charted the first one but the second has come out too and I think it's amazing too. My advise is to keep an eye on this Inertia series.


And finally, my loved Token Records label has released its 19th reference. What can I say... I'm in love with Token from the first release and I have all the releases and keep them as one of the most important parts of my vinyl collection. Token + Inigo Kennedy = pleasure for mind, body and soul. I really don't know the reason why Iningo could need a "Revenge" but if this is some kind of punishment, I'm a masochist...

Check my October 2011 chart here

September chart

It's been a while since my last post in here... I've been offline the last three weeks but I won' regret: I've been out for vacation!
Just before leaving, I prepared my September's must have list, although I must admit I didn't find the time (translate it to "the money") to make an order. Soon or later I'll put my hands on all these beauties so I think it's still fair to publish it.


Some of those releases were published during the summer but, as I said before, this summer has been really prolific and well, unfortunatelly I'm not rich of time (translate it to "of money" again...). Even one of them, was out on March: Dimi Angeli's and Jeroen Search's EP on the first Balans reference. We all know the deal with this duo, pure class techno served on every track and this release doesn't disappoint.

Also from Mr. Search but next to Markus Suckut this time, comes this Figure Special 6th release. All the three tracks are pretty deep and minimalistic. 4.3 is a great track in my opinion, it might sound really close to Sandwell District stuff but I see a better construction of the track itself. 2.0 is the track I'd choose from this EP and the one that made me decide to buy this release. I love the dub in it...

I've also selected the new Perc Traxx as I'm really feeling th B side on it. And well, I'm still surprised because Radial is back...

I think my favourite of this month is CLR 48 from Tommy Four Seven... oh my god what a nice release! Terence Fixmer's interpretation of Sevals is one of the best tracks of this year for me. I'm pretty sure I'll mix it up with some SA's several times... I can even mentally imagine some of those mixes without having it yet... Both original tracks from Tommy are great. Deepness and darkness are words that are used pretty easily these days (so do I) but please, listen to those tracks and later tell me wich are the words that come to your head... Again, amazing release. AMAZING, with capital letters... keep them coming Tommy!

Who's Tobias? I really didn't know until I saw his LP on O-Ton and well, that was my fault. He's got a very personal sound that I'm really enjoying... this is a quite eclectic release but I think there's a continuous mood on it that, I dare to say, reflects a very original style that mixes calmed down structures but still tense sounds that I think fix perfect... One of those LP that you could listen to track by track, not necessarily on a DJ set.

From Italy, it comes Zooloft, a label to follow. I'm really impressed with the good stuff coming out from lately from "the boot". It looks like there's a lot of inspiration there and this is a great proof of it.

Cio D'Or has  published on Prologue a record that I think is her master piece. Please, have a listen to it. Every track on this release has been carefully drafted to bring you down to hell and feel comfortable on the trip... A must have, believe me.

More clubby but following this feeling too, comes the 4th Darknet release. I would like to remark Logotech's B side. I'm becoming a big fan of this guy.

Aftertaste... I think it needs might not be a easy listening release but I have a special love for this label. I celebrate it's still active. Maybe too different compared to the other releases I've just comented but if you listen to my sets, you'll see I always use to mark a turning point in them and this is one of the releases I'd use for that. And well, the last two years my style has been changing a bit but this is the kind of stuff I used to play when I started to mix other people's tracks in order to tell un-fairy tales...

Check my September chart here.

August chart

Well, the last hot month of this 2011 is coming to its end and good music keeps being released. As far as I remember, normally this is not the best month for record labels but well, I think 2011 has definetely been an exception. I hope I can say the same on January 2012... we'll see...

That new Figure by J. Search and M. Suckut is a delicious plenty of dub record. Specially on B2, a track I think I'll be playing as much as I can. The new Perc sounds great too, it's one of the most interesting releases on this label, B side is my side. Really deep tracks, not normally my style but this time I'm feeling them. I also would like to mention there's a Radial remix on A side, welcome back Mr. Liebregts and Boyconstrictor. It's been a while since was waiting everymonth to get the new AAR and ARMS stuff. Well, maybe those were another times...

New Echocord is one of the best in my opinion and also another pure dub present on wax format is the 2nd Dub Chronicles... Long life for DUBCNS!!! And long life for Semantica too. I've charted two of them... I  must admit I don't have them yet, but they release such an special music that I felt the obligation of putting them on my list.

I was waiting to put my hands on that Orbis since it was posted on souncloud, it reminds me all good times and I'm pretty sure it has been created in the old way. Dolly 7 sound pretty different but makes me feel "oldie but goldie" too... and oldies but goldies are also the heavy weights I've selected this month, I think The Black Dog's release on DUSTV is going to be my favourite release this year. Broom's and Ruskin's ? Yes, nothing new on A side and maybe on B1 but pure class sounds and useful tracks are included on BEARDMAN 11 and B2 is a really beautiful piece in my opinion.

Let's see what comes in Autum, really inspiring season for me.

August 2011 chart

July chart

There's so many stuff fixing my mood lately that I can't buy all the amazing records. I use to choose 10 MUST-have every month and put it in a chart on Juno, so I've decided to post my charts here as they'll be a great representation of what I'd be playing again and again on that moment...

July 2011 chart