Sun setting over Cricklewood for the last time (sniff).

After a stressful period of moving flat, it seemed quite apt that the piece of music that should glue the old and new flat together is entitled 'Transitions'. Richie Hawtin's latest Mix CD has been totally worth the wait and definitely eased the pain of shifting boxes into a Transit.

Must mention the old place. We'd been there 5 and a half years. So we'd grown attached to it, despite the fact that (at the time) it was in an undesirable area and the flat itself resembled something that you bought from Ikea. Cheap materials, could be constructed from flat-pack.

For those who know our capital, it was in Cricklewood. A disjointed, shabby part of North West London. Even people who knew London, didn't know where it was. I'd then have to describe how it was sandwiched in between Kilburn (earthy, busy) and Golders Green (posh, Jewish).

With no real outstanding landmarks to speak of other than the B&Q DIY Centre, it's main focus of attention was the rag-tag collection of London-standard lo-grade shops that made up the Broadway. Shopping nirvana if your idea of heaven is purchasing fried chicken, phonecards, one-pound household items and foreign vegetables.

But as time wore on, the curse of the single professional took over and before you knew it. A Holmes Place gym had opened up (resulting in house prices creeping up in the immediate area), Hummers, Jeeps and sports cars replaced the ageing saloons parked on streets. Irish drinking dens transformed into showroom style bars and, heck, even a 5-star hotel opened up on the high road.

Progress, I guess.

Where are we now? The media-ridden enclave of Muswell Hill. Where middle-class mum's in pushchairs rule the streets and British TV actors lurk in overpriced coffee shops. Disagreeable to the max, but for now...it's home.

Various Artists: Mod.Cooperate.Two (Milnor Modern) - 12"
Koerner & Treplec: Unterumgehtsbesser (Milnor Modern) - 12"

Milnor Modern rapidly ascending new heights with these two releases. On the first 12", the opening tilted schaffel of Nisios 'Divagadora' is refreshing and sexy. Just waiting for smart DJ's to play this out loud.

Koerner & Treplec soundtrack a night time drive through American cities in a convertible. Beats streak and trail like passing lights forever chasing distant darkness. Phases of out-of-focus chords, echoed vocals and subtle tweaks to the rhythm weave in and out of the sequenced traffic. Propulsion eases in and things move up a gear.

Actually, there's nothing to really review here, just purchase everything on this label and we'll get on just fine. Pick up the Robag Whrume 12" that came out before these two as well. (The smart graphic design of the sleeves is also worthy of mention.)

Various Artists: Adjunct Volume One (Adjunct Audio) - 12"
Various Artists: Adjunct Volume Two (Adjunct Audio) - 12"

Stellar start for this new US label pushing more accessible adventures in click. On 'Volume One' its the A-side that makes the mark. Pheek's 'Boot Me' making the drums do all the hard work: harmonising beats and the merest of nods to a melody. But fuck me, John Tejada's effort puts everything else in its place. An epic, bass-heavy transition from minimal house to uplifting acid. The subsequent efforts by Bruno Pronsato and [a]pendics.shuffle struggle to cope in its wake.

On the second 12", Paradroid dazzles with a Sutekh inspired turn of burnt crisp techno. Jazz flourishes and funky dispersments of glitch nudge this along nicely. Mikael Stavostrand dilutes his mix with teaspoons of funk, and Tomas Jirku surprises with a flickered exercise in bass weight.

AM/PM: Also (Dreck) - 12"

Nicely timed release from AM/PM. The sun-drenched streets of Barcelona as depicted on the cover art betray the contents within. As clock's shift back, degree's drop and light reduces. The arrival of winter now has an appropriate soundtrack. Rhythms reduced down to efficient arctic blips and melodies encased in frosted matter. Compositions that create tint and temperature. Reference: Pantone Colour 249M.

Richie Hawtin: Transitions (Minus/Novamute) - CD/DVD

Amazes me that labels actually bother to release mix CD's. Do people still listen to them? With the proliferation of the DIY ethic perpetuated by the Internet. Artists, blog writers and bedroom DJ's have relegated the art of the mix down to free MP3's.

But Mr. Hawtin is different, he digitally boils down loads of carefully selected loops of minimal techno / house into a tight 97 minute lesson in reductionism using Ableton's Live software. Part mix, part software showoff.

It moves through the motions; snippets of disco, pulse-driven techno and machine coded percussion. Construction parts supplied by the likes of Sleeparchive, Thomas Brinkmann and his mate Villalobos.

The CD knocks the mix down to 74 minutes, but the DVD contains the full mix as a movie and as an MP3. The extra content is just that: extra, but this release is more about sonic purity and Hawtin's exploration of getting even closer to the edit.

Andre Galluzzi: Berghain 01 (Ostgut Tontrager) - CD

You wait all year for a decent mix CD to turn up and two come along at once! Whilst 'Transitions' (above) socialises in more technical circles, Mr. Galluzzi's mix fritters to good times. With only thirteen tracks mixed to a total running time of just over an hour, it's an unhurried and relaxed effort.

From the lesser known practitioners of click such as Ali Khan and C:C/P (nope, me neither) to more internationally recognised brands such as Lusine and Wighnomy Brothers. It's a nicely balanced / finely judged lesson in all things minimal. Besides, any mix that includes the stunning 'Easy Woman' by Metaboman demands your attention.