Und: Coccopuffs (Trapez Limited 26) - 12"
Jan Autobahn: Traktor EP (Trapez Limited 27) - 12"
Franklin De Costa: The Call (Trapez Limited 29) - 12"
Markese: Bille Bambus (Trapez Limited 30) - 12"
Tampopo: Sellafield (Trapez Limited 32) - 12"

Slightly silly house excursion from Und; throwing in samples from breakfast cereal ads to bored tales of Arab Sheikh betrayals (not me). Only the opener 'Christmas' tries to keep on the straight and narrow, but ultimately this falls slightly flat on its face due to the enforced comic value.

The splendidly monikered Jan Autobahn turns in two statements of tense but predictable tech-house. Electro arpeggio's-a-go-go over a clunky house beat: filtered, but not that fun. However Franklin de Costa makes it all look way too easy with his two superior offerings on 'The Call'.

Markese decides to tone down the techno aspect of his work (check his previous 'Panorama' EP for a Detroit drive-by par excellence) and instead opts for playful melody pile-ups. But the results aren't really worth it; an unbalanced mix of minimal percussion and loud, raucous riffs.

But the clear winna in this evening's Trapez round up is Tampopo. 'Sellafield Two' drips with dangerous eroticism and hidden desire....well maybe it doesn't, but it certainly gave me the horn. A builder of epic proportions, this is one of the most refined statements the label has made.

Kelpe: Sunburnt Eyelids (DC Recordings) - 12"

Light, floaty bypass of Boards-inspired laptop hip-hop. Would haven't given it a second glance if it weren't so nicely done. Fractured digital techniques and smart micro snippets of vocal break up the lolloping rhythms. Might be an over-subscribed genre, but rarely has it been done so well.

Emperor Machine: Vertical Tones & Horizontal Noise Parts 1 & 2 (DC Recordings) - 2 x 12"

Got excited there for a second, thinking this was Emperor Machine's move away from DFA obsessed disco to youth-centric digital noise. But alas no, the title betrays the sci-fi charged mix of analogue synth sounds and cliched samples. This'll find favour with most, just not with me. Nice sleeves though.

Anders Ilar: Sand (Narita) - 12"

Being a Black Dog obsessive, I'm a sucker for any form of machine-music that flirts with easternism. When it's done right, it can be a hypnotic / addictive merging of styles. Sampling snatches of rhythm and melody off the likes of Mahmoud Fadl and stapling 4/4 beats on top though, isn't a good move. Luckily Anders Ilar manages to keep the theme subtle on these grainy, eerie, slightly rough sketches of filmic techno.

White Light Circus: Marching Orders (DC Recordings) - 12"

Um. I've really run out of ways to describe this sort of nonsense and I think I'll ignore anything else of this nature from now on. All you need to know is that someone called this 'Dope' in some barrel-scraping dance magazine review.

Dolphin & The Teknoist: Soul Cannibal / Closing Down (Planet Mu) - 12"

I'll assume that a lot of you don't listen to gabba. Understandable reasons: suspect DJ fodder, all sounds the same, slightly out-of-reach BPM's, the drugs need to be fucking good to enjoy it. But there are exceptions, like UK Hardcore heroes DJ Dolphin and The Teknoist. Teaming up for two blazing slices of ultra-spacious, well-crafted 70mm hyperspeed techno. Purchase anything by these guys or anything on the Deathchant label and you'll find hardcore that doesn't do dumb.

Various Artists: Idol Tryouts (Ghostly International) - CD

Fantastic selection of music, showing off just how ace and versatile the Ghostly label is. Covering all bases from fractured hip-hop (Dabrye) and hi-energy electro (Charles Manier) to folktronica (Midwest Product) and college rock (Dykehouse). Despite this being released way back in 2003, this still sounds fresh and vital. Just to show how late I am, I think Idol Tryouts Vol.2 is about to come out. Probably be just as skill.

Razor X Productions: Killing Sound (Rephlex) - CD

Let's clear up one thing first: this sounds completely shit on most people's playback devices. Just as clarity is needed for the sonic purity of Raster Noton, LOUD is required for the sonic impurity of The Bug. This isn't music for iPod's.

Whilst he subscribes to the energies of the sub-current rhythms that London emits: dancehall, dub, grime and dubstep to name a few. The Bug's music has always existed on the fringes. I guess that's the way he likes it. Qualities that are embodied in those genres can be uncompromising, visceral but also addictive and inclusive.

So here we have ever-punishing variations on max dancehall. But that doesn't mean that the subtleties won't go by unnoticed. Each vocalist brings a different frictional texture to the sonic barrage. And the versions on the second disc give you the option of immersing yourself in his noise minus the human input.

Four Tet: Everything Ecstatic (Domino) - CD

I know I'm supposed to like Keiran's work, but I personally feel he's got less and less interesting as time has gone on. I really loved his earlier band Fridge and I guess I feel his solo work misses that friction between players. Highlights: the excellent single 'Smile around the face' (my mate Mark starred in the video), the acid squelch intro and the frenetic drum workout outro of 'Sleep, Eat Food, Have Visions'. Needless to say his recent collaborations with Steve Reid yield far more wholesome results.

Matthew Herbert: Plat Du Jour (Accidental) - CD

For once, the concept really does open up the music to another level. You can discover the theory yourself, leaving an album of eclectic, quirky, experimental variations on electronic jazz. The velveteen vocal stylings of Dani Siciliano are a surprising but welcome addition on the humourous 'Celebrity'. Might be too loose and playful for some (no rigid 4/4 or hard edits here), but this is frisky, urgent, idea-loaded music with something to say.

OOO: Upon Cycles (Planet Mu) - CD

Before Planet Mu hits us with a blast of new music over the course of 2006, I thought I'd better mark comments against some releases that came out in 2005. This is probably my least favourite release. The pared down, generic artwork almost reflect the music. Which is pared down, generic electronica. It has a sweet, genteel charm that'll endear it to some listeners.

Various Artists: Human Shield vs. Multiplex (Human Shield) - 12"
Multiplex: Momensch (Human Shield) - 12"

Exemplary morsel of electro / italo-disco; all variants on urgent, pulse-driven machine music that meet my approval. But if anything edges ahead with real bite, it's Legowelt's remix of 'Space'. Served with passion, oozing with venom.

The second 12" from Multiplex is a more complex affair; melodic trickery and deft use of edits propel these pieces above the usual electronic fare. As the EP progesses, things slowly get darker and weirder; arriving at a conclusion on the bleep-fest that is 'Keep X'. More like this please.

Hrdvsion: Oh techo saves (Itiswhatitis) - 12"

Bizarre collaged techno from Mathew Jonson's lickle bruvver. The first two tracks are badly broken pieces of sequencer pain that don't really work, but it's on the flip where the valuable content can be found. 'Me and my brain' employing those smart stop/start edits that the likes of AFX trademarked on Analord, but here he's made all his own.

Bong-Ra: Peel Session (Death$ucker) - 12"

I guess this sounded better on the Peel show, sandwiched inbetween the raucous orchestral collapse of the Shibusashirazu Orchestra and Nina Nastasia's intimate thoughts. Full of gusto and energy, after a while it does sound like someone having a tantrum that no one's paying attention to. In fact, nothing by Bong-Ra is really worthy of consumption, although he redeems himself with his forthcoming Venetian Snares remixes.

Panasonic: Panasonic EP (Sahko) - 12"

Part of a clutch of welcome re-issues from Finland's Sahko label. This was Panasonic's (as they were then known) first foray into electrically charged noise. Whilst recent releases have erred towards the more experimental scale, these first two attempts go for the jugular: brutal, raw, unscientific techno is the most apt description. Bonus points earned for the visual thrill of having the familiar Panasonic logo spin on the turntable.

Four Tet / Hella: Split (Ache) - 7"
Matmos / Die Monitr Batss (Ache) - 7"

I've listened to these frankly ace records so many times, I was convinced I bought them. But no, months after they got sent, I find accsompanying press releases and realise that I've been a lazy cunt for not writing words about them.

Dominik Eulberg: Untitled (Trapez Limited 22) - 12"
Markese: Panorama (Trapez Limited 24) - 12"
Francesco Tarallo: Sogno EP (Trapez Limited 25) - 12"

Whilst these releases aren't exactly new (the oldest one here was released in July 2004), the Trapez Limited label has been consistent in musical equity. The constant benchmark: finely tuned balance of electronic sounds moulded into pop-friendly 4/4 moments.

Mr. Eulberg perfectly demonstrates why he's one of my favoured artists on this imprint. Two untitled tracks; the first rides a pop hook through dodgy side streets, the second employs smart bass throbs over frivolous melodies. Both are ace.

Markese (aka Zurich resident Markus Ullrich) furrows his brow and zones in on re-programming code templates from Detroit. Propulsion and delay on 'A Bit Off', distant jazz / out-of-focus FX on 'Rubbergum'. Taking the Motor City clatter and rewiring it to European vistas, this is music doused in street-light ambience.

Francesco Tarallo crafts playful, sun-drenched house with emphasis on space and mood. 'Profondita' is actually quite beautiful; chimed kicks eventually make way for an emotion-loaded riff as the pay off whilst 'Cutrin' fuses variational pulses with a soft-shoe house shuffle.