Tod Dockstader: Aerial (Sub Rosa) - CD

All the signals point to the fact that I should have been listening to him all along. He's had an interesting career: soundtracked Fellini's unwatchable 'Satryicon' amongst other things, has had loads written about him and he's been bigged up by the likes of Autechre.

'Aerial' on the whole seems to be primarily concerned in trying to scare the shit out of you. Murky, strains of orchestral suspension that constantly shift in and out of focus. It's like immersive 5.1 sound without the hassle of having the equipment. The opening 12-minute 'Song' seems to say everything before the remaining tracks spiral off and explore different terrain. Digital artefacts start to creep into the lo-grade rumble and it all starts to disintegrate gracefully.

Play it back in a spacious environment and it'll reap immediate and obvious rewards. Immersive, unsettling, functional.

Oren Ambarchi: In the pendulum's embrace (Touch) - CD

Whilst flirting with the outer limits - whether it's deeply experimental laptop exercises with Keith Rowe or the doom-laden low-end speaker worship of being a supporting Sunn O))) member. Oren Ambarchi's solo musical excursions have tended to be more gentle, introverted and accessible. It may be a lot less dense than his previously acclaimed 'Grapes from the estate' LP. But if anything, it's more successful.

Guitar, bells, drums and voice unfold unhurriedly in music that never fails to captivate. A moving and staggeringly beautiful record, he nearly made everything else this month sound shit.

Silicon Scally: Dark Matter (Satamile) - LP

For a short period in the late nineties, electro seemed to inject itself with a new purpose. Practitioners of techno and house moved over to the world of the syncopated snare and delivered rich variations that still stand up today.

But now, in 2007, electro has nudged closer to the tedious world of breaks music rather than aligning itself with Detroit (techno) or New York (hip-hop). Further evidence is provided here from Liverpool's Silicon Scally. The slower, more brooding tracks work well, but the rest is sped-up machine clatter that passes without incident. The slow burn of 'All Torque' stood out as the singular highlight.

Metroneem: Skip Code (Satamile) - 12"
Blotnik Brothers: Museful Revolution (Satamile) - 12"
E.M.S.: Colonized (Satamile) - 12"
Bytecon: "ep/A.R.T." (Satamile) - 12"

Skip the following if you don't like electro.

Metroneem's debut has enough hooks and pulls to keep an electro mix running along for a few minutes more on the dancefloor, otherwise this merits no home listening values whatsoever. Blotnik Brothers score much better, if only for the use of French vocals on the opening 'Le Monde'. The other tracks are equally accomplished, with a real sense of timing and cinematic oomph.

E.M.S. are not to be confused with E.M.F., the latter made some pretty atrocious indie dance contributions to the English pop scene, whilst the former makes sparkly electro pop. An overwhelmingly enjoyable EP enhanced by the stunning neon drive excursion of 'Rhythmus Machine'. Bytecon end this round up on a downer, with their brand of rapid fire sped up throwaway drum mechanics. Nil points.