No-Tek: Neurotrope 029 (NRT029)
Neurotrope has been churning out a fair number of releases and is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. Compared to most other French labels with roots in the tek scene, their output is more varied with releases touching on industrial techno and breakcore as well as hardtek and hardcore. Number NRT029 collects four tracks under the No-Tek monicker, this time this means two by Minimal Dancer remixed by La Foudre, and two by La Foudre himself. Here he goes way back to the feeling of the early No-Tek material, and you would be forgiven if you feel like you’re time travelling to a teknival in the mid-90s where bare kick drums and sparse noises fill the air shortly before sunrise. The final track The Rhythm of the World is slightly more up-tempo and melodic. Overall this is a less experimental or harsh release than some of the La Foudre material on No-Tek’s own label.

Parasonic:
The Invisible ZMK EP
(Rouge de Colere 10)
Rouge de Colere has been Toolbox’s more hardcore oriented label since the early days when they set up their distribution in Paris around 1998. Early releases were by Sammy, Speedy Q’s, Fast Forward, Heretik – and a white label only 12” by Radium which never made it to the trademark red vinyl general release. In 2002, a record by BudBurnerz was the high point for the label, but then it ceased production for a decade, and it wasn’t until 2012 when it made a comeback in conjunction with Toolbox picking up pressing more releases again including their other labels (Peur Bleue, P’tit Gris, Toolbox Killerz, and more recently Acid Night). Since the hiatus, [Read more →]