John Tejada & Josh Humphrey - "Pulse Locker" EP

In the spirit of the great techno DJs of Detroit, LA artists Tejada and Humphrey have unleashed a killer set of 3 minimalist beat-pulses that harken back to techno, trance, and acid's early days, while remaining crisp and clubby enough for today's more forward-thinking clubs. 

The title track is a bouncy minimal techno piece, while "Bifur Gates" brings a heavier, more insistent beat-pulse, reminiscent of Richie Hawtin's heyday to my relatively untrained techno ears. "Unanimous Arc" brings an old-school acid feel, with straight-forward beats and trippy, blippy electronic sequences. This is club music the way it used to be, and solid work it is, too. The extra 4th track, "Femto Frames" (available through Beatport), is a lighter, ambient-leaning bit of post-Orb electronica, and an ideal closer.

Some fine work here, definitely a well-done set of tunes for fans of the minimalist Detroit scene and beyond.

(Palette Recordings via Beatport)

Man Ray - "Summer 88" CDEP

Man Ray is Peter Hook's new side project revisiting the acid house days, relevant as his old label (Factory) and friend's club (Tony Wilson's notorious Hacienda) were important centerpieces of this international scene back in, oh, say 1988. These 4 cuts are low-key retro throwbacks to the disco sound of acid house - minimal rhythms, some sirens and whistles, and simple electronic melodies. The two tracks, "We're On It" and "Ways Of Making Music" are presented with 2 mixes each, and they pulse along with primitive Roland drum machines and sequences pleasantly enough. Thing is, this music is basically a novelty now. There's little of "substance" (ha, pun there) on "Summer 88". Really, it's more of a minor diversion for clubgoers and serious New Order fans. (Hacienda Records/24 Hour Service Station)