November's techno chart wraps up the monthly series for 2020. It was a nutty year for sure but our favorite techno producers kept things relatively sane for us with their exciting and creative creations. This past month's highlights include a few album like Eats Everything's debut, Drumcomplex's third full-length, and Robert Hood's 10th ever album on Rekids! Lots to enjoy in this month's chart and beyond so go out and buy (or stream) these new albums to show your support.
See past techno charts here.
1. "THE DREAM" – SYCUM [KOMPAKT EXTRA]
In the interest of letting the music speak for itself, an elusive producer from Berlin set up the alias, SYCUM to release two brilliant, new tunes via Kompakt Extra. Including this suspenseful piece of music that might fit well among the classic trance of the early '90s. To say the least, it's an absolute beauty that deserves your undivided attention.
2. "FALLING APART" – ROBERT HOOD [REKIDS]
Robert Hood's 10th L.P., Mirror Man is out now via Rekids and it's a 16 track journey through various moods of techno. Some of the highlights include "The Cure" and "7 Mile Dog" which were previously released a couple of months ago on his Nothing Stops Detroit EP but other than that, the album is ripe with new techno including this brilliant one titled, "Falling Apart."
3. "INJECTION" – ALIGNMENT [KNTXT]
For just the 8th release on Charlotte De Witte's KNTXT imprint, she's invited Alignment back for a second outing that is outright stacked with huge tunes. Four in all are included and all are amazing but by process of elimination, I've chosen "Injection" as the one to go mental for.
4. "PARADISE LOST" – PIG&DAN & VICTOR RUIZ [DRUMCODE]
These Drumcode all-stars linked up for the first time and the result was a three-track package that includes this next-level, genre-crosser which should reach multiple audiences.
5. "HONEY (RYAN JAMES FORD REMIX)" – DENSE & PIKA [KNEADED PAINS]
Forthcoming on Dense & Pika's debut L.P., this Matthew Dear collaboration gets rinsed inside-out by Ryan James Ford and the result is this highly original banger. Turn it up.
6. "THE DEVIL INSIDE" – SARA LANDRY [CRISIS OF MAN]
Hardcore, industrial techno in full effect on this introspective banger courtesy of Sara Landry via CRISIS OF MAN.
7. "COSMIC STRING" – RESET ROBOT [TRUESOUL]
Truesoul's most released artist returns to his welcome home with three varied tunes including this excellent one which is very easy on the ears.
8. "CONNECTED" – DRUMCOMPLEX, BEN CHAMPELL [COMPLEXED RECORDS]
This very intelligent piece of techno features on Drumcomplex's excellent, studio album, The Story Of Now.
9. "AS IT TASTES" – POST SCRIPTUM [INTERNATIONAL DAY OFF]
Self-described as sci-fi techno, this psychedelic adventure features astronaut dialogue over hypnotic loops and repetitive rhythms.
10. "STRANGE WORLD (JOYHAUSER REMIX)" – PUSH [TERMINAL M]
Trance strikes again as yet another classic from the once shunned genre gets a beefy update to match today's sound. "Strange World" is the title of the tune from the year 2000 and Joyhauser does a spectacular job of bringing it up to date 20 years later. Bravo!
11. "MESSAGE" – MARK REEVE & UMEK [1605]
For his debut on 1605, Mark Reeve collaborated with the boss himself, UMEK! The track is titled, "Message" and it features a powerful kick drum that not only stutters, but punches hard as hell as well. Fasten your seatbelts, this track is large.
12. "WHERE IS YOUR SOUL (STEPHEN BROWN REMIX)" – SUBRADEON [SOUS MUSIC]
Scottish producer, Stephen Brown has been holding down Detroit style techno since the mid '90s when he was unleashing tunes on the famed Djax imprint. Here he is 25 years later doing his thing with a stellar remix on Anja Schneider's Sous Music imprint.
13. "THE ANDOR VOYAGE (RAMON TAPIA MIX)" – METRO DADE [SAY WHAT?]
Ramon Tapia's remix of this classic trance record was getting a lot of attention so he gracefully sought out the publisher and was granted permission to release this banging, new version.
14. "MOAN" – EATS EVERYTHING [EI8HT]
Eats Everything's debut album is out now via own imprint, EI8HT and it's aptly eight tracks deep. Highlights include a Felix Da Housecat collaboration and of course, this wonky, jacker playfully titled, "Moan."
15. "MAR'S MOON" – INNELLEA [DIYNAMIC]
After almost five years of cutting his teeth on stellar labels like Steyoyoke and Afterlife, Innellea makes his well-deserved debut on Diynamic via their Picture series. It's a mini-LP that features six cuts including this dizzying wonder he's titled, "Mar's Moon."
Stream November's techno chart uninterrupted via the playlist below:
