Various Artists - Tales Of Mabgate EP [MASS]

The first release from the newly minted MASS label is a feast of nostalgic and retro-futuristic delights featuring cuts from a quartet of artists, both new and veteran. Kelper kicks off the journey by adding warm chords, a sizzling synth bass and long-range electronic motifs to a driving electro beat, before Midge Thompson connects the dots between early 90s spacial deep house and the sub-heavy sound of bleep techno. Nikol’s ‘Leon’ is an excellent tribute to early 90s British techno, full of clattering drum machine beats, shadowy motifs and a stabbing ‘LFO’ bassline, whilst Keefy G’s ‘Tools For Le Car’ sounds like an unlikely collaboration between Kraftwerk, Sweet Exorcist, Nathaniel X Project and a restless DJ scratching. As a label debut, it’s an impressive first outing.