Sasu Ripatti returns to Raster-Noton for another album under his Vladislav Delay moniker, and 'Kuopio' is a truly stunning work.

Weightier and more definied than last year's 'Vantaa', it maintains a perfect equilibrium between the sprawling techno dubs of his early Chain Reaction recordings and the stochastic precision currently championed by producers like Mark Fell.

If anything, Sasu Ripatti's acclaimed style of experimental and inventive techno has only gotten better and more sharply defined over the past 15 years.

The album's nine long tracks subtly evolve and seamlessly shift between purely delay-driven experimentation and weaving subtle harmonic fabrics of sound that recall Ripatti's Luomo alter-ego's pop apeal. The prevailing polyrhythmicality of tracks like 'Vastaa' and 'Hitto' serves as a perfect counterpoint to the album's deep and warm pads and echoes. Mesmerizing and utterly recommended.

Finding time alongside the Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Sasu Ripatti has a new album upcoming with this EP appearing in advance. Densely rhythmic with minimal structures yet intriguing sonic textures, ingeniously straddling synth-pop and C20th avant garde. An intense and truly stunning EP. Highly recommended.

Picked!

Sasu Ripatti's first release as Vladislav Delay since 2009's 'Tummaa', he finds time away from Moritz von Oswald Trio and Vladislav Delay Quartet for this EP on Echocord. A thickly textured dubby palette sculpted with his usual sonic expertise and a stunning Villalobos-Loderbauer remix to round it off.

Vladislav Delay's 1999 Sistol album is a reduced and jacking techno affair, and for this huge reissue package Sasu Ripatti's remasters are accompanied by remixes from Mike Huckaby, FaltyDL, Alva Noto, John Tejada, DMX Krew, and many, many more. Amazing.

The second volume of remixes for 'On the Bright Side' is evenly split between cutting-edge breaks and ambient drones. Scuba and FaltyDL supply the former, while Oneohtrix Point Never and Walls deliver the latter. Sublime.

The first of remixes for 'On the Bright Side' come from Redshape and Jori Hulkkonen, who both do an impeccable job at adding their signature styles to Vladislav Delay's tracks while leaving their original vibe intact. Bomb.

A full decade after the first album, Vladislav Delay revives his Sistol project for a brand-new album of slowed down, stripped down, funked-up techno. 'On the Bright Side' is a bold combination of both Delay's pop music sensibilities and sonic experimentalism. Highly Recommended.

Three of the highlight remakes from the Sistol 'Remasters & Remakes' package make up this EP: Alva Noto, FaltyDJ, John Tejada, with an additional remix by [a]pendics.shuffle added as a floor-friendly bonus track not included on the full album.

2009 has seen the return of Vladislav Delay and the advent of the autumnly electronica masterpiece that is 'Tummaa'. Rooted in organic jazz and improvisational music just as much as it is in contemporary electronica,'Tummaa' is one of the most engaging listening albums of the year.