Over the past few years the Sandwell District label has been a remarkable source of mesmerizing techno tracks. In times where every DJ and producer seems to be more concerned with self-promotion than the music itself, Sandwell's understated and low-key approach has come as a breath of fresh air in an over-crowded club music scene.

A tightly knit family of artists is chiefly responsible for the label's impeccable output: Karl O'Connor a.k.a. Regis, Dave Sumner a.k.a. Function, Pete Sutton a.k.a. Female, and Juan Mendez a.k.a. Silent Servant.

Spread out between Birmingham, Berlin and L.A. the label's core members run Sandwell District more like an autonomous network than a record company - unified by a common vision of cold and futuristic techno, from the clear-cut, Sähko-esque productions of Function, to the more industrial flavours of Regis, and the Detroit-influenced dub techno of Silent Servant.

The label has just released two highly recommendable compilation EPs, simply titled 'Sampler Single 1' and 'Sampler Single 2', which showcase the styles of all four producers. On this occasion, we have asked Dave Sumner for 5 picks from the Sandwell District universe.