Moscow-based Anton Zap has remained quite a well-kept secret, with releases on Jus Ed's Underground Quality. His debut album on R&S offshoot Apollo is a brilliantly poignant exploration between ambient, textured downbeat and haunting techno and atmospheric funk-tinged deep house. Highly recommended.

Picked!

Frenchman Najem Sworb makes his debut on Clone Basement Series with some no-nonsense trend-resistant techno. 'Renow' a delicious juxtaposition of harsh techno synthline and plump warm house bass, the rest a balance between finely filed delicacies and weighty beat ammunition.

Picked!

James Holden drops his second album crafted using his analog modular synths and self-coded software. Harnessing these chaotic systems and referencing ancient pagan rituals, noise and gritty intrigue create a mystical depth around electronic melodies, producing a pretty stunning album.

Selected as release of the week

New collaboration between techno veteran Speedy J and Stobo-head Lucy takes the name literally translated as 'giver of time'. Exploring extra-dancefloor territories with doom-filled drones and noise sometimes momentarily forming cavernous beats, yet whether implicitly or explicitly techno, the darkness seduces.

Picked!

Half of Aux88/Black Tokyo Keith Tucker returns as Optic Nerve traversing the Detroit metroplex. Two versions of 'Time Lapse' contrasting first with spiky Motorcity darkness, then salvation electro synths. 'One Moment in Time's sneaking sci-fi synths and crafted electro remixed by Transient Force's Arnold Steiner.

Picked!

Ahead of his upcoming new album, Border Community boss James Holden releases the jittery synth-swelling noisily arising 'Renata'. Complementing it two remixes; Caribou's Daphni alias incorporating it quirkily for the dancefloor and the excellent synthologist Steve Moore doing his epic thang.

Picked!

The ever-splendiferous Monkeytown birdie Siriusmo makes another hyperactive outing with his third album. Last year's Doctor Beak tracks feature as re-edits, alongside his usual melting pot of freaky electropop, woozy hiphop, twisted jazz funk influences and strange humour. Not short on enthusiasm!

Picked!

Daniel Martin-McCormick touches base with the honourable Workshop label. 'Ice Drift (Stalker Mix)' sees Ital at his broodiest yet, subdued drums, throbbing bass and hazy synths, 'Pulsed' shuffles nonchalant synths over a hypnotic lo-swung beat, finally ending in a sluggish echoey dreamstate. Top stuff.

Confirming his reputation as one of the most vital, forward-thinking producers in drum'n'bass, Tom Rockwell dishes out two gnarling tracks. 'Detroit' is a full-on confrontation with a UR-inspired militancy, accelerated with gut-wrenching beat science, 'Back Again' whizzes with a flagrant trap-leaning workout.

A second release under the Vernon Felicity moniker for the prolific Boris Bunnik. 'Dawning' oozes a nonchalant funked-out techno delirium, 'Breaking Silence' on a more energetic cosmic tip, 'Wrong Notion' exploring smoother house tropes and '3' surveying epic sci-fi synthscapes. There's no stopping him!

Picked!

Nobody does it quite like Mr John Tejada, in another release for Kompakt 'Somewhere' gently knocks elastic synths under its techno groove and a spoken vocal. 'Elsewhere' whirls hi-hats around its luscious chords, somehow keeping his type of tech-house in a separate realm to its cheesy contemporaries.

Mathew Jonson releases his second solo album, mixing older tracks with more recent songs. From the atmospheric minimalism of 'Level 7', tentative spacefunk sparks of 'Illusions of Control', jazz canoodling of 'Kissing Your Eyes' to affirming house and techno, as ever impeccably produced. Bravo.

Picked!

Three years on from 'Lucky Shiner', the currently Berlin-based UK producer releases his second LP on Ghostly. His thorough electronic fusion seems flexible as ever, incorporating exotic percussion and sitar samples, field recordings from around the world. More pensive than his previous, though just as enchanting.

Picked!

His third album takes his own name, showing a coming-of-age of Martin Stimmung's project since its inception as a solo project in 2007. Where 2011's 'Liquorice' had a rougher feel with acoustic instruments, 'Stimmung' has a slicker, groovier electronic feel still with those quirks and character intact. A pleasure.

There's not much better to boost your techno credentials than a Robert Hood remix, and UK's Benjamin Damage sees his succinctly feisty already Detroit-minimal leaning track getting an unassailable rework. Nipped and tucked in immaculate highs and lows, a quaking militancy to behold. Don't miss!

From 2006 to 2010, the Frankfurt label Brontosaurus became influential with its raw and primitive analog sound. The perfect retrospective for these tantalising disco house gems, its three founders and others in Arto Mwambé, Extra Produktionen & more. If you don't have these in your collection, time to get on it!

Theo inaugurates his new London-based label Wildheart, in no finer style than collaborating with the Afrobeat legend Tony Allen. The first track with vocals from Eska and Andrew Ashong builds up soulful layers over sensuous rhythms, 'Feel Loved' with guitar by David Okumu is lusciously rich and tactile. Bellissimo!