This week's Techno CDs reviewed

Alpha & Omega AW Recordings ****

Detroit techno is an often-imitated sound, but German producer Arne Weinberg provides a fresh take on it. On Alpha & Omegahe showcases his intricate touch on the clipped beats and slivers of percussion that underpin the surging electro bass of Arcane. The album is also a more introspective sound than usual. Alphaand Never Surrenderare slow-paced arrangements, their laidback beats providing the backing for sweet yet melancholic melodies, while the warm drums of Everlastingand Nightstalkernudge the atmospheric sounds somewhat closer to the dance floor. There is also a darker side: the stripped back Defining Negative Spacesand the throbbing, insistent bass of Eclectic Spiralimbue the album with a menacing undercurrent. It's rare that techno music works in an album format, but this effortlessly diverse, breathless collection is one of those happy exceptions. www. aw-recordings.com

RICHARD BROPHY

Download tracks: Arcane, Eclectic Spiral, Never Surrender