A solid three-tracker of driving, smooth, atmospheric tech house with trance elements. A1 is my favourite and features some understated tribal percussion which works very well. B2 is a more basic, linear track best suited as a quick mix tune rather than as a specific highlight, whereas B1 is a dubby and low-slung affair. There's hardly anything radical or earth-shattering at stake with this music, but it's good stuff.

But if the music itself isn't too unusual, then the artwork definitely is. My copy comes in the sleeve for Change's classic disco album "The Glow of Love", which has been substantially modified by gluing various images, news headlines, tape etc. onto it. There's also something that looks like small drops of blood on the front... nice. Apparently the first batch of copies came with individually made sleeves, so if you have one of those, then it's probably the only one in the world that looks like it.

This record is a nice little time capsule from the early 90's underground dance music scene: a completely faceless release with an unimaginative title, no credits and four straightforward, club friendly and not particularly revolutionary tunes. Yet sixteen years on, while it certainly sounds very much of its time, it's not corny or dated like so much other stuff from the same era. This release incorporates elements of house, techno, breakbeats and even slight progressive house/trance leanings with an unassuming ease that somehow sits very nicely with the record's anonymous nature. And fortunately, it avoids the typical gimmicks and cliched schticks that were prevalent at the time.

I've had it confirmed that Norwegian DJ and producer Peer "DJ Wizard" Osmundsvaag was behind this EP. Peer was involved in the house scene from the late 80's onwards, both in the UK and Norway, and he'd later go on to work with D:Ream and become one of the busiest booking agents and promoters up here. He's been less active production-wise, but these little ditties have held up pretty well.

You know the feeling; coming home from a rave, fucked, incapacitated, somehow trying to come to terms with the end of the night, reaching for something to drown out the noise and help you through the morning, no beats, no melody, just sound. Thomas Köner, Chris Meloche, Aloof Proof, later Deathprod and Løksa's unknown "Green Adaptor" are all helpful in escaping vertigo, but "Fosen" has sent me drifting off to sleep more often than any other record: the drone contained in the first track is, quite simply, perfect.

Although they're Norwegian, I have no idea who Brønlund and Mikkelborg are (alas, no first names to go from) or, indeed, if they've recorded anything else. But this album (I'm not even sure how it should be listed - it's that obscure) is ample proof that music where "nothing happens" is, sometimes, all you need.

Early 90's deep house devotees love this label, and with good reason; just check "In Orbit" for one example of flawlessly executed, timeless music to immerse yourself in.

"The Nightflight", on the other hand, is quite a surprise, as it's a fast-paced, dark, hypnotic techno track which has absolutely nothing in common with the A side. The vibe is a bit creepy and paranoid (think Teste's "The Wipe"), and the track could easily have been released on a label like V-Max - it's hard to believe that the tracks on this EP were produced by the same artist.

A great release that tackles two different styles with confidence and talent. Track it down.

I'm not very familiar with Force Inc’s long-since defunct (and short-lived) house subsidiary Intense Recordings, and "Imaginary Landscapes" is the only release in its catalogue that resides in my collection. This compilation mostly contains material produced by DJ Tonka and Ian Pooley (when they were still in their teens and busy on the rave circuit with their Space Cube project), plus Jörg "Modernist" Burger. The kind of house music on offer here is of the extremely naïve and unrefined variety; pianos a-plenty, cheesy hooks, cliched basslines and keyboard stabs, indiscriminate use of vocal samples and an altogether simplistic and somewhat goofy approach which is so early 90's it hurts, nowhere near the best and most timeless house of this period. (An example of the latter would be Space Cube's exquisite "Dolphins" from 1992). It is, for the most part, hopelessly antiquated and lightweight. But a lot of fun. I dare you to listen to this music and remain unaffected by its carefree optimism and charming, sometimes overenthusiastic innocence. Compared to today's streamlined, politically correct dance music, it certainly falls flat in the technical department – but with music like this, picking holes in the production is just a meaningless exercise. These tracks document an era, and do it brilliantly – in fact, they paint a much more accurate picture of this period than the revered classics that have stood the test of time. (Thomas Heckmann's lush and still relevant ambient techno classic "Parnophelia" actually feels a bit out of place here). I'm not on a mission to seek out more records on this label – after all, an hour of this music will suffice – but this CD isn't leaving my house.

As a side note, the mega pretentious title of this thing (also the name of a series of John Cage compositions) must have been label owner Achim Szepanski's idea; I can't think of anyone else who could possibly consider "Imaginary Landscapes" an apt tag for this collection of light-hearted party tracks. Pure genius.

Per Martinsen was completely unaware of the existence of this record until he saw himself credited on it on discogs some 15 years after it was released - and he's still not sure he was actually involved in it. And you wonder why this label is legendary?

"Can You Move Your Body" is a waste of time - typical late 80's sample-based house that sounds exceptionally dated now - but "Cosmos" is great: a nice melodic electro track which has aged much better than the A side. Recommended old school!

A very welcome reissue of one of techno's lost gems.

Back in 1996-97, an obscure little label in Oxford called Void Records released some remarkable music by (at the time) unknown producer Matthew Puffet. Under the monikers Mode-M, Soul Electrik and Future Beat Alliance, he released melodic, often achingly beautiful techno/electro with obvious Detroit influences, but in a very personal and immediately recognizable style. Tracks such as "Inside Out" proved what a talented producer he was - but few people took notice at the time, and the records quickly ended up in the bargain bins (which is where I found most of my Void collection).

An FBA album was scheduled for release on Void in 1997. A few white labels were pressed and sent out, and the album even received a glowing review by Muzik's Dave Mothersole (one of FBA's biggest supporters at the time) - but the label went out of business shortly afterwards, and consequently, the full release was cancelled. The extremely rare promo has become a sought-after record in the meantime, and whereas labels such as Delsin and Versatile have had the brains to release his new stuff, Exalt Records deserves a round of applause for finally making "Hidden Emotion" available on CD. This reissue is every bit as vital as Radioactive Lamb's superb album which finally resurfaced in 2005.

This is a damn fine album, nicely balanced between downtempo and techno cuts, and the emotional content is hardly "hidden" - this is a passionate, deeply romantic electronic soul record that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. Picking highlights is somewhat futile - there are no duffers here - but do check "Television X": the strings will floor you.

On a final note, don't forget to check mr. Puffet's new releases - his last one (at the moment of writing) on Recondite is superb.

I've always considered "The Orange Theme" a turd in Eye Q's catalogue. It's crude, in-your-face and unsophisticated, and reeks of UK superclubs and "Now that's what I call trance" compilations.

But the flip side of this original release is magnificent. See, "Introspective" is just that - a pensive, poignant track imbued with the kind of warm melancholy often heard in the best early 90's trance. You needn't waste your time on the overplayed A side - this is the real deal. Beautiful.

A strong four-tracker from not-very-prolific producer and unsung hero Casey Tucker. Under an abbreviated version of the Variable Frequency Technician moniker, he provided one of the best tunes that ever saw the light of day on Plus 8, namely the superb "Location" which was released on the second From Our Minds To Yours compilation. This record more or less covers the same territory as the obscure EPs that he released on the Fine Balance label under his own name; that is, melancholia-tinged, moving music that bridges the gap between melodic techno and deep house. Lead track "The Arrival" is the most techno-sounding of the four tunes on offer, and although it's good, it's actually my least favourite here. "Rediscovery" utilises a bubbling bassline that resembles some of his Fine Balance tracks, whereas personal highlight "Cross Section" takes you for a smooth ride with all the class and refinement that the best house music has to offer. This record was a bit of an oddity on Probe (normally home to much more hard-edged music), which may explain why it's one of the label's more overlooked releases. However, it definitely ranks alongside the more well-known offerings on this Plus 8 offshoot.

Not the most crucial Benisch record but a fine release nonetheless, containing some calm, reflective downbeat/ambient techno tracks with a similar vibe to his "Lindego" album. I'm particularly fond of "Borsigwerke". And even though it's a limited edition thing on coloured vinyl with some rather luxurious packaging (art book an' all), it's nowhere near as sought after as his albums. If you're into the Benisch sound, you could definitely do worse than tracking down a copy. A nice addition to the catalogue.