Elektrax Recordings was founded in the second year of the new millennium (2001) by acclaimed DJ/producer DJ Hi-Shock in Sydney, Australia.
The label’s first vinyl release, “Nagano Trax Vol.1″, was pressed and distributed throughout Europe via Soundbase, Germany.
The label was then diverted into the digital terrain in 2005 with the limited re-issue of dateless, still incredibly fresh productions from the late ’90s, and the introduction of the latest material from international talent.
These days, Elektrax is a 100% digital netlabel that releases Deep, Hard, Dark, Minimalistic, Tribal, Proper Techno, and Psy Tekk.
With releases and remixes from new and established producers such as DJ Warp, Psi Room, Ree.K, Roman Zawodny, Dave Tarrida, Darkmode, C-System, Secret Surfer, Hakker, Bitch Shift, Son Of Zev, Steve Stoll, V1NZ, Thomas P. Heckmann, Little Nobody, Gayle San and DJ Hi-Shock, the label has built itself up a renowned international identity, and has already gained support from most top DJs worldwide.
Ostensibly reared on a now-deserted island called Gunkanjima, just off the coast from Nagasaki, Jungle Taitei (real name unknown) admits to being just as influenced by pioneering electronic musician Isao Tomita - who composed the soundtrack for Osamu Tezuka's 1960s anime series, 'Janguru Taitei' (Kimba the White Lion) - as he has been by Tim Taylor and Dan Zamani's sizzling 1994 tribal-techno record, 'The Planet Of Drums'.
The legacy of both is crystal clear in the original mix of 'Taitei Drums': a superb, instant classic, tribal-percussive-tech track, the debut overseas release by the unconventional, reclusive artist. It starts slow and swirling, but the kick, when it arrives, is a formidable one that dazzles the senses, completely living up to the title and adding an element or two of surprise.
Secret Surfer mix takes the existing structure and hammers into a scintillating Detroit/Berlin techno crossover familiar to lovers of his formidable style: mind-blowingly deep, dark, and dirty, this is like Luke Slater's Planetary Assault Systems days folded into old school Underground Resistance and recharged for a completely new millennium, aimed at a dancefloor packed with hundreds of gyrating, willing victims.
Japan's notorious DJ Warp then takes the loftily-held baton and sustains it in ingenious new ways: He continues the tribal Detroit theme, and injects a funky, butt-shaking edge and mesmerizing keyboard stabs worthy of Jeff Mills, Derrick May and Juan Atkins in their more grooved-out, dancefloor-adjusted moments.
Glorious stuff on so many levels, from all three innovative artists.
