Brooding, hypnotic, and utterly relentless, ‘Detached [1]’ is both a showcase for Jeremy Caufield’s spiky techno label Dumb Unit, and the next installment in his bruising series of ‘Detached’ mixes. It’s a two disc set that explores the tougher, more linear side of minimal techno, and it is a testament to Canadian Caufield’s staunch commitment as an ambassador to his beloved genre, and hawk eye ability as genuine talent scout, that this sounds as fresh as anything out there. Drums pulse, synths glisten and basslines rumble against an architecture of menacing dark funk. Don’t expect variety and shifts in mood or texture from this puppy, this is modern techno; taut, tight and mean as a motherfucker.

Over two discs Caufield clinically bombards the ears the only way he knows how, and if you have ever heard his freight train style DJ sets – recorded or live – you will know what to expect. Even the first unmixed disc of DJ friendly tracks from the Dumb Unit roster sounds propulsive, and the mixed disc is nothing but gargantuan, but be warned; this is minimal for a niche market. The excellent Sweet N Candy feature heavily on the first disc, turning in three tracks of their trademark tripped out tech shuffle, the bleep-a-thon ‘Unbreakable’ in particular a highlight. Butane is one of the most exciting techno producers around, and his two tracks are worth the disc price alone, ‘The Gimp Cant Hurt’ is all tip toe pads and rapid heart rate percussion with menacing bursts of analogue. and ‘How Low Can You Go’ replicates Platikman style minimalism implicitly. The rest of the disc is typically sharp and groovy.

The second disc is Caufield in club mode, a snap shot of what goes on at his Dumb Unit nights in Berlin. In a market where Ableton constructed mixes have taken over from genuine turntable ability, the impact of a set like this will no doubt be blunt. But Caufield is an impeccable selector, and with more ‘minimal’ style anthems crossing over to mainstream dance floors it’s great to hear a set that relies on less obvious peaks and troughs to make impact. Jumping out of the gate with another great Butane track, the mix bleeps and stutters, gathering irrepressible momentum so that by the time it hits Ryan Crosson’s blistering remix of ‘Love Bezerker’, you can almost taste the sweat on the walls.

‘Detached [1]’ is a deeper, spookier ride through a lesser known techno landscape. It’s timely but ultimately rewarding. Its toughness and dark shades will not be for everyone, but if you like your tech or even prog house on the meaner side, this will definitely tickle your pickle.