A-Sides Vol. 9: Part 1/ Various - A-Sides Vol. 9: Part 1 (Various Artists)

If you want a snapshot of where techno stands in any given year, and a preview of where it's headed, look no further than Drumcode's A-Sides compilation. Since 2012 it has marked the label debuts of countless vital Drumcode artists and affiliates, from Layton Giordani, Wehbba and Boxia, to Amelie Lens and ANNA, no less. Every year, new names are unearthed, tried and true techno contributors serve up their best, and icons of the industry land their debut on Adam Beyer's storied label. The 2020 edition hits with 13 tracks, eight coming from label debutants. On part one, Belgium's Joyhauser featured at last year's Drumcode Festival paving the way for 'Fierceness', a beautiful melody-drenched cut befitting their DC cap. Alongside this, longtime Drumcode cohort Reset Robot dishes up a pounding arp-laden weapon, reinforcing his classy production nous. Finally closing out the EP, with three EPs in less than two years on Truesoul, Oscar L steps up to DC, showing the breadth of his sound palette with a soaring, synth-laden gem 'Dark Fate'.