Young Italian duo Reform returns to Second State with their latest release, four tracks of innovative, hard-hitting and unusually sophisticated techno. The throbbing kick and trippy synths of “Close Encounters” open the EP, with a foreign, clipped vocal and breaksy jungle elements adding further interest and mystique. “Stance”, meanwhile, is a straight-up stomper packed with ricocheting percussion, rubbery synth blasts and disorienting pads, all crying to be heard in a club. “Mind Control” demands to rain down on a crowd at a festival, too. A lean, nimble build steadily escalates into an irresistible, shuffling beat boosted by shifting, bouncy synth patterns and an unrelenting forward momentum. The pair’s unusual knack for blending disparate elements into something atypical but completely danceable is perhaps best demonstrated on “Horse Riding”. The drums are tribal, the stabs are acid-like, there’s a gauzy filter laid over the top, and tickling hi-hats, but also an undeniable thump commanding bodies to move. Put simply, this dream team from Tuscany are making music well beyond their years that stands up beside the work of veterans (and is often more interesting).

Brand new, never played, sealed