Emerging adjacent to the 2010s lofi boom, Sam Astbury’s X-Kalay imprint has morphed into a treasure chest of tech house. Its compilation, XK039, collects five functional, nuanced beats from Guile, Boss Priester, Pistaccio, Mtty, and DJ Life. The latter serves up a razory shuffle on “Fractal,” expanding on the Melbourne artist’s penchant for bouncy trance — hypnotic without slipping into repetition.

In line with his cheeky X presence, Ian Ostaszewski’s Jetski alias is absurd and astute. The Illinois weirdo quietly primed himself for dizzying Hausu Mountain, now issuing his record The Radiant Radish. His flow hinges on the rudimentary app Koala Sampler, loaded with thousands of royalty-free snippets. “Speed Zoo” is a bombastic jumble, effects and footwork kicks colliding. It is tailored to screen fried minds.

Sydney-based producer Anton Levings eschews Aussie club’s coy fizz for brashness. His EP as LEVOS, Burnout, is on feisty London label Well Street Records. On “Day Off,” fathomless bass descends over 2-step sequencing. Though Levings’ own CG Discs uplifts futuristic jazz, “Day Off” would leave Joy Orbison reeling.

Craigie Knowes is synonymous with proggy essentials, caked in dust. The label’s latest is from close affiliate The Burrell Connection, a Berlin-based Scot named Zander Hay. On the EP I Waste My Time So You Don’t Have To, hardware grooves nod to Midwest spaciness. On aptly titled “Celestial,” dubby chords, clanging 909s, and rubbery low end interlock. It is semi-lucid and insistent.

Sneaker Social Club favors deep, snarling tracks. The Berlin-Bristol label has been responsible for recent standouts from Beton Brut, Henzo, and Legion. Its latest, Timeline, is a 1998 gem unearthed from Ben England and Rick Dallaway’s Basic Unit duo. Smudging grime and tech step, the record is atonal and clattering. On “Resolution,” half-time drums thwack motor rumbles and digitized strings. For a buried obscurity, Timeline is notably on-trend.

Fergus Jones’ early material as Perko straddled mossy atmosphere and tautness. In the wake of an eponymous rebrand, the FELT label manager has veered toward trip hop, R&B, and dub. On a remix of Grey Streak and Elijah Right?’s left-field hip hop single “Levels,” Jones juxtaposes jangly strums and pristine hi-hat rolls. It equally harkens Dizzee Rascal and The Cleaners From Venus.

Tom Wood’s project Sub Basics came up mimicking Bristol’s growl. 2025 has found him leaning into jungle, techno, and balearic on cuts for Wisdom Teeth, Osmura, and Temple Of Sound. His Wavelengths EP is on Australian DJ Kia’s bubbly Animalia imprint. “Radius” finds polyrhythmic kicks churning beneath a flute-y melody. It dovetails in and out of leafy valleys, the whole thing remarkably textured.

Munich’s Bryan Müller shows little taste for stagnation. To cap a monumental period for Skee Mask, he is focusing on the label A Strange Child. Launched with his partner Lara Fein, its goal is to champion local peers and kindred spirits. The inaugural pressing is from Konrad Wehrmeister, who explores skunky techno and retro house on the vinyl-only ASC 1 EP. The frills are as minimal as the patterns.

Joe Gladwell’s output is typically verdant. The Wisdom Teeth co-founder’s EP, Pressure, is a pummelling departure. Released by legendary dubstep label Tempa, it plays into the reggae-inflected tenseness of forebears Horsepower Productions and Skream. On “Shelter,” Gladwell’s icy 2-step juxtaposes syncopated vocal chops and seismic LFOs. It is a banging homage to early aughts London.

Glitch trickster Oli XL has completed his ascent. The Stockholm native straddles cybernetic downtempo and whimsical pop, yielding support from labels including PAN, Posh Isolation, and his own YEAR0001 subsidiary Bloom. His surprise album, Lick The Lens / Pt. 1, is on Warp Records and features buzzy guests Ecco2k, Ouri, and james K. Chanel Beads collaboration “LOVE & POP” unfolds with reflective synthesizers and yawning percussion. Shane Lavers’ cool vocals are pitch-shifted, but his acrobatic melodies retain a lopsided catchiness.