DAX J's Reign of Terror EP is ten years old in 2025 and Monnom Black have reissued it with new artwork. Originally out in 2016 on Electric Deluxe, this is peak period Dax J doing what he does best: brutally efficient techno that hits hard and doesn't let up. The kicks are huge and the snares are sharp, arranged across six tracks that move more like a single continuous set than a collection of separate tunes. Reign Of Terror opens with a rolling bassline and a vocal sample that sounds like it is being shouted from inside a concrete tunnel. Harry The Hatchet and Zulu Nation push the tempo into proper warehouse territory, all clattering hi hats and sub bass that rumbles your ribcage.
This is straightforward, functional club music. It does not try to be clever or pretty. The BPMs stay high, the arrangements stay lean, and the mixes are designed to sound massive on a proper sound system. If you already own the original pressing you might not need this, but the new artwork is nice and the pressing is clean. Anyone who buys records from Monnom Black, knew this EP from its Electric Deluxe days, or just wants no frills techno that prioritises physical impact over atmosphere should pay attention. It is an acquired taste if you prefer your techno more cerebral. But it does exactly what it sets out to do.
