Keeping up a high rate of release but just as high level of quality, the Cinematic label turns to German DJ, producer and Exploration label boss Johannes Volk for its next EP, with a typically idiosyncratic remix from Greek dub techno man XDB. Volk has been producing conceptual techno since 2006, debuting with a fine EP on the revered Axis label run by techno royalty Jeff Mills. Since then he has continued to evolve on labels like Steffi's Dolly as well as his own vinyl only imprint, and does so once again on this release. Opening track Desert Labyrinth is built on a firm bed of rubbery kick drums and ticking percussion and is run through with sweet and serene Detroit pads that speak of the future. Some pristine melody work and a nagging, drone like bassline drags you deep down the rabbit hole. The same track gets remixed by XDB, someone with an increasingly high profile thanks to his deep and dubby drone techno labels like Sistrum, Echochord and Diamonds & Pearls. Here he does his trippy, hypnotic, long-form thing once again and elongates Desert Labyrinth into a rolling groove peppered with mildly manic melodies and dramatic pad patterns: it's excellent stuff as ever from the Grecian. Next up Photon Sphere is a more broken, hiccupping beat with expertly defined percussion. It's a jacking track that will make bodies move on the dancefloor but is far from just functional fodder thanks to the delicate way in which pads and synths are layered on top of each other to levitating effect. Charging Particles is a quick licked march through a darkened cosmos with curious chords, lashing FX and a firm focus on the future, as techno should always have. Deep and warm; heady yet propulsive it's emotive techno for mind, body and soul.