Pan-European techno label aurora. is proud to serve up the first in a series of contemplative compilations entitled Morning Rituals Vol. 1. Featuring exciting and avant garde artists like Core, Suario, Daniel Calvi, Fleur and more across 11 superb tracks, it is music to be heard during the calm of the early morning, or during moments of deep thought and solitude. This collection follows on from a debut compilation compiled by label co-founder Mattia Prete that presented eight tracks from eight artists in eight different European countries. It has been put together with meditation and audio therapy in mind, but could also immerse you in lush sound on a huge festival sound system, or be used to layer up atmosphere by adventurous DJs who play across more than two decks. Berlin based experimental sound researcher Bayon opens up with ‘Cosa Sei’, a scintillating ambient track with deep and moody chords as well as more bright and thin synth motifs up top. It’s melancholic and moving and is followed by Daniel Calvi, who serves up the dark, heavy, slow motion rhythms of ‘Anemos’ with its paranoid vocal whispers and eerie found sounds. Then it’s French born Berlin based Discreet Haven’s ‘Futakuchi Onna’ which ups the ante with a hypnotic techno rhythm overlaid with watery sound effects and ticking hits. Core offers the title track ‘Morning Ritual’ and takes you on a serene trip into widescreen deep techno that sooth your mind, body and soul. ‘Teardown’ from Artyom Tuwalski is a busier track with modulated synths raining down the face as booming kicks and bass make for a cavernous bottom end in which to get lost. Depot6 Records associate Apirpil Jika goes for a euphoric vibe with dreamy breakbeats and cloud-like chords that suspend you in mid air amongst echoing voices. There is a distinctly Millsian vibe to bass obsessive Bebhionn’s ‘Universal Gravitation’, with its sonar like pulses, rubbery drums and bass and uneasy sense of tension. Saurio’s ‘Amanecer’ is a drowsy offering of sleepy techno that makes your mind wander off into a dream state and Pulso’s ‘No Confidence Movement’ disappears deep down a techno wormhole where only alien life forms exist. Fleur closes things down in style with ‘Eruption,’ a detached vocal cut that drifts on sparse, broken kick drums as the heavenly voice brings real pain and emotion. This is a tasteful collection of high class, pensive techno.