Various

The output from Richie Hawtin’s labels (Plus 8 and Minus) has, without question, defined a large part of what minimalism means on dance floors: sanitary in its skeletal sound sculptures yet also dirty with its heavy bass attacks and driving, tribal percussions. Richie Hawtin and Clark Warner celebrate this specific sound in their compilation The Best of Minus, a double disc that includes legendary dance floor hits from the late ’90s and remixes of their latest tracks that were rocking last week’s party. The first disc, Nothing Much, starts off with Magda’s foray into psychedelia with "48 Hour Crack in your Bass” exuding her signature sound of house-y techno, which moved a lot of people back in 2005. The standard techno four to the floor sound of Loco Dice’s "Seeing through Shadows” is a highlight, as the beats gradually build to a beautiful release, with violin harmonics, muted guitar strumming and a fat electro bass line. Nothing Much wouldn’t be complete without including soon to be Minus classics: Heartthrob’s "Baby Kate” and Marc Houle’s "Bay of Figs.” The second disc, Something More, is a 70-minute mix by label artist Troy Pierce, who puts many of these twelve-inch tracks to good use. Pierce snatches a few more remixes of "Baby Kate” and of his own "25 Bitches,” not to mention perfectly blending in ultra-minimalist Minus artist I.A. Bericochea. For those unfamiliar with the Minus label, this is a great entry point to catch the best output released since the late ’90s. As for the Minus die-hards, this is a reaffirmation of what you love and why.