1
Oliver Kapp - Mantash
2
Oliver Kapp - Rapture
3
Oliver Kapp - Loud Whisper
4
Oliver Kapp - Sketch
Tracklist:
(A1) Oliver Kapp – Mantash (DE-Q20-19-01839)
(A2) Oliver Kapp – Rapture (DE-Q20-19-01840)
(B1) Oliver Kapp – Loud Whisper (DE-Q20-19-01841)
(B2) Oliver Kapp – Sketch (DE-Q20-19-01842)
Release Info
Seasoned producer Oliver Kapp takes us back to the glory days of underground techno where pounding sound systems ruptured the space time continuum for fun. The old guard will already know
that Kapp has pedigree, from running and releasing on his own record labels Indulge and Raygun to a string of appearances on Stockholm LTD, Logistic and Gigolo, his dedication to the cause is
unquestionable. Which is why his first appearance on Cocoon Recordings is long overdue.
What we get are DJ friendly tools designed for that time of night when the the second hand stops ticking. Kapp presents a perfect collection of timeless warehouse techno, like the genre itself there are no beginnings or ends, just a constant barrage of hi octane machine funk, underpinned by heavy duty beats that somehow manage to induce a sense of weightlessness on the dance floor.
Scaling down the bpms to a sub 130 tempo, the EP is a masterclass in how to balance the old school with the new. „Loud Whisper“ is both tough and relentless, generating an hypnotic state that ensnares the dancer in suspended animation as strobe lights flicker across closed eyelids. Scattered hihats motor forward and trance inducing sequences splice and dice causing mind and body to drift apart.
„Mantash“ is an altogether gentler excursion. Loose tribal rhythms slalom through the metronomic kicks before giving way to distant chords that embrace the dancefloor in a warm fuzzy glow. This lush
vibe extends over the rest of the track while the beats roll on, accompanied by delicate melodies that enhance the ride. Euphoria and delirium combine on the aptly titled „Rapture“, as chopped up vocal fx alternate across a hard hitting 909 pattern complete with angular snares and ride cymbals that bang the box into submission. The fluid, rolling grooves of „Sketch“ then conclude proceedings in a flurry of delayed percussion lines that skim the surface while pressure builds from below. Even at breaking point, Kapp never overcooks his arrangements, utilizing a carefully controlled combination of elements that evenly span the frequency range.
Oliver Kapp‘s „Mantash“ EP on Cocoon Recordings signals a return to the roots of the scene. It’s an absolute must for all the purists out there. More
(A1) Oliver Kapp – Mantash (DE-Q20-19-01839)
(A2) Oliver Kapp – Rapture (DE-Q20-19-01840)
(B1) Oliver Kapp – Loud Whisper (DE-Q20-19-01841)
(B2) Oliver Kapp – Sketch (DE-Q20-19-01842)
Release Info
Seasoned producer Oliver Kapp takes us back to the glory days of underground techno where pounding sound systems ruptured the space time continuum for fun. The old guard will already know
that Kapp has pedigree, from running and releasing on his own record labels Indulge and Raygun to a string of appearances on Stockholm LTD, Logistic and Gigolo, his dedication to the cause is
unquestionable. Which is why his first appearance on Cocoon Recordings is long overdue.
What we get are DJ friendly tools designed for that time of night when the the second hand stops ticking. Kapp presents a perfect collection of timeless warehouse techno, like the genre itself there are no beginnings or ends, just a constant barrage of hi octane machine funk, underpinned by heavy duty beats that somehow manage to induce a sense of weightlessness on the dance floor.
Scaling down the bpms to a sub 130 tempo, the EP is a masterclass in how to balance the old school with the new. „Loud Whisper“ is both tough and relentless, generating an hypnotic state that ensnares the dancer in suspended animation as strobe lights flicker across closed eyelids. Scattered hihats motor forward and trance inducing sequences splice and dice causing mind and body to drift apart.
„Mantash“ is an altogether gentler excursion. Loose tribal rhythms slalom through the metronomic kicks before giving way to distant chords that embrace the dancefloor in a warm fuzzy glow. This lush
vibe extends over the rest of the track while the beats roll on, accompanied by delicate melodies that enhance the ride. Euphoria and delirium combine on the aptly titled „Rapture“, as chopped up vocal fx alternate across a hard hitting 909 pattern complete with angular snares and ride cymbals that bang the box into submission. The fluid, rolling grooves of „Sketch“ then conclude proceedings in a flurry of delayed percussion lines that skim the surface while pressure builds from below. Even at breaking point, Kapp never overcooks his arrangements, utilizing a carefully controlled combination of elements that evenly span the frequency range.
Oliver Kapp‘s „Mantash“ EP on Cocoon Recordings signals a return to the roots of the scene. It’s an absolute must for all the purists out there. More
More records from Oliver Kapp
1
Oliver Kapp - The Trail (Ovatow Reshape)
2
Oliver Kapp - Piston Rings
This split release between Frustrated Funk and Indulge Records sees FF head honcho klen Ovatow reconnecting with Indulge's Oliver Kapp, a link that was established all the way back in the mid/late 90s. Celebrating with a remastered version of Kapp's Piston Rings (ME-01), one of the tracks that kickstarted the Indulge imprint in 1996. And on the FF side Ovatow reshaped Kapp's The Trail into a 12 minute deep dive. Obviously not your typical techno.. Beware!!..
More
More records from Cocoon Recordings
1
Damiano von Erckert - Steam (Staub Mix)
2
Damiano von Erckert - Dad Was Not Around
3
Damiano von Erckert - Roh
4
Damiano von Erckert - Fantazia 93
Tracklist: (1) Damiano von Erckert – Steam (Staub Mix) (DE-Q20-24-00015)
(2) Damiano von Erckert – Dad Was Not Around (DE-Q20-24-00016)
(3) Damiano von Erckert – Roh (DE-Q20-24-00017)
(4) Damiano von Erckert – Fantazia 93 (DE-Q20-24-00018)
Long overdue, we are happy to welcome Damiano von Erckert to Cocoon Recordings with his debut single, bringing late summer vibes that were well worth the wait. Damiano's lovely energy shines through in this EP, resulting in music that blends soulful character with his signature house sound.
“Steam (Staub Mix)” lifts your spirits from the very first beat, and the summery vibe of the housey Rhodes piano brings a smile to your face. Yet, the track retains a somewhat wistful and melancholy feel. Skillful intonation gives the break a jazzy feel, it's this friction that makes it special. Von Erckert showcases his skill with this playful arrangement, sure to have dancers' hands reaching skyward. The second track “Das Was Not Around” is a masterclass in purism, where simplicity meets profound emotion. Swirly synth pads unfold to create a dreamy, immersive atmosphere, pulling listeners into its depths. Despite its introspective title, a sense of hopefulness permeates the track, as if reaching for light through the shadows. Damiano’s approach allows every element to shine, making the deep grooves and ethereal sounds feel both intimate and expansive. It’s a journey of reflection yet imbued with a quiet optimism that lingers long after the final beat fades.
The essence of reduced Chicago drumming is brilliantly embodied in “Roh”, channeling a raw, stripped-back rhythm that strikes with precision and purpose. This forms the bedrock of a composition that feels timeless. The track carries an unmistakable grandeur, echoing the majestic hymns of certain legendary French artists. As the beats develop, they evoke a profound sense of reverence and nostalgia, seamlessly blending classic house influences with a modern edge. It's a track that honors the roots while confidently advancing the frontiers of contemporary house music. "Fantazia 93" is a nostalgic dive into a ‘90s House vibe, channeling the essence of that unforgettable era with authenticity. Damiano's signature sounds are front and center, infusing the track with a unique touch that’s fresh while reminiscent of classic house anthems. The track exudes an Ibiza after-hour feeling, transporting listeners to those sun-drenched days where time seems to stand still. It’s a sonic journey that feels like sunbeams warming the skin, bathing the senses in a radiant, feel-good energy that resonates long after.
More
(2) Damiano von Erckert – Dad Was Not Around (DE-Q20-24-00016)
(3) Damiano von Erckert – Roh (DE-Q20-24-00017)
(4) Damiano von Erckert – Fantazia 93 (DE-Q20-24-00018)
Long overdue, we are happy to welcome Damiano von Erckert to Cocoon Recordings with his debut single, bringing late summer vibes that were well worth the wait. Damiano's lovely energy shines through in this EP, resulting in music that blends soulful character with his signature house sound.
“Steam (Staub Mix)” lifts your spirits from the very first beat, and the summery vibe of the housey Rhodes piano brings a smile to your face. Yet, the track retains a somewhat wistful and melancholy feel. Skillful intonation gives the break a jazzy feel, it's this friction that makes it special. Von Erckert showcases his skill with this playful arrangement, sure to have dancers' hands reaching skyward. The second track “Das Was Not Around” is a masterclass in purism, where simplicity meets profound emotion. Swirly synth pads unfold to create a dreamy, immersive atmosphere, pulling listeners into its depths. Despite its introspective title, a sense of hopefulness permeates the track, as if reaching for light through the shadows. Damiano’s approach allows every element to shine, making the deep grooves and ethereal sounds feel both intimate and expansive. It’s a journey of reflection yet imbued with a quiet optimism that lingers long after the final beat fades.
The essence of reduced Chicago drumming is brilliantly embodied in “Roh”, channeling a raw, stripped-back rhythm that strikes with precision and purpose. This forms the bedrock of a composition that feels timeless. The track carries an unmistakable grandeur, echoing the majestic hymns of certain legendary French artists. As the beats develop, they evoke a profound sense of reverence and nostalgia, seamlessly blending classic house influences with a modern edge. It's a track that honors the roots while confidently advancing the frontiers of contemporary house music. "Fantazia 93" is a nostalgic dive into a ‘90s House vibe, channeling the essence of that unforgettable era with authenticity. Damiano's signature sounds are front and center, infusing the track with a unique touch that’s fresh while reminiscent of classic house anthems. The track exudes an Ibiza after-hour feeling, transporting listeners to those sun-drenched days where time seems to stand still. It’s a sonic journey that feels like sunbeams warming the skin, bathing the senses in a radiant, feel-good energy that resonates long after.
More
1
Riccardo De Polo - Ascension
2
Riccardo De Polo - Wahnstimmung
3
Riccardo De Polo - Inception
Tracklist:
(1) Riccardo De Polo – Ascension (DE-Q20-24-00011)
(2) Riccardo De Polo – Wahnstimmung (DE-Q20-24-00012)
(3) Riccardo De Polo – Inception (DE-Q20-24-00013)
The epochal energy of "Ascension" captivated us from the very first moment, making it an ideal intro track. With its cinematic soundtrack reminiscent of "Vangelis", Italian producer Riccardo De Polo has crafted a sublimely ethereal experience that transports listeners into the vast expanse of space. As stars and planets drift by, the music beckons us to explore further, to surrender ourselves to the moment. The low strings serve as a booster until the rocket engine roars to life and the spaceship disappears into another galaxy.
Subsequently the polyrhythmic sequence of "Wahnstimmung" spirals abstractly far below the cerebral cortex. The driving bass drum, paired with shakers and percussion, propels the composition forward at a steady pace. The tension intensifies, painting a picture of liquid metal pouring into a melting pot.
Pure, stripped-down techno as we know it from its origins.
"Inception" hypnotically takes you into a deep state of trance, engulfing you in a tribe's energy. It’s truly a classic Cocoon sound that has its very own place in Sven's sets. The vigor is palpable, the shimmering sequence will make the dust visibly glow above the open-air dance floors while the air begins to shimmer. Noisy snare drums heat the narrowed arrangement to the absolute boiling point. This is the energy we have been looking for!
More
(1) Riccardo De Polo – Ascension (DE-Q20-24-00011)
(2) Riccardo De Polo – Wahnstimmung (DE-Q20-24-00012)
(3) Riccardo De Polo – Inception (DE-Q20-24-00013)
The epochal energy of "Ascension" captivated us from the very first moment, making it an ideal intro track. With its cinematic soundtrack reminiscent of "Vangelis", Italian producer Riccardo De Polo has crafted a sublimely ethereal experience that transports listeners into the vast expanse of space. As stars and planets drift by, the music beckons us to explore further, to surrender ourselves to the moment. The low strings serve as a booster until the rocket engine roars to life and the spaceship disappears into another galaxy.
Subsequently the polyrhythmic sequence of "Wahnstimmung" spirals abstractly far below the cerebral cortex. The driving bass drum, paired with shakers and percussion, propels the composition forward at a steady pace. The tension intensifies, painting a picture of liquid metal pouring into a melting pot.
Pure, stripped-down techno as we know it from its origins.
"Inception" hypnotically takes you into a deep state of trance, engulfing you in a tribe's energy. It’s truly a classic Cocoon sound that has its very own place in Sven's sets. The vigor is palpable, the shimmering sequence will make the dust visibly glow above the open-air dance floors while the air begins to shimmer. Noisy snare drums heat the narrowed arrangement to the absolute boiling point. This is the energy we have been looking for!
More
1
Sven Väth - L'Esperanza (Original Album Version)
2
Sven Väth - L'Esperanza (Hardspace Mix)
Tracklist: (1) Sven Väth – L'Esperanza (Original Album Version) (DE-Q20-24-00009)
(2) Sven Väth – L'Esperanza (Hardspace Mix) (DE-Q20-24-00010)
L'Esperanza (Hope) is undoubtedly one of Sven Väth's greatest hits. After more than 30 years, we are very proud to revive this timeless masterpiece for you on Cocoon Recordings. The artwork of the A-side is from the original 12" cover, which was released on Eye Q Records back then. Anyone who knows Sven recognizes that he has always felt free and evolved in terms of appearance and style. That's why we instantly loved the idea of Sven re-staging himself in the same pose but in a new guise. This picture disc documents a 30-year-long transformation, both sonically and visually. It is a beautiful journey through time and a true collector’s item.
A1: L'Esperanza (Original Album Version) 1993 Produced in 1993, this track has certainly not lost any of its charm over the years. Lovely string sounds envelop you in a cloud of comfort, while the filtered downbeat emphasizes this feeling of lightness. The catchy tune of the playful synthesizer melody invites you to close your eyes and start dreaming. Let yourself fall into a deep state of meditation and trance. The airy electric bassline comes with a charismatic power and opens a door to the subconscious, calling on you to dive deep. The atmosphere of this composition sits somewhere between drifting through the sea and hovering through space.
B1: L'Esperanza (Hardspace Mix) 2023 A revised version of the "Hope Will Move Mountains Mix" by "Visions Of Shiva" occurs on the B-Side in the form of Len Faki’s hardspace mix. Len is renowned for his elegant edits and refined modifications as part of his side project, this time delivering a stripped-down 135 BPM version that fits perfectly into the current zeitgeist. A club version of "L'Esperanza" that radiates a high level of euphoric energy, constantly pushing the rhythm patterns forward. All hands go up in the air at the latest when the piano part starts in the middle section. Let’s go back to the good old days of the original 90s trance sound since the cheerful arpeggio synth melody takes us along.
What is certain, you can't tell that either version has been around for 30 years.
More
(2) Sven Väth – L'Esperanza (Hardspace Mix) (DE-Q20-24-00010)
L'Esperanza (Hope) is undoubtedly one of Sven Väth's greatest hits. After more than 30 years, we are very proud to revive this timeless masterpiece for you on Cocoon Recordings. The artwork of the A-side is from the original 12" cover, which was released on Eye Q Records back then. Anyone who knows Sven recognizes that he has always felt free and evolved in terms of appearance and style. That's why we instantly loved the idea of Sven re-staging himself in the same pose but in a new guise. This picture disc documents a 30-year-long transformation, both sonically and visually. It is a beautiful journey through time and a true collector’s item.
A1: L'Esperanza (Original Album Version) 1993 Produced in 1993, this track has certainly not lost any of its charm over the years. Lovely string sounds envelop you in a cloud of comfort, while the filtered downbeat emphasizes this feeling of lightness. The catchy tune of the playful synthesizer melody invites you to close your eyes and start dreaming. Let yourself fall into a deep state of meditation and trance. The airy electric bassline comes with a charismatic power and opens a door to the subconscious, calling on you to dive deep. The atmosphere of this composition sits somewhere between drifting through the sea and hovering through space.
B1: L'Esperanza (Hardspace Mix) 2023 A revised version of the "Hope Will Move Mountains Mix" by "Visions Of Shiva" occurs on the B-Side in the form of Len Faki’s hardspace mix. Len is renowned for his elegant edits and refined modifications as part of his side project, this time delivering a stripped-down 135 BPM version that fits perfectly into the current zeitgeist. A club version of "L'Esperanza" that radiates a high level of euphoric energy, constantly pushing the rhythm patterns forward. All hands go up in the air at the latest when the piano part starts in the middle section. Let’s go back to the good old days of the original 90s trance sound since the cheerful arpeggio synth melody takes us along.
What is certain, you can't tell that either version has been around for 30 years.
More
1
DeFeKT x Extrawelt - Cell Sync
2
DeFeKT x Extrawelt - In The Space Of…
10“ Vinyl with hand-stamped cover and labels
Tracklisting:
A1. DeFeKT x Extrawelt – Cell Sync (DE-Q20-23-00029)
B1. DeFeKT x Extrawelt – In The Space Of… (DE-Q20-23-00030)
After their debut 12" on Feel My Bicep and their contribution "Halluzinelle" to the Dots And Pearls 7 compilation, DeFeKT and Extrawelt are joining forces again.
In the act of remembering the true spirit of no-nonsense, raw, and direct techno, they created these two masterfully executed, original, and timeless cuts.
Each time they get together they come up with something truly unique, blending their styles effortlessly and seamlessly. Their expertise, knowledge, and recognition of our music's history just radiates out of this release. Both tracks immediately captured our souls here at Cocoon headquarters and we couldn't be more excited to put them out right away on this beautiful, limited, hand-stamped 10" vinyl.
More
Tracklisting:
A1. DeFeKT x Extrawelt – Cell Sync (DE-Q20-23-00029)
B1. DeFeKT x Extrawelt – In The Space Of… (DE-Q20-23-00030)
After their debut 12" on Feel My Bicep and their contribution "Halluzinelle" to the Dots And Pearls 7 compilation, DeFeKT and Extrawelt are joining forces again.
In the act of remembering the true spirit of no-nonsense, raw, and direct techno, they created these two masterfully executed, original, and timeless cuts.
Each time they get together they come up with something truly unique, blending their styles effortlessly and seamlessly. Their expertise, knowledge, and recognition of our music's history just radiates out of this release. Both tracks immediately captured our souls here at Cocoon headquarters and we couldn't be more excited to put them out right away on this beautiful, limited, hand-stamped 10" vinyl.
More
1
Gregor Tresher - Black Halo
2
Gregor Tresher - Phantom Dancer
Tracklist:
(1) Gregor Tresher – Black Halo (DE-Q20-23-00015)
(2) Gregor Tresher – Phantom Dancer (DE-Q20-23-00016)
Cocoon Recordings' next 12” vinyl comes from a well-known face. No introduction needed as nobody less than Gregor Tresher once again delivers a superb and surprising pair of tracks.
“Black Halo” is down-the-line and perhaps one of the catchiest tracks by Gregor Tresher.
The wobbling driving bassline builds up a rising tension that increases through the vast, detuned, and powerful string parts appearing to extend out to light years, reaching far beyond. Zaps drive the rhythm forward while rushing cymbals push the groove and weld everything together to absolute unity. For Gregor, techno and club culture have certain transcendental qualities, “Black Halo” is concerned with these sentiments and tells an ambivalent story. The onset of bliss oscillates between melancholy and hope, making it an exuberant roller coaster of emotions. A classic Gregor Tresher track, which perfectly represents Gregor’s signature sound!
“Phantom Dancer” literally pulls you onto the dance floor. Discharging beats, which hit you heavily but pleasant. The atmosphere violently evolves with a twisted noise-like signal sound and gets even more brute through the low-pitched filter vocals. An exceptionally deep techno production by Gregor Tresher, which will definitely come to full fruition in the clubs at peak time.
More
(1) Gregor Tresher – Black Halo (DE-Q20-23-00015)
(2) Gregor Tresher – Phantom Dancer (DE-Q20-23-00016)
Cocoon Recordings' next 12” vinyl comes from a well-known face. No introduction needed as nobody less than Gregor Tresher once again delivers a superb and surprising pair of tracks.
“Black Halo” is down-the-line and perhaps one of the catchiest tracks by Gregor Tresher.
The wobbling driving bassline builds up a rising tension that increases through the vast, detuned, and powerful string parts appearing to extend out to light years, reaching far beyond. Zaps drive the rhythm forward while rushing cymbals push the groove and weld everything together to absolute unity. For Gregor, techno and club culture have certain transcendental qualities, “Black Halo” is concerned with these sentiments and tells an ambivalent story. The onset of bliss oscillates between melancholy and hope, making it an exuberant roller coaster of emotions. A classic Gregor Tresher track, which perfectly represents Gregor’s signature sound!
“Phantom Dancer” literally pulls you onto the dance floor. Discharging beats, which hit you heavily but pleasant. The atmosphere violently evolves with a twisted noise-like signal sound and gets even more brute through the low-pitched filter vocals. An exceptionally deep techno production by Gregor Tresher, which will definitely come to full fruition in the clubs at peak time.
More
1
Sven Väth - A1. Sven Väth – Silvi's Dream (Damiano Von Erckert Remix)
2
Sven Väth - A2. Sven Väth – What I Used To Play (Roman Flügel Remix)
3
Sven Väth - B1. Sven Väth – The Worm (Robag Wruhme Remix)
4
Sven Väth - B2. Sven Väth – We Are (Jonathan Kaspar Remix)
5
Sven Väth - C1. Sven Väth – Feiern (Krystal Klear Remix)
6
Sven Väth - C2. Sven Väth – Mystic Voices (Benjamin Damage Remix)
7
Sven Väth - D1. Sven Väth – Nyx (PAS Deep Heet Remix)
8
Sven Väth - D2. Sven Väth – Butoh (Robert Hood Remix)
9
Sven Väth - E1. Sven Väth – Nyx (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
10
Sven Väth - E2. Sven Väth – Being In Love (Harald Björk Remix)
11
Sven Väth - F1. Sven Väth – Catharsis (Mano Le Tough Remix)
12
Sven Väth - F2. Sven Väth – Silvi's Dream (Florian Hollerith Remix)
- 3x12“ gatefold vinyl – with turquoise foil embossing
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Sven Väth – Silvi‘s Dream (Damiano Von Erckert Remix)
2. (A2) Sven Väth – What I Used To Play (Roman Flügel Remix)
3. (B1) Sven Väth – The Worm (Robag Wruhme Remix)
4. (B2) Sven Väth – We Are (Jonathan Kaspar Remix)
5. (C1) Sven Väth – Feiern (Krystal Klear Remix)
6. (C2) Sven Väth – Mystic Voices (Benjamin Damage Remix)
7. (D1) Sven Väth – Nyx (PAS Deep Heet Remix)
8. (D2) Sven Väth – Butoh (Robert Hood Remix)
9. (E1) Sven Väth – Nyx (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
10. (E2) Sven Väth – Being In Love (Harald Björk Remix)
11. (F1) Sven Väth – Catharsis (Mano Le Tough Remix)
12. (F2) Sven Väth – Silvi‘s Dream (Florian Hollerith Remix)
The life-affirming energy at the heart of Sven Väth‘s recent album Catharsis is revisited, reanimated,
and remixed by some of the most exciting names around, closing the circle on a superlative burst of
recent work that has not only given us the epic original LP, but also the extraordinary compilation What
I Used To Play.
Roman Flügel, Benjamin Damage, Robert Hood, Planetary Assault Systems, Mano Le Tough… do we
need to go on? This hand-picked list of luminaries have answered the call and certainly don’t
disappoint, each fusing their signature sound with Sven‘s DNA to create a wild, uncompromising
companion piece to the original album.
True to form, the running order is very much rooted on the dance floor, Silvi‘s Dream, revisited by
Damiano von Erckert, explodes like a Balearic sunrise. Dreamy strings with a touch of Detroit create a
lovely atmosphere while the beautiful piano sound goes right into your heart and appears as if you
could feel the warm sun on your skin. Roman Flügel’s acidic rework of What I Used To Play is a
homage to the 80s and the early sound of electronic music which creates nostalgic feelings and offers
a greatly produced retro soundscape à la Kraftwerk. Staying close to the original, but with the perfect
amount of spin, it’s a symbiotic interplay of synthetic bass pads, and a tiny bell melody. Robag
Wruhme’s cranking minimal funk takes us down The Worm-hole. A concise interference sound builds
up sustained tension, tangled but structured, deep and yet driving. Robag took over the deep and dirty
rhythms of the original perfectly and delivers a versatile piece. This opening salvo oozes quality and
sets things up perfectly for the electrified celebration of hi-octane technology come.
Jonathan Kaspar‘s growling interpretation of We Are provides a melancholic atmosphere with
fascinating percussion parts. Zaps shoot through the air like small laser pistols while we let ourselves
be carried away by the bass, the frisky vocal stutter effect is the icing on the cake. Speeding things up,
the euphoric trance that engulfs Krystal Klear’s epic version of Feiern. Expansive strings increase up
to ecstasy and guide us to a love-filled unity. This remix is sure to be an excellent peak-time smasher
for the open-air season. On to a wild ride of pure techno with Benjamin Damage, who delivers a dry
and uncompromising Berlin Techno version of Mystic Voices. Harder pace but the string synthesizer
harmony brings light to an otherwise gloomy environment. Next up is Luke Slater’s PAS Deep Heet
Mix to add a retro nineties vibe to proceedings on Nyx. Entering a rough space with gigantic clap
impacts, we are blessed with straightforward Techno. Shimmering and spooling, this groove hits the
mark. Then, as if it was ever in doubt, Sven‘s lofty place in the techno firmament is underlined by a
peak-time contribution by non-less than Detroit legend Robert Hood. Unmistakable, you must
recognize the signature Robert Hood drive on Butoh. Chord stabs fulfill the Detroit feeling with offtaking string elements and high-energy vocal transformations. It’s a warm embrace that triggers
emotions. Planetary Assault Systems then blasts things ever deeper into the cosmos on a second
outing of Nyx. Reduced and to the point but of course, true to form, with powerful tribal percussion
parts and intensive cutting hi-hats.
From there on in, the collection gradually re-enters the atmosphere, burning with a phosphorescent,
melancholy glow. Harald Björk extrapolates Being In Love into a hypnotic groove for the early hours. A
playful and atmospheric electronica interpretation to soothe our souls due to disharmonious synth
pads and a dreamy deformation of the original melody. Mano Le Tough harnesses the ethno-rhythms
and brooding energy of Catharsis into a low-slung, tribal stomper. Anomalous organ parts ring out and
link up with a trance-like sequence, summer feelings arouse as you feel like you can almost smell
Ibizan air. The collection comes full circle with a second equally seductive interpretation of Silvi‘s
Dream by Florian Hollerith. Stripped-down and hypnotic, the homage to Sven's girlfriend Silvi is
extended as a reverence to Sven himself. Sven's profound vocals clearly infuse time and space and
leave a forever-lasting memory of love.
By accident or design, it somehow leaves us with the reassuring sense that, although this specific part
of the journey may be drawing to a close, the mission of the man behind it all most definitely isn't.
written & produced by: Sven Väth & Gregor Tresher More
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Sven Väth – Silvi‘s Dream (Damiano Von Erckert Remix)
2. (A2) Sven Väth – What I Used To Play (Roman Flügel Remix)
3. (B1) Sven Väth – The Worm (Robag Wruhme Remix)
4. (B2) Sven Väth – We Are (Jonathan Kaspar Remix)
5. (C1) Sven Väth – Feiern (Krystal Klear Remix)
6. (C2) Sven Väth – Mystic Voices (Benjamin Damage Remix)
7. (D1) Sven Väth – Nyx (PAS Deep Heet Remix)
8. (D2) Sven Väth – Butoh (Robert Hood Remix)
9. (E1) Sven Väth – Nyx (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
10. (E2) Sven Väth – Being In Love (Harald Björk Remix)
11. (F1) Sven Väth – Catharsis (Mano Le Tough Remix)
12. (F2) Sven Väth – Silvi‘s Dream (Florian Hollerith Remix)
The life-affirming energy at the heart of Sven Väth‘s recent album Catharsis is revisited, reanimated,
and remixed by some of the most exciting names around, closing the circle on a superlative burst of
recent work that has not only given us the epic original LP, but also the extraordinary compilation What
I Used To Play.
Roman Flügel, Benjamin Damage, Robert Hood, Planetary Assault Systems, Mano Le Tough… do we
need to go on? This hand-picked list of luminaries have answered the call and certainly don’t
disappoint, each fusing their signature sound with Sven‘s DNA to create a wild, uncompromising
companion piece to the original album.
True to form, the running order is very much rooted on the dance floor, Silvi‘s Dream, revisited by
Damiano von Erckert, explodes like a Balearic sunrise. Dreamy strings with a touch of Detroit create a
lovely atmosphere while the beautiful piano sound goes right into your heart and appears as if you
could feel the warm sun on your skin. Roman Flügel’s acidic rework of What I Used To Play is a
homage to the 80s and the early sound of electronic music which creates nostalgic feelings and offers
a greatly produced retro soundscape à la Kraftwerk. Staying close to the original, but with the perfect
amount of spin, it’s a symbiotic interplay of synthetic bass pads, and a tiny bell melody. Robag
Wruhme’s cranking minimal funk takes us down The Worm-hole. A concise interference sound builds
up sustained tension, tangled but structured, deep and yet driving. Robag took over the deep and dirty
rhythms of the original perfectly and delivers a versatile piece. This opening salvo oozes quality and
sets things up perfectly for the electrified celebration of hi-octane technology come.
Jonathan Kaspar‘s growling interpretation of We Are provides a melancholic atmosphere with
fascinating percussion parts. Zaps shoot through the air like small laser pistols while we let ourselves
be carried away by the bass, the frisky vocal stutter effect is the icing on the cake. Speeding things up,
the euphoric trance that engulfs Krystal Klear’s epic version of Feiern. Expansive strings increase up
to ecstasy and guide us to a love-filled unity. This remix is sure to be an excellent peak-time smasher
for the open-air season. On to a wild ride of pure techno with Benjamin Damage, who delivers a dry
and uncompromising Berlin Techno version of Mystic Voices. Harder pace but the string synthesizer
harmony brings light to an otherwise gloomy environment. Next up is Luke Slater’s PAS Deep Heet
Mix to add a retro nineties vibe to proceedings on Nyx. Entering a rough space with gigantic clap
impacts, we are blessed with straightforward Techno. Shimmering and spooling, this groove hits the
mark. Then, as if it was ever in doubt, Sven‘s lofty place in the techno firmament is underlined by a
peak-time contribution by non-less than Detroit legend Robert Hood. Unmistakable, you must
recognize the signature Robert Hood drive on Butoh. Chord stabs fulfill the Detroit feeling with offtaking string elements and high-energy vocal transformations. It’s a warm embrace that triggers
emotions. Planetary Assault Systems then blasts things ever deeper into the cosmos on a second
outing of Nyx. Reduced and to the point but of course, true to form, with powerful tribal percussion
parts and intensive cutting hi-hats.
From there on in, the collection gradually re-enters the atmosphere, burning with a phosphorescent,
melancholy glow. Harald Björk extrapolates Being In Love into a hypnotic groove for the early hours. A
playful and atmospheric electronica interpretation to soothe our souls due to disharmonious synth
pads and a dreamy deformation of the original melody. Mano Le Tough harnesses the ethno-rhythms
and brooding energy of Catharsis into a low-slung, tribal stomper. Anomalous organ parts ring out and
link up with a trance-like sequence, summer feelings arouse as you feel like you can almost smell
Ibizan air. The collection comes full circle with a second equally seductive interpretation of Silvi‘s
Dream by Florian Hollerith. Stripped-down and hypnotic, the homage to Sven's girlfriend Silvi is
extended as a reverence to Sven himself. Sven's profound vocals clearly infuse time and space and
leave a forever-lasting memory of love.
By accident or design, it somehow leaves us with the reassuring sense that, although this specific part
of the journey may be drawing to a close, the mission of the man behind it all most definitely isn't.
written & produced by: Sven Väth & Gregor Tresher More
1
Raxon - Robotalia
2
Raxon - Kryptonite
Tracklist:
(1) Raxon – Robotalia (DE-Q20-23-00013)
(2) Raxon – Kryptonite (DE-Q20-23-00014)
Release Info:
Next up is an overdue reunion with a familiar face. After his outstanding contribution to Cocoon Compilation S and his first solo EP on Cocoon Recordings, Raxon is back with a more than equally fascinating sound. The Egyptian-born and now Barcelona-based artist is back on it again, delivering two tracks that will take you on a journey through the depths of robotic soundscapes.
Intricate beats, hypnotic synthesizer melodies, deep bassline grooves, and distinctive EFX sounds create Raxon’s very special signature sound.
Straight drum programming paired with chirping percussions takes us away to embark on a travel through space and time while distinctive claps poke through a futuristic nebula of floating and shifting sequences. The twisted melody of “Robotalia” carries us to a parallel dimension of machine sound and if you listen closely, you can hear the robots’ screwing and sawing. Warping bleeps and mechanical effects complete the robotic feeling. Raxon’s understanding of structures and architectural abilities are reflected through the arrangement, slowly increasing to ecstasy.
“Kryptonite” scores with alien soundscapes. Stuttering vocals are the questions, while futuristic and dramatic chord stabs are the direct answer. A straight, radiant sound appears as an electronic trombone from outer space, offensively supporting the driving bassline. The symbiotic interplay between the euphoric synthesizer hook line and the relentless beat with pushing sharp hi-hats visualize powerful images in one's mind's eye. Suddenly the beat stagnates and results in a morphing break going head over heels developing a start-stop pitch effect that not only builds up tremendous tension but also bears an increased risk of melting your brain. We just love tape delay!
More
(1) Raxon – Robotalia (DE-Q20-23-00013)
(2) Raxon – Kryptonite (DE-Q20-23-00014)
Release Info:
Next up is an overdue reunion with a familiar face. After his outstanding contribution to Cocoon Compilation S and his first solo EP on Cocoon Recordings, Raxon is back with a more than equally fascinating sound. The Egyptian-born and now Barcelona-based artist is back on it again, delivering two tracks that will take you on a journey through the depths of robotic soundscapes.
Intricate beats, hypnotic synthesizer melodies, deep bassline grooves, and distinctive EFX sounds create Raxon’s very special signature sound.
Straight drum programming paired with chirping percussions takes us away to embark on a travel through space and time while distinctive claps poke through a futuristic nebula of floating and shifting sequences. The twisted melody of “Robotalia” carries us to a parallel dimension of machine sound and if you listen closely, you can hear the robots’ screwing and sawing. Warping bleeps and mechanical effects complete the robotic feeling. Raxon’s understanding of structures and architectural abilities are reflected through the arrangement, slowly increasing to ecstasy.
“Kryptonite” scores with alien soundscapes. Stuttering vocals are the questions, while futuristic and dramatic chord stabs are the direct answer. A straight, radiant sound appears as an electronic trombone from outer space, offensively supporting the driving bassline. The symbiotic interplay between the euphoric synthesizer hook line and the relentless beat with pushing sharp hi-hats visualize powerful images in one's mind's eye. Suddenly the beat stagnates and results in a morphing break going head over heels developing a start-stop pitch effect that not only builds up tremendous tension but also bears an increased risk of melting your brain. We just love tape delay!
More
1
Metal Master (Sven Väth) - Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation)
2
Metal Master (Sven Väth) - Spectrum (Original Mix)
Tracklist:
(A1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation)
(B1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Original Mix)
Release Info:
black 12-inch vinyl + cover with rainbow silver foil
You may have already been waiting for this one. After the limited splattered one-sided vinyl edition, this 12-inch pressing comes with the remastered original mix on the B-side.
The original, the second release on the label Harthouse at the time, is an all-time classic and went down in the music history of Frankfurt. Thirty years later, the track by Sven Väth and A.C. Boutsen has not lost its shine and will certainly continue to provide goosebump moments.
Techno is all too often described as timeless but while most of it eventually evaporates into the ether, there are some riffs, melodies, and breakdowns that remain etched into our collective consciousness forever. Legendary Frankfurt label Harthouse is home to more than its fair share of such moments, but you must go all the way back to 1992, the opening strains of the Metal Master classic ‘Spectrum’ to locate the source for this special single-sided remix release.
The common denominator and catalyst to all this is of course Sven Väth, co-creator of ‘Spectrum’ and founder of both Harthouse and Cocoon Recordings, while the independent variables in the equation are Bart Skils and Weska, who lend their considerable talent and vision to this sublime makeover.
Coming on like rolling thunder, sparks fly immediately as crackling vocoder licks, silky ride cymbals and soaring arpeggios build an atmosphere taut with anticipation before giving way to that iconic melody - a love letter from Frankfurt to Ibiza, wrought from metal, drenched in distortion yet pulling at the heartstrings - the perfect soundtrack to any chemical sunrise.
It‘s a powerful re-interpretation that pays the warmest respects to the original and, despite the relentless groove, there is still room for sentimentality - an invitation to momentarily pause for thought and reflect on the journey so far as the sumptuous breakdown washes over the dance-floor. But not for long, the simmering bass line soon emerges from the euphoria and the track kicks in again, driving us forward towards a new, uncharted spectrum of possibilities.
More
(A1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation)
(B1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Original Mix)
Release Info:
black 12-inch vinyl + cover with rainbow silver foil
You may have already been waiting for this one. After the limited splattered one-sided vinyl edition, this 12-inch pressing comes with the remastered original mix on the B-side.
The original, the second release on the label Harthouse at the time, is an all-time classic and went down in the music history of Frankfurt. Thirty years later, the track by Sven Väth and A.C. Boutsen has not lost its shine and will certainly continue to provide goosebump moments.
Techno is all too often described as timeless but while most of it eventually evaporates into the ether, there are some riffs, melodies, and breakdowns that remain etched into our collective consciousness forever. Legendary Frankfurt label Harthouse is home to more than its fair share of such moments, but you must go all the way back to 1992, the opening strains of the Metal Master classic ‘Spectrum’ to locate the source for this special single-sided remix release.
The common denominator and catalyst to all this is of course Sven Väth, co-creator of ‘Spectrum’ and founder of both Harthouse and Cocoon Recordings, while the independent variables in the equation are Bart Skils and Weska, who lend their considerable talent and vision to this sublime makeover.
Coming on like rolling thunder, sparks fly immediately as crackling vocoder licks, silky ride cymbals and soaring arpeggios build an atmosphere taut with anticipation before giving way to that iconic melody - a love letter from Frankfurt to Ibiza, wrought from metal, drenched in distortion yet pulling at the heartstrings - the perfect soundtrack to any chemical sunrise.
It‘s a powerful re-interpretation that pays the warmest respects to the original and, despite the relentless groove, there is still room for sentimentality - an invitation to momentarily pause for thought and reflect on the journey so far as the sumptuous breakdown washes over the dance-floor. But not for long, the simmering bass line soon emerges from the euphoria and the track kicks in again, driving us forward towards a new, uncharted spectrum of possibilities.
More
Label:Cocoon Recordings
Cat-No:CORLP052
Release-Date:03.02.2023
Genre:Techno
Configuration:12x12BOX Excl
Label:Cocoon Recordings
Cat-No:CORLP052
Release-Date:03.02.2023
Genre:Techno
Configuration:12x12BOX Excl
1
Sven Väth - (A1) Logic System - Unit
2
Sven Väth - (A2) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3
Sven Väth - (B1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4
Sven Väth - (B2) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5
Sven Väth - (C1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6
Sven Väth - (D1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7
Sven Väth - (D2) Yello - Bostich
8
Sven Väth - (E1) The The - Giant
9
Sven Väth - (F1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10
Sven Väth - (G1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11
Sven Väth - (G2) A Split - Second - Flesh
12
Sven Väth - (H1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13
Sven Väth - (H2) The Weathermen - Poison!
14
Sven Väth - (I1) New Order - Blue Monday
15
Sven Väth - (J1) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
16
Sven Väth - (J2) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
17
Sven Väth - (K1) Phuture - We Are Phuture
18
Sven Väth - (K2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
19
Sven Väth - (L1) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
20
Sven Väth - (L2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
21
Sven Väth - (M1) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
22
Sven Väth - (N1) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
23
Sven Väth - (N2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
24
Sven Väth - (O1) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
25
Sven Väth - (O2) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
26
Sven Väth - (P1) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
27
Sven Väth - (Q1) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
28
Sven Väth - (R1) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
29
Sven Väth - (S1) Lhasa - The Attic
30
Sven Väth - (S2) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
31
Sven Väth - (T1) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
32
Sven Väth - (T2) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
33
Sven Väth - (U1) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
34
Sven Väth - (V1) Raze - Break 4 Love
35
Sven Väth - (W1) Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4 -- (Paradise Version)
36
Sven Väth - (X1) OFF - Electrica Salsa
- exclusive 12x12" vinyl box set with silver hot foil embossing
- twelve individual colored disco sleeves with distinct full-size portraits of Sven from the 80s
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Logic System - Unit
2. (A2) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3. (B1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4. (B2) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5. (C1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6. (D1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7. (D2) Yello - Bostich
8. (E1) The The - Giant
9. (F1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10. (G1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11. (G2) A Split - Second - Flesh
12. (H1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13. (H2) The Weathermen - Poison!
14. (I1) New Order - Blue Monday
15. (J1) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
16. (J2) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
17. (K1) Phuture - We Are Phuture
18. (K2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
19. (L1) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
20. (L2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
21. (M1) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
22. (N1) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
23. (N2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
24. (O1) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
25. (O2) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
26. (P1) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
27. (Q1) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
28. (R1) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
29. (S1) Lhasa - The Attic
30. (S2) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
31. (T1) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
32. (T2) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
33. (U1) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
34. (V1) Raze - Break 4 Love
35 (W1) Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4
- Sueño Latino (Paradise Version)
36. (X1) OFF - Electrica Salsa
Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
More
- twelve individual colored disco sleeves with distinct full-size portraits of Sven from the 80s
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Logic System - Unit
2. (A2) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3. (B1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4. (B2) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5. (C1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6. (D1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7. (D2) Yello - Bostich
8. (E1) The The - Giant
9. (F1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10. (G1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11. (G2) A Split - Second - Flesh
12. (H1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13. (H2) The Weathermen - Poison!
14. (I1) New Order - Blue Monday
15. (J1) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
16. (J2) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
17. (K1) Phuture - We Are Phuture
18. (K2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
19. (L1) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
20. (L2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
21. (M1) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
22. (N1) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
23. (N2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
24. (O1) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
25. (O2) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
26. (P1) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
27. (Q1) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
28. (R1) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
29. (S1) Lhasa - The Attic
30. (S2) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
31. (T1) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
32. (T2) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
33. (U1) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
34. (V1) Raze - Break 4 Love
35 (W1) Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4
- Sueño Latino (Paradise Version)
36. (X1) OFF - Electrica Salsa
Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
More
1
Sven Väth - 1. (CD1) Logic System - Unit
2
Sven Väth - 2. (CD1) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3
Sven Väth - 3. (CD1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4
Sven Väth - 4. (CD1) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5
Sven Väth - 5. (CD1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6
Sven Väth - 6. (CD1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7
Sven Väth - 7. (CD1) Yello - Bostich
8
Sven Väth - 8. (CD1) The The - Giant
9
Sven Väth - 9. (CD1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10
Sven Väth - 10. (CD1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11
Sven Väth - 11. (CD1) A Split - Second - Flesh
12
Sven Väth - 12. (CD1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13
Sven Väth - 13. (CD1) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
14
Sven Väth - 1. (CD2) The Weathermen - Poison!
15
Sven Väth - 2. (CD2) New Order - Blue Monday
16
Sven Väth - 3. (CD2) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
17
Sven Väth - 4. (CD2) Phuture - We Are Phuture
18
Sven Väth - 5. (CD2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
19
Sven Väth - 6. (CD2) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
20
Sven Väth - 7. (CD2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
21
Sven Väth - 8. (CD2) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
22
Sven Väth - 9. (CD2) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
23
Sven Väth - 10. (CD2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
24
Sven Väth - 11. (CD2) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
25
Sven Väth - 1. (CD3) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
26
Sven Väth - 2. (CD3) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
27
Sven Väth - 3. (CD3) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
28
Sven Väth - 4. (CD3) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
29
Sven Väth - 5. (CD3) Lhasa - The Attic
30
Sven Väth - 6. (CD3) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
31
Sven Väth - 7. (CD3) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
32
Sven Väth - 8. (CD3) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
33
Sven Väth - 9. (CD3) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
34
Sven Väth - 10. (CD3) Raze - Break 4 Love
35
Sven Väth - 11.(CD3)Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4-(Paradise Version)
36
Sven Väth - 12. (CD3) OFF - Electrica Salsa
- exclusive deluxe digipak slipcase with silver hot foil embossing
Tracklisting:
CD
1. (CD1) Logic System - Unit
2. (CD1) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3. (CD1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4. (CD1) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5. (CD1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6. (CD1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7. (CD1) Yello - Bostich
8. (CD1) The The - Giant
9. (CD1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10. (CD1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11. (CD1) A Split - Second - Flesh
12. (CD1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13. (CD1) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
1. (CD2) The Weathermen - Poison!
2. (CD2) New Order - Blue Monday
3. (CD2) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
4. (CD2) Phuture - We Are Phuture
5. (CD2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
6. (CD2) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
7. (CD2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
8. (CD2) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
9. (CD2) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
10. (CD2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
11. (CD2) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
1. (CD3) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
2. (CD3) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
3. (CD3) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
4. (CD3) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
5. (CD3) Lhasa - The Attic
6. (CD3) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
7. (CD3) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
8. (CD3) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
9. (CD3) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
10. (CD3) Raze - Break 4 Love
11. (CD3) Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4
- Sueño Latino (Paradise Version)
12. (CD3) OFF - Electrica Salsa
Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
More
Tracklisting:
CD
1. (CD1) Logic System - Unit
2. (CD1) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (2009 Remastered)
3. (CD1) Whodini - Magic's Wand
4. (CD1) Rocker's Revenger - Walking on Sunshine (feat. Donnie Calvin)
5. (CD1) Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (European Connection)
6. (CD1) Liaisons Dangereuses - Los Niños Del Parque
7. (CD1) Yello - Bostich
8. (CD1) The The - Giant
9. (CD1) The Residents - Kaw-Liga
10. (CD1) Clan Of Xymox - Stranger
11. (CD1) A Split - Second - Flesh
12. (CD1) Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
13. (CD1) 16 Bit - Where Are You?
1. (CD2) The Weathermen - Poison!
2. (CD2) New Order - Blue Monday
3. (CD2) Anne Clark - Our Darkness
4. (CD2) Phuture - We Are Phuture
5. (CD2) Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal)
6. (CD2) Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle - Your Love
7. (CD2) Quest - Mind Games (Street Mix)
8. (CD2) Jasper van't Hof - Pili Pili
9. (CD2) Guem Et Zaka Percussion - Le Serpent
10. (CD2) Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
11. (CD2) Sly & Robbie - Make 'Em Move
1. (CD3) Brian Eno - David Byrne - Help Me Somebody
2. (CD3) Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix)
3. (CD3) The Ecstasy Club - Jesus Loves The Acid
4. (CD3) Foremost Poets - Reason To Be Dismal?
5. (CD3) Lhasa - The Attic
6. (CD3) A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
7. (CD3) M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume - USA 12" Mix
8. (CD3) Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid
9. (CD3) Meat Beat Manifesto - Helter Skelter
10. (CD3) Raze - Break 4 Love
11. (CD3) Sueño Latino with Manuel Goettsching performing E2-E4
- Sueño Latino (Paradise Version)
12. (CD3) OFF - Electrica Salsa
Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
More
1
Metal Master (Sven Väth) - Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation)
single-sided multi-colored splattered 12-inch vinyl release
Tracklist: (1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation) (DE-Q20-22-00022)
Release Info:
Techno is all too often described as timeless but while most of it eventually evaporates into the ether, there are some riffs, melodies, and breakdowns that remain etched into our collective consciousness forever. Legendary Frankfurt label Harthouse is home to more than its fair share of such moments, but you have to go all the way back to 1992, the opening strains of the Metal Master classic ‘Spectrum’ to locate the source for this special single-sided remix release.
The common denominator and catalyst to all this is of course Sven Väth, co-creator of ‘Spectrum’ and founder of both Harthouse and Cocoon Recordings, while the independent variables in the equation are Bart Skils and Weska, who lend their considerable talent and vision to this sublime makeover.
Coming on like rolling thunder, sparks fly immediately as crackling vocoder licks, silky ride cymbals and soaring arpeggios build an atmosphere taut with anticipation before giving way to that iconic melody - a love letter from Frankfurt to Ibiza, wrought from metal, drenched in distortion yet pulling at the heartstrings - the perfect soundtrack to any chemical sunrise.
It‘s a powerful re-interpretation that pays the warmest respects to the original and, despite the relentless groove, there is still room for sentimentality - an invitation to momentarily pause for thought and reflect on the journey so far as the sumptuous breakdown washes over the dance-floor. But not for long, the simmering bass line soon emerges from the euphoria and the track kicks in again, driving us forward towards a new, uncharted spectrum of possibilities.
More
Tracklist: (1) Metal Master – Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation) (DE-Q20-22-00022)
Release Info:
Techno is all too often described as timeless but while most of it eventually evaporates into the ether, there are some riffs, melodies, and breakdowns that remain etched into our collective consciousness forever. Legendary Frankfurt label Harthouse is home to more than its fair share of such moments, but you have to go all the way back to 1992, the opening strains of the Metal Master classic ‘Spectrum’ to locate the source for this special single-sided remix release.
The common denominator and catalyst to all this is of course Sven Väth, co-creator of ‘Spectrum’ and founder of both Harthouse and Cocoon Recordings, while the independent variables in the equation are Bart Skils and Weska, who lend their considerable talent and vision to this sublime makeover.
Coming on like rolling thunder, sparks fly immediately as crackling vocoder licks, silky ride cymbals and soaring arpeggios build an atmosphere taut with anticipation before giving way to that iconic melody - a love letter from Frankfurt to Ibiza, wrought from metal, drenched in distortion yet pulling at the heartstrings - the perfect soundtrack to any chemical sunrise.
It‘s a powerful re-interpretation that pays the warmest respects to the original and, despite the relentless groove, there is still room for sentimentality - an invitation to momentarily pause for thought and reflect on the journey so far as the sumptuous breakdown washes over the dance-floor. But not for long, the simmering bass line soon emerges from the euphoria and the track kicks in again, driving us forward towards a new, uncharted spectrum of possibilities.
More
1
Harvey McKay - Harvey McKay – Black Spider
2
Harvey McKay - Harvey McKay – Sticky Carpet
3
Harvey McKay - Harvey McKay – Packed Lunch
Tracklist: (1) Harvey McKay – Black Spider (DE-Q20-22-00023)
(2) Harvey McKay – Sticky Carpet (DE-Q20-22-00024)
(3) Harvey McKay – Packed Lunch (DE-Q20-22-00025)
Harvey McKay makes a welcome return to Cocoon Recordings with the Black Spider EP, featuring
three heavy-duty cuts that spin out in a variety of directions, constructing a formidable web of peaktime mayhem in the process.
Black Spider bites hard from the get-go with a venomous bassline that pulses and mutates through a
series of precision peaks and troughs. The track kicks repeatedly, drenching the dancefloor in washes
of analog noise while McKay still finds space for a barrage of clattering percussion. Haunting ambient
voices and a mysterious spoken mantra add yet more texture to the cavernous, gothic atmosphere it
conjures.
Next up, the disconcertingly titled Sticky Carpet utilizes a 90s hard house vibe complete with
crunching, distorted beats, and a glistening octave-jumping synth pattern that slides and constricts
around the chugging bassline. However, the track really comes into its own as alternating metallic
patterns start to dominate in a homage to the hi-hat, whipping the dancefloor into shape as they switch
in and out, jostling relentlessly for attention.
Finally, hardcore junglist tendencies take center stage on Packed Lunch as another rasping,
doomsday bass rides the sonic spectrum, simultaneously spitting sparks and shaking the foundations
to the core. Scattered arpeggios add a certain discord to the fray as the pounding breakbeat hammers
out a pathway to oblivion. Packed Lunch definitely packs a punch, adding extra spice to an EP that’s
exclusively for the headstrong. More
CD, Deluxe Printed with Matt Plastificaton, Embossing
Tracklisting:
CD
1. Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
2. Sven Väth - The Worm
3. Sven Väth - The Inner Voice
4. Sven Väth - Catharsis
5. Sven Väth - Feiern
6. Sven Väth - Mystic Voices
7. Sven Väth - Being In Love
8. Sven Väth - Butoh
9. Sven Väth - The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley
10. Sven Väth - We Are
11. Sven Väth - Silvi's Dream
12. Sven Väth - Panta Rhei
Catharsis is Sven Väth's first solo album in almost 20 years, and the 50th album to be released on his incomparable label, Cocoon Recordings. Produced alongside Gregor Tresher, it arrives on 25 February 2022 and is a musical autobiography that charts Svens most extraordinary life in techno.
Without the West German-born Väth, techno would look, sound and feel very different. Since falling in love with electronic music and DJing in 1981, his dedication to the art has never faltered. He plays every party as if it were his last. His broad smile has connected with millions of people around the world. His colourful and curious character has imbued techno with a personality it was often lacking. His selections remain hugely unpredictable, despite the fact that he has been playing around the world for more than 40 years. To remain not only relevant but innovative after so long is a testament to Sven's ability to connect through music on a deeper level.
Technically, of course, he is a DJ who can play for thirty hours and not miss a beat. His track selections seem almost divine, and his aura is certainly otherworldly. But more than that, he is a ringleader who is able to mix the artful side of techno with the playful side of partying. Most famously he has done this for more than 20 years at his iconic Cocoon parties in Ibiza. They single-handedly introduced techno to the White Isle and have been its beating heart ever since. Under his charge, strict style guidelines and exaggerated pigeonholing no longer apply. Instead, he has perfected the art of playing far and wide while always remaining true to his own musical identity.
In the studio, Sven has always been just as unique. He has worked under several aliases but always brought a fresh perspective. Whether securing chart hits as part of OFF in the eighties, serving up brutalist techno and trance-tinged sounds in the nineties or crafting major label albums in the 2000s, his music has remained utterly forward-looking. That legacy continues with Catharsis as Sven teams up with highly respected producer Gregor Tresher for his latest long-form offering. Tresher has long been part of the Cocoon family and is a revered artist in his own right, when the two got together in the studio it was clear they had an instant connection and there would only be one person fit to co-author this LP.
It is a record inspired by Sven's interest in the physical and spiritual processes that take place when we dance. "They are realms into which we immerse ourselves to experience our own mysticism and ecstasy," he muses. "Dancing is a conversation between body and soul and it spiritually connects us with each other." Because of the pandemic, that is of course a feeling that we all missed out on for so long. "No dancing, no paradise!" says Sven. "My imagination for this record was fueled by the many cultural experiences and encounters I have had in my life. They gave me the strength to find a way, the way to myself." And that way to himself is through music, through purifying dancing rituals and the exchange of spiritual energies that are generated in the club.
The thirteen-track album explores all facets of Sven's sound. It opens with the stomping drums but sleek synths of 'What I Used To Play' and unfolds through deep and dirty rhythms like 'The Worm', subtly euphoric highs on 'The Inner Voice' and the bubbly tribalism of the title track. There is the impassioned call-to-arms that is 'Feiern', peak-time melodic workout 'Mystic Voices' and soothing electronic lullabies like 'Being In Love'. The second half of the album takes in many more twists and turns such as the exotic strings and driving drums of 'Butoh', the paranoid techno minimalism of 'NYX' and expansive synthscapes of ambient gem 'The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley' before things play out though rugged beats and emotive chords on 'We Are', which is named after the idea that we are what we think. "With our thoughts, we make the world.? says Sven.
Then comes the moody reflection of 'Silvi's Dream', which was written in French for Sven's girlfriend. Last but not least we have the immersive dream that is 'Panta Rhei', which completes a trio of electronica tunes on the album. Ambient music has been an integral part on almost every album Sven has written because it can bring a certain emotional deepness, a quality that Sven always has been looking for.
'Catharsis' is an adventurous album that captures the good times, the sad times and, most importantly, the times of hope. More
Tracklisting:
CD
1. Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
2. Sven Väth - The Worm
3. Sven Väth - The Inner Voice
4. Sven Väth - Catharsis
5. Sven Väth - Feiern
6. Sven Väth - Mystic Voices
7. Sven Väth - Being In Love
8. Sven Väth - Butoh
9. Sven Väth - The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley
10. Sven Väth - We Are
11. Sven Väth - Silvi's Dream
12. Sven Väth - Panta Rhei
Catharsis is Sven Väth's first solo album in almost 20 years, and the 50th album to be released on his incomparable label, Cocoon Recordings. Produced alongside Gregor Tresher, it arrives on 25 February 2022 and is a musical autobiography that charts Svens most extraordinary life in techno.
Without the West German-born Väth, techno would look, sound and feel very different. Since falling in love with electronic music and DJing in 1981, his dedication to the art has never faltered. He plays every party as if it were his last. His broad smile has connected with millions of people around the world. His colourful and curious character has imbued techno with a personality it was often lacking. His selections remain hugely unpredictable, despite the fact that he has been playing around the world for more than 40 years. To remain not only relevant but innovative after so long is a testament to Sven's ability to connect through music on a deeper level.
Technically, of course, he is a DJ who can play for thirty hours and not miss a beat. His track selections seem almost divine, and his aura is certainly otherworldly. But more than that, he is a ringleader who is able to mix the artful side of techno with the playful side of partying. Most famously he has done this for more than 20 years at his iconic Cocoon parties in Ibiza. They single-handedly introduced techno to the White Isle and have been its beating heart ever since. Under his charge, strict style guidelines and exaggerated pigeonholing no longer apply. Instead, he has perfected the art of playing far and wide while always remaining true to his own musical identity.
In the studio, Sven has always been just as unique. He has worked under several aliases but always brought a fresh perspective. Whether securing chart hits as part of OFF in the eighties, serving up brutalist techno and trance-tinged sounds in the nineties or crafting major label albums in the 2000s, his music has remained utterly forward-looking. That legacy continues with Catharsis as Sven teams up with highly respected producer Gregor Tresher for his latest long-form offering. Tresher has long been part of the Cocoon family and is a revered artist in his own right, when the two got together in the studio it was clear they had an instant connection and there would only be one person fit to co-author this LP.
It is a record inspired by Sven's interest in the physical and spiritual processes that take place when we dance. "They are realms into which we immerse ourselves to experience our own mysticism and ecstasy," he muses. "Dancing is a conversation between body and soul and it spiritually connects us with each other." Because of the pandemic, that is of course a feeling that we all missed out on for so long. "No dancing, no paradise!" says Sven. "My imagination for this record was fueled by the many cultural experiences and encounters I have had in my life. They gave me the strength to find a way, the way to myself." And that way to himself is through music, through purifying dancing rituals and the exchange of spiritual energies that are generated in the club.
The thirteen-track album explores all facets of Sven's sound. It opens with the stomping drums but sleek synths of 'What I Used To Play' and unfolds through deep and dirty rhythms like 'The Worm', subtly euphoric highs on 'The Inner Voice' and the bubbly tribalism of the title track. There is the impassioned call-to-arms that is 'Feiern', peak-time melodic workout 'Mystic Voices' and soothing electronic lullabies like 'Being In Love'. The second half of the album takes in many more twists and turns such as the exotic strings and driving drums of 'Butoh', the paranoid techno minimalism of 'NYX' and expansive synthscapes of ambient gem 'The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley' before things play out though rugged beats and emotive chords on 'We Are', which is named after the idea that we are what we think. "With our thoughts, we make the world.? says Sven.
Then comes the moody reflection of 'Silvi's Dream', which was written in French for Sven's girlfriend. Last but not least we have the immersive dream that is 'Panta Rhei', which completes a trio of electronica tunes on the album. Ambient music has been an integral part on almost every album Sven has written because it can bring a certain emotional deepness, a quality that Sven always has been looking for.
'Catharsis' is an adventurous album that captures the good times, the sad times and, most importantly, the times of hope. More
3LP, Gatefold, Deluxe Printed with Matt Plastificaton & Hot Foil Embossing
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
2. (A2) Sven Väth - The Worm
3. (B1) Sven Väth - Catharsis
4. (B2) Sven Väth - The Inner Voice
5. (C1) Sven Väth - Mystic Voices
6. (C2) Sven Väth - Nyx
7. (D1) Sven Väth - Butoh
8. (D2) Sven Väth - Feiern
9. (E1) Sven Väth - We Are
10. (E2) Sven Väth - Being In Love
11. (F1) Sven Väth - The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley
12. (F2) Sven Väth - Silvi's Dream
13. (F3) Sven Väth - Panta Rhei
Catharsis is Sven Väth's first solo album in almost 20 years, and the 50th album to be released on his incomparable label, Cocoon Recordings. Produced alongside Gregor Tresher, it arrives on 25 February 2022 and is a musical autobiography that charts Svens most extraordinary life in techno.
Without the West German-born Väth, techno would look, sound and feel very different. Since falling in love with electronic music and DJing in 1981, his dedication to the art has never faltered. He plays every party as if it were his last. His broad smile has connected with millions of people around the world. His colourful and curious character has imbued techno with a personality it was often lacking. His selections remain hugely unpredictable, despite the fact that he has been playing around the world for more than 40 years. To remain not only relevant but innovative after so long is a testament to Sven's ability to connect through music on a deeper level.
Technically, of course, he is a DJ who can play for thirty hours and not miss a beat. His track selections seem almost divine, and his aura is certainly otherworldly. But more than that, he is a ringleader who is able to mix the artful side of techno with the playful side of partying. Most famously he has done this for more than 20 years at his iconic Cocoon parties in Ibiza. They single-handedly introduced techno to the White Isle and have been its beating heart ever since. Under his charge, strict style guidelines and exaggerated pigeonholing no longer apply. Instead, he has perfected the art of playing far and wide while always remaining true to his own musical identity.
In the studio, Sven has always been just as unique. He has worked under several aliases but always brought a fresh perspective. Whether securing chart hits as part of OFF in the eighties, serving up brutalist techno and trance-tinged sounds in the nineties or crafting major label albums in the 2000s, his music has remained utterly forward-looking. That legacy continues with Catharsis as Sven teams up with highly respected producer Gregor Tresher for his latest long-form offering. Tresher has long been part of the Cocoon family and is a revered artist in his own right, when the two got together in the studio it was clear they had an instant connection and there would only be one person fit to co-author this LP.
It is a record inspired by Sven's interest in the physical and spiritual processes that take place when we dance. "They are realms into which we immerse ourselves to experience our own mysticism and ecstasy," he muses. "Dancing is a conversation between body and soul and it spiritually connects us with each other." Because of the pandemic, that is of course a feeling that we all missed out on for so long. "No dancing, no paradise!" says Sven. "My imagination for this record was fueled by the many cultural experiences and encounters I have had in my life. They gave me the strength to find a way, the way to myself." And that way to himself is through music, through purifying dancing rituals and the exchange of spiritual energies that are generated in the club.
The thirteen-track album explores all facets of Sven's sound. It opens with the stomping drums but sleek synths of 'What I Used To Play' and unfolds through deep and dirty rhythms like 'The Worm', subtly euphoric highs on 'The Inner Voice' and the bubbly tribalism of the title track. There is the impassioned call-to-arms that is 'Feiern', peak-time melodic workout 'Mystic Voices' and soothing electronic lullabies like 'Being In Love'. The second half of the album takes in many more twists and turns such as the exotic strings and driving drums of 'Butoh', the paranoid techno minimalism of 'NYX' and expansive synthscapes of ambient gem 'The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley' before things play out though rugged beats and emotive chords on 'We Are', which is named after the idea that we are what we think. "With our thoughts, we make the world.? says Sven.
Then comes the moody reflection of 'Silvi's Dream', which was written in French for Sven's girlfriend. Last but not least we have the immersive dream that is 'Panta Rhei', which completes a trio of electronica tunes on the album. Ambient music has been an integral part on almost every album Sven has written because it can bring a certain emotional deepness, a quality that Sven always has been looking for.
'Catharsis' is an adventurous album that captures the good times, the sad times and, most importantly, the times of hope. More
Tracklisting:
LP
1. (A1) Sven Väth - What I Used To Play
2. (A2) Sven Väth - The Worm
3. (B1) Sven Väth - Catharsis
4. (B2) Sven Väth - The Inner Voice
5. (C1) Sven Väth - Mystic Voices
6. (C2) Sven Väth - Nyx
7. (D1) Sven Väth - Butoh
8. (D2) Sven Väth - Feiern
9. (E1) Sven Väth - We Are
10. (E2) Sven Väth - Being In Love
11. (F1) Sven Väth - The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley
12. (F2) Sven Väth - Silvi's Dream
13. (F3) Sven Väth - Panta Rhei
Catharsis is Sven Väth's first solo album in almost 20 years, and the 50th album to be released on his incomparable label, Cocoon Recordings. Produced alongside Gregor Tresher, it arrives on 25 February 2022 and is a musical autobiography that charts Svens most extraordinary life in techno.
Without the West German-born Väth, techno would look, sound and feel very different. Since falling in love with electronic music and DJing in 1981, his dedication to the art has never faltered. He plays every party as if it were his last. His broad smile has connected with millions of people around the world. His colourful and curious character has imbued techno with a personality it was often lacking. His selections remain hugely unpredictable, despite the fact that he has been playing around the world for more than 40 years. To remain not only relevant but innovative after so long is a testament to Sven's ability to connect through music on a deeper level.
Technically, of course, he is a DJ who can play for thirty hours and not miss a beat. His track selections seem almost divine, and his aura is certainly otherworldly. But more than that, he is a ringleader who is able to mix the artful side of techno with the playful side of partying. Most famously he has done this for more than 20 years at his iconic Cocoon parties in Ibiza. They single-handedly introduced techno to the White Isle and have been its beating heart ever since. Under his charge, strict style guidelines and exaggerated pigeonholing no longer apply. Instead, he has perfected the art of playing far and wide while always remaining true to his own musical identity.
In the studio, Sven has always been just as unique. He has worked under several aliases but always brought a fresh perspective. Whether securing chart hits as part of OFF in the eighties, serving up brutalist techno and trance-tinged sounds in the nineties or crafting major label albums in the 2000s, his music has remained utterly forward-looking. That legacy continues with Catharsis as Sven teams up with highly respected producer Gregor Tresher for his latest long-form offering. Tresher has long been part of the Cocoon family and is a revered artist in his own right, when the two got together in the studio it was clear they had an instant connection and there would only be one person fit to co-author this LP.
It is a record inspired by Sven's interest in the physical and spiritual processes that take place when we dance. "They are realms into which we immerse ourselves to experience our own mysticism and ecstasy," he muses. "Dancing is a conversation between body and soul and it spiritually connects us with each other." Because of the pandemic, that is of course a feeling that we all missed out on for so long. "No dancing, no paradise!" says Sven. "My imagination for this record was fueled by the many cultural experiences and encounters I have had in my life. They gave me the strength to find a way, the way to myself." And that way to himself is through music, through purifying dancing rituals and the exchange of spiritual energies that are generated in the club.
The thirteen-track album explores all facets of Sven's sound. It opens with the stomping drums but sleek synths of 'What I Used To Play' and unfolds through deep and dirty rhythms like 'The Worm', subtly euphoric highs on 'The Inner Voice' and the bubbly tribalism of the title track. There is the impassioned call-to-arms that is 'Feiern', peak-time melodic workout 'Mystic Voices' and soothing electronic lullabies like 'Being In Love'. The second half of the album takes in many more twists and turns such as the exotic strings and driving drums of 'Butoh', the paranoid techno minimalism of 'NYX' and expansive synthscapes of ambient gem 'The Cranes Of Gangtey Valley' before things play out though rugged beats and emotive chords on 'We Are', which is named after the idea that we are what we think. "With our thoughts, we make the world.? says Sven.
Then comes the moody reflection of 'Silvi's Dream', which was written in French for Sven's girlfriend. Last but not least we have the immersive dream that is 'Panta Rhei', which completes a trio of electronica tunes on the album. Ambient music has been an integral part on almost every album Sven has written because it can bring a certain emotional deepness, a quality that Sven always has been looking for.
'Catharsis' is an adventurous album that captures the good times, the sad times and, most importantly, the times of hope. More
1
Sven Väth - (1) Mystic Voices (DE-Q20-22-00006)
2
Sven Väth - (2) Butoh (DE-Q20-22-00008)
Tracklist:
(1) Sven Väth – Mystic Voices (DE-Q20-22-00006)
(2) Sven Väth – Butoh (DE-Q20-22-00008)
Release Info:
Single release from the forthcoming album “Catharsis”, produced by Sven Va¨th & Gregor Tresher
The second release before the upcoming mighty new Sven Va¨th album “Catharsis” gives you another hint at what´s coming at you! Let us tell you, we couldn´t be more excited for everyone to finally experience Sven´s new masterpiece!
But before we unleash the beast, we decided to release a second single. This time containing two absolute highlight tracks. If you have heard Sven playing in the past months, you will recognize both, as they were pivotal moments in almost every set!
First up we have “Mystic Voices“, a track that was created during the early stages of the album production with Sven gathering ideas and words to finally record the unmistakable vocals during a hectic tour through India, and Gregor spending days and nights on the other side of the planet in his studio to process the stream of inspiration. When the two finally sat down together in the studio, the track emerged quickly. Some would call the instant vibe that magic that every creative mind is longing to find.
“Butoh” is a raw and dark force, influenced by Japanese dance, an art form that deeply touched Sven during his travels on Nippon Island. It´s an otherworldly sounding track, still based in the Techno Realm but heavily twisted by a long break that introduces Japanese percussions that eventually get topped by the haunting vocals of Cana Hatsushiba.
More
(1) Sven Väth – Mystic Voices (DE-Q20-22-00006)
(2) Sven Väth – Butoh (DE-Q20-22-00008)
Release Info:
Single release from the forthcoming album “Catharsis”, produced by Sven Va¨th & Gregor Tresher
The second release before the upcoming mighty new Sven Va¨th album “Catharsis” gives you another hint at what´s coming at you! Let us tell you, we couldn´t be more excited for everyone to finally experience Sven´s new masterpiece!
But before we unleash the beast, we decided to release a second single. This time containing two absolute highlight tracks. If you have heard Sven playing in the past months, you will recognize both, as they were pivotal moments in almost every set!
First up we have “Mystic Voices“, a track that was created during the early stages of the album production with Sven gathering ideas and words to finally record the unmistakable vocals during a hectic tour through India, and Gregor spending days and nights on the other side of the planet in his studio to process the stream of inspiration. When the two finally sat down together in the studio, the track emerged quickly. Some would call the instant vibe that magic that every creative mind is longing to find.
“Butoh” is a raw and dark force, influenced by Japanese dance, an art form that deeply touched Sven during his travels on Nippon Island. It´s an otherworldly sounding track, still based in the Techno Realm but heavily twisted by a long break that introduces Japanese percussions that eventually get topped by the haunting vocals of Cana Hatsushiba.
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1
Sven Väth - (1) Feiern (Original Mix) (DE-Q20-21-00006)
2
Sven Väth - (2) Feiern (Dub) (DE-Q20-21-00007)
Tracklist:
(1) Sven Väth – Feiern (Original Mix) (DE-Q20-21-00006)
(2) Sven Väth – Feiern (Dub) (DE-Q20-21-00007)
Release Info:
Single Release from the forthcoming album “Catharsis”, produced by Sven Väth & Gregor Tresher
The feeling that we have all been missing for so long
Ab jetzt, ab jetzt.
Die Quelle, die wir brauchen, der Beat, der Beat, der Beat.
Was die Sehnsucht so verstärkt.
Es ist die Quelle, die wir brauchen, der Beat, der Beat, der Beat.
Der uns zusammenhält. Was die Sehnsucht so verstärkt.
Ich will feiern!
…will wieder spüren, schwitzen und dich berühren.
Mich tief fallen lassen in diese Welten, die mir fehlten.
Ich will feiern!
Ab jetzt heißt‘s feiern, mit euch feiern. Ab jetzt heißt‘s feiern, mit euch feiern.
…will wieder spüren, schwitzen und dich berühren.
Mich tief fallen lassen in diese Welten, die mir fehlten.
Ich will feiern!
More
(1) Sven Väth – Feiern (Original Mix) (DE-Q20-21-00006)
(2) Sven Väth – Feiern (Dub) (DE-Q20-21-00007)
Release Info:
Single Release from the forthcoming album “Catharsis”, produced by Sven Väth & Gregor Tresher
The feeling that we have all been missing for so long
Ab jetzt, ab jetzt.
Die Quelle, die wir brauchen, der Beat, der Beat, der Beat.
Was die Sehnsucht so verstärkt.
Es ist die Quelle, die wir brauchen, der Beat, der Beat, der Beat.
Der uns zusammenhält. Was die Sehnsucht so verstärkt.
Ich will feiern!
…will wieder spüren, schwitzen und dich berühren.
Mich tief fallen lassen in diese Welten, die mir fehlten.
Ich will feiern!
Ab jetzt heißt‘s feiern, mit euch feiern. Ab jetzt heißt‘s feiern, mit euch feiern.
…will wieder spüren, schwitzen und dich berühren.
Mich tief fallen lassen in diese Welten, die mir fehlten.
Ich will feiern!
More
1
Jonathan Kaspar - (A1) Jonathan Kaspar – Invert Drift
2
Jonathan Kaspar - (A2) Jonathan Kaspar – Last Romance
3
Jonathan Kaspar - (B1) Jonathan Kaspar – Off The Shore
Tracklist:
(A1) Jonathan Kaspar – Invert Drift (DE-Q20-21-00003)
(A2) Jonathan Kaspar – Last Romance (DE-Q20-21-00004)
(B1) Jonathan Kaspar – Off The Shore (DE-Q20-21-00005)
Release Date:
Jonathan Kaspar has that rare, instinctive ability to germinate the seed of an idea and nurture it to its logical conclusion, both melodically and sonically. It’s why his stock has been rising so sharply in recent years with future classics already released on Kompakt and Objektivity to name but two, and he’s at it again on his debut EP for Cocoon Recordings with three distinctive tracks of sublime quality.
The first cut, Invert Drift, is also a phenomenal mixing tool. What starts off as an expectant minimal groove suddenly explodes with wild, cascading effects that hit you out of nowhere. Any DJ worth their salt will get tons of twisted pleasure orchestrating the crowd‘s synaptic meltdown with this one, but there‘s so much more going on behind the calculated mayhem. In true signature style Kaspar teases the listener, cranking up the pressure with a dark, brooding synth progression that lurks under the surface but never quite breaks free, leaving the morphing bass line, crunchy top loop and laser guided FX front and center. As it reaches its climax it’s like being caught in the crossfire of a Battlestar Galactia shoot out.
Last Romance is another master class in how to hypnotize the dance floor, this time by showering it in ecstasy. The patient, Latin-inflected build up accompanies a discordant metallic synth line that from hesitant beginnings slowly grows to dominate the track. It resonates beautifully almost creating its own language before deep, lush chords and a crystalline arp line flesh out the breakdown, making the hairs on your neck stand to attention.
Coming in at just over ten minutes, Off The Shore introduces a different aspect of Kaspar’s repertoire. With ambient, cinematic overtones and an otherworldly central motif that starts folding space in the extended breakdown, it’s a perfect early morning tonic that leads you off the beaten track, but still carries enough weight to keep the dance floor ticking over nicely.
More
(A1) Jonathan Kaspar – Invert Drift (DE-Q20-21-00003)
(A2) Jonathan Kaspar – Last Romance (DE-Q20-21-00004)
(B1) Jonathan Kaspar – Off The Shore (DE-Q20-21-00005)
Release Date:
Jonathan Kaspar has that rare, instinctive ability to germinate the seed of an idea and nurture it to its logical conclusion, both melodically and sonically. It’s why his stock has been rising so sharply in recent years with future classics already released on Kompakt and Objektivity to name but two, and he’s at it again on his debut EP for Cocoon Recordings with three distinctive tracks of sublime quality.
The first cut, Invert Drift, is also a phenomenal mixing tool. What starts off as an expectant minimal groove suddenly explodes with wild, cascading effects that hit you out of nowhere. Any DJ worth their salt will get tons of twisted pleasure orchestrating the crowd‘s synaptic meltdown with this one, but there‘s so much more going on behind the calculated mayhem. In true signature style Kaspar teases the listener, cranking up the pressure with a dark, brooding synth progression that lurks under the surface but never quite breaks free, leaving the morphing bass line, crunchy top loop and laser guided FX front and center. As it reaches its climax it’s like being caught in the crossfire of a Battlestar Galactia shoot out.
Last Romance is another master class in how to hypnotize the dance floor, this time by showering it in ecstasy. The patient, Latin-inflected build up accompanies a discordant metallic synth line that from hesitant beginnings slowly grows to dominate the track. It resonates beautifully almost creating its own language before deep, lush chords and a crystalline arp line flesh out the breakdown, making the hairs on your neck stand to attention.
Coming in at just over ten minutes, Off The Shore introduces a different aspect of Kaspar’s repertoire. With ambient, cinematic overtones and an otherworldly central motif that starts folding space in the extended breakdown, it’s a perfect early morning tonic that leads you off the beaten track, but still carries enough weight to keep the dance floor ticking over nicely.
More
1
André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik / Extra - 1. (A1) André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik – The Regulator (DE-Q20-20-00053)
2
André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik / Extra - 2. (B1) Extrawelt – Murder Ballet (DE-Q20-20-00054)
*** Artists: André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik / Extrawelt***
*** Title: 20 Years: Cocoon Recordings – EP5 ***
Tracklist:
1. (A1) André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik – The Regulator (DE-Q20-20-00053)
2. (B1) Extrawelt – Murder Ballet (DE-Q20-20-00054)
Release Info:
Cocoon's unique brand of techno has always been at the heart for the operation and now, these brand new and exclusive tracks confirm that once again. Dark industry when André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik link on 'The Regulator' and high grade machine soul from Extrawelt.
More
*** Title: 20 Years: Cocoon Recordings – EP5 ***
Tracklist:
1. (A1) André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik – The Regulator (DE-Q20-20-00053)
2. (B1) Extrawelt – Murder Ballet (DE-Q20-20-00054)
Release Info:
Cocoon's unique brand of techno has always been at the heart for the operation and now, these brand new and exclusive tracks confirm that once again. Dark industry when André Galluzzi & Daniel Stefanik link on 'The Regulator' and high grade machine soul from Extrawelt.
More
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ENERGY 52 - Café Del Mar (Orbital Remix)
2
ENERGY 52 - Café Del Mar (Michael Mayer Remix)
GENRE/S:
Progressive House, Techno, Trance, Breaks
TRACKLISTS:
A. Café Del Mar (Orbital Remix)
B. Café Del Mar (Michael Mayer Remix)
SHORT INFO:
Energy 52's Café Del Mar is one of the most iconic tracks in dance music. Over the years, Café Del Mar has achieved legendary status, regularly featuring in lists of the greatest dance tracks of all time. To put it simply, Café Del Mar is a cultural phenomenon, encapsulating the spirit of an era and influencing generations of artists and fans alike.
Now this iconic track is being remixed by two of the most revered acts in electronic music, Orbital and Michael Mayer. Orbital, the pioneering British electronic dance duo consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, have continued to shape the electronic music scene since their emergence in 1989. Their remix is an ode to the golden age of rave, with clattering breakbeats and an ethereal synth line pulsing through its early stages before the iconic lead warps into view. A key figure in Cologne's electronic scene, Michael Mayer co-founded the influential Kompakt label, contributing significantly to its direction and success. For his interpretation, Mayer leans into head spinning, hypnotic rhythms, with tribal drums and the patiently evolving lead line building towards a climax that is more subtle but no less effective.
More
Progressive House, Techno, Trance, Breaks
TRACKLISTS:
A. Café Del Mar (Orbital Remix)
B. Café Del Mar (Michael Mayer Remix)
SHORT INFO:
Energy 52's Café Del Mar is one of the most iconic tracks in dance music. Over the years, Café Del Mar has achieved legendary status, regularly featuring in lists of the greatest dance tracks of all time. To put it simply, Café Del Mar is a cultural phenomenon, encapsulating the spirit of an era and influencing generations of artists and fans alike.
Now this iconic track is being remixed by two of the most revered acts in electronic music, Orbital and Michael Mayer. Orbital, the pioneering British electronic dance duo consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, have continued to shape the electronic music scene since their emergence in 1989. Their remix is an ode to the golden age of rave, with clattering breakbeats and an ethereal synth line pulsing through its early stages before the iconic lead warps into view. A key figure in Cologne's electronic scene, Michael Mayer co-founded the influential Kompakt label, contributing significantly to its direction and success. For his interpretation, Mayer leans into head spinning, hypnotic rhythms, with tribal drums and the patiently evolving lead line building towards a climax that is more subtle but no less effective.
More
1
Inhmost & Owl - Autumnal Dew
2
Inhmost & Owl - Dawn Lined Horizon
3
Inhmost & Owl - Zodiacal Clouds
4
Inhmost & Owl - Infinite Pathways
5
Inhmost & Owl - Dusk Settled Over The Mountains
6
Inhmost & Owl - Alternate Spring Sundown
Format: (LP)
Special remarks : white vinyl
Genre: Ambient
Tracklist LP:
A1. Autumnal Dew
A2. Dawn Lined Horizon
A3. Zodiacal Clouds
B1. Infinite Pathways
B2. Dusk Settled Over The Mountains
B3. Alternate Spring Sundown
Short Info:
Simon Huxtable’s Inhmost project has been a focal outlet for his ambient and downtempo compositions. Pierre Nesi’s Owl production alias likewise is rich in ambient tones and textures. The resulting collaboration is chillout bliss.
More
Special remarks : white vinyl
Genre: Ambient
Tracklist LP:
A1. Autumnal Dew
A2. Dawn Lined Horizon
A3. Zodiacal Clouds
B1. Infinite Pathways
B2. Dusk Settled Over The Mountains
B3. Alternate Spring Sundown
Short Info:
Simon Huxtable’s Inhmost project has been a focal outlet for his ambient and downtempo compositions. Pierre Nesi’s Owl production alias likewise is rich in ambient tones and textures. The resulting collaboration is chillout bliss.
More
1
Alva Noto - A1 HYbr:ID Noh Talk
2
Alva Noto - A2 HYbr:ID Sync Dark
3
Alva Noto - A3 HYbr:ID Noh Human
4
Alva Noto - B1 HYbr:ID Sync Inter
5
Alva Noto - B2 HYbr:ID Collective Open
6
Alva Noto - B3 HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
7
Alva Noto - B4 HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
8
Alva Noto - C1 HYbr:ID Para Contamination
9
Alva Noto - C2 HYbr:ID Script Solitude
10
Alva Noto - C3 HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
11
Alva Noto - D1 HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
12
Alva Noto - D2 HYbr:ID Rehuman
13
Alva Noto - D3 HYbr:ID Épilogue
2LP
A1. HYbr:ID Noh Talk
A2. HYbr:ID Sync Dark
A3. HYbr:ID Noh Human
B1. HYbr:ID Sync Inter
B2. HYbr:ID Collective Open
B3. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
B4. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
C1. HYbr:ID Para Contamination
C2. HYbr:ID Script Solitude
C3. HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
D1. HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
D2. HYbr:ID Rehuman
D3. HYbr:ID Épilogue
For an aesthetic of (dis)obedience. The impressions Richard Siegal and his company Ballet of Difference gathered on a trip to Japan in September 2022 now find their way into a full-length dance evening. Siegal and his team had set off for Tokyo to learn the practice of Shuudan Koudou, also known as "Japanese Precision Walking". The strictly synchronised group choreographies are astonishing in their radical stringency and have become a secret YouTube hit, not least because of their peculiar subtle humour. Siegal recognises in the extreme disciplining of the bodies an analogy to the training practice of classical ballet. In the mutual exchange of these movement cultures, questions are raised about individual and collective thinking, about personal decision-making power and social responsibility. For this extraordinary project, Richard Siegal has invited a special guest: Nazareth Panadero, long-time companion of Pina Bausch, who has long since become an icon of Wuppertal dance theatre and will be on stage with the BoD ensemble.
The production BALLET OF (DIS)OBEDIENCE is sponsored by Goethe Institut, with the kind support of Sissel GmbH.
CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGE: RICHARD SIEGAL
COSTUME: FLORA MIRANDA
LIGHT & VIDEO: MATTHIAS SINGER
MUSIC: ALVA NOTO
DRAMATURGY: TOBIAS STAAB
more info to: Shuudan koudou
'Shuudan koudou' Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese #art of Synchronized Precision ...YouTube · Boson TV: Tech Marvels & Cool Discoveries22 Dec 2022
Kottke.org https://kottke.org › shuudan-koud...Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese Art of Synchronized Precision Walking
On the other hand, hybrid 3 is inspired by Noh Play - Japanese performances and deals with the refusal of rules musically, hybrid three continues the two previous albums and weaves both rhythmic and beatless musical pieces into a holistic work.
The idea for me has always been that these albums are not only perceived as individual tracks, but as a whole piece, which is why I find the possibility of experiencing and listening to these albums in the right order and as a whole particularly important. For me, the pieces are not only closely related to the ballet that was created for them, but also function as individual pieces as pure, musical pieces and mark a new quality for me, which is very strongly focussed on producing electronic sounds and structures in such a way that they can develop a sculptural quality.
More
A1. HYbr:ID Noh Talk
A2. HYbr:ID Sync Dark
A3. HYbr:ID Noh Human
B1. HYbr:ID Sync Inter
B2. HYbr:ID Collective Open
B3. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
B4. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
C1. HYbr:ID Para Contamination
C2. HYbr:ID Script Solitude
C3. HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
D1. HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
D2. HYbr:ID Rehuman
D3. HYbr:ID Épilogue
For an aesthetic of (dis)obedience. The impressions Richard Siegal and his company Ballet of Difference gathered on a trip to Japan in September 2022 now find their way into a full-length dance evening. Siegal and his team had set off for Tokyo to learn the practice of Shuudan Koudou, also known as "Japanese Precision Walking". The strictly synchronised group choreographies are astonishing in their radical stringency and have become a secret YouTube hit, not least because of their peculiar subtle humour. Siegal recognises in the extreme disciplining of the bodies an analogy to the training practice of classical ballet. In the mutual exchange of these movement cultures, questions are raised about individual and collective thinking, about personal decision-making power and social responsibility. For this extraordinary project, Richard Siegal has invited a special guest: Nazareth Panadero, long-time companion of Pina Bausch, who has long since become an icon of Wuppertal dance theatre and will be on stage with the BoD ensemble.
The production BALLET OF (DIS)OBEDIENCE is sponsored by Goethe Institut, with the kind support of Sissel GmbH.
CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGE: RICHARD SIEGAL
COSTUME: FLORA MIRANDA
LIGHT & VIDEO: MATTHIAS SINGER
MUSIC: ALVA NOTO
DRAMATURGY: TOBIAS STAAB
more info to: Shuudan koudou
'Shuudan koudou' Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese #art of Synchronized Precision ...YouTube · Boson TV: Tech Marvels & Cool Discoveries22 Dec 2022
Kottke.org https://kottke.org › shuudan-koud...Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese Art of Synchronized Precision Walking
On the other hand, hybrid 3 is inspired by Noh Play - Japanese performances and deals with the refusal of rules musically, hybrid three continues the two previous albums and weaves both rhythmic and beatless musical pieces into a holistic work.
The idea for me has always been that these albums are not only perceived as individual tracks, but as a whole piece, which is why I find the possibility of experiencing and listening to these albums in the right order and as a whole particularly important. For me, the pieces are not only closely related to the ballet that was created for them, but also function as individual pieces as pure, musical pieces and mark a new quality for me, which is very strongly focussed on producing electronic sounds and structures in such a way that they can develop a sculptural quality.
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1
Magic Jams - The Janja (Magic Jams Remix)
2
Magic Jams - The Wonder (Magic Jams Edit)
3
NOEMA - The Enemy (Noema Remix)
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NOEMA - The Zebra (Noema Remix)
Vinyl Only / lim. Pressing.
Afrodisco / Afrobeat / Disco Edits
Remember Noema's legendary tribute edit of Ata Kak's “Daa Nyinaa” and the wicked re-rubs of Eddie C, Axel Boman and Soft Rocks? Then I have good news for you: AFRICAN SHAKETOWN is back!!! Coming in hot and rebranded with the letter “T” in the name, the essential Afro Disco series returns with four outstanding remixes and edits of ultra rare gems that without a doubt will make your summer.
On the labelside you'll find two funky Disco tunes, originally played with full band set-up and treated by MAGIC JAMS, while on the flipside NOEMA presents a choice of electronic and cosmic Disco flavors featuring synths and drum computers. David Benjamin aka NOEMA aka MAGIC JAMS is a DJ, Producer, Guitarist and Label Owner from Berlin. In his studio work, he has released one very well received album as well as several EPs, remixes and edits. In this context he collaborated with heavy weights like Apparat, Dj Dixon, and Grammy winners Basement Jaxx as well as electronic music underground heroes such as Lauer, Kalabrese, Shubostar, O/Y, Acid Pauli, Auntie Flo, Dreems, Khidja, Panthera
Krause and Mehmet Aslan.
Looking back at more than 25 years of DJing, David is a true master at the decks. Constantly refining his craft during a former 10-year residency at the legendary Berlin Club institution Wilde Renate, he developed a unique style combining an outstanding selection, ranging from Disco to IndieDance and House, with out-of-this-world mixing skills. While David releases and plays rather electronic, contemporary and psychedelic music under his NOEMA moniker, his MAGIC JAMS alias is all about acoustic sounds and crate digging, with focus on Music of the African diaspora, Cosmic Disco and Balearic Beat.
Furthermore David holds a diploma in classical guitar with focus on music theory, works as a teacher/mentor and runs the highly acclaimed The Magic Movement label and released music by the likes of Nicola Cruz, Axel Boman, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Xique-Xique, Eddie C and many more.
Tracklist:
THIS 1 // The Janja (Magic Jams Remix)
THIS 2 // The Wonder (Magic Jams Edit)
THAT 1 // The Enemy (Noema Remix)
THAT 2 // The Zebra (Noema Remix) More
Afrodisco / Afrobeat / Disco Edits
Remember Noema's legendary tribute edit of Ata Kak's “Daa Nyinaa” and the wicked re-rubs of Eddie C, Axel Boman and Soft Rocks? Then I have good news for you: AFRICAN SHAKETOWN is back!!! Coming in hot and rebranded with the letter “T” in the name, the essential Afro Disco series returns with four outstanding remixes and edits of ultra rare gems that without a doubt will make your summer.
On the labelside you'll find two funky Disco tunes, originally played with full band set-up and treated by MAGIC JAMS, while on the flipside NOEMA presents a choice of electronic and cosmic Disco flavors featuring synths and drum computers. David Benjamin aka NOEMA aka MAGIC JAMS is a DJ, Producer, Guitarist and Label Owner from Berlin. In his studio work, he has released one very well received album as well as several EPs, remixes and edits. In this context he collaborated with heavy weights like Apparat, Dj Dixon, and Grammy winners Basement Jaxx as well as electronic music underground heroes such as Lauer, Kalabrese, Shubostar, O/Y, Acid Pauli, Auntie Flo, Dreems, Khidja, Panthera
Krause and Mehmet Aslan.
Looking back at more than 25 years of DJing, David is a true master at the decks. Constantly refining his craft during a former 10-year residency at the legendary Berlin Club institution Wilde Renate, he developed a unique style combining an outstanding selection, ranging from Disco to IndieDance and House, with out-of-this-world mixing skills. While David releases and plays rather electronic, contemporary and psychedelic music under his NOEMA moniker, his MAGIC JAMS alias is all about acoustic sounds and crate digging, with focus on Music of the African diaspora, Cosmic Disco and Balearic Beat.
Furthermore David holds a diploma in classical guitar with focus on music theory, works as a teacher/mentor and runs the highly acclaimed The Magic Movement label and released music by the likes of Nicola Cruz, Axel Boman, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Xique-Xique, Eddie C and many more.
Tracklist:
THIS 1 // The Janja (Magic Jams Remix)
THIS 2 // The Wonder (Magic Jams Edit)
THAT 1 // The Enemy (Noema Remix)
THAT 2 // The Zebra (Noema Remix) More
1
Classmatic x Ruffneck feat. Yavahn - Everybody Wants To Be Somebody
2
Classmatic x Ruffneck feat. Yavahn - Everybody Wants To Be Somebody (Instrumental)
Here, breathing fresh life into Ruffneck ft. Yavahn’s seminal heater - ?Everybody Be Somebody? - are the mighty Classmatic; re-moulding the mid-nineties classic, into an organically-garbed, rolling-House titan. With Yavahn’s inimitable, sultry tones, sliding across a bed of sub-aquatic bass, rotund kicks, hissing hats and revolving toms - it’s a track, tailor-made for the terraces of Ibiza, beaches of the Adriatic and beyond.
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1
Kings Of Tomorrow featuring Apri - l ‘Fall For You’ (Sandy Rivera's Classic Mix - Moodyman edit
2
Sandy Rivera featuring LT Brown - ‘Come Into My Room’ (Take It Back Mix)
3
Soul Vision - ‘Don't Stop’ (Remix)
4
Kings Of Tomorrow featuring Elzi Hall - ‘Show Me’
4 To The Floor is committed to delivering seminal house music to wax, making sought after heritage tracks readily available on vinyl for crate diggers to add to their collections. The third edition of the series pays homage to one of the most heralded names in house music - Armand Van Helden. While Armand’s productions like ‘U Don’t Know Me’ and ‘Bonkers’ have soared to #1, he has remained a true legend of the underground. One of the most illustrious remixers in the game, this 12” package celebrates this part of Armand’s skillset. Kicking off the A-side is his remix of the 1993 club anthem by Tonja Dantzler ‘In And Out Of My Life’, followed by Shan & Gerd Janson’s edit which amplifies the Armand’s remix even further. On the flip is a classic bouncing house and garage sound from 1997 on Armand’s remix of Geoffrey Williams’ ‘Sex Life’, followed by the more recent Armand remix of Lee Walker vs. DJ Deeon’s ‘Freak Like Me’ – an explosive club track that was championed by everyone from Marco Carola to Annie Mac.
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1
Marcia Griffiths - Here I Am Baby (Come And Take Me)
2
Marcia Griffiths - Everything I Own
3
Marcia Griffiths - Green Grasshopper
4
Marcia Griffiths - Play Me
5
Marcia Griffiths - Children At Play
6
Marcia Griffiths - Sweet Bitter Love
7
Marcia Griffiths - Gypsy Man
8
Marcia Griffiths - There’s No Me Without You
9
Marcia Griffiths - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
10
Marcia Griffiths - I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely
11
Marcia Griffiths - Mark My Word
12
Marcia Griffiths - The First Cut Is The Deepest
13
Marcia Griffiths - Melody Life
14
Marcia Griffiths - Working To The Top (My Ambition) (Part 1)
15
Marcia Griffiths - Don’t Let Me Down
16
Marcia Griffiths - Band Of Gold
17
Marcia Griffiths - Put A Little Love In Your Heart
18
Marcia Griffiths - I See You, My Love
19
Marcia Griffiths - It’s Too Late
20
Marcia Griffiths - Baby If You Don’t Love Me
21
Marcia Griffiths - Love Walked In
22
Marcia Griffiths - When Will I See You Again
23
Marcia Griffiths - Play Me (Part 2)
Territory: Worldwide no exceptions
2024 repress, 140g vinyl, remastered, double LP with the original LP along with a second record of 14 rare tracks
Sweet And Nice is the vital debut album from Jamaica’s undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths. It’s reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller. 45 years after its initial release the LP is available again on vinyl, now as a double LP, with an extra record collecting 14 rare tracks.
Sweet And Nice has appeared over the years with a revised running order and under different titles. But the original’s opening sequence of loping soul is legendary, even beyond reggae circles. These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Be With doesn’t mess with magic.
Marcia’s version of “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” has long been lusted after, played by genre-hopping selectors to snapping necks for decades now. It’s followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of “Everything I Own” and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is “Green Grasshopper” and her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover “Play Me”.
The thundering, humid funk of “Children At Play” “sounds uncannily like a precursor of Massive Attack”, as FACT Mag astutely noted when they put Sweet And Nice at number 16 in their list of the 100 best albums of the 1970s. Otherworldly, moody and essential.
Side two keeps the fire burning. “Sweet, Bitter Love” should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album’s alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield’s already-eternal “Gypsy Man” is up next, recast as proto-lovers rock.
“There’s No Me Without You” is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia’s heartbreaking delivery. And if this doesn’t get you then surely the next track will: arguably the definitive version of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. Yes, seriously.
“I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP’s second side… but we couldn’t leave it at that. So we added an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Some of these songs have only ever been found on now unattainable 7" singles and no, rarity doesn’t always correspond with quality, but in this case we’re talking about some seriously jaw-dropping music.
Amongst 14 extra tracks you’ll find the exquisite late-60s singles “Melody Life” and “Mark My Word” which, along with the sumptuous reading of “Band Of Gold”, are now £100 records, if you can find them! Just sayin’. There‘s also a fantastic version of “The First Cut Is the Deepest” and an alternate take of “Play Me” with producer Lloyd Charmers adding his own vocals.
Everything’s been remastered of course, including the original LP, so Sweet And Nice now sounds even sweeter, and even nicer.
TRACKLISTING
A1 : Here I Am Baby (Come And Take Me)
A2 : Everything I Own
A3 : Green Grasshopper
A4 : Play Me
A5 : Children At Play
B1 : Sweet Bitter Love
B2 : Gypsy Man
B3 : There’s No Me Without You
B4 : The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
B5 : I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely
C1 : Mark My Word
C2 : The First Cut Is The Deepest
C3 : Melody Life
C4 : Work And Slave
C5 : Working To The Top (My Ambition) (Part 1)
C6 : Don’t Let Me Down
C7 : Band Of Gold
D1 : Put A Little Love In Your Heart
D2 : I See You, My Love
D3 : It’s Too Late
D4 : Baby If You Don’t Love Me
D5 : Love Walked In
D6 : When Will I See You Again
D7 : Play Me (Part 2) More
2024 repress, 140g vinyl, remastered, double LP with the original LP along with a second record of 14 rare tracks
Sweet And Nice is the vital debut album from Jamaica’s undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths. It’s reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller. 45 years after its initial release the LP is available again on vinyl, now as a double LP, with an extra record collecting 14 rare tracks.
Sweet And Nice has appeared over the years with a revised running order and under different titles. But the original’s opening sequence of loping soul is legendary, even beyond reggae circles. These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Be With doesn’t mess with magic.
Marcia’s version of “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” has long been lusted after, played by genre-hopping selectors to snapping necks for decades now. It’s followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of “Everything I Own” and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is “Green Grasshopper” and her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover “Play Me”.
The thundering, humid funk of “Children At Play” “sounds uncannily like a precursor of Massive Attack”, as FACT Mag astutely noted when they put Sweet And Nice at number 16 in their list of the 100 best albums of the 1970s. Otherworldly, moody and essential.
Side two keeps the fire burning. “Sweet, Bitter Love” should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album’s alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield’s already-eternal “Gypsy Man” is up next, recast as proto-lovers rock.
“There’s No Me Without You” is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia’s heartbreaking delivery. And if this doesn’t get you then surely the next track will: arguably the definitive version of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. Yes, seriously.
“I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP’s second side… but we couldn’t leave it at that. So we added an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Some of these songs have only ever been found on now unattainable 7" singles and no, rarity doesn’t always correspond with quality, but in this case we’re talking about some seriously jaw-dropping music.
Amongst 14 extra tracks you’ll find the exquisite late-60s singles “Melody Life” and “Mark My Word” which, along with the sumptuous reading of “Band Of Gold”, are now £100 records, if you can find them! Just sayin’. There‘s also a fantastic version of “The First Cut Is the Deepest” and an alternate take of “Play Me” with producer Lloyd Charmers adding his own vocals.
Everything’s been remastered of course, including the original LP, so Sweet And Nice now sounds even sweeter, and even nicer.
TRACKLISTING
A1 : Here I Am Baby (Come And Take Me)
A2 : Everything I Own
A3 : Green Grasshopper
A4 : Play Me
A5 : Children At Play
B1 : Sweet Bitter Love
B2 : Gypsy Man
B3 : There’s No Me Without You
B4 : The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
B5 : I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely
C1 : Mark My Word
C2 : The First Cut Is The Deepest
C3 : Melody Life
C4 : Work And Slave
C5 : Working To The Top (My Ambition) (Part 1)
C6 : Don’t Let Me Down
C7 : Band Of Gold
D1 : Put A Little Love In Your Heart
D2 : I See You, My Love
D3 : It’s Too Late
D4 : Baby If You Don’t Love Me
D5 : Love Walked In
D6 : When Will I See You Again
D7 : Play Me (Part 2) More
Label:Systematic Recordings
Cat-No:syst0139-6
Release-Date:31.05.2024
Genre:Techno
Configuration:12" Excl
Label:Systematic Recordings
Cat-No:syst0139-6
Release-Date:31.05.2024
Genre:Techno
Configuration:12" Excl
1
Extrawelt - Riverrun
2
Extrawelt - Midi Waters
12“ Vinyl
GENRE/S: Electro/Techno
TRACKLISTS:
A1) Extrawelt - Riverrun
B1) Extrawelt- Midi Waters
SHORT INFO:
Arne and Wayan of Extrawelt hardly need an introduction, yet their latest release is notably special as it marks their debut on Marc Romboy's Systematic Recordings imprint.
Renowned for their releases on Cocoon, Kompakt/Speicher, and Border Community, they masterfully blend techno with rich sound structures, harmonies, and intricate arrangements.
Their new track "Riverrun" features a captivating bass line that twists and transforms throughout the piece, showcasing their skills as sound architects. Alongside, "Midi Waters" delves into a darker, deeper soundscape that commands respect from Detroit Techno enthusiasts with its powerful, dystopian narrative. Experience the sound for yourself with this unique two tracker.
VITAL SALES POINTS:
- Debut EP from Extrawelt on Systematic
- Strictly limited vinyl (300 only)
- Special Sound Mastering by LUPO More
GENRE/S: Electro/Techno
TRACKLISTS:
A1) Extrawelt - Riverrun
B1) Extrawelt- Midi Waters
SHORT INFO:
Arne and Wayan of Extrawelt hardly need an introduction, yet their latest release is notably special as it marks their debut on Marc Romboy's Systematic Recordings imprint.
Renowned for their releases on Cocoon, Kompakt/Speicher, and Border Community, they masterfully blend techno with rich sound structures, harmonies, and intricate arrangements.
Their new track "Riverrun" features a captivating bass line that twists and transforms throughout the piece, showcasing their skills as sound architects. Alongside, "Midi Waters" delves into a darker, deeper soundscape that commands respect from Detroit Techno enthusiasts with its powerful, dystopian narrative. Experience the sound for yourself with this unique two tracker.
VITAL SALES POINTS:
- Debut EP from Extrawelt on Systematic
- Strictly limited vinyl (300 only)
- Special Sound Mastering by LUPO More
1
Freestyle Fellowship - A* : Blood (1:08)
2
Freestyle Fellowship - A1 : Bullies Of The Block (4:55)
3
Freestyle Fellowship - A2 : Everything’s Everything (3:47)
4
Freestyle Fellowship - A3 : Shammy’s (4:16)
5
Freestyle Fellowship - A** : Heat Mizer (1:08)
6
Freestyle Fellowship - B1 : Six Tray (4:39)
7
Freestyle Fellowship - B2 : Danger (3:58)
8
Freestyle Fellowship - B3 : Inner City Boundaries (4:39)
9
Freestyle Fellowship - B* : Bomb Zombies (1:06)
10
Freestyle Fellowship - C1 : Cornbread (4:21)
11
Freestyle Fellowship - C2 : Way Cool (4:22)
12
Freestyle Fellowship - C3 : Hot Potato (4:30)
13
Freestyle Fellowship - C4 : Mary (3:45)
14
Freestyle Fellowship - C5 : Park Bench People (4:59)
15
Freestyle Fellowship - D1 : Heavyweights (6:11)
16
Freestyle Fellowship - D* : Tolerate (1:01)
17
Freestyle Fellowship - D2 : Respect Due (3:53)
18
Freestyle Fellowship - D3 : Pure Thought (3:14)
Territories: Worldwide no restrictions
Format Notes:
2024 repress, 140g vinyl, includes “Pure Thought” bonus track from the original CD version, original picture sleeve and printed inner sleeves based on the original one.
Track List:
A* : Blood (1:08)
A1 : Bullies Of The Block (4:55)
A2 : Everything’s Everything (3:47)
A3 : Shammy’s (4:16)
A** : Heat Mizer (1:08)
B1 : Six Tray (4:39)
B2 : Danger (3:58)
B3 : Inner City Boundaries (4:39)
B* : Bomb Zombies (1:06)
C1 : Cornbread (4:21)
C2 : Way Cool (4:22)
C3 : Hot Potato (4:30)
C4 : Mary (3:45)
C5 : Park Bench People (4:59)
D1 : Heavyweights (6:11)
D* : Tolerate (1:01)
D2 : Respect Due (3:53)
D3 : Pure Thought (3:14)
Release Notes (Short Version):
Innercity Griots, the second album from Freestyle Fellowship, is perhaps *the* essential West Coast left-field rap album of the early ’90s. Released in 1993 on 4th & Broadway, it’s a towering, progressive hip-hop masterpiece that expanded rap’s boundaries through lyrical elevation and production innovation. Their talent was ahead of everybody else by light years. This is pure b-boy jazz.
The original single vinyl LP is now hideously scarce, and of course the sound suffers from not being officially released as a double. This Be With re-issue fixes both problems, and for completeness also includes “Pure Thought” from the CD version of the album. This incredible display of imaginative hip-hop sounds better than ever.
Freestyle Fellowship were some of the earliest technically dazzling rappers to come out of California. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Aceyalone and Self Jupiter - along with DJ Kiilu - forged their famed lyrical dexterity in the ultra-competitive crucible of the Good Life Cafe. Founded in Leimert Park, South Central LA in December 1989, this earthy health-food store and cafe was where the city’s finest microphone fiends would gather to showcase their freestyle skills at the Thursday night open-mic.
Innercity Griots has been described as the Rosetta Stone for rap styles. The group’s dense, vibrant wordplay and enviable interplay quickly earned the attention and respect of the city’s hip-hop underground. Frenetically trading acrobatic rhymes with agility and grace, the Fellowship used their voices as instruments like true virtuosos, spraying improvised raps like a Coltrane sax solo.
With the bulk of the album’s production handled by The Earthquake Brothers, and Bambawar, Daddy-O, and Edman taking over for some of the tracks, Innercity Griots dances between organic and programmed music, largely forgoing sampling and instead built around live jazz jams. The likes of Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” and Miles Davis’s “Black Comedy” were used more as templates for house band The Underground Railroad Band to spiral out from. As Pitchfork noted in their recent 9.0 review of this classic album, “Freestyle Fellowship embodied the style and spirit of jazz on a molecular level. They shared the effortless cool and tough countenance of the great bebop players from the ’50s without verging into jazz-rap parody. Their innate jazziness felt tangible and hard-earned”.
The unusual approach to the music was matched by the Fellowship’s lyrics. Eschewing the tired rap tropes of the time, this multifaceted album instead explores their ruminations on greed and homelessness, weed, sex, survival, insecurity and tribalism.
Remastered by Simon Francis for double vinyl and cut by Pete Norman, we hope this long-overdue re-issue of Innercity Griots satisfies the legions of fans that have since been bewitched by the majesty of this record. It should also introduce some new listeners to yet another overlooked classic.
More
Format Notes:
2024 repress, 140g vinyl, includes “Pure Thought” bonus track from the original CD version, original picture sleeve and printed inner sleeves based on the original one.
Track List:
A* : Blood (1:08)
A1 : Bullies Of The Block (4:55)
A2 : Everything’s Everything (3:47)
A3 : Shammy’s (4:16)
A** : Heat Mizer (1:08)
B1 : Six Tray (4:39)
B2 : Danger (3:58)
B3 : Inner City Boundaries (4:39)
B* : Bomb Zombies (1:06)
C1 : Cornbread (4:21)
C2 : Way Cool (4:22)
C3 : Hot Potato (4:30)
C4 : Mary (3:45)
C5 : Park Bench People (4:59)
D1 : Heavyweights (6:11)
D* : Tolerate (1:01)
D2 : Respect Due (3:53)
D3 : Pure Thought (3:14)
Release Notes (Short Version):
Innercity Griots, the second album from Freestyle Fellowship, is perhaps *the* essential West Coast left-field rap album of the early ’90s. Released in 1993 on 4th & Broadway, it’s a towering, progressive hip-hop masterpiece that expanded rap’s boundaries through lyrical elevation and production innovation. Their talent was ahead of everybody else by light years. This is pure b-boy jazz.
The original single vinyl LP is now hideously scarce, and of course the sound suffers from not being officially released as a double. This Be With re-issue fixes both problems, and for completeness also includes “Pure Thought” from the CD version of the album. This incredible display of imaginative hip-hop sounds better than ever.
Freestyle Fellowship were some of the earliest technically dazzling rappers to come out of California. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Aceyalone and Self Jupiter - along with DJ Kiilu - forged their famed lyrical dexterity in the ultra-competitive crucible of the Good Life Cafe. Founded in Leimert Park, South Central LA in December 1989, this earthy health-food store and cafe was where the city’s finest microphone fiends would gather to showcase their freestyle skills at the Thursday night open-mic.
Innercity Griots has been described as the Rosetta Stone for rap styles. The group’s dense, vibrant wordplay and enviable interplay quickly earned the attention and respect of the city’s hip-hop underground. Frenetically trading acrobatic rhymes with agility and grace, the Fellowship used their voices as instruments like true virtuosos, spraying improvised raps like a Coltrane sax solo.
With the bulk of the album’s production handled by The Earthquake Brothers, and Bambawar, Daddy-O, and Edman taking over for some of the tracks, Innercity Griots dances between organic and programmed music, largely forgoing sampling and instead built around live jazz jams. The likes of Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” and Miles Davis’s “Black Comedy” were used more as templates for house band The Underground Railroad Band to spiral out from. As Pitchfork noted in their recent 9.0 review of this classic album, “Freestyle Fellowship embodied the style and spirit of jazz on a molecular level. They shared the effortless cool and tough countenance of the great bebop players from the ’50s without verging into jazz-rap parody. Their innate jazziness felt tangible and hard-earned”.
The unusual approach to the music was matched by the Fellowship’s lyrics. Eschewing the tired rap tropes of the time, this multifaceted album instead explores their ruminations on greed and homelessness, weed, sex, survival, insecurity and tribalism.
Remastered by Simon Francis for double vinyl and cut by Pete Norman, we hope this long-overdue re-issue of Innercity Griots satisfies the legions of fans that have since been bewitched by the majesty of this record. It should also introduce some new listeners to yet another overlooked classic.
More
1
Acud - Supermarkt (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)
2
Acud - Supermarkt (Ost & Kjex Remix)
3
Acud - Supermarkt (Ana Helder Remix)
4
Acud - Supermarkt (Mijo Remix)
5
Acud - Supermarkt (Dirty Acid Mix)
6
Acud - Supermarkt (Amount Remix)
7
Acud - Supermarkt (Original Mix)
GENRES: IndieDance / Nu Disco / Electronica
TRACKLIST:
A1 Acud - Supermarkt (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)
A2 Acud - Supermarkt (Ost & Kjex Remix)
A3 Acud - Supermarkt (Ana Helder Remix)
A4 Acud - Supermarkt (Mijo Remix)
B1 Acud - Supermarkt (Dirty Acid Mix)
B2 Acud - Supermarkt (Amount Remix)
B3 Acud - Supermarkt (Original Mix)
SHORT INFO:
After “Matjesfilet” or „Verbrennungsmotor”, the single “Supermarkt” by Berlin producer ACUD, released in 2023, was also very successful. On the radio, on streaming platforms or on the festival stages: the song was present
everywhere! A remix EP was just a formality and is now celebrating its awakening, digitally and on vinyl! Included are the Norwegian disco masters PRINS THOMAS and OST&KJEX, as well as the Mexican MIJO, the
Argentinian ANA HELDER and from Berlin: AMOUNT. There is also a new acid variant from ACUD itself, as well as the original. Reason enough to fill existing gaps in the vinyl case.
More
TRACKLIST:
A1 Acud - Supermarkt (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)
A2 Acud - Supermarkt (Ost & Kjex Remix)
A3 Acud - Supermarkt (Ana Helder Remix)
A4 Acud - Supermarkt (Mijo Remix)
B1 Acud - Supermarkt (Dirty Acid Mix)
B2 Acud - Supermarkt (Amount Remix)
B3 Acud - Supermarkt (Original Mix)
SHORT INFO:
After “Matjesfilet” or „Verbrennungsmotor”, the single “Supermarkt” by Berlin producer ACUD, released in 2023, was also very successful. On the radio, on streaming platforms or on the festival stages: the song was present
everywhere! A remix EP was just a formality and is now celebrating its awakening, digitally and on vinyl! Included are the Norwegian disco masters PRINS THOMAS and OST&KJEX, as well as the Mexican MIJO, the
Argentinian ANA HELDER and from Berlin: AMOUNT. There is also a new acid variant from ACUD itself, as well as the original. Reason enough to fill existing gaps in the vinyl case.
More
1
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Noh Talk
2
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Sync Dark
3
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Noh Human
4
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Sync Inte
5
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Collective Open
6
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
7
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
8
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Para Contamination
9
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Script Solitude
10
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
11
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
12
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Rehuman
13
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Épilogue
CD
1. HYbr:ID Noh Talk
2. HYbr:ID Sync Dark
3. HYbr:ID Noh Human
4. HYbr:ID Sync Inter
5. HYbr:ID Collective Open
6. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
7. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
8. HYbr:ID Para Contamination
9. HYbr:ID Script Solitude
10. HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
11. HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
12. HYbr:ID Rehuman
13. HYbr:ID Épilogue
For an aesthetic of (dis)obedience. The impressions Richard Siegal and his company Ballet of Difference gathered on a trip to Japan in September 2022 now find their way into a full-length dance evening. Siegal and his team had set off for Tokyo to learn the practice of Shuudan Koudou, also known as "Japanese Precision Walking". The strictly synchronised group choreographies are astonishing in their radical stringency and have become a secret YouTube hit, not least because of their peculiar subtle humour. Siegal recognises in the extreme disciplining of the bodies an analogy to the training practice of classical ballet. In the mutual exchange of these movement cultures, questions are raised about individual and collective thinking, about personal decision-making power and social responsibility. For this extraordinary project, Richard Siegal has invited a special guest: Nazareth Panadero, long-time companion of Pina Bausch, who has long since become an icon of Wuppertal dance theatre and will be on stage with the BoD ensemble.
The production BALLET OF (DIS)OBEDIENCE is sponsored by Goethe Institut, with the kind support of Sissel GmbH.
CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGE: RICHARD SIEGAL
COSTUME: FLORA MIRANDA
LIGHT & VIDEO: MATTHIAS SINGER
MUSIC: ALVA NOTO
DRAMATURGY: TOBIAS STAAB
more info to: Shuudan koudou
'Shuudan koudou' Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese #art of Synchronized Precision ...YouTube · Boson TV: Tech Marvels & Cool Discoveries22 Dec 2022
Kottke.org https://kottke.org › shuudan-koud...Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese Art of Synchronized Precision Walking
On the other hand, hybrid 3 is inspired by Noh Play - Japanese performances and deals with the refusal of rules musically, hybrid three continues the two previous albums and weaves both rhythmic and beatless musical pieces into a holistic work.
The idea for me has always been that these albums are not only perceived as individual tracks, but as a whole piece, which is why I find the possibility of experiencing and listening to these albums in the right order and as a whole particularly important. For me, the pieces are not only closely related to the ballet that was created for them, but also function as individual pieces as pure, musical pieces and mark a new quality for me, which is very strongly focussed on producing electronic sounds and structures in such a way that they can develop a sculptural quality.
More
1. HYbr:ID Noh Talk
2. HYbr:ID Sync Dark
3. HYbr:ID Noh Human
4. HYbr:ID Sync Inter
5. HYbr:ID Collective Open
6. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
7. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
8. HYbr:ID Para Contamination
9. HYbr:ID Script Solitude
10. HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
11. HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
12. HYbr:ID Rehuman
13. HYbr:ID Épilogue
For an aesthetic of (dis)obedience. The impressions Richard Siegal and his company Ballet of Difference gathered on a trip to Japan in September 2022 now find their way into a full-length dance evening. Siegal and his team had set off for Tokyo to learn the practice of Shuudan Koudou, also known as "Japanese Precision Walking". The strictly synchronised group choreographies are astonishing in their radical stringency and have become a secret YouTube hit, not least because of their peculiar subtle humour. Siegal recognises in the extreme disciplining of the bodies an analogy to the training practice of classical ballet. In the mutual exchange of these movement cultures, questions are raised about individual and collective thinking, about personal decision-making power and social responsibility. For this extraordinary project, Richard Siegal has invited a special guest: Nazareth Panadero, long-time companion of Pina Bausch, who has long since become an icon of Wuppertal dance theatre and will be on stage with the BoD ensemble.
The production BALLET OF (DIS)OBEDIENCE is sponsored by Goethe Institut, with the kind support of Sissel GmbH.
CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGE: RICHARD SIEGAL
COSTUME: FLORA MIRANDA
LIGHT & VIDEO: MATTHIAS SINGER
MUSIC: ALVA NOTO
DRAMATURGY: TOBIAS STAAB
more info to: Shuudan koudou
'Shuudan koudou' Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese #art of Synchronized Precision ...YouTube · Boson TV: Tech Marvels & Cool Discoveries22 Dec 2022
Kottke.org https://kottke.org › shuudan-koud...Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese Art of Synchronized Precision Walking
On the other hand, hybrid 3 is inspired by Noh Play - Japanese performances and deals with the refusal of rules musically, hybrid three continues the two previous albums and weaves both rhythmic and beatless musical pieces into a holistic work.
The idea for me has always been that these albums are not only perceived as individual tracks, but as a whole piece, which is why I find the possibility of experiencing and listening to these albums in the right order and as a whole particularly important. For me, the pieces are not only closely related to the ballet that was created for them, but also function as individual pieces as pure, musical pieces and mark a new quality for me, which is very strongly focussed on producing electronic sounds and structures in such a way that they can develop a sculptural quality.
More