LP, Black vinyl with Printed Inner

Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France

Veneer made an indelible mark in its understated, expressive brilliance and cemented José González as a meticulous sonic craftsman and
songwriter of singular talent. It’s hard to believe an album recorded with the most basic equipment in a cramped Gothenburg flat could end up
going platinum, not only in Sweden but also the UK, selling well over 1 million copies worldwide. It’s harder still when one acknowledges that,
aside from one brief trumpet solo and the slightest hint of percussion, the record features just one hushed voice and the dexterous picking of an
acoustic guitar’s nylon strings. But 2003’s Veneer was such an album, charting in several countries in the world, and eventually making Top 10
in the UK thanks in part to its delicate, evocative cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”.
Praise for José González:
Magical... a supreme talent, reminiscent of the late Arthur Russell The Guardian
Veneer draws you in, it’s easy to believe that the young Swede could begin his own cult The Times
Spine-tingling The Sunday Times
Jose Gonzalez really is a rare find The Times (live review)
Gorgeous, in a word Observer Music Monthly
A fresh and intriguing talent The Independent
Affecting soulful poignancy, a quietly impressive debut The Daily Telegraph
Enormous talent The Sunday Telegraph
An intense talent Time Out
In a world of musical clones, the Argentinian Swede is a thrillingly original new talent The Sun
It's an exquisite, almost solemn privilege to be invited into Gonzalez's world Metro
Extraordinary Uncut
The most intimate music you’ll hear all year Q
Dark, still, yet oddly powerful Mojo
Wonderfully accomplished... a serious talent to watch out for, this year
and beyond Clash
Jawdroppingly special, a rare talent Fact

TRACKLISTING:
Slow Moves
Remain
Lovestain
Heartbeats
Crosses
Deadweight On Velveteen
All You Deliver
Stay In The Shade
Hints
Save Your Day
Broken Arrows
Save Your Day

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP

Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France


Sweden’s José González is just such a voice. He first charmed his way into the UK’s earshot via the murmurous and
elegant, classically finger-picked folk pop of his 2005 album, Veneer, which has since sold over a staggering 430, 000
copies in UK alone. Two years later came In Our Nature, a further exploration of José’s influences (Argentinian
Folklore, the ’60s US folk tradition and the British pastoral folk-pop style of the same era), on which he resisted the
temptation to beef up his alluringly introvert aesthetic. The albums made the UK Top 10 and Top 20 respectively.
It may be seven years since he released a solo record, but José has been anything but idle in that time. He’s delivered
two albums with the band Junip, his more fulsome, electronic-edged, pop project and has toured with both the
Berlin/Göteborg String Theory orchestra (in 2011), co-performing 11 reworking’s of his songs, Sidi Touré and played
with Malian desert blues troupe Tinariwen (both in 2012). In 2013, Hollywood came calling when Ben
Stiller commissioned José to work with Theodore Shapiro on the soundtrack to his remake of ‘The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty’ and most recently, he’s contributed his version of ‘This is How We Walk On the Moon’ to the Red Hot
charity compilation honouring Arthur Russell. Community and collaboration are obviously satisfying in their own ways,
but now José is again stepping centre stage solo, with Vestiges & Claws.
Conceived as the natural third part in an acoustic trilogy, Vestiges & Claws is a(nother) hushed and delicate solo set
that forefronts the artist and guitarist’s compellingly intimate vocal style and intricate playing technique, but it’s often
strikingly rhythmic in nature and cohere’s perfectly, with hand claps and taps on the body of his instrument underlining
the songs’ mantric rise-and-fall pattern, while elsewhere, over-dubbed guitar parts and multi-tracked vocal harmonies
entwine to sweetly immersive effect.
The title refers to both cultural practices and biological features that survive despite having lost their original function,
and to currently useful tools, ie the “claws” of modern life.
Vestiges & Claws was recorded almost entirely by José and self-produced, mostly in his Gothenburg home, using
computer plug-ins to achieve a warm, analogue sound. He prefers working alone, mainly for artistic reasons. “There
were a couple of things that enabled me to complete this record: one was curiosity, to be able to play percussion and
do a lot of harmonies and also to produce and mix the album; the other was aesthetics. I love to listen to Arthur Russell
and Shuggie Otis, to music that has been done mostly by one person in their solitary state.”
As José sees it, the record is his personal, “zoomed-out eye on humanity on a small, pale blue dot in a cold, sparse
and unfriendly space. The amazing fact that we are all here, an attempt at encouraging us to understand ourselves and
to make the best of the one life we know we have – after birth and before death."

TRACKLISTING:
With The Ink Of A Ghost
Let It Carry You
Stories We Build, Stories We Tell
The Forest
Leaf Off / The Cave
Every Age
What Will
Vissel
Afterglow
Open Book

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Limited Hand Numbered 2LP Blue Vinyl with 24 page book
Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France


”Twenty years ago, something magical happened. In the space between technology and ideology, two terms that have been
fighting each other to define the days that have come since, an album appeared. A collection of songs that seemed defiantly out
of place. Yet somehow these songs knew themselves. Which, thinking back on it now, better explains why their creator, a young
Swedish musician called José González, felt so familiar to us so quickly.” Zane Lowe on José González’ Veneer.

Today visionary singer-songwriter and guitarist José González has announced the release of a 20th Anniversary Deluxe version of his
uncompromising, candid, game-changing debut album (2003) Veneer. It features newly remastered audio of the seminal album as well as a
bonus disc, comprising 13 intimate recordings from his historic 2003 performance at Gothenburg Concert Hall.
The 20th Anniversary Deluxe Version of Veneer will see release on limited edition double blue vinyl and digitally on October 27th, 2023 via
Peacefrog Records. It features a hand-numbered gatefold and a 24-page booklet filled with archival photos, essays, a song-by-song guide
from José and more.

Veneer made an indelible mark in its understated, expressive brilliance and cemented José González as a meticulous sonic craftsman and
songwriter of singular talent. It’s hard to believe an album recorded with the most basic equipment in a cramped Gothenburg flat could end up
going platinum, not only in Sweden but also the UK, selling well over 1 million copies worldwide. It’s harder still when one acknowledges that,
aside from one brief trumpet solo and the slightest hint of percussion, the record features just one hushed voice and the dexterous picking of an
acoustic guitar’s nylon strings. But 2003’s Veneer was such an album, charting in several countries in the world, and eventually making Top 10
in the UK, thanks in part to its delicate, evocative cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”.

Praise for Veneer:
Magical... a supreme talent, reminiscent of the late Arthur Russell The Guardian
Veneer draws you in, it’s easy to believe that the young Swede could begin his own cult The Times
Spine-tingling The Sunday Times
Jose Gonzalez really is a rare find The Times (live review)
Gorgeous, in a word Observer Music Monthly
A fresh and intriguing talent The Independent
Affecting soulful poignancy, a quietly impressive debut The Daily Telegraph
Enormous talent The Sunday Telegraph
An intense talent Time Out
In a world of musical clones, the Argentinian Swede is a thrillingly original new talent The Sun
It's an exquisite, almost solemn privilege to be invited into Gonzalez's world Metro
Extraordinary Uncut
The most intimate music you’ll hear all year Q
Dark, still, yet oddly powerful Mojo
Wonderfully accomplished... a serious talent to watch out for, this year
and beyond Clash
Jawdroppingly special, a rare talent Fact



Tracklisting:
DISC 1: Veneer Remastered:
1. Slow Moves
2. Remain
3. Lovestain
4. Heartbeats
5. Crosses
6. Deadweight On Velveteen
7. All You Deliver
8. Stay In The Shade
9. Hints
10. Save Your Day
11. Broken Arrows

DISC 2: Live In Gothenburg 2003
1. Deadweight On Velveteen
2. Save Your Day
3. Storm
4. Crosses
5. Hints
6. Suggestions
7. Heartbeats
8. Love Will Tear Us Apart
9. All You Deliver
10. Stay In The Shade
11. Remain
12. Hand On Your Heart
13. Cello Song

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP, Black vinyl with Printed Inner

Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France

Veneer made an indelible mark in its understated, expressive brilliance and cemented José González as a meticulous sonic craftsman and
songwriter of singular talent. It’s hard to believe an album recorded with the most basic equipment in a cramped Gothenburg flat could end up
going platinum, not only in Sweden but also the UK, selling well over 1 million copies worldwide. It’s harder still when one acknowledges that,
aside from one brief trumpet solo and the slightest hint of percussion, the record features just one hushed voice and the dexterous picking of an
acoustic guitar’s nylon strings. But 2003’s Veneer was such an album, charting in several countries in the world, and eventually making Top 10
in the UK thanks in part to its delicate, evocative cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”.
Praise for José González:
Magical... a supreme talent, reminiscent of the late Arthur Russell The Guardian
Veneer draws you in, it’s easy to believe that the young Swede could begin his own cult The Times
Spine-tingling The Sunday Times
Jose Gonzalez really is a rare find The Times (live review)
Gorgeous, in a word Observer Music Monthly
A fresh and intriguing talent The Independent
Affecting soulful poignancy, a quietly impressive debut The Daily Telegraph
Enormous talent The Sunday Telegraph
An intense talent Time Out
In a world of musical clones, the Argentinian Swede is a thrillingly original new talent The Sun
It's an exquisite, almost solemn privilege to be invited into Gonzalez's world Metro
Extraordinary Uncut
The most intimate music you’ll hear all year Q
Dark, still, yet oddly powerful Mojo
Wonderfully accomplished... a serious talent to watch out for, this year
and beyond Clash
Jawdroppingly special, a rare talent Fact

TRACKLISTING:
Slow Moves
Remain
Lovestain
Heartbeats
Crosses
Deadweight On Velveteen
All You Deliver
Stay In The Shade
Hints
Save Your Day
Broken Arrows
Save Your Day

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP: Black Vinyl With printed inner
Territory: No sales to: Japan, UK, Eire, Benelux and Americas

The debut album from soulful electronic pioneers Little Dragon originally released in 2007 was initially a record
slept on as no one in their right mind would have expected the future of soul music to come from Gothenburg,
Sweden. But there it is in the dreamy, rhythmical, shifting, moody rainbow creature that is Little Dragon. With
hindsight it is easy to see why some of the world’s top musical luminaries went onto fall over themselves to work
with them.
Includes the must own classics “Twice”; a master class in low key pop, with a sparse piano line offset by classy
strings and woozy synth wobbles; it is restrained, but never detached (over 100 million streams across multiple
DSPs) and “Constant Surprises” where Yukimi’s delicious vocal skips and glides atop hi-hats and bubbling bass
laying down the bands distinct soulful credentials (30 million streams)

Tracklist:

Twice
Turn Left
No Love
Recommendation
Constant Surprises
Forever
After The Rain
Place To Belong
Stormy Weather
Test
Wink
Scribbled Paper

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP
Territory: No sales to: Japan, UK, Eire, Benelux and Americas


Little Dragon return with a spectacular second album offering in the fall, a pulsating electro pop epic
that Prince would be proud of! Machine Dreams, with its nagging hooks and gloriously infectious tunes, should finally see the
band break out into the mainstream. Having toured relentlessly since the last record, Little Dragon found themselves to be very
popular on the West coast. After appearing on KCRW’s popular ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’ show, their album became the
most played on the station after Radiohead. No mean feat for the little dragons from Sweden, especially when the record was
only release digitally! The track ‘Twice’ even got played on hit ABC show Grey’s Anatomy, and After The Rain got licensed to
the Hollwywood motion picture 'The Women' starring Meg Ryan. The band soon came to the attention of David Sitek who
became an instant fan (as did notorious basement dweller DJ Shadow) and he wasted no time asking them to support TV On
The Radio on their US tour in May 2009.

Tracklist:

A New
Looking Glass
My Step
Feather
Thunder Love
Never Never
Runabout
Swimming
Blinking Pigs
Come Home
Fortune

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP
Territory: No sales to: Japan, UK, Eire, Benelux and Americas

Since 2009’s critically acclaimed Machine Dreams they have not sat still, touring the globe and making some high profile friends along the way.
No one in their right mind would have expected the future of soul music to come from Gothenburg, Sweden. But there it is in the dreamy, rhythmical, shifting, moody rainbow creature
that is Little Dragon. It is easy to see why some of the world’s top musical luminaries are falling over themselves to work with them. Stylishly seductive in their own right, their 2007 selftitled debut was filled with classy songwriting and cool production, with the stunning track ‘Twice’ getting played on Grey’s Anatomy and countless adverts since it’s release. Machine
Dreams showed a bouncier side, as they flexed their dancing nous and came up with an album that would turn Prince’s head.
Damon Albarn invited them to collaborate on two tracks for last year’s Gorillaz record Plastic Beach, which became album highlights for the critics with Pitchfork describing the songs
‘Empire Ants’ and ‘To Binge’ as “two of the most arresting things here; they’re airy, elusive and amazingly beautiful”.
Little Dragon started 2011 with a headlining tour of the U.S. and a performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in March, thanks to a recommendation from super-fan Questlove of
The Roots. In May, the band appeared on the track ‘Just Don’t’ from Raphael Saadiq’s Stone Rollin’, a record some are already calling the album of the year. Then Big Boi and DJ
Shadow called to invite the group to work on new music.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Ritual Union
2. Little Man
3. Brush The Heat
4. Shuffle A Dream
5. Please Turn
6. Crystalfilm
7. Precious
8. Nightlight
9. Summertearz
10. When I Go Out
11. Seconds

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP

Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France


Sweden’s José González is just such a voice. He first charmed his way into the UK’s earshot via the murmurous and
elegant, classically finger-picked folk pop of his 2005 album, Veneer, which has since sold over a staggering 430, 000
copies in UK alone. Two years later came In Our Nature, a further exploration of José’s influences (Argentinian
Folklore, the ’60s US folk tradition and the British pastoral folk-pop style of the same era), on which he resisted the
temptation to beef up his alluringly introvert aesthetic. The albums made the UK Top 10 and Top 20 respectively.
It may be seven years since he released a solo record, but José has been anything but idle in that time. He’s delivered
two albums with the band Junip, his more fulsome, electronic-edged, pop project and has toured with both the
Berlin/Göteborg String Theory orchestra (in 2011), co-performing 11 reworking’s of his songs, Sidi Touré and played
with Malian desert blues troupe Tinariwen (both in 2012). In 2013, Hollywood came calling when Ben
Stiller commissioned José to work with Theodore Shapiro on the soundtrack to his remake of ‘The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty’ and most recently, he’s contributed his version of ‘This is How We Walk On the Moon’ to the Red Hot
charity compilation honouring Arthur Russell. Community and collaboration are obviously satisfying in their own ways,
but now José is again stepping centre stage solo, with Vestiges & Claws.
Conceived as the natural third part in an acoustic trilogy, Vestiges & Claws is a(nother) hushed and delicate solo set
that forefronts the artist and guitarist’s compellingly intimate vocal style and intricate playing technique, but it’s often
strikingly rhythmic in nature and cohere’s perfectly, with hand claps and taps on the body of his instrument underlining
the songs’ mantric rise-and-fall pattern, while elsewhere, over-dubbed guitar parts and multi-tracked vocal harmonies
entwine to sweetly immersive effect.
The title refers to both cultural practices and biological features that survive despite having lost their original function,
and to currently useful tools, ie the “claws” of modern life.
Vestiges & Claws was recorded almost entirely by José and self-produced, mostly in his Gothenburg home, using
computer plug-ins to achieve a warm, analogue sound. He prefers working alone, mainly for artistic reasons. “There
were a couple of things that enabled me to complete this record: one was curiosity, to be able to play percussion and
do a lot of harmonies and also to produce and mix the album; the other was aesthetics. I love to listen to Arthur Russell
and Shuggie Otis, to music that has been done mostly by one person in their solitary state.”
As José sees it, the record is his personal, “zoomed-out eye on humanity on a small, pale blue dot in a cold, sparse
and unfriendly space. The amazing fact that we are all here, an attempt at encouraging us to understand ourselves and
to make the best of the one life we know we have – after birth and before death."

TRACKLISTING:
With The Ink Of A Ghost
Let It Carry You
Stories We Build, Stories We Tell
The Forest
Leaf Off / The Cave
Every Age
What Will
Vissel
Afterglow
Open Book

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Limited Hand Numbered 2LP Blue Vinyl with 24 page book
Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France


”Twenty years ago, something magical happened. In the space between technology and ideology, two terms that have been
fighting each other to define the days that have come since, an album appeared. A collection of songs that seemed defiantly out
of place. Yet somehow these songs knew themselves. Which, thinking back on it now, better explains why their creator, a young
Swedish musician called José González, felt so familiar to us so quickly.” Zane Lowe on José González’ Veneer.

Today visionary singer-songwriter and guitarist José González has announced the release of a 20th Anniversary Deluxe version of his
uncompromising, candid, game-changing debut album (2003) Veneer. It features newly remastered audio of the seminal album as well as a
bonus disc, comprising 13 intimate recordings from his historic 2003 performance at Gothenburg Concert Hall.
The 20th Anniversary Deluxe Version of Veneer will see release on limited edition double blue vinyl and digitally on October 27th, 2023 via
Peacefrog Records. It features a hand-numbered gatefold and a 24-page booklet filled with archival photos, essays, a song-by-song guide
from José and more.

Veneer made an indelible mark in its understated, expressive brilliance and cemented José González as a meticulous sonic craftsman and
songwriter of singular talent. It’s hard to believe an album recorded with the most basic equipment in a cramped Gothenburg flat could end up
going platinum, not only in Sweden but also the UK, selling well over 1 million copies worldwide. It’s harder still when one acknowledges that,
aside from one brief trumpet solo and the slightest hint of percussion, the record features just one hushed voice and the dexterous picking of an
acoustic guitar’s nylon strings. But 2003’s Veneer was such an album, charting in several countries in the world, and eventually making Top 10
in the UK, thanks in part to its delicate, evocative cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”.

Praise for Veneer:
Magical... a supreme talent, reminiscent of the late Arthur Russell The Guardian
Veneer draws you in, it’s easy to believe that the young Swede could begin his own cult The Times
Spine-tingling The Sunday Times
Jose Gonzalez really is a rare find The Times (live review)
Gorgeous, in a word Observer Music Monthly
A fresh and intriguing talent The Independent
Affecting soulful poignancy, a quietly impressive debut The Daily Telegraph
Enormous talent The Sunday Telegraph
An intense talent Time Out
In a world of musical clones, the Argentinian Swede is a thrillingly original new talent The Sun
It's an exquisite, almost solemn privilege to be invited into Gonzalez's world Metro
Extraordinary Uncut
The most intimate music you’ll hear all year Q
Dark, still, yet oddly powerful Mojo
Wonderfully accomplished... a serious talent to watch out for, this year
and beyond Clash
Jawdroppingly special, a rare talent Fact



Tracklisting:
DISC 1: Veneer Remastered:
1. Slow Moves
2. Remain
3. Lovestain
4. Heartbeats
5. Crosses
6. Deadweight On Velveteen
7. All You Deliver
8. Stay In The Shade
9. Hints
10. Save Your Day
11. Broken Arrows

DISC 2: Live In Gothenburg 2003
1. Deadweight On Velveteen
2. Save Your Day
3. Storm
4. Crosses
5. Hints
6. Suggestions
7. Heartbeats
8. Love Will Tear Us Apart
9. All You Deliver
10. Stay In The Shade
11. Remain
12. Hand On Your Heart
13. Cello Song

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

- 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

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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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.




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- Limited Vinyl Box Set including 6x purple 12” vinyl & download code

Tracklist LP
1. (A1) New Jackson – Acid Jackson (DE-Q20-23-00017)
2. (B1) Ian Pooley – DDG Talk (DE-Q20-23-00018)
3. (C1) Jakob Reiter – Il Rotori (DE-Q20-23-00019)
4. (D1) DJ Tennis – Take It, Take It (DE-Q20-23-00020)
5. (E1) Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic – Lacalute (DE-Q20-23-00021)
6. (F1) Michael Klein – Time Warp (DE-Q20-23-00022)
7. (G1) Benjamin Damage – Light (DE-Q20-23-00023)
8. (H1) Levon Vincent – Waiting (DE-Q20-23-00024)
9. (I1) Space Dimension Controller – Cold Tunings (DE-Q20-23-00025)
10. (J1) Orlando Voorn – Samurai (DE-Q20-23-00026)
11. (K1) Marco Faraone & The Florentian Cabaret – Uni-Verse (DE-Q20-23-00027)
12. (L1) Fango – Betta (DE-Q20-23-00028)

Cocoon Recordings presents: Cocoon Compilation U

Long-awaited, finally Cocoon Recordings is back with its renowned Cocoon Compilation.
The iconic series continues with the 21st edition “Compilation U” and brings top-notch artists together as usual, providing zeitgeist and versatile sound. From deep and hypnotic techno beats to uplifting and euphoric melodies, there is something for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned clubber or a casual listener, this album is guaranteed to get your heart racing and your feet moving.

New Jackson conjures a beautiful beginning into existing with a spheric acidic micro house opener. Melancholic harmonies combine with spacy "Acid Jackson" vocoder parts while the bouncing sequence gives this track an exceptional unique mood. A musical journey that could go on forever. Next up is German house legend Ian Pooley. “DDG Talk” offers distinctive funk with a deep grooving rhythm. Synth parts ring out like tightly stretched rubber bands and you can literally hear Ian’s love for special analog curiosities. Complex modulations add to the charm of this piece and lead to a nifty production with a certain vintage charm. Sweet vibes that fit almost any moment. The impulsive deep tech track “Il Rotori” then welcomes us to the circus ring and shows us the attraction of the virtuoso. Grinding hi-hats shake up and down alongside progressive sequences to form a cloud of happy frequencies. A sweet memory that lifts the energy of the moment and is reminiscent of a sunset on a beloved island.

DJ Tennis smoothly takes us to the next phase with a warm musical embrace. The bassline with Italian flavor grooves true to form, recalling the early 2000s. The perfect accompaniment for a sundowner. Shimmering zap sounds, hitting stabs, and energetic vocals that command us to “Take It, Take It” as we will for sure! Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic get things rolling with “Lacalute” serving hypnotic shaker patterns and a charismatic synthesizer sequence. Sven has already been playing this tune on heavy rotation since the beginning of the year. So, let’s head off on a thrilling trip with lightspeed. Get on the high-tension lift, next stop: peak time! The wild ride continues with a remarkable techno track from Michael Klein, primed to fill the main floor with a significant sound pressure level. “Time Warp” is a warehouse monster that offers a powerful bassline groove, a booming bass drum, and pulse-width synth madness, so time appears to move unpredictably.

Motoring on, a UK Rave 90s breakbeat rhythm – brought into the future with the perfect zeitgeist. Benjamin Damage is a hardware lover without a doubt, his machines seem to be an extension of his soul, which can be clearly heard in his sound. “Light” appears in wonderful harmony, and the blissful string sounds beam us out of the galaxy. Magical female vocal parts add the final touch, Benjamin did it again right down to the last detail. Balm for the soul from Levon Vincent, this tune is made for open air. The melancholic energy fluctuates between hope and summertime sadness but leaves us with a warm and fuzzy feeling. We reach a high energy level due to the radiant synth hook line and the pure 909 techno beat gains the underground feeling of the track in contrast to its comprehensiveness. Coming up next is “Cold Tuning” by Space Dimension Controller. It’s a timeless sci-fi saga, nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. Dreamy synth pads take us into another world and dimensions quickly rush by. A beautiful and touching atmosphere evolves, and the slightly off-key sensual string harmonies are predestined to generate emotions. A fast floating 808 kick expedites the spaceship beyond infinity. Mission accomplished!

Entering the final stage, no one less than Orlando Voorn spreads happiness all over.
Orlando’s particular shuffle rhythm paired with alien reverbed synthesizer stabs form the basis of “Samurai”. But the outstanding feature is especially the noisy gritty bit-crushed synth hook line in connection with energetic and graceful vocal samples. As the penultimate, Marco Faraone & The Florentian Cabaret serve a playful and harmonious composition with 80s charm, which clearly stands out from their independent releases. Lovely organ sounds are layered with shimmering Roland-Jupiter-like synth pads, bringing everybody back together on the dance floor in the morning hours. To close things out, of course, we need an after-hour vibe provided by a stripped-down minimalistic groove from Fango. “Betta” invites you to close your eyes and let yourself go due to its hopeful carpet of sound and love designed to stimulate your soul. It’s a deep immersion in emotions and the perfect ending for this year's compilation.

Experience the magic for yourself, each track takes you on a journey through different emotions and moods, leaving you breathless and wanting more. From the moment you press play, you will be transported into a world filled with pulsating beats, hypnotic rhythms, and mind-bending soundscapes. But what makes this release truly special is its ability to surprise you at every turn. Just when you think you have heard it all, a new track comes along and blows your mind. Compilation U is a seamless blend of cutting-edge production and timeless musicality. “U” like ultimate music collection that will transport you into a world of pure sonic bliss.


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2x12"

Tracklist:
(A1) DeFeKT x Extrawelt – Halluzinelle (DE-Q20-22-00039)
(A2) SUDO – Daytona (DE-Q20-22-00040)
(B1) JA:CK – Solaris (DE-Q20-22-00041)
(B2) Avision – Groove Theory (DE-Q20-22-00042)
(C1) Zzino & Insider – Mindcrush (DE-Q20-22-00043)
(C2) Monaco, Povoa – Makeup Artist (DE-Q20-22-00044)
(D1) Defex, Tsodor – Sieg Der Liebe (DE-Q20-22-00045)
(D2) Christopher Ledger – X24 (DE-Q20-22-00046)

As ever, Cocoon Recordings celebrate the turn of the year with another mouth-watering collection of
electronic music. Dots And Pearls Volume 7 includes eight choice techno cuts of varying shapes and
sizes, that somehow manage to acknowledge both past and future, while staying forever rooted in the
‘here and now’.
The lush, beach bar vibes of ‘Halluzinelle’ get things rolling courtesy of DeFeKT x Extrawelt, and it’s
not long before we’re lost in the subsonic undertow as the warm acidic vibes ebb and flow. Sudo’s
‘Daytona’ then compliments a dark, low-slung groove with a soaring, nostalgic melody that reaches
skywards, melting hearts and minds in the process. ‘Solaris’ takes a more urgent turn as JA:CK
utilizes growling synths, stuttering arpeggios and an elongated breakdown, slowly raising the stakes
as the dance floor starts folding in on itself. Avision offers no respite on ‘Groove Theory’, maintaining
the intensity while surfing the frequencies through a dense forest of loops with a pounding 909 for
company. Zzino & Insider continue the 90s leaning retrospective with ‘Mind Crush’ and they’re
certainly true to their word, juxtaposing razor-sharp acid arpeggios with seductive chords and analog
washes in a cavernous, serotonin-soaked epiphany of sound. Monaco, Povoa then gets downright
dirty on ‘Makeup Artist’, raising the tempo with freaking metallic riffs, twisted vocals and a plethora of
disorientating filter action that’ll push even the most headstrong dancefloor to the brink of implosion.
Defex, Tsodor reels it in just in time on the epic ‘Sieg der Liebe’, unleashing thick swathes of
melancholy chords over a fat, rolling groove and the beats remain broken to the end, as Christopher
Ledger closes things out with a classic slice of sci-fi electro. ‘X24’ is all stuttering edits, intricate
sequences, squelching fx and metallic bleeps, adding yet another unexpected dimension to this
dynamic compilation series.

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LP
Territory: No sales to: Japan, UK, Eire, Benelux and Americas


Little Dragon return with a spectacular second album offering in the fall, a pulsating electro pop epic
that Prince would be proud of! Machine Dreams, with its nagging hooks and gloriously infectious tunes, should finally see the
band break out into the mainstream. Having toured relentlessly since the last record, Little Dragon found themselves to be very
popular on the West coast. After appearing on KCRW’s popular ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’ show, their album became the
most played on the station after Radiohead. No mean feat for the little dragons from Sweden, especially when the record was
only release digitally! The track ‘Twice’ even got played on hit ABC show Grey’s Anatomy, and After The Rain got licensed to
the Hollwywood motion picture 'The Women' starring Meg Ryan. The band soon came to the attention of David Sitek who
became an instant fan (as did notorious basement dweller DJ Shadow) and he wasted no time asking them to support TV On
The Radio on their US tour in May 2009.

Tracklist:

A New
Looking Glass
My Step
Feather
Thunder Love
Never Never
Runabout
Swimming
Blinking Pigs
Come Home
Fortune

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- Limited Vinyl Box Set including 6x blue vinyl & download code

Tracklisting:
1. (A1) Stephen Brown – Level Steps (DE-Q20-22-00026)
2. (B1) Claude VonStroke – Moody Fuse (DE-Q20-22-00027)
3. (C1) Denis Horvat – Monomono (DE-Q20-22-00028)
4. (D1) Daniel Avery – Your Future Looks Different In The Light (DE-Q20-22-00029)
5. (E1) Jeroen Search – Subversive Elements (DE-Q20-22-00030)
6. (F1) Marco Bailey – Kanai (DE-Q20-22-00031)
7. (G1) Damiano Von Erckert – 500 People, 500 Hearts, 1 Love (DE-Q20-22-00032)
8. (H1) YOKTO – Vision99 (DE-Q20-22-00033)
9. (I1) Jonathan Kaspar – CCC (DE-Q20-22-00034)
10. (J1) The Emperor Machine – The Art Of Electronics (DE-Q20-22-00035)
11. (K1) Carl Finlow – Surface Control (DE-Q20-22-00036)
12. (L1) DeFeKT – Terraform (DE-Q20-22-00037)

Release Info:
Cocoon Recordings presents: Cocoon Compilation T
Another year, another expertly curated compilation touches down courtesy of Cocoon
Recordings. Somehow, the world keeps turning and with it the Cocoon universe keeps
expanding, causing subtle yet persuasive shifts in the sonic soundscape that continue to
capture and captivate the imagination. In time-honored tradition the old guard and the new
combine with devastating effect, to define the current state of play…
Veteran Techno producer Stephen Brown makes it clear the compilation series is back with a bang,
opening things up in epic fashion with the lucid dreamscape ‘Level Steps’ - a true work of art. Another
heavy-weight hitter steps straight up in the form of Claude von Stroke, who adds his own unique
swagger to proceedings with those trademark shuffling beats and freaky, hypnotic bleeps scuffling for
dominance on ‘Moody Fuse’. Denis Horvat then slows things down on ‘Monomono’, with post-raveNew Release Information
abstractions and disobedient synth-patches causing mayhem before the track finally unfolds in all its
terrifying beauty.
Motoring on, the collection wastes no time reaching that familiar tipping point as we enter the techno
phase of the journey. A very special appearance from Daniel Avery makes it all the more worthwhile
amid a dense forest of chiming melodies and blistering electrical surges on ‘Your Future Looks
Different In The Light’, before Jeroen Search’s aptly titled ‘Subversive Elements’ lead us deeper and
deeper, into the matrix.
Marco Bailey then kicks off a triptych of trance with some massive filtered piano action
on ‘Kanai’ that’s destined to trigger a serotonin smile with everyone it touches. Revisiting the huge,
ever-growing pulsating brain of planet Orb, Damiano van Erckert continues the loved-up vibe on the
gorgeously titled ‘500 People 500 Hearts 1 Love’, expertly complimenting the classic ambience with
some slick 909 snare and cymbal interplay. The melodic pull of ‘Vision99’ then signifies that the party
is peaking at just the right moment as YOKTO concocts a glistening, psychedelic groove. The
emotional resonance climbs ever higher with brittle melodies endlessly circling a lush, throbbing bass
drone to create the sense of something stirring out of reach.
Just when you think the acid sound is done and dusted, up pops a track like Jonathan Kaspar’s ‘CCC’
that somehow manages to offer an entirely new perspective. Riding in on a wave of expectant
arpeggios, the squelching bass and noise filter go toe to toe before Kaspar gets busy with a freaky
tempo excursion that’ll be destroying dance floors all year long. ‘The Art of Electronics’ is, as the title
suggests, another superlative example of pure analogue fire, served up by UK legend, Andrew
Meecham aka The Emperor Machine. The funk starts to flow as the bass drops, the machines cut
loose and a swarm of cascading bleeps ride the trans-europa express to oblivion.
Electro overlord Carl Finlow, has come to define the UK take on the genre over the last couple of
decades. Here, he makes his long overdue label debut, taking us into the closing straight with a
nervous sliver of dystopian futurism, complete with molten basslines and a fuzzy logic that underpins
the tight, laser-guided groove on ‘Surface Control’. DeFeKT then draws this great adventure to a close
with the deliciously dark robo-disco overtones of ‘Terraform’ creating a dusky landscape that skillfully
seduces the listener before the tension finally breaks in a wash of ecstatic chords.
All in all, it’s a supremely ambitious collection of tracks, generously featuring some of the most
inspirational and durable artists of their respective generations. In fact, is this perhaps the best Cocoon
Compilation to date

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Territory: World

Tracklist

A1 From Beyond (C2 2023 Mix)
A2 From Beyond (Seth Troxler Remix)
B1 From Beyond (Ataxia Remix)
B2 From Beyond (Admn Remix)

Release Info:
The year is 1989. Techno’s second generation has begun to permeate the globe leading a young Carl Craig to a tiny village in the countryside of Belgium. It is here, undistracted and determined to break out, that Craig encounters one of the country’s only drum machines, an Alesis controlled midi-808. In a single session he composes and mixes a handful of records that are still to this day regarded as some of his most raw and explosive contributions to the fabric of electronic music history.

Carl revisits this fateful chapter through the lens of a famed cut from his Psyche alias ‘From Beyond’, with a ‘C2 2023 Mix’ and remixes from Seth Troxler, Ataxia and Admn, out July 14 on Planet E Communications.

The Psyche alias, known for early Transmat releases like ‘Crack\down’ and ‘Elements’, embodied a stripped back, less sample based yin attitude to the yang of Carl’s more aggressive 69 and sample-forward BFC and Paperclip People identities. ‘From Beyond’, first released in 1990 via the ‘Crackdown’ 12” on Transmat, offers an eerie glimpse into the simplistic production that came through Carl’s mastery of the 808 and the sonic value of restricting himself to this movement defining tool.

This new ‘From Beyond’ package sees Carl lift and bend the original in his ‘C2 2023 Mix’ alongside a package of remixes from artists near to the hearts of Detroit and the Planet E fold. Seth Troxler brings a subdued acid tinge to the package, while label regular Ataxia pays homage to the source material with a renewed percussive energy, followed by a soulful rework by Admn.

Whether it be through the 30 year repertoire of his seminal Planet E, his Party / After-Party sound and light installation now on display at Los Angeles’ MOCA, or his continuous work as a champion of Black-led creativity, the Carl Craig mission remains the same: to always rep Detroit and be the realest mutha f***a alive.







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LP: Black Vinyl With printed inner
Territory: No sales to: Japan, UK, Eire, Benelux and Americas

The debut album from soulful electronic pioneers Little Dragon originally released in 2007 was initially a record
slept on as no one in their right mind would have expected the future of soul music to come from Gothenburg,
Sweden. But there it is in the dreamy, rhythmical, shifting, moody rainbow creature that is Little Dragon. With
hindsight it is easy to see why some of the world’s top musical luminaries went onto fall over themselves to work
with them.
Includes the must own classics “Twice”; a master class in low key pop, with a sparse piano line offset by classy
strings and woozy synth wobbles; it is restrained, but never detached (over 100 million streams across multiple
DSPs) and “Constant Surprises” where Yukimi’s delicious vocal skips and glides atop hi-hats and bubbling bass
laying down the bands distinct soulful credentials (30 million streams)

Tracklist:

Twice
Turn Left
No Love
Recommendation
Constant Surprises
Forever
After The Rain
Place To Belong
Stormy Weather
Test
Wink
Scribbled Paper

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- 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!





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Contact: [email protected]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.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LP, Black vinyl with Printed Inner

Territory: Sales Only to: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France

Veneer made an indelible mark in its understated, expressive brilliance and cemented José González as a meticulous sonic craftsman and
songwriter of singular talent. It’s hard to believe an album recorded with the most basic equipment in a cramped Gothenburg flat could end up
going platinum, not only in Sweden but also the UK, selling well over 1 million copies worldwide. It’s harder still when one acknowledges that,
aside from one brief trumpet solo and the slightest hint of percussion, the record features just one hushed voice and the dexterous picking of an
acoustic guitar’s nylon strings. But 2003’s Veneer was such an album, charting in several countries in the world, and eventually making Top 10
in the UK thanks in part to its delicate, evocative cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”.
Praise for José González:
Magical... a supreme talent, reminiscent of the late Arthur Russell The Guardian
Veneer draws you in, it’s easy to believe that the young Swede could begin his own cult The Times
Spine-tingling The Sunday Times
Jose Gonzalez really is a rare find The Times (live review)
Gorgeous, in a word Observer Music Monthly
A fresh and intriguing talent The Independent
Affecting soulful poignancy, a quietly impressive debut The Daily Telegraph
Enormous talent The Sunday Telegraph
An intense talent Time Out
In a world of musical clones, the Argentinian Swede is a thrillingly original new talent The Sun
It's an exquisite, almost solemn privilege to be invited into Gonzalez's world Metro
Extraordinary Uncut
The most intimate music you’ll hear all year Q
Dark, still, yet oddly powerful Mojo
Wonderfully accomplished... a serious talent to watch out for, this year
and beyond Clash
Jawdroppingly special, a rare talent Fact

TRACKLISTING:
Slow Moves
Remain
Lovestain
Heartbeats
Crosses
Deadweight On Velveteen
All You Deliver
Stay In The Shade
Hints
Save Your Day
Broken Arrows
Save Your Day

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More