Family, Fish, Shapes. These are only three of the many topics that Stefan Streck aka The Micronaut recently devoted himself to within his releases on labels such as Acker Records or Analogsoul. Always with a clear line, but never intellectualising, is how the multi-instrumentalist and producer pursues his scientific curiosity in terms of sounds. His tracks are elaborate and yet danceable. Sometimes they are composed minimally, sometimes they are utterly playful. Within just a few bars, subtle sequences transform to energetic roller coaster rides since The Micronaut loves having a game with contrasts. His newest EP on Freude am Tanzen proves this anew. The EP contains four tracks full of references to the past in view of the future. Indeed, the samples and sounds of the British “summers of love“ echo strongly until today, however, they sound much more like a reinvention instead of a revival in the case of The Micronaut. Since his music doesn’t shy away from big gestures, but virtually seeks them out – and discovers them where melancholy meets euphoria far from rigid genre classifications. Breakbeats from Britain come upon IDM and trance, wide synth landscapes are embedded in pop. Hence, this is how The Micronaut unifies contrasts a new in each track. More

Good things take time – ideally, including a great deal of oomph. At least when it concerns new tracks from within Monkey Maffia’s inner circle. It has been four whole years since we received the momentary last piece of the “Monkey Maffia Music Club”, 12 inches full of funky nasty beasts dedicated to the best dancefloors of this world. In the meantime, a remix was released here and a track was presented there, but now we may once again enjoy a full load of Monkey Maffia. And on top of that the now 75th release of Freude am Tanzen! Monkey Maffia is personally providing the soundtrack for this ceremonial occasion. His tracks continually supply tremendous amounts of oomph to parties as well as loads of gravity and funk. After all, as an experienced DJ he simply knows what an awesome night looks like – a straight bass drum fractured while simultaneously amplified with infinitely warm synths. On one track, bass and percussion are throwing all our worries overboard, on the next one pads and vocals are shimmering to the bet. Whatever may happen, it can be said with utmost certainty that it will never become boring on either secular flat earth.
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The third time is the charme...that’s right. Thus, the joy about the third album by Marek Hemmann is huge. Likewise, the third album is perceived as an important brand which ought to show the actual extent of a musician’s potential. Either hold one’s ground or dare something new? Marek Hemmann is not deterred by such expectations. He was merely in the mood for new tracks. The eight newcomers on “Moments” sound accordingly - easygoing, detached and characterised by the same profoundly and harmonically balanced musicality for which Marek Hemmann is world-renowned. Anyhow, a “just continue as before” mentality is not an option for the Berliner by choice - from the beginning, his music effort- lessly blurred the established genre lines. In this vein, his new work is influenced by a great candour.
As already accomplished with his highly esteemed albums “In Between”and “Bittersweet”, in “Moments” Marek Hem- man takes the listeners - and certainly the dancers - on a journey through different spheres of contemporary electronic music. Nestled in “Helio” and “Bob” branches to significantly different moods are introduced from silent pauses to weightlessly lifting off to dancing around dreamily. Yet, within the many interwoven details, a noticeable sophistication can be picked out. Even more seamless and subtle, Marek Hemmann manages to unite euphoria and sweet melancholy, playful and sublime sounds, warmly shifting basses and sweeping synth-melodies. “Moments” provides moments of life and moments on the dancefloor with the fitting soundtrack. We are very happy about this. More

A1 Black Magic Taron-Trekka's ride through the night starts funky and dry with the title track of the EP. The effects bleep here and fade away there, however over distance a magical pull develops. A pull that can only be escaped from with great difficulty. A2 Monofile Regarding "Monofile", Taron-Trekka conjures a groove as selfwilled as enchanting by initially making vocals and keys appear on a dead straight beat and then letting this very same one stumble over itself. At the right moment it engenders at least as much "Ohs" as "Ahs" in a club, you bet. B1 Red From black to red, from night until morning. For exactly this moment "Red" was made, which brings every last person to the next afterhour with its swing and depth. B2 Distance Entirely against its own title, "Distance" may indeed affect one deeply. Namely then, when one wants to delve into funk as subtle as extensive. That is Jan Jelinek at a gallop or SND with more punch. Both are fantastic More

As an ode to the energy of classical – characterized by warmth and soul – house sounds, Mathias Kaden's second album "Energetic" was received generously this summer by music criticism as well as by longtime fans and not least by dancers on the dancefloors around the world. Since that is where Mathias Kaden first performed his work live. Besides the excitement of the original tracks, there is however always the fascinating question in what way further 'greats' of this music will newly accentuate Kaden's tracks with their remixes, admix other nuances, break out in different directions. The first part of this tonal extension can now be listened to. Furthermore, the selection could hardly be any more exciting: Kompakt hero Michael Mayer uses the plea for the effect of energy intonated by Rocko Schamoni as an opportunity to celebrate exactly this musical pure form. He educes a euph oria from the actually calm end of "Energetic", which one could only wish for on every dancefloor, by going far afield with regard to the synth waves. Dresden's cuthead from the periphery of the uncanny valley notoriously likes to romp about at the crossovers between deep house, sould and hiphop. It is clear that "Koroka" as a starting point especially appeals to him. He grips the vocal samples and slightly grinds off the edges of the originals – in favour of a relaxed, dancing lightness in house music. In contrast, Redshape gives the originally hovering anthem "Clarity" more edges and drive. Sophie Taylor's vocals insert skimped loops into the analogous acid inspired synth sounds of the Berliner. The statement of Sophie Taylor's desire for "Clarity" is definitely placed on a new level with this rawly left interpretation. Finally, Nick Curly contributes the hypnotic and elegant minimalism of present house with his remix of "Get Phunky". The Mannheimer's tech-house swooshes by streamline-shaped, though not without Aquarious Heaven's distinctive words. However: a digital bonus of his remix is available as a complete instrumental dub-version. More

Marek Hemmann's new EP "Chameleon" offers an appetizer to his forthcoming album: two euphoric 10-min- ute house cuts that do what they do whether in the oven that is the underground cellar or on the window sill at home with a view to the prairie. Both give that Hemmann characteristic crispy , dry beat with a pulse and drives the listener almost trance-like ever forward. On top of that, "Chameleon" builds a tender, soft synthie sound structure that again and again brings a wonderful heavenly vibe that in seconds turns into a com- plex form. "Alice" uses a similarly sounding house rhythm and forms a soft almost romantic melody that so quickly takes on a hypnotic-type flavor. More

After the flirtation: Driven, Summerless and Fake on BPitch strolls Douglass Greed with a new disc and ammo of happiness out of Jena and into the world. The Spark/Noisy EP beams with four inebriated tracks on the FAT horizon. For this adventure young Dougi brought a few buddies to shake the beat tree free. The magic of the union sizzles when Mooryc, Schlepp Geist, Affkt, Chris Manura and Remood strap the drums on to the moped and chase the wind. Techno and house stretched right over its boundaries. A candy storm of elegant blows and snares in the right places. Melodies without the use of sandpaper yet still smoothly polished, bestow a view into the varied ‚Sound-universe' when Douglas Greed sparks sounds – releasing endorphins in the bloodstream. More

What began in the mid-90's, initiated by the event-organizer duo Sperling & Mauss, in Jena as an event series by the name of "Freude am Tanzen" has long been the best-known platform for electronic music on the Saale river. In the meantime there are over sixty releases, a subsidiary label (Musik Krause) and in-house booking agency. With 16 years in, the still young enterprise Freude am Tanzen is on the way from adolescence to adulthood. Yet in spite of tightly organized structures, fortunately boredom has not set in, and this is proven with the jubilee compilation SIX10 Jahre Freude am Tanzen. "For us it's all about a small forum to present our artists and thereby a view into the musical diversity", this from FAT-head Thomas Sperling regarding the newest compilation. "It would be too easy to take the best tracks from 16 years of Freude am Tanzen and pack them into a sampler" he explains as the reasoning being SIX10 being no 'best-of' but rather chock full with new tracks. Still, the question begs, why for the 16th year? "We decided against round numbered anniversaries because everyone does that", says Sperling. "It doesn't really matter if it's 10, 15 or 16 years. Perhaps the next one is the 23rd. A nice prime number full of meaning. Incidentally you can't even come in a techno club with 16 years, but the first beer is good to go." Okay then, Cheers! A toast to sixteen years of Freude am Tanzen and likewise many new tracks from almost every artist Metaboman and Large M bring their slamming house sound like they tend to do, to the stage. Meanwhile Monkey Maffia comes with a souled and divine essence; an inviting piano melody that just ham- mers. The Swiss compatriots Kadebostan & Laolu draw a hearty acid bath with deep and dark vocals as well as stomach churning and massaging kicks. Then Juno6 from Leipzig comes with "Seq02" and shuts it down by essentially spelling out d-e-e-p-n-e-s-s. More

What began in the mid-90's, initiated by the event-organizer duo Sperling & Mauss, in Jena as an event series by the name of "Freude am Tanzen" has long been the best-known platform for electronic music on the Saale river. In the meantime there are over sixty releases, a subsidiary label (Musik Krause) and in-house booking agency. With 16 years in, the still young enterprise Freude am Tanzen is on the way from adolescence to adulthood. Yet in spite of tightly organized structures, fortunately boredom has not set in, and this is proven with the jubilee compilation SIX10 Jahre Freude am Tanzen. "For us it's all about a small forum to present our artists and thereby a view into the musical diversity", this from FAT-head Thomas Sperling regarding the newest compilation. "It would be too easy to take the best tracks from 16 years of Freude am Tanzen and pack them into a sampler" he explains as the reasoning being SIX10 being no 'best-of' but rather chock full with new tracks. Still, the question begs, why for the 16th year? "We decided against round numbered anniversaries because everyone does that", says Sperling. "It doesn't really matter if it's 10, 15 or 16 years. Perhaps the next one is the 23rd. A nice prime number full of meaning. Incidentally you can't even come in a techno club with 16 years, but the first beer is good to go." 'It's time to go!' with the restlessly touring Mathias Kaden and his well-traveled "Freakinme", while Thomas Stieler alone searches for the perfect groove. Immediately following, Douglas Greed leaks a solo with "Spring- time in December" with a tempo that holds the dance floor in view. The infinite bass drum is broken by Gathaspar whose spiritual choir vocals over nervously ticking drum and clap layers ships us off into strange sphere More

pure House magic, no; the second – and after the Purple now the Yellow Magic. Anew beckon Taron-Trekka the wide field of the minimal grooves and here they land on highly fertile soil. Reserved and subtly the producers from Berlin and Jena place the beat around deep and warm bass and magically confusing vocals. It's there on all three tracks (as well as the digital bonus) at home on the deepest floors you can imagine. Taron-Trekka aren't in the business of fireworks, breaks and drops, and the like. Rather they've got an eye on something thrilling and hypnotizing uniquely, from a deep groovy place. Baby Ford sends greetings, and Minimal Man doffs his hat. Three tracks that make just as much sense on Trelik from the Perlon catalog. This is also from Taron-Trekka, to go with the 67th catalog number from FAT there is a fine texture that comes and goes or perhaps a little more kick on the drum in the right moment that – right there – is where the magic happens. A further peek inside the magical trick box of the duo and every welcome to keep doing so. More

After one and a half years and diverse trips to labels like Milnor modern or Drop That records, Taron Trekka is finally back home with four tracks. More

They put it quite nicely in that song from Tocotronic: "The youth have built it themselves." Tim Vitá & oliver gehrmann have been fans of Freude-am-Tanzen for a while now. currently these inexhaustible and nuts-and-bolts record-spin- ning dudes - post their digital label debut "136 Tales" - have a vinyl edition on the way. oliver & Tim are known as solo- artists in the world of warm beats. Tocotronic once more: "we had a few words with them. From there we determined that we like it around here." a full-throated studio session all together brought about the maxim: let there be house! and "24 pieces" was in the bag. They seem to posses an affinity for numbers in their titles. Fortunately they paint their sounds not only after such elementary means, but rather with sensual artistry and authentic musicality. From this ep bubbles forth modern house with a melodic sensibility, honoring the past, a hymnic-character, an easiness with the vocals, experimental and the midnight train to the dance floor. Vitá & gehrmann, a duo which the label name completely personifies. Thank heavens the two have each other... remember with their dream beat-craft implements completely submerged in the nineties, 2013 is nonetheless well-served. Vitá & gehrmann awaken just in time and bring "remember" along. This strictly chords & rhythms simply bangs the floor tiles relentlessly. Grand Peak what starts as decently basking in deepness, climbs evermore to a manifest "grand peak". So folks, the 6:51 is up you can lower your hands now. crazy thing this here that blasts smoke & strobes - even under blazing sunshine – away. second Dub hey, this is your typical completely unjustified and at first overlooked b2 piece that after years has been revived through multiplier-dons to discogs-level-amplitude. have a look or rather liSTen up. a Tune is what they're getting at. More

what do you do when a live project exceeds its own ambitions? Just keep doing the wonderful concerts and eventually head to the studio. Sounds simple and conclusive. in the case of karocel, that was exactly how they went about it and surprisingly, all six band members made it happen. Though the four marbert rocels, mathias kaden and michael-mitchi- nagler have known each other from their hometown along the gera-Jena-erfurt corridor, and the karocel live shows have been well received: an album is an entirely different beast. you can add to that the full schedule of events and shows for everyone involved and the various songwriter habits of each. yet still, the wish to work together on a deeper level stood out front for everyone. The fun they had on the stage brought karocel the best idea since the carousel. That is, to take the live show and produce it in the studio without a concrete sound in the subconscious. in the fall of 2012 everyone got together in the studio of marbert rocel for three intense jam sessions. with a single click it all began – after a while everything was knotted together only to be woven through the mixer where it then lay. post-production vocals and overdubs weren't needed. The 10 pearls that emerged from those sessions glistened in its raw form that the direct multifaceted nature of a karocel event is now available in album format. in various dramatic curves 'plaited' prances over the dance-floor. right smack in the middle More

House in it’s multifaceted quintessense. an ep that fairly brims with ideas yet retains a snooty character. More