Dial Germany At Juno Download

Review: On this collection, Christian Naujoks proves that electronic music isn't about fiddling around with presets. Like other Dial releases, Life is a deeply emotional experience, centred on the author's remarkable piano compositions and occasional breathy vocals. "On To The Next" is an unfeasibly melancholic but beautiful piece of music, its heart-tugging melodies matched only by the uplifting piano playing on "Chamber Two". Naujoks brings his ponderous vocals to bear on "Moments 1' and "2", but there is no danger of True Life lapsing into coffee table mush. For every vocal expression, there's also the spaced out ambient techno and lush soundscapes of "Untitled Piano Take" and "Dancer".

Review: Dial Records are really on a roll these days. After recently releasing a beautiful album by Pawel and their remarkable 10 year anniversary compilation, they come back at us with the long awaited second album from Efdemin, Chicago. Berlin-based Efdemin (aka Phillip Sollmann) has been associated with the Hamburg-founded label since its inception a decade ago. His self-titled debut in 2007 was a stunning affair that resonated deeply with both the house and techno communities. After three years and several singles in between, Efdemin has finally graced us once again with nine new soul-striking tracks that combine the beauty and deepness we have come to associate with his productions. "Cowbell" starts things off with a vocal snippet, warbled organs and slow drum rolls as a prelude to "Shoeshine" which kicks things into higher gear with its tough drums and precise high-hats. All tracks seamlessly flow into each other, a concept many artists tend to overlook when making a full length album. This overall sense of flow makes it pleasure to listen to uninterrupted. Instead of finely balancing the line between house and techno, Chicago has more of a jazz-induced feeling to it- which is not to say that it's light or too refined, but rather more intriguing and textured than your standard fare of straight up deep house or deep techno. Oh, and there's even a Homer Simpson sample hidden in there.

Review: Producer, DJ and budding travel almanac editor John Roberts returns with his first original material since that superlative debut album Glass Eights. The four tracks that make up Paper Frames are described by Roberts as "a wonderful journey into sound design, sample research and contemporary club music" and see him experiment further with preconceptions of what club music should sound like - something that was evident on recent remixes of Blondes and George Fitzgerald. The Opening short "Untitled II" retains all the mastery of delicate instrumentation shown on Glass Eights, though it's combined with jagged rhythmic edits and acts as a neat prelude to where Roberts goes on the subsequent title track. Perhaps best described as Roberts chopping up the sounds of a bull rampaging through a Denmark St music shop, it's an excellent track and the highlight of a welcome return on Dial

Review: You'd have to be really up on your European minimal house to have caught Kassian Troyer's name before, but he makes his debut proper for Dial Records no less, with four tracks of hyper-reduction that call to mind Background or Telegraph Records. This point of reference comes largely down to the reduced funk samples that pepper the music. On the surface all seems quiet, but when you dig into the music there's gorgeous guitar licks, vibing Rhodes, and plenty more organic heart beating away. It may be a sound that will struggle in some clubs, but there's still passion and art in abundance in this approach to electronic music.

Review: It's been quite a while since Lawrence has appeared on the Dial imprint he founded with Messrs Jost and Turner, and while he's not exactly been slacking with appearances on Mule, Pampa, Smallville and Dial offshoot Laid, it's nice to see the man known as Peter M. Kersten back on familiar territory with the Etoile Du Midi EP. Trademark Lawrence nuances are in restrained abundance across each of the three tracks here, such as the skipping, gloopy groove of the title track that playfully hints at concrete jack amidst the crystalline textures. Alongside this "Creator" sees Lawrence in a looser mood, drawing out increasingly hypnosis inducing circles of melody over a locked groove that gradually gets dominated by the shimmering clouds of chords that appear overhead.

Review: The pairing of Efdemin and RNDM has already borne some fruitful results for a scattered selection of EPs, and now the pair return with more of their austere minimal techno. The most surprising entry is opening track "Dirty Float" which staggers to life in a tangle of warm synth gurgles and micro-crackles with not a kick in sight. "Painting The Tape" is more conventional fare, plumbing the depths of looped hypnotism full of hushed synths and whispering beats, but "Sunrise Industry" lifts out of the murk with a greater presence and an engaging chime pitched perfectly for those early morning moments. Excellent release.

Review: Roman Fluegel is one of the most versatile dancefloor producers, but on this release he shows his softer, more melodic side. The common theme on Fatty Folders is a sense of melancholy, be it through the use of delicate cowbells on the dubby house of "How To Spread Lies" and the blue mood and delicate hooks of the DJ friendly "Lush Life Libido" or on the graceful, piano-led arrangements of "Song with Blue". It sounds like Fluegel is maturing as an artist and tellingly, even darker, more pared back tracks like "The Improviser" even have a reflective undercurrent. If this is Fluegel's focus from now on, we've a lot to look forward to.

Review: Hamburg based label Dial Records shot to fame in the second half of the 00s with their high brow approach to deep, minimal house and techno. Founded in 2000, they now celebrate their tenth birthday with a new compilation featuring all their usual suspects, aptly titled 2010.

Set up at the turn of the millennium by Carsten Jost and Peter M, better known as Lawrence, Dial remained largely unnoticed at first. It was only the last five or so years that the imprint famed for its sophisticated and emotionally evocative style of deep and minimal house came to the wider attention. Releases such as Efdemin's "Bergwein" EP and Pantha Du Prince This Bliss have garnered them the most attention leading up to today's celebratory compilation. But rather than just collecting the finest moments from those ten years, such is Dial's ethos, that they celebrate with entirely new material, including previously unreleased tracks from the likes of Rndm, Pigon and John Roberts.

Opening the compilation in typically refined style, Phantom Ghost embark on a fittingly theatrical ode to the pleasures of the highlife with the twilight keys of "My Secret Europe." Cultivated 4/4s then take over, starting with John Roberts who brings a classical element into the mix on "Lines." Efdemin explores sensuously deep tribalism on "Time," whereas Kassian Troyer uses layers of sub bass on "Tourist" to get into the groove. Isolee makes a rare appearance with some trippier house moments on "Black Lodge" before Pigon take it unfeasibly deep on "Koto." One of the label's starlets, Pantha Du Prince adds one of the highlights of the release with the enveloping masterpiece of "Fountain Drive."

Dial celebrate their tenth year, and twentieth release, the only way they know how - with a selection of tracks that look unreservedly forward, proving their need to do more than simply sit back on their previous successes. I'm just looking forward to their 2020 compilation.