Mobilee Germany At Juno Download

Review: Sean Miller and Berlin's Mobilee go down the tribal house route, but with unexpected results. Clocking in at over ten minutes, the title track is a loose, rolling groove, which gives way to a scatty vocal sample, uplifting jazzy riffs and some Afro chants. It sounds uplifting and joyous, like a ray of sunshine in the often times dreary, linear approach that tool house offers. "Soleil" follows a similar trajectory, but is more understated, as the hypnotic voices in the background build and build to exhort listeners to 'fire a fire that is inside me'. Set against such a seductive backdrop, it shouldn't be a problem.

Review: The latest instalment of Mobilee's Back to Back series will hopefully dispense with the ill-informed view of the label as a minimal house imprint. Indeed, the compilation starts and ends with jazzy, down-tempo beats of Dan Curtin's "Free" and the atmospheric ambience of Czubala's own "Borobudur". In between, there's the dreamy, dubby house of Vincenzo's "Young Mountain", a drum-heavy rework of Sebo K's "Spirits" and "All U Need" from Miss Kittin, which features the French electro diva delivering a more breathy vocal than usual over a pulsing acidic track. The compilation also puts a focus on Czubala's own contributions, which include "Stay Close", a disco house groove with vocals from an unforgettably fey Englishwoman and "Mountain Village", an irresistible slice of deep techno, replete with sensuous flute solos.

Review: Miss Kitten steps up for her first appearance on Berlin's Mobilee imprint. Staying true to form the original mix emphasizes her love of the vintage synthesizer sound, showcasing a deeply infectious analogue bassline, sparse techno rhythms with an epic climax. Kitten's "All You Need" vocal helps the track along the way drifting in and out of the mix in a haunting manner. Lee Van Dowski jacks up the pace and toughens up the kick drum, adding metallic undertones to his peak time workout. Turbo's latest hype producer Gesaffelstein really impresses on a remix that manages to successfully combine elements of Italo Disco with techno, serving up a well thought out reimagination that shouldn't fail to rock a wide range of dancefloors.

Review: Cleveland's seasoned techno don Dan Curtin releases his first long player for Mobilee, marking the flourishing label's fifth artist album in total. Lifeblood is Curtin's first album for three years, his ninth overall, displaying the kind of diversity and cutting edge mentality that makes this one stand out as one of the best in his bulging discography.



Curtin has been producing with an unmatchable work ethic since 1992, releasing records on Strictly Rhythm, Peace Frog, Sublime and his own imprint, Metamorphic Recordings amongst a host of others. Still today, his output levels are through the roof, his three recent singles for Mobilee serving as a reminder. Yet it on the album format where the American really comes into his own and explores his ideas that wouldn't fit comfortably on vinyl. He takes full advantage of the format once more on Lifeblood, unearthing the full potential of techno as a genre.



The album has a classic and vintage feel and although the majority of it is aimed at the club, the whole record is dipped in funk and etched out with emotion. At times there are beautiful downtempo moments - the dreamy slo-mo quality of "Perfect Affair" and the ambience of "Hidden" and "Can't Say No's" trip-hop tinged beats being perfect examples. Taking things up a notch, "Mr. Bean Do An E" is a jacking ode to classic techno, "I See Light" is a true stomper and "Other" (Lost In You Mix) brings the house groove. "Mirrors Reflecting" is even more hard hitting, letting hard-knuckled percussion do the work whereas "Two Tickets to Paris" has a light hearted and playful feel.



Lifeblood is a refreshingly varied and cohesive techno album, if indeed you can actually label it as a techno album. Showing all who hear it the potency a techno album is capable of, there is no wonder that Dan Curtin is a true American techno hero.