Review: Long standing hero of the Berlin scene and Stil Vor Talent chief Oliver Koletzki steps up to present a fine collection of remixes for his label's next installment. He's been crafting for prolific friends and outstanding musicians for close to a decade, and for Remix Tales Koletzki has now compiled his personal favourites (with some previously unreleased ones too). Features his emotive take on German duo HVOB's "Dogs", Frank 'Ame' Wiedemann and Ry 'X' Cuming's Howling project on "Stole The Night", through to legends such as French Touch pioneers Cassius on "Toop Toop" and NYC electroclash icons Fischerspooner on "The Best Revenge". Keep your ears peeled for his upcoming full length which will be released very soon.
Review: Branko Novakovic and Niklas Schafers are Hidden Empire, the ascendant German duo who presented their impressive debut album Mind Palace on Berlin institution Stil Vor Talent last year. Now the boys are back with more moody dancefloor drama, expertly executed on the Alexandria EP. Razor sharp bass lines and shimmering melodies make for much excitement on the majestic "Valhalla", while the title track's moody and ethereal vibe is perfect for trancing out under the strobe light. Finally, "Odessa" is a perfect example of an ethereal tech house jam packed full of brooding elements - just the way you like it!
Review: The Last Trip was originally conceived as a series of events by Berlin-based institution Stil Vor Talent but has now sonically evolved into a new in-house series of compilations. By focusing on a handful of their current signings, they allow them to express themselves with not one, but two tracks each to really show off their style. Up first is Italy's Malandra Jr. with the brooding electro-tinged dystopia of "Utter", Frenchman Citizen Kain goes for that ethereal deep house sound that has become the trademark of the label recently on "Balance" fetauring Aves Volare's life-affirming monologue, while veteran Olivier Giacomotto knows house to rock the house as always on the epic "Moonshine" and they save the best for last with the ascendant Made In Paris taking the melodic tech house sound to further heights on the futuristic "Conjure".
Review: Rainier Zonneveld is a Dutch house and techno producer who likes to keep things tidy and deep, and who has been closely associated to the awesome and long-running Trapez label. This week, he's up on Still Vor Talent with three fist-pumping, head-twisting woofer-shakers, and "Sharp Burst" sets the scene with a rolling kick beat, airy melodics and a little FX trickery, while "Rushchamber" is slower, dustier on the percussion groove, and boomy. "Flatchat" is a puristic tech house roller for the floor, backed by a quirky, wavey ocean of low-ends.
Review: Kellerkind continues his long-standing relationship with Stil Vor Talent on Move Me. The title track is a loose, rolling groove, punctuated by a piercing guitar and a doomy, incoherent vocal. It's house music, but only in the most liberal interpretation of that term. "Believe In You" is more direct. Featuring a tough bassline, a vocal sample intoning 'in you' and hypnotic drones, it makes for a more DJ friendly approach. However, the remixes push the release back towards abstract territories; the Jiggler take on "Move Me" is a dubby, tripped out house groove and Joachim Pastor's version sees him navigate his way through wiry abstraction on one side and powerful subs on the other.
Review: The transformation of Stil Vor Talent has been radical; from minimal house through melodic techno, Inside sees the German label become a fully-fledged indie pop outlet. Indeed, the breathy vocals and jangling guitars on the title track recall the more accessible end of '80s shoegaze - think Lush without the distortion. "Seven Days" follows a similar path, but in this instance the vocals are even dreamier and harmonic, recalling '60s act The Byrds. Thankfully, the label hasn't forgotten its DJ fans and Bjorn Storig's take on "Seven Days" is the kind of jam that Prins Thomas might play, a mixture of dubbed out drums, chiming cowbells and electronic bass supporting Mowe's atmospheric sound.
Review: Although sounding like the corny conclusion to the old God is a DJ line, Music Is A Miracle is the much more credible new LP from rising producer, Marco Biagini aka Kellerkind. From his nu-disco roots, Biagini has forged a new hybrid sound, fusing deep house grooves with flickers of disco and boogie. Highlights on this impressive long player include the perkier Metro Area-esque "Don't' You Know It", the slinky hip-house of "Give Me The Beat Back", the skippy garage of the title track and the Mood Music style, velvety electro-house of "Take This Higher".
Review: The cover art makes reference to the children's classic story about a little girl chasing a white rabbit, and there's certainly a sense of the surreal about this release. "Scope" is a pulsing underground house groove, its grungy bassline and muffled but insistent bassline making for the perfect accompaniment for those 'lost it' moments on the dance floor. "Evil" is another malevolent track, but this time, grainy riffs and jagged percussive licks that accompany the tub thumping, rolling drums. "Feelings" features a rolling, tribal groove and is more laid back than the first two tracks as a funk guitar sample and sensuous disco strings prevail. "Delight" is cut from a similar cloth, and its sax stabs and deep chords underpin an infectious 'hey hey' vocal sample.
Review: It sounds like the German label could have a big hit on their hands here. "Awake" is a subtle fusion of the Kompakt shuffle and German minimal house traditions, as doubled up drums bring subtle acoustic guitar flourishes and Blomqvist's falsetto to a climax. Meanwhile "Something Says" comes across like Superpitcher in more grounded form than usual thanks to its heavy claps and bubbling bassline. However, it's the title track that may well enter the pop charts. Starting ff with stripped back beats, it progresses to reveal a breathy vocal, draped by beautiful piano and lush strings. Blomqvist's tones are understated and androgynous, but "Ink" has an intangible, magical quality that will endear it to a wider audience.
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