[digital] V.A. - Beast Of Vakant 2004 – 2011

Artist(s): Onur Ozer, Mathias Kaden, Dinky, Dewalta, Livio & Roby, Dario Zenker, Cesare Marchese, Alex Smoke, Nico Purman, Quixote, Robag Wruhme, Tolga Fidan, Anthony Collins; remixes by Dj Koze, Luna City Express, Matthias Tanzmann, Loco Dice, Isole, 2000 and One
Name: Beast Of Vakant 2004 – 2011
Genre: techno, tech-house, minimal
Label: Vakant
Catalog: VADIG02
No. of tracks: 25
Type: unmixed

Tracklist:

01. Alex Smoke – I-73 Night
02. Cesare Marchese – Ferni & Fefe Fightin’
03. Dario Zenker – Belfort
04. Dario Zenker – Blue Champa
05. Dewalta – Angels Trumpet
06. Dewalta – Farina
07. Dinky – Da 20′s
08. Livio & Roby – Hatzumoto Song
09. Mathias Kaden – Kawaba (Dj Koze’s Kosi-san Remix)
10. Mathias Kaden – Moron
11. Mathias Kaden – Roots (Luna City Express & Matthias Tanzmann Remix)
12. Nico Purman – Euphrasia
13. Nico Purman – Funk Forest
14. Nico Purman – Rize
15. Onur Ozer – Eclipse (Loco Dice Remix)
16. Onur Ozer – Innervoice (Isole Remix)
17. Onur Ozer – Orion
18. Onur Ozer – Red Cabaret (2000 And One Remix)
19. Onur Ozer – Vakant Limited 1
20. Quixote – Pelters
21. Robag Wruhme – Hodgkin Mopp
22. Tolga Fidan – Alright
23. Tolga Fidan – For Our Fathers
24. Tolga Fidan – Tanbulistan
25. Tolga Fidan & Anthony Collins – La Cadence

Opinion:

For 7 years, Berlin based label Vakant represented a very important marker when it comes to minimal techno and tech-house. And now, to celebrate this, a best-of compilation was born, with 25 tracks to remember the good old times, with superstars like Onur Ozer, Loco Dice and Mathias Kaden present.

[digital] Loco Dice - Knibbie Never Comes Alone/Loose Hooks

Artist(s): Loco Dice
Name: Knibbie Never Comes Alone/Loose Hooks
Genre: techno, tech-house, minimal
Label: Minus
Catalog: MINUS111
No. of tracks: 2
Type: normal

Tracklist:

01. Knibbie Never Comes Alone
02. Loose Hooks

Opinion:

Loco is back on the Minus record label, after 5 years since his last release there. Since then, labels like Desolat, Cocoon, Cadenza and Ovum relied on his works. Now he is back with a 2-track EP, but is it worth buying?

[digital][vinyl] Loco Dice - The Lab 01

Artist(s): V.A., including artist like Jay Haze, Joseph Malik, Onur Ozer, Loco Dice, Robert Dietz, Terry Lee Brown Jr., Lopazz, Guti, Damian Schwartz & remixes by Mathias Kaden, Damian Schwartz, Loco Dice
Name: The Lab 01
Genre: techno, deep-house, tech-house, minimal
Label: NRK Sound Division
Catalog: LAB001DJ
No. of tracks: 19 (digital & CD), 12(3 x vinyl)
Type: unmixed + mixed by Loco Dice





Tracklist:

01. Sascha Dive – Deepest America (Samuel Davis Dark Soul Mix)   ***
02. Nick Holder – Inside Your Soul (Sirus Remix)   **
03. Daso & Pawas – Det
04. Terrence Dixon – Below Radar (Mathias Kaden's Rhythm Is Rhythm Remix)   **
05. Jay Haze – Mama Coca
06. Joseph Malik – Believe & See (Plastic Avengers Remix)   ***
07. Damian Schwartz & Guti  – Salsón   *
08. Önur Ozer – Eclipse (Loco Dice Remix)  **
09. Someone Else  – You Don't Got Me   *
10. Akiko Kiyama – Hakobi
11. Loco Dice – Black Truffles In The Snow (Mike Huckaby's The Jazzed Out S Y N T H Remix)
12. Audio Soul Project – Song For Fred
13. DJ Ali – You Don't Know (Ruff Cut)   *
14. Robert Dietz – Klondike
15. Terry Lee Brown Jr. In A Deep Session With The Timewriter – Everyday   ***
16. Alex Flatner Feat. Lopazz – Perfect Circles (Damian Schwartz Remix)
17. MHM 1 – Bubububadub   **
18. 95 North – Forever Underground (Bass Dub)   ***
19. Second-Hand Satellites – Orbit 1.3    *     

Note: the * mark the tracks that were also released on vinyl, and their number indicates the number of the sampler


Opinion:

Loco Dice is one of my favorite artists when it comes to production (the review for his 7 Dunham Place album you can find here, and for the two Desolat samplers where he is present, here and here) but also when we`re talking about selecting high quality tracks. This compilation, released at UK based label NRK Sound Division, demonstrates that fact.

[digital] V.A. - Cocoon Compilation J

Specs:

Artist(s): Basti Grub & Komaton, Dj Koze, Dubfire, Extrawelt, Loco Dice, Mathias Kaden, Moritz Von Oswald, Nick Curly, Pantha Du Prince, Popof, Reboot, Ricardo Villalobos
Name: Cocoon Compilation J
Genre: techno, tech-house, minimal
Label: Cocoon
Catalog: CORLP023
No. of tracks: 12
Type: unmixed

Tracklist:

01. Moritz Von Oswald – Cocoon Dark Dub
02. Basti Grub & Komaton – Sick
03. Pantha Du Prince – Bolder
04. Mathias Kaden – Rave Strikes Back
05. Nick Curly – Keep On
06. Dj Koze – Sbooty
07. Loco Dice – La Bicicletta
08. Dubfire – Rejekt
09. Popof - Roxy
10. Extrawelt – Simpleton
11. Ricardo Villalobos – Humusweg
12. Reboot – The Unspoken Word

Opinion:

Cocoon is celebrating it`s 10th release of its annual unmixed compilation (apart from the mixed Sound of the 10th Season) rounding up big names like Dice, Curly, Dubfire, Villalobos, Reboot, Kaden, Pantha Du Prince and many more. This, as the last 9 releases, is available in 3 different ways: a limited 6 vinyl pack (a bit pricey though), a CD and a digital download.

[vinyl] Desolat X-Sampler (Blue)

Specs:

Artist(s): Loco Dice, Martin Buttrich, Premiesku, Guti, Audiofly, Yaya, Dj Sneak, Franck Roger
Name: Desolat X-Sampler (Blue)
Genre: techno, tech-house, house
Label: Desolat 
Catalog: DESOLAT 015
No. of vinyls: 2
Type: normal

Tracklist:

A1: Martin Buttrich - Roads
A2: Livio & Roby - Rai Root
B1: Guti & Audiofly - Speechless Theory 11
B2: Yaya - Talk to your Heart
C1: Loco Dice - Don't Make Signal
C2: Franck Roger  -  Egotrippin
D1: Premiesku - Garey
D2: Dj Sneak - No Challenge


 Opinion:

If you missed the review for the red sampler, that appeared one year ahead of the blue compilation, you can find it here. This is the second Christmas present from Desolat, that appeared just a few months ago in the stores. Most of the people from the previous sampler are present (except for tINI), and a good news is that the vinyls are filled with 8 tracks instead of 6 (remember how I complained because of the unused space). So my dream came true, with the help of Dj Sneak, Audiofly and Franck Roger. Another good thing is that Livio & Roby have 2 tracks on this LP (one released under their other name, Premiesku, the name of the project created by them and George G).

[vinyl] Desolat X-Sampler (Red)

Specs:

Artist(s): Loco Dice, Martin Buttrich, Premiesku, Guti, tINI, Yaya
Name: Desolat X-Sampler (Red)
Genre: techno, tech-house
Label: Desolat 
Catalog: DESOLAT 010
No. of vinyls: 2
Type: normal

Tracklist:

A: Martin Buttrich - L2
B1: tINI - That's Right
B2: Guti - Chiquitolina
C: Loco Dice - Definition
D1: Livio & Roby Pres. Premiesku - Caracas
D2: Yaya - You Know Telespalla?



 Opinion:

Having Loco Dice on my mind, and the night I had the chance to meet him, I choose this great compilation, Desolat X-Sampler, to review. For those that don`t know what it is about, let me introduce the concept. To this day there have been 2 Samplers released (one Red and another one Blue, in the chronological order), both in December (consider it as a Christmas gift), featuring artists that released some work on Desolat X (half of the Desolat label). So we got 2 vinyl packed with 6 tracks from people I think need no introduction. Loco and Martin were already strong into the business but the rest had an excellent breakthrough in recent years.

[club zone] A meeting with Loco Dice

Yesterday I attended a party at Studio Martin. Here is the poster:

I went home accomplished. Not only did I listen an excellent set, but I also had some time to chat with him and take a picture. His next LP? If all goes as planned, it is released in 2012. And no, he did not yet choose the color for the next Desolat X-Sampler.

Let`s see some photos:

[vinyl] Loco Dice - 7 Dunham Place LP

Specs:

Artist(s): Loco Dice
Name: 7 Dunham Place
Genre: tech-house, minimal
Label: Desolat 
Catalog: DESOLAT LP 001
No. of vinyls: 4
Type: gatefold

Tracklist:

A: Breakfast At Nina's (additional vocals by Mista Moe)
B: How Do I Know ?! (additional vocals by Le Verne)
C: Consequently Eccentric And Delicate
D: Black Truffles In The Snow
E: La Esquina (additional piano by I M Tango)
F: Tight Laces
G: Pimp Jackson Is Talkin' Now!!! (additional vocals by Michael Jackson)
H1: I Got Leaks In The Roof
H2: M Train To Brooklyn 

Opinion:

A couple of years ago I saw Loco Dice playing his debut album in Studio Martin, Bucharest`s best club for electronic music. I don`t really remember much of that night, just that it rocked (and no, I did not drink... that much :)) ). I had no idea then that this LP would be one of the key pieces in my vinyl collection.