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Ben Klock – Berghain 04 | Album Review

Sunday, July 11th, 2010 | Album Review | No Comments

People say Berlin and for many walls and sausages spring to mind. However for a growing number of people Berlin means techno and Berghain. The hedonistic club has become synonymous with European clubbing, which has seen people travelling from far and wide to be turned away at the door by its mysterious and sporadic door policy. This adds to the mystic and allure of the place where cameras are forbidden and various urban myths have perpetuated their way through clubbing knitting circles. One thing that isn’t a mystery is the Berghain sound, devised by its two residents Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock. The dark and subtly punishing sounds of Berghain have become legendary through the magical club but also further afield via the record label Ostgut Ton. It’s on this label where the Berghain mix series has been running for the last five years. The critically acclaimed Berghain 02 was mixed by the club’s first son Dettmann, which really brought the sound to the masses. Two years on and the fourth instalment falls to the club’s second son – Klock. But in a world where the Berghain sound is admired, adored and imitated, how much of an impact can Klock’s mix make? › Continue reading

Tags: Ben Klock, Berghain, Berlin, DVS1, James Ruskin, Junior Boys, Kevin Gorman, Marcel Dettmann, Mikhail Breen, Ostgut Ton, Rolando, STL, Tyree

Cassy – Simply Devotion | Album Review

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 | Album Review | No Comments

When someone says ‘Cassy’ you can’t help but think of productions which combine deep, restrained grooves with slow burning minimal movement. And whilst her outing on the first Panoramabar mix showcased a minimal palette with some panache, I have, infact, seen her bang out a pretty full on techno set in the UK, so wondered which way she would take this, her next mix…

Well, this effort for Cocoon completely reflects her production tendencies utilising deep grooves, controlled progression and all done with the urgency of a tortoise, with only one slight difference – a healthy presence of the more soulful side of house which is currently in vogue.

That is no bad thing, however. Quite often, the stripped back sound can get so reduced that the overall progression and atmosphere of a mix can quite easily drain out the bottom like a leaky bucket. › Continue reading

Tags: Berlin, Cassy, Cocoon, Future Beat Alliance, Inland Knights, Jitterbug, Kai Alce, Kassem Mosse, Kez Ym, Panoramabar, Pierre Lx, STL, Trus, Trus'me