1. Shonky – Time Zero – Freak n’ Chic:

I’ve first heard of Shonky in 2006, when he did a wonderful remix of Anja Schneider’s “Rancho Relaxo” along with Jennifer Cardini. Later the French DJ and producer also released the 12″ inch “August In Paris / Lies” on Anja’s mobilee label together with Jennifer. With other releases on Resopal Red and Freak n’ Chic he developed his sound to a deep but functional experience of dark rhythms, bleepy patterns, always tribalistic and hypnotic. Recently he released his debut album “Time Zero” on Freak n’ Chic. The 10-track work is the perfect profile of his skills to produce a great mixture of darkness and deepness, which I really like. My favorite tracks are the tribal “Nebula” with this neverending, hypnotic beat and “Ondulation” which continuosly rises to a ghostly and spacy athmosphere.

Shoky – Nebula:

Shonky – Ondulation:

2. Falko Brocksieper – Heavy Day – Sub Static:

Falko Brocksieper, co-founder of Sub Static, released his first album in 2003. Since then he only released a few 12″, but a couple of remixes, with the remix of Daypayk & Padberg’s “Close Up” being one of the best I think. On his second “Heavy Day”, which is coming out these days album, Falko presents his qualities for funky, light-weighted rhythms. His tracks are well aranged and have a special athmosphere, which he creates with characteristic and fancy synthesizer sounds. The secret gems in my eyes are “Private” and “Zychological”.

Falko Brocksieper – Private:

Falko Brocksieper – Zychological

3. Argy – Focus On: Argy – Poker Flat:

Greek raised, now Berlin based DJ and producer Argy already released a couple a great 12″ on well-known, influencing labels like Poker Flat, Cocoon, Raum…musik or Liebe*Detail. On Poker Flat he is now coming up with a special album. “Focus On: Argy” is full of exclusive collaborations with some of the most skilled house producers. Argy is known for his deep, sexual and techy productions, where he’s building up a special atmosphere, that heat up the dancefloor. On his debut album Argy takes his skills to another level and works together with producers like Solomun, Jerome Sydenham, The Mole or Maral Salmassi. The tracks are mostly transporting a percussive, housy flair leading to warm – sometimes tribal – and athmospheric sounds. My favorite is the funky “Cantstandlovegetaway”, a collaboration with The Mole.

Argy & The Mole – Cantstandlovegetaway:

Addition: For those of you, who simply can’t get enough of Argy’s producer skills or who just enjoy listening to his sounds, there’s a free download of Argy’s “Poke Her Flat” at the official Poker Flat Argy promotion page.

4. Anja Schneider – Beyond The Valley – mobilee:

Who doesn’t know Anja Schneider? After her successive radio show “Dance Under The Blue Moon” on Radio Fritz she is still doing, she found her own label “mobilee” together with Ralf Kollmann in 2005. Well-booked and playing the clubs around the globe recently she is now releasing her debut album “Beyond The Valley” on mobilee. The tracks on “Beyond The Valley” wait on with suprising sound architecture, which I had never expected after knowing Anja’s last releases. Although some of the tracks seems frisky through special sounds she is using for patterns and shapes, they always stay dance floor oriented. My favorite is “Gimlet”, which is a very straight forwarded track, with an uplifting beat structure.

Anja Schneider – Gimlet:

5. Loco Dice – 7 Dunham Place – Desolat

Loco Dice’s first artist album – produced in NYC together with no one else than Martin Buttrich – persuades one with an intelligent mixture of soulful deepness and housy grooves. I’ve actually expected an album that looks about a more minimal, and more techier flair. But anyway, Loco Dice comes up with a quite good expression of US-house and European minimalism. My favorite tracks are “La Esquina” which is constructured around a nice piano arrangement as well as “How Do I Know?!” with a funky and groovy dancefloor orientation.

Loco Dice – How Do I Know?!:

Loco Dice – La Esquina:

You can buy all theses albums or single tracks as digital downloads at What People Play and Beatport as well as the physical vinyl or CD versions of the albums at Decks or Web-Records.

I’m currently in Jena due to writing my thesis. Fortunately I found some time yesterday night to take a look at the local record store here in Jena – the Fatplastic (owned by Sören Bodner btw, one half of the Wighnomy Brothers). Finally it was time to listen to the new Poker Flat Compilation “Dead Man’s Hand”. I think this album shows once more a changing style in the musical direction of the whole label. Like the last two label compilations it prepares the listener to the of musical production depth of the upcoming releases. I will especially highlight three tracks:

The first is “Momwack” by Steve Bug. He self conducts to produce with more analog utilities, to get away from so many similar productions by other artists that try to copy his sound and at the end sound like Steve Bug. In my opinion this track is a good step in this direction. I still waiting for his next artist album, but looking on his busy DJ schedule I think we still have to wait for some months.

The second track is “Nightmare” by Tokio based Ryo Murakami. Man, this guy definitely rocks!! Already his first appearance “My Soul” on Steve Bug’s second imprint Dessous in late 2007 was a bomb and also his release on the Japanese label Kawaya was quite good, and “Nightmare” follows his musical pattern of rough minimal hypnotic vibes. I also looking forward to his first own EP on Poker Flat coming around April/May.

The third recommendation is “Here & Now” by D’julz. The French producer from Paris shows us how to produce a percussive minimal house track that heats up the dance floor to banish the Winter at the same time. A track for lukewarm Summer nights.

Thus no question, that I’ve bought it at the end. Be prepared to hear some of these tunes at Saturday :)

Buy this album as vinyl/CD or in digital form.