Cocoon Compilation J

Written by Erik Buis

Just like previous years, Sven Vath's Cocoon imprint present their take on todays techno music with their annual 'Compilation' series. This year marks the tenth in the series (hence the letter J) and has just been released right in time before the start of the Ibiza season.

This 1CD-compilation starts off with Moritz Von Oswald's Cocoon Dark Dub. The title of this track couldn't have described the tune itself any better. One immediately gets drawn into the dark depths of that signature Cocoon sound as the tune slowly evolves in a chunky, dubby monster. Basti Grub & Komaton's Sick continues the trip into the deep that Mortiz started: this one features some moody vocals and a hypnotizing synth line that crawl right beneath the skin from the very beginning.

The mix then gruadually turns into a techier affair: Matthias Kaden starts knocking on your eardrums at track 4 with his heavy hitting, trademarked vibes. Nick Curly's Keep On finishes the job, taking the mix to real dancefloor heights, after which DJ Koze's presents one of the album's highlights in the form of Sbooty. The added value of the scattered, false flutes or whatever they are remain a mystery to me but the track rocks big time and it's the absolute highlight of the CD so far. This one will get the hands up in the air even when playing for the toughest crowds imaginable. The next track by Loco Dice; La Bicicletta is a more structured tech track. The steady bass line and percussion make this the ideal time to take a short breather. After this a bit dull intermezzo it's Dubfire who comes to the rescue with his tech-house bomb Rejekt.

With the arrival of Popof's Roxy it's recommended to hold on tight to anything anchored in your direct environment. Any damage caused by playing this track too loud will not be covered by the Cocoon imprint as this track is an absolute dance floor bomb and will cause havoc all around the world. After such a track it's hard to keep up the pace but Extrawelt and his track Simpleton does so with style. It explores the hazy depths of house a bit more but it still is an absolute peak time record. Ricardo Villalobos paves the way towards the end with minimalesque Humusweg. He leaves the real ending to Reboot who's Unspoken Word is a proper closure to the tenth edition in the Cocoon Compilation series.

Overall Cocoon Compilation J gives a proper view on the current state of Cocoon and what it has to offer. From the deep sounds of Moritz Von Oswald to the main room mayhem of Popof or the more minimal orientated sound of Villalobos, it's all equally big. However, the one thing I still don't understand about the Compilation series is the fact that the CDs are always unmixed. Nevertheless, this one is a must have and offers you the perfect soundtrack when you are on your way to Creamfields, Ibiza or pretty much any other big festival!

Rating: 8.0/10
Label: Cocoon Recordings
Release date: Out now

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

Cocoon Compilation J - Minimix

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