Page 64 - Zone Magazine Issue 018

Stashed Music follow up a string of well received EPs with this their first various artists compilation ‘Secret Stash Vol. 1’ which features new exclusive music from DJ S.K.T, GAWP, Carnao Beats and a whole lot more up and coming house talent.
The Label was launched earlier this year by the ever prolific DJ S.K.T. who for this release has teamed up with a menagerie of like minded childhood and music industry friends, each of whom brings their own take on modern dance music to the table and features 12 new tracks of which the opener is by DJ S.K.T. himself. Titled ‘Rush’ its a slow burning houser from the offset which then picks up the pace with the adage of female vocals, sci fi noises and a dirty electro bassline to underpin it. That is followed by Majesty with ‘Cream’ which starts with percussion and bongos and a vocal in a foreign language and quickly turns into a tight funkateer with slick swung percussion and another killer funky bass line driving it ever forward. This album is house Music to the max with 12 cuts of party pumpers like GAWP & Gymbo’s ‘Backfire’ which feature vocal snippets and an acidic synth line over another funky bassline or Sankuh’s ‘We Get High’ which is a slower track but still packs a hefty punch with the line ‘we get high and fall in love’ repeated over a dubby bassline with echoed percussion and the vocal detuned as the track sets the atmospherics succinctly and with deft skills. The album is all killer no filler with each track worthy of single release in its own right like Martin Badder’s ‘Get Down To It’ with a great piano line and tribalesque chants or Trutopia’s ‘So Close You Can Feel It’ with another dubby bassline and echoed female vocals or the final track Fuente & Tito Mike’s ‘Bounce Civilian’ which takes you on a real journey through House music repeating the line “you got the beat” with a giant synth riff soaring away in the foreground.
This is without a doubt an accomplished piece of work with some great new house featured on it from new talent as well as some more established names and all is fresh funky and fun which is what you want from a various artists sampler which really shows the labels hand and I have to say that for me it is a winner.
Genre: House https://soundcloud.com/stashedmusic
Words By Danny Slade
Albums - Dance COMPILLATIONS // ALBUMS
V A- Sven Vath The Sound Of The 18th Season
[Cocoon]
For the last 18 years Sven Vath has held a residency in Ibiza for his Cocoon Parties and every year at the end of the season he releases a compilation CD which pretty much represents the sound of what he has been playing at that year’s party. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy for review purposes and oh boy am I glad that I did as its rather special.
As a pioneer and champion of Techno and underground dance music in general, he has managed to cram some of the years finest tracks into two mixes and the release really tells a story of this mans love of the the scene and his love of life in general. When asked to comment his label said about sven’s mission that it was “to tell about the adventures he has experienced traveling, about his love for his friends, his children, his girlfriend and particularly to his fans all around the world”
The first CD kicks off with a Deep House opener from Willow then the groove becomes more persistent as Eduardo de la Calle has the crowd gather around his pulsating bassline and crackling hi-hats. With the daring sing- a- long of Basti Grub, Vath shows his playful side and then comes the nonchalance and coolness of Eddie Fowlkes and singer Na Dee. With Fort Romeau, processed voices spread a trippy, unreal vibe and moments later, Vath blends a new, very special Chez Damier bassline into the mix. Ricardo Villalobos's casual, eye-opening grooves appear to be the ideal counterbalance to Damier’s unbounded bassline then things play out with the likes of DJ Slyngshot’s melody rich house, label stalwarts like Isolee and the high energy of KINK.
One of 2017’s biggest tracks in ‘Avalon’ by &Me puts a hymnal vocal and unbridled tribal percussion on top of a floating house groove to kick start disc two, which then touches the sonic vastness of Patrice Baumel, Fideles’s loose synth-sounds and the ghostly ‘On the Way’ by Gaiser which, with its uncanny voices, feels like a message from another, surreal world. With the moods always evolving and tempos roaming, Aubrey hints towards the big finish which builds through stomping Chicago house from Slam, a climactic cut from Secret Cinema & Egbert then the mysterious synth heavy techno of Barnt and Inigo Kennedy's groping, longing sounds suggest a new begin-ning.
Like with previous mixes this enthralling release rounds up the premier techno party on the white isle that has been leading the field since 2000. It is compelling and thrilling to listen to and if you were lucky enough to go to one of the nights you can re-live experience again and again. If not, you can still revel in a true musical luminaries sound and perhaps pay a visit to Cocoon yourself in the future!?
Release date: November 17th
Genre: Techno https://www.facebook.com/SvenVaethOfficial/
Words By Danny Slade
VA
Secret Stash Vol. 001 [Stashed Music]
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