Artist: Various Artists
Title: Cocoon Compilation T
Label: Cocoon Recordings
Cat. #: CORLP051
Format: Digital, vinyl
Release Date: 5th August 2022
Cocoon Recordings is back with another fresh instalment in its iconic compilation series, this time hitting letter T with artists like Stephen Brown, Claude VonStroke, Daniel Avery, Carl Finlow and The Emperor Machine.
On this latest collection and in time-honoured tradition, the old guard and new stars combine to devastating effect and define the current state of techno. Once again Cocoon lies at its core, with founder Sven Väth having served up his first solo album in 20 years back in February, and label parties now returning to dance floors all over the world.
This collection kicks off with vital veteran Stephan Brown with the lucid dreamscape that is ‘Level Steps’, then fellow heavy hitter Claude VonStroke steps up with trademark shuffling beats and freaky, hypnotic bleeps on ‘Moody Fuse’ before Denis Horvat slows things down on ‘Monomono’ with its post-rave abstractions and disobedient synths causing mayhem. As we enter the techno phase of the journey, a special appearance from Daniel Avery makes it all the more worthwhile amid a dense forest of chiming melodies and blistering electrical surges on ‘Your Future Looks Different In The Light,’ then Jeroen Search’s aptly titled ‘Subversive Elements’ leads us deeper and deeper into the matrix.
Marco Bailey kicks off a triptych of trance with some massive filtered piano action on ‘Kanai’ that’s destined to trigger a serotonin smile, Damiano van Erckert continues the loved-up vibe on the gorgeous ‘500 People, 500 Hearts, 1 Love‘ where classic ambience meets slick 909 snares and cymbal interplay. The melodic pull of ‘Vision99’ then signifies that the party is peaking at just the right moment as YOKTO concocts a glistening, psychedelic groove and Jonathan Kaspar’s ‘CCC’ rides in on a wave of expectant arpeggios and squelching bass. ‘The Art of Electronics’ is pure analog fire served up by UK legend Andrew Meecham aka The Emperor Machine and fellow British titan and electro overlord Carl Finlow makes his long-overdue label debut with a nervous sliver of dystopian futurism on ‘Surface Control.’ DeFeKT then draws this great adventure to a close with the deliciously dark robo-disco overtones of ‘Terraform.’
Cocoon Compilation T provides a perfect snapshot of contemporary techno and comes digitally, as well as via a limited edition vinyl boxset across six sides of blue wax with a download code.
Tracklist:
1. Stephen Brown – Level Steps
2. Claude VonStroke – Moody Fuse
3. Denis Horvat – Monomono
4. Daniel Avery – Your Future Looks Different In The Light
5. Jeroen Search – Subversive Elements
6 Marco Bailey – Kanai
7. Damiano Von Erckert – 500 People, 500 Hearts, 1 Love
8. YOKTO – Vision99
9. Jonathan Kaspar – CCC
10. The Emperor Machine – The Art Of Electronics
11. Carl Finlow – Surface Control
12. DeFeKT – Terraform