Cocoon Compilation Q by Cocoon Recordings

Here, in the truest sense of the word, we have a compilation of timeless material. It takes in a broad bandwidth ranging from “futuristic-deconstructive” compositions via  anachronistic acid and trance influences, whilst everything importantly sounds fresh and forward thinking.

Kamran Sadeghi kicks things off brilliantly with a warm and bubbly minimal house cut that sets a trippy scene from the off. Alex & Digby’s ‘Da Dang’ then continues in that weird and freaky vibe with some robot vocals and slinky synthetic grooves and label regular Sebastian Mullaert then gets emotive with his multilayered and magically melodic ‘Ode to Be’.

Harald Björk takes it a few steps further into the harmony corner with his song ‘Spring’, which is on the edge of an ambient vibe and unfolds with great hypnotic effect. ‘Toms Heimweh’ by Acid Pauli and the demanding ‘Sequence in D’ by Fort Romeau follow a similar direction, however both pieces are built on slightly more solid beats despite their underlying melodic mood. Carlos Nilmmns stands out with ‘Fragile’ feat. Genoveva, a deep and bubbly track with serene string stabs stitched into the classy groove, and Johannes Volk’s ‘Luminance’ is a peak time cut with glossy, trance inducing synth patterns carry you off into the night.

US house legend John Tejada offers the well designed, succulent synths and reflective surfaces of his more peak time effort ‘Blitzar’ and ‘Pulse Train’ by Söllscher & Siech follows a more traditional techno approach with a strong beat and bass foundation and cool acid lines that slowly build up and carry you away. ‘If I'd Care More’ by Rico Puestel is filled with dry and kicking beats, dreamy melody parts, but also hypnotic basslines and lots of crazy sounds all mixed into the arrangement. Things close out on Baba Stiltz’s surrealist and song like ‘All I Can (About You’) and leaves you in a dreamy, zoned out mood that sounds like nothing else.

This is a fine and fulsome statement that shows why Cocoon is still the most revered techno label in the game.

Various Artists - Cocoon Compilation Q
Release Date 23rd June 2017
Label Cocoon Recordings

Tracklist
1. (A) Kamran Sadeghi - Anno Domini    
2. (B) Alex & Digby - Da Dang
3. (C) Sebastian Mullaert - Ode to Be
4. (D) Harald Björk - Spring
5. (E) Carlos Nilmmns feat. Genoveva - Fragile
6. (F) Rico Puestel - If I’d Care More
7. (G) Söllscher & Siech - Pulse Train
8. (H) Johannes Volk - Luminance
9. (I) Fort Romeau - Sequence in D
10. (J) John Tejada - Blitzar
11. (K) Acid Pauli - Toms Heimweh
12. (L) Baba Stiltz - All I Can (About You)