Various Artists ‘Where The Wind Blows’

wherethewindblows

Various Artists / Where The Wind Blows

CD / Digital 

BPitch Control / Released April 2013 

 

Ellen Allien has done it again. The latest compilation to come from her highly respected BPitch imprint is a real gem, boasting highlights abound, albeit there’s one reason to take a listen or two that should outweigh all the others.

It’s not common for dance music in any format to sound good when heard at both low and high volume. We like it loud, and relatively heavy, even if listening to Handbag (points if you remember that brief love affair). The result means most releases- from singles to LPs and mixes- concentrate on the fundamentals driving club speakers. Not so in the case of Where The Wind Blows. And before you jump to any conclusions, in contrast to many (also impressive but quite different BPitch showcase albums), there really is quite a lot of dancefloor stuff on here.

Of course there are plenty of curveballs, which is no surprise given the lady responsible for sourcing and selecting goes under a distinctly otherworldly moniker. Dillon & Telefon Tel Aviv’s Feel The Fall is a swooping, soaring, ethereal electro pop ballad that has the devastating effect of a Kate Bush anthem. Meanwhile, Apparat’s Borodino is a beautiful ambient closing comment, although far too brief at just over three minutes 30 seconds. And, four fours aside, the following tune- Siamese Twins By Choice from Eating Snow- isn’t really what you’d call typical after dark fare. You could get down to it, but it also reminds us of Paul Simon in his heyday (in a good way).

Elsewhere, though, and notably from the outset, things are more concerned with moving bodies. Ms Allien’s own opening number, Gate of Light, nods to some of the weighty, atmospheric techno on her LP Dust, everything sounding saturated in suspense and eeriness. Chaim’s Summer Rain represents the melodic end of rolling tech, and the often bizarre Aerea Negrot might steal the upbeat show with Stop My Craving, an excellent non-stop groover boasting whistle refrains and a driving rhythm. That’s if it weren’t for Thomas Muller and his excellent builder She’s A Woman. On the whole then, plenty to talk about, and a lot worth buying into.


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