I bought this mix CD (as .mp3 via Beatport) recently, and I really like it, featuring minimal and techno sounds that are moody, deep, solid, hypnotic, spatial, dark, and cold, contrasted with some warm, melodic touches, and some interesting changes of intensity throughout. DJ mixing wise it’s not that interesting with just smooth blends, and some of the tracks feel like they play a bit too long, but the flow of tracks, and the overall mood the mix creates are top notch. At times it reminds me a bit of the less frantic moments of a Jeff Mills DJ set.
Stand out tracks for me, some of the more melodic moments: ‘Pressure’ by DVS1, which is the next release on the reborn Transmat label, released under artist alias Zak Khutoretsky, also ‘Miniluv’ by Martyn, ‘Compression Session 1’ by Ben Klock, and the bent sounding ‘7am Stepper’ by Kevin Gorman. My favourite track on this mix, is actually the last track, ‘Junie’ by Rolando, a really nice piece of moody, melodic, downbeat electronica, that would have been right at home on one of the early 90’s Artificial Intelligence releases on Warp, have a listen.
This mix also features ‘Nuthin Wrong’ by Tyree, a 1995 release on Dance Mania, that I’ve heard many times played by local Sydney DJs Simon Caldwell and Ken Cloud over the years, but never knew it’s title or artist, until getting this CD.
We’re planning to see Berlin’s Ben Klock play at Berghain on our holiday in Berlin next month, this gig:
14.08.10 : Ben Klock @ Klubnacht – Berghain 14.08.10
I saw him play at Berghain in 2007, he was excellent. I was also one of the few people who saw him play later that year in Sydney, at a Deep As Fu*k party at the Abercrombie Hotel, I think there were 15 people in the tiny room when he played, über intimate.
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Ben Klock – Berghain 04 : Mix CD [Ostgut Ton]
Tracklist:
01. 154 – Apricot
02. DVS1 – Pressure
03. Junior Boys – Work (Marcel Dettmann Remix)
04. Martyn – Miniluv
05. STL – Loop 04
06. Levon Vincent – The Long Life
07. Jonas Kopp – Michigan Lake
08. ACT – RoHd
09. Mikhail Breen – Veracity
10. DVS1 – Confused
11. Rolando – De Cago
12. Kevin Gorman – 7am Stepper
13. Ben Klock – Compression Session 1
14. Roman Lindau – Keppra
15. Tyree – Nuthin Wrong
16. The Echologist – Dirt (Ben Klock Edit)
17. James Ruskin – Graphic
18. Ben Klock (Feat. Elif Bicer) – Elfin Flight
19. Rolando – Junie
Reviews:
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=7635
http://www.factmag.com/2010/06/28/ben-klock-berghain-04/
More data:
http://www.ostgut.de
http://www.berghain.de
http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/benklock
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ben+Klock