Various Artists – Werkschau on BPitch Control

Various Artists – Werkschau on BPitch Control

Ellen Allien and her label, BPitch Control, have always stylistically veered off the beaten path. Everything from dark pop to moody techno via abstract dub and much more has made an appearance on the Berlin label at some point in the past, so it’s no surprise there is such a wide remit of sounds on this label compilation, Werkschau, or "Showcase." It features 17 unreleased tracks from producers all over both Americas and Europe, and that span of influences is what makes it the enjoyably madcap collection that it is.

As mentioned, no one genre dominates here: things kick off with dark minimal grooves from Cormac before the boss herself offers up a more paranoid, unhinged house stomp with ringing bells and discordant organ lines. One of Alien’s most recent A&R recruits, We Love contribute an icy-cold electro-tech grinder and then it’s instantly back to lighter, quirkier fare which focuses on more languid grooves and brighter melodic colour.

The midpoint is marked by the poppiest moment of all – a fractured, effervescing mix of hits, taught synths, tumbling beats and innocent vocals from TimTim, one of many names with whom you may not have been familiar before this release, but that you will most certainly be keeping an ear out for in the future. More celebrated associates include Sascha Funke, who turns in the deepest, most hypnotic grooves; Kiki with a warm vocal roller resplendent with gorgeously radiant chords and techno stalwart Mark Broom who brushes all melodies aside in favour of a pummelling, looped beat, glitchy warehouse claps and more than a hint of Berghain stylings.

Definitely one to plunder for DJs – there’s plenty of killer material throughout – and just as rewarding in its diversity to be worthy of listening to at home, in full, too. Ellen Alien may have a wandering ear that veers sometimes mines an electronic vein not your liking, but when it comes to proving dancing music needn’t always be tool-y and devoid of musicality, she is a modern leader.

Tracklist: Various Artists - Werkschau
01. Cormac - The Present
02. Ellen Allien - The Kiss
03. We Love - Harmony Of The Spheres
04. Dillon & Coma - Aiming For Destruction
05. AGF/Delay - Most Beautiful Kill
06. TimTim - How We Moove
07. Sascha Funke - Hiddensee
08. Kiki & Lenz - Morning Maniacs
09. Zander VT - Gotta Look Up To Get Down
10. Jahcoozi - Day In Day Out
11. Mr. Statik - Sinphony feat. The Boy
12. Aerea Negrot - Deutsche Werden
13. Thomas Muller - West
14. Chaim - The Country
15. Paul Kalkbrenner - Plaetscher
16. Mark Broom - Refund
17. Telefon Tel Aviv - The Sky Is Black feat. Robin Guthrie