Alex Knoblauch

V.A. – Tenacity 2016 (VATC1)

Tenacity is Vakant’s new annual compilation series with its first edition to be released in March 2016! Tenacity 2016 reflects what has moved us in the past two years and it sets the guidelines for the near future of the label. Two new and exclusive tunes from Nico Purman and Sons of Tiki round up this 20-track heavy weight collection.

VA – 10 Years Part II (VA060)

So here I am.. after having forced Vakant’s artists to write their own press releases a few years ago, since I think this has a more personal approach besides that everyone is tired of the usual press blurbs, I do not get around to draft something for this 10 Years Vakant compilation by myself.

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VA – 10 Years Part I (VA059)

So here I am.. after having forced Vakant’s artists to write their own press releases a few years ago, since I think this has a more personal approach besides that everyone is tired of the usual press blurbs, I do not get around to draft something for this 10 Years Vakant compilation by myself.

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CW/A – Conducting The Method (VA058)

After first performing together at Sonar Festival with what was essentially a live version of our respective “B.O.A.T.S.” and “Adamant” albums, Thomas and I decided to expand on these ideas for something more broad and improvisation-centric. After months in the studio drinking nothing but amaretto and working on new music for this purpose, our new live experiment (now simply called CW/A) was ready.

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CW/A

CW/A is the new live project from long-time friends and studio partners Thomas (Avatism) and Francesco (Clockwork). Presented for the first time at Sonar Festival in 2013 as a live version of their debut albums “Adamant” and ‘B.O.A.T.S.’, it eventually evolved into a broader, more organic improvisation-centric performance distinct from their separate solo productions. CW/A’s debut album ‘Words Unspoken, Acts Undone’ has been released in 2015 on Parachute Records.

Premiesku

Romanian duo Livio & Roby, together with their pal George G, sometimes like to play with words, make anagrams or combine formulas. As a result of this game, they derived a name „Premiesku“ for their mutual project, suggesting „premiere“ which resonates as a Romanian name. That is what their collaboration is about – a unique new experience, which is already gaining accolades from many party heads, acclaimed music professionals and opinion leaders.

Premiesku – Pe Dos EP (VA057)

Sitting down and writing about our latest EP was a fun but challenging exercise, we scratched our heads and this may sound bad but we couldn’t think of deep, dark interesting stories on how we made these tracks or what they represent. These jams are simply a combination of previous and random happy accidents that have come together and saying anything else would be a lie. This however does not mean that the thinking behind them is completely random, the three cuts that we selected for this EP we feel are a journey of experimentation and a culmination of unexpected sounds and feelings. A word that we found best described the EP was ‘Irony’.

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Quantum Entanglement – Acid Thunder/Need You (VA056)

For the second instalment from Quantum Entanglement we delve into the misty past, a time when moving parts ruled the dance, when the power of the night rested on a needle and a bassline, and before CDJs calculated the bpm for you…you had to touch things, buy things, and the bassline ruled over all.

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Avatism – Adamant Remixes II (VA055)

Hey everyone,

It’s me again. I’m sipping coffee and staring at this Mac’s calendar, suddenly realising it’s already been more than 4 months since the release of “Adamant”. I think thank-yous are way overdue so I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge everyone involved in the project as these have been a really amazing four months.

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Avatism – Adamant Remixes I (VA052)

So here I am, happily an album older, introducing the first of Adamant’s remix packages.

Since the whole project was, generally-speaking, “a personal affair” and a lot of the album was not necessarily “club-ready” (does that even make sense?), we invited our friends on board to do the dirty deeds for me and rework my sounds into something normal people can dance to.

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Avatism – Adamant (VA054/VACD06)

For over 12 months Thomas Feriero AKA Avatism, our friend and label partner, has been staying at home and working on his album. He moved to Berlin to work on it and now sadly (for us) yet (gladly) for him he is moving back to Milan. Poof! Just Like that. So what did this year entail exactly?

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DeWalta – Thinkers EP (VA051)

Hello everybody,

It´s that time again: writing a release text for my own record.
As much as it´s fun to read a personal text, it´s a pain for me to write or say something about myself. Especially having to talk about my music or style always seems awkward. So one thing is for sure: i am not going to explain my “style”, tag my music it with some kind of genre or give an idea or explanation of my music at all! If you want to get an idea, listen to the tracks.

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V.A. – New Wave Of (VA050/newwaveof)

We are very happy to announce our golden jubilee: “New Wave Of”!

…of what? Of a bunch of young artists we signed over the last years and 49 former releases on Vakant. To honor their actuality, we’re releasing this compilation, which contains tracks from the last 12 EPs in addition to 4 brand new tunes.

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Sons of Tiki

Sons of Tiki is the all analog DJ duo from Europe’s city of diamonds and has been around in the scene for something like 10 years. In 2013 the Sons considered the world ready for Tiki and kickstarted their discography with Vakant’s 49th instalment ‘Seven Changes’, followed by their 2015 EP ‘Apologies For Being Lost’ and several outings on other imprints.

Sons of Tiki – Seven Changes (VA049)

For everything there is a first time: making your first track, releasing a first record, and writing a press-sheet for the first time. One a bit more exciting than the other 😉 As words are not so important, and only the music counts, we still wanted to give you a bit more insight into our tracks. So here we go:

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Avatism – Constants EP (VA045)

Unusually for a record (for me, at least), “Constants” collects tracks written in four very different moments in time: some are recent —  so recent I’ve only had the opportunity to play them out just a handful of times — while others are over one year old. I really wish the story behind this EP would be a bit more interesting so this text could completely blow your mind but I’m afraid there were no dragons, no sex, no drugs and definitely no rock’n’roll involved. All four were mostly produced by me while sipping coffee and wearing boxer shorts in front of a computer.

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Avatism

Thomas Feriero aka Avatism did not buy his first vinyl record when he was 10 years old, nor was he born out of the love of two underground jazz musicians. He had an extremely dull and standard childhood and can still barely play the drums. He has, however, released his moody, small room music on labels such as Dumb Unit, Mike Shannon’s Haunt and Tiefschwarz’s Souvenir, until he found a new home with Vakant. He is now focusing on his new project CW/A.

Jeremy & Walker – Bedouin EP (VA042)

“The Essence of ‚Bedouin’ came from a long studio jam. While jamming I told Walker of an experience I had after visiting my parents in Dubai. I returned home and played at Watergate until early morning, I felt overwhelmed from what I had seen in one day: the skyscrapers of Dubai, the stunning beauty of the desert, the return home.

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Anonym

In recent times it has been fashionable for European producers to try and recreate the classic sounds of Detroit. The true vibe and feel can surely only come from the City itself? As his name suggests, whilst we know very little about Anonym, we do know that he hails from the legendary Motor City, and the true essence of his home town can be heard and felt in his music. Classic sounds constructed with a modern touch. Gritty, raw and crying out for sweaty basements.

DeWalta – The Antiparallel EP (VA039/antiparallel01/antiparallel02)

This Ep was formed with a concept in mind that involves a natural phenomenon occurring in various/different fields of science and nature – Anti-parallelism.

As the word suggests, anti-parallelism describes the natural relationship between two occurrences, objects or even non-material things, that are virtually identical and yet oriented in different directions. During the time the music was made I was researching natural phenomenons like this one. Naturally, this became part of the nucleus, fabric and inspiration for this work.

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DeWalta

With a background like DeWalta’s, the stage was set long ago for this yougin to blast some serious holes in the fabric of music, time, and space. DeWalta a.k.a. David Koch budded from a large family in southern Germany filled with theater, literature, and music. Early schooling came in the form of the interdisciplinary Waldorf School (also home to electronic pioneers Abe Duque and John Selway) tasked with nothing less than helping young people fulfill their unique destinies.

Nico Purman

Born and raised in Rosario Argentina, Nico Purman has been roasting the proverbial marshmallows since he first started collecting records, before being completely corrupted by the fabled late 1980’s Chicago Acid House movement. Once debased, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, and The Cure quickly followed all leaving their influence on Nico.

With releases on Vakant, Crosstown Rebels, Mule Electronic, Curle, Modelisme and Art Of Memory his new project and label alongside the graphic artist Melina Pecharki.

In 2016 Nico returns to Vakant with his latest offering of future techno.

Tolga Fidan

Hailing from Paris via London via Istanbul, don’t call our multi instrumentalist French. Born and raised in Istanbul, studied in London, and relocated to Paris in 2005, Tolga Fidan considers himself Turkish above all else. At just 14, Tolga was playing bass and guitar in post rock bands. Always drawn to experimental music, he was taken with the sounds of Sonic Youth, Autechre, Pansonic, and Austrian experimentalists Fennesz. From this past, Tolga’s musical interest organically morphed into deep techno, he signed with Vakant, being one of the first artists of the label. Tolga is now also releasing on a number of outlets, some officially and some not.

Mathias Kaden

Whether it is Opening, Primetime or Aftershow, Mathias Kaden’s intuition for the crowd and location, proves each time again that he lives for his profession. His music is both, distinctly ambitious and refreshing. Following the House music of the 90s, he works thoroughly to create new sound structures. For a while, he has been using different types of percussion elements. The result is an enjoyable rhythm, which communicates with its audience in a very particular way. In a playful approach, he creates an incredible repertoire of feelings that reproduces within the crowd. Mathias’ various sets include the following sound features: funky, freaky, dashing, dub, slamming, enriched by African and South American percussions.

Tolga Fidan – We’re Strangers Now (VA037)

I just woke up and it’s pretty cold outside. I haven’t opened the window yet, but I somehow know it and I’m listening to these six tracks again and try to make an approximation of why and how I have done this EP. They are pretty different from each other but tell the same story or at least are part of the same one as a matter of fact.

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Livio & Roby – Moduri EP (VA035)

To kick off 2011 Vakant presents Romanian rising stars Livio & Roby, the first new artists to join the label since 2008. After cutting their teeth on some of the biggest labels and world stages, Livio & Roby impart their excellent deep funk laden grooves on their first record for the perfectionist House of Vakant.

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Mathias Kaden – Studio 10 Remixes #3 (VR08)

The third and final remix package for Mathias Kaden’s masterpiece album ‘Studio 10’ comes along with two reworks of Mathias’ Vakant label mates Onur Özer and DeWalta.

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V.A. – Family Values EP (VA034)

After the digital release of the 8-track ‚Family Values’ compilation late summer this year, Vakant is ready to follow up with a ‘Family Values EP’ on vinyl this autumn. 4 selected tracks have made it onto the black gold, even we`re loving each tune like a mother loves her umh.. eight children.

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V.A. – Family Values (VA034)

  1. va034_cover Nico Purman – Xpress Yourself
  2. Tolga Fidan – Linnz
  3. Alex Smoke – I73-Night
  4. DeWalta – Stringer Bell
  5. Robag Wruhme – Kuttenrolch 1996
  6. Anthony Collins – Boys S.times Cry
  7. Mathias Kaden – Circle Pit 2010
  8. Dario Zenker – Apollo 910

Tis the season for grilling, afternoon beers in the park, and the family reunion. What better way to spend a Sunday then getting into a fight with your drunk uncle over hot dogs and questionable shorts socked footwear combinations?

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Mathias Kaden – Studio 10 Remixes #1 (VR06)

Late in 2009 Mathias Kaden’s debut album ‘Studio 10’ was released and a flood of attention ensued. The readers from Groove, Germany’s most important music magazine, voted ‘Studio 10’ the top album of the year. Correspondingly it also received a flood of positive feedback from the scene’s most important DJs. Overall no small feat in todays crowded market.

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DeWalta – Nightshade EP (VA031)

Our jazzy multi instrumentalist, Dewalta a.k.a. David Koch, returns to Vakant with another popping fresh release, as earnestly house as house can get. Since his first Vakant release in 2008 (VA021 Salgaro/Farina) David’s music has taken him around the world in black largely covering our Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres.

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Mathias Kaden – Studio 10 (VA030/VACD04)

The Thunder from Thuringia, Genosse from Gera, Mr. Minimal Samba, the man that goes by many names is here to present to us his very first LP on none other than his solo action Vakant home. About 2 years in the making, Studio 10 takes Mathias Kaden’s life-long work as DJ and producer, world wide tours, twenty something years of listening and thinking, machines and people, wraps a bow around it all, and delivers it with roses dipped in chocolate. Always taking his time with production, Mathias’ focus on quality over quantity continues to pay dividends no matter the state of the economy.

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Onur Özer – Kaşmir Remixes #2 (VR05)

The mind melt keeps melting. Pretty soon we will just be puddles of freaky essential oils, reduced down to our effervescent essence, like jasmine, or dry Kool-Aid. Of course we are talking about Onur Özer’s album Kaşmir, the gift that keeps on giving.

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Robag Wruhme – Abusus Adde (VA028)

  1. va028 Hodgkin Mopp
  2. Ruptur Oing
  3. Fufo2

Hello! Oing oing! Nuff nuff! In information like these always in it that is the record of the insanity and since longer becomes then always most announced dj´s down specified those part loves, as good judges or the record stands before the gebimmsle to have held itself because sooooo geil.

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Tolga Fidan & Anthony Collins – Violente/La Cadence (VA026)

Vakant youngblood experimentalist Tolga Fidan has teamed up with fellow Parisian melting pot resident Anthony Collins to bring us a double A-side EP of corpulent proportions. Despite different backgrounds, ethnicities, and migratory patterns, the two seem perfectly synched up. Coming out of the sessions the two had while Tolga co-produced Anthony’s upcoming album on Freak n’ Chic, this EP snuggles with both live musician’s and studio nerd’s girlfriends; all parts were played andor synthesized live.

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Nico Purman – Euphrasia EP (VA025)

Who said techno isn’t seasonal? Summer’s ebullience must invariably lead to winter’s depravity. Short days, collapsing economies, and assorted mavericks have set the mood for the return of Argentinean Nico Purman, our winter cycle heavy hitter, with his second EP on Vakant since last January’s Tuesday EP (VA 017).

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Mathias Kaden – Moron/Shetani (VA023)

It seems like just yesterday. We were all fresh faced, eager, and earnest. It was 2004 and Vakant was on the offensive. First it was Smoke, then Robag, next came Mathias. A roster was developed, a platform born. Since then, so much has happened, so many a strobe light twinkled, and so many people we’ve freaked out globally.

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Dinky – May Be Later (VA024/VACD03)

Since infiltrating the formerly all boys Vakant team this summer with her ‘Move In’ EP (VA020), Dinky has brought with her a welcome infusion of freshness and bloom to the otherwise dank locker room. Now, all nice settled, comes her third album via her new Vakant home. ‘May Be Later’, like the artist, is the prototypical combination of beauty and brawn.

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Onur Özer – Kaşmir Remixes (VR04)

  1. vr04 Onur Özer – Eclipse (Loco Dice Remix)
  2. Onur Özer – Sahara (Jens Zimmermann Remix)

Hot off the heels of Onur Özer’s most excellent mind melt album Kaşmir, released October of 2007, comes the reinterpretations on Vakant’s VR division. Wonderfully thought out, VR handles remixes exclusively leaving Vakant itself pure to its artists. This constellation leaves everyone free to the corruption of their fancy, allowing the artists to choose their own remixers.

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DeWalta – Salgaro/Farina (VA021)

Like a proper immigrant family enjoying the life of culturally greener pastures, the Vakant family continues to grow in Berlin. Closely following the exponential trend of mergers and acquisitions in the Multi National Corpo Borg, Vakant Heavy Industries signs the third in a series of new talent to the team. Berlin’s DeWalta a.k.a. David Koch, long time friend of Vakant, has completed assimilation into the freaky fold.

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Dario Zenker – Sam Und Er/Womde! (VA019)

Freshness blossoms from the Vakant spring garden. Yes the around the world big deep freak out bus comes back with a new artist driving us back to the Fatherland. Munich’s Dario Zenker joins Vakant after sprinkling his magic chuga chuga dust on some of the world’s gourmet minimal labels. Dario’s thick kink finds a natural home here in aforementioned bus bumping and bouncing all the kids wherever they need to go. A public service really. Can we get tax subsidies for this?

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Tolga Fidan – All Pleasure Is Relief EP (VA018)

Indubitably talented Tolga Fidan returns for his 3rd EP on Berlin’s fulcrum of funkified tomfoolery, Vakant Heavy Industries. Zee young Frenchman by way of first Istanbul and then London has again taken his varied past to transgress genre and fused flavors to birth a creation that would make even the Iron Chef shiver with inferiority.

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Onur Özer/Mathias Kaden – 2000 And One/Daniel Stefanik Remixes (VR03)

  1. vr03 Red Cabaret (2000 And One Remix)
  2. Synkope (Daniel Stefanik Remix)

Vakant, based in the shadowy hedonic capital of Berlin, once again calls out to its sunlight fearing brood to unite and rejoice in their salvation. The freaky dual podium of Vakant and remix-only Vakant R continues to deliver its message of solemn tomfoolery and whimsical gravity with its latest VR03.

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Onur Özer – Kaşmir (VA016/VACD02)

  1. va016 Eclipse
  2. Innervoice
  3. Terpsichorean Echoes
  4. Sahara
  5. Traumbone
  6. Astronomy Glance
  7. Seraglio
  8. Aida

The currents of influence that have shaped Istanbul for thousands of years continue to flow today in the only city in the world situated on two continents. At this crossroad the ´Queen of Cities´ has sat while Arabic, Persian, and European waves of influence surged and receded. In these tides Onur Özer was born and raised and in his coming LP ´Kaşmir´, they all come radiating through.

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Mathias Kaden – Myal EP (VA015)

Our man from Gera, with a smile that melts the hearts of Justin Timberlake fans the world over, returns with his 4th installment on Vakant. Team Vakant’s now infamous wild expeditions to the Sub-Saharan Dark Continent as well as to the International Space Station (ISS) have surely paid off yielding crazy mutated fruits of both dark guttural rhythms and mind bending expansive space resonances.

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Tolga Fidan – Venice/Tanbulistan (VA014)

Explainable only by a profuse amount of talent, Tolga Fidan blazed into the collective techno consciousness with his first EP “Now I’m Weak” delivering sophistication and unbelievable production quality from bedroom studio means. Now exactly one year after his debut, our young Parisian presents the double A side ´Venice/Tanbulistan´, his second release for Vakant and the rest of the universe.

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Alex Smoke – Hanged Man EP (VA013)

Freak Funk? Cracker Krunk? Mini Dank House? While we don’t know what to call it, we know it´s damn good. Innit? Ok ok, while filed under “minimal techno” for facilitation of mass consumption, don’t assume you know what to expect from this newest installment from young Scotsman Alex Smoke, the first on Vakant since December 2005 under his O.G. moniker. Since slapping the minimal scene on the proverbial arse a few years ago with releases on Vakant and Soma, Alex has wowed both techno nerds and high heel handbag femmes the world over with his formidable mix of throw-me-your-expensive-bra-but-only-if-its-sweaty techno.

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Onur Özer – Red Cabaret EP (VA012)

  1. va012 Red Cabaret (Overture)
  2. Orion
  3. Allegro Energico

There’s a saying in poker “If you can’t tell who the sucker at the table is then it’s probably you”. What does this have to do with this release, very little actually, but all eyes should be on Onur Özer as he’s doubling up.. and if you think he¹s playing the same hand as last time then your about to lose your pants..

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Alex Smoke/Tolga Fidan (VR02)

On the second release from its remix imprint VR, Berlin’s Vakant label comes with the goods, turning out what might be its most far-out release to date – and at the same time, its most punishingly effective. Going head to head, Glasgow’s Alex Smoke and Paris’ Tolga Fidan tackle each other’s tracks, twisting up knotty rhythms and gauzy electro-acoustic sounds into a battered syntax that expresses one thing: move. This is the real freaky-deeky, and the season’s dancefloors will never again be the same.

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Mathias Kaden & Onur Özer – Momentum (VACD01)

vacd01

It’s been a busy couple of years for Berlin’s Vakant label. Kicking off in October 2004 with Alex Smoke’s Simple Things EP, Vakant has gone to strength to strength, releasing a tightly curated set of records from new talents (Onur Özer, Tolga Fidan) and old hands (Robag Wruhme, Mathias Kaden) alike, as well as launching the remix sublabel Vakant R and the audiovisual division VX.

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Onur Özer/Mathias Kaden – Twilight/Pentaton Remixes (VR01)

  1. vr01 Onur Özer – Twilight (Mathias Kaden Remix)
  2. Mathias Kaden – Pentaton (Onur Özer Remix)

P. Diddy may have, ahem, “invented the remix,” but now Berlin’s Vakant label is turning the concept on its head – using the remix to (re)-invent the label itself. Vakant R is the newest addition to the imprint’s crowded house; alongside the parent label and audio-visual offshoot Vakant X, Vakant R rounds out the minimalist trinity with a stunning debut release featuring Mathias Kaden and Onur Özer going head-to-head in a no-holds-barred battle of the remixes.

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Quixote – Pap And Fickle EP (VA010)

Vakant returns with a new chapter of scuzzy techno from Alex Smoke under his new Quixote guise. Alex Smoke has had a phenomenal year so far with the release of his ´Paradolia´ album on Soma. For his vakant productions he has opted to record under the Quixote pseudynom as his output for the two labels has naturally developed in different directions. For vakant he has always explored the darker aspects of his sound and the Quixote productions will represent this.

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Tolga Fidan – Now I´m Weak EP (VA009)

Pop a Dramamine, slap a patch behind your ear, and grab ahold of the railing, because Tolga Fidan’s debut EP “Now I´m Weak” lurches like a dinghy on the high seas. (Might as well throw on a slicker, too, because you’re gonna get wet.) You haven’t heard a synth swell as seasick as the one on “Abstract Prologues” since Motiivi:Tuntematon’s sinking tanker of a track, “1939.” But as woozily as this 12″ rolls, it never loses its grip on the floor: all three tracks are solidly grounded in the blunt, toe-stubbing funk that’s become a trademark of Berlin’s Vakant label, home to mega-talents of minimal like Alex Smoke, Mathias Kaden, Onur Özer, and Robag Wruhme.

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Onur Özer – Twilight EP (VA008)

  1. va008 Twilight
  2. Gizeh
  3. Lotus

Onur Özer was rated one of Groove Magazine´s up and comers for 2005, now he returns with another stellar EP for Vakant. At only 25 years old the minimal assailant is back to claim another dance floor victim.  Already broken in on the dance floors of his residency at Indigo Music Hall in Istanbul the Twilight EP is sure to put you in your place. So sit down and pay attention!

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Mathias Kaden – Pentaton EP (VA007)

The young gun is back and is # 1 with a bullet. After his fabulous Circle Pit EP ; the much talked about newcomer Mathias Kaden is putting his money where his mouth is with this monster EP. The Pentaton EP is another twisted rumble through dark and bleepy terrain. This time Mathias steps up the swing and shuffles you furiously around the room like a drunk sailor on a sinking ship. Deep bleep to move the most hardened partyier. Check!

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Onur Özer – Envy EP (VA005)

  1. va005 Envy
  2. Superfunk
  3. Maze

Been a long time gone, Constantinople… Straight out of Turkey, Onur Özer is the 25 year old minimal invader with agility and skill to match. Take a look under the surface of this gentle resident of the Indigo Music Hall in Istanbul and what you get is one lean minimal tech machine. Already causing a storm on the vista with his Freakdisco EP on Freude Am Tanzen, Onur is now ready to conquer even more hearts and minds as part of infamous vakant brigade.

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Mathias Kaden – Circle Pit EP (VA004)

Quickly developing a name for tough groovy minimal with a glitch edge the Berlin based label vakant once again delivers some hot wax in our laps for the coming summer months. This time it’s Mathias Kaden, the 24 year old DJ, producer and resident of the excellent Muna club in eastern Germany in the pilot’s seat. Launching 3 refined micro bombs for our listening enjoyment the ´Circle Pit EP´ is well tuned and energetic with its own distinctive appeal.

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Alex Smoke – Ring.Click.Tink. EP (VA003)

Glasgow’s minimal madman Alex Smoke returns to vakant with five brand new blasts of schizoid techno. He is building a reputation as one of the most innovative electronic producers around and his recent ‘Incommunicado’ album on Soma has been regarded as an outstanding debut across the board. His productions on vakant are more deranged and demented than his Soma output, and his ‘Simple Things’ EP kicked off the label in fine style last year.

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Robag Wruhme – Stekkrüben EP (VA002)

  1. va002 Stekkrübe
  2. Waffelekkspander
  3. Gnomon Lukks

Gabor Schablitzki aka Robag Wruhme. What more can be said of this man responsible for lighting dance-floors and minds on fire for the better part of 2004. The Twisted, funky legend from Jena is back, and this time he´s delivering 3 tracks of cut up, hypnotic funk like never before. Purveyor of the goods is Berlin upstart label vakant who only a few months ago exploded onto the scene with a killer Alex Smoke EP : Simple Things..

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