the spaces left between the beats
Dario Zenker
VA041 Dario Zenker – The Move Clean EP ∞
After a couple of excursions on his own and other imprints, Sir Dario Zenker is back on Vakant with the label’s first release for 2012. 5 tracks that almost make a mini album but with pretty much individual tunes, with a touch of the more dark and sinister side of Vakant, the label is known for since the early days.
Starting with ‘Where Are You’, a haunting yet hoping track that once again takes Dario as close to Detroit as one can get while living in the capital of Bavaria.
Next one is ‘Hype’, less elusive than the opener, with a heavy drum pattern that demands a strong sound system to flower out completely.
‘Steppin To’ carries a bass line as thick and heavy as it can be and might be the most moody track of this package.
Two more, ‘Works’ and ‘Tassel’, but we leave it up to you to discover, as writing about music we think is very limited due to its nature.
VA Podcast 12.3 – Sziget Festival 2011 – Dario Zenker Live Set ∞
Dario Zenker live set at Sziget Festival 2011, Budapest, Hungary.
Vakant Showcase at Meduza Stage on August 12th.
Dario Zenker ∞
booking: Harry Klein
Just in time, the ‘Free State’ of Bavaria has produced a new son to relight its techno torch. Munich born and raised Dario Zenker is writing his own chapter in the long story of electronic music from Germany’s dirty south. It all started with listening to Michael Jackson as a kid, then Dario moved on to underground hip hop to rile the neighbors. Several visits from the not-so-friendly neighborhood police later, Dario’s father, a pro audio engineer, introduced the wunderkind to music programming and imparted the tools which later consumed him. At 15 Dario started to DJ, and not too long after he received his club education from the Green Room at the legendary Ultraschall.
In 2005 at the ripe old age of 21, Dario landed his residency at Harry Klein which he still maintains today. 2006 saw his debut vinyl release and in the space following Dario managed to sprinkle his magic chuga chuga dust on some of the world’s finest minimal techno labels.
Whether DJ-ing or playing live, in just a few years Dario has built up a reputation for freaky experimental sets which never seem to stay in the same place for too long. Constantly innovating Dario has never been content walking a straight line with the crowd. To attempt to put it into words: bomb, duck, cover, swerve, bomb, swerve, bomb bomb.
In 2008 ‘the’ youngin became ‘our’ youngin joining the hallowed ranks of the Vakant crew with Dario’s split personality ‘Sam Und Er/Womde!’ EP (VA019). Dario’s thick kink finds a natural home here on the Vakant deep freak out bus bumping and bouncing the club kids wherever they need to go.
VA Podcast 04 – Dario Zenker’s Forever Mix ∞
Vakant podcast edition number 04.
Dario Zenker provides a blend between dub and acid in bavarian manner – A summer mix which always keeps one foot in the darkness. Enjoy!
Listen and subscribe to the podcast here on vakant.net or visit our Soundcloud to get all Vakant podcasts!
VA034 Family Values ∞
Nico Purman – Xpress Yourself- Tolga Fidan – Linnz
- Alex Smoke – I73-Night
- DeWalta – Stringer Bell
- Robag Wruhme – Kuttenrolch 1996
- Anthony Collins – Boys S.times Cry
- Mathias Kaden – Circle Pit 2010
- 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?
Tis also the season for Vakant the label, the mythos, the family to reunite and drop the blazing ‘Family Values’ compilation for your late summer revelry.
The unmixed compilation starts off with our distant Argentinean cousin Nico Purman. His ‘Xpress Yourself’ lands somewhere between Rick James and Francois K. Second is bro wonder Tolga Fidan who continues to impress with his ‘Linnz’ contribution. Not one to leave all the fun to the kids, Godfather Alex Smoke (VA001) gives his army of robots free rein and out the other end comes ‘I-73 Nightʼ, freaky yet reassuring like advanced techno should be. Rounding out the first half is our other prodigy DeWalta whose favorite pastime happens to be breaking subwoofers. His deep yet bouncing ʻStringer Bellʼ is sure to result in a run on replacement woofer cones.
The wise and the freaky family elder Robag Wruhme (VA002) bestows upon us ʻKuttenrolch 1996ʼ, a light and airy electro tinged piece produced solely on a Korg Trinity in 1996 while sounding just as fresh as if produced yesterday. Next up is visiting uncle by way of marriage Anthony Collins who imparts ʻBoys Sometimes Cryʼ showing his depth, musicality, and maturity. Then everyoneʼs brother Mathias Kaden presents us with a 2010 edit of his own first ever solo release, ʻCircle Pitʼ (VA004) which is as sick as the original was in 2005. Finally comes our Bavarian son Dario Zenker who puts a big red ribbon on the ʻFamily Valuesʼ package with perhaps his slickest, sexiest, and expansive track to date with ʻApollo 910ʼ.
So enjoy the Vakant familyʼs tech house fruits, partake in its freaky family love, but please try not to get burned.
VALT3 Dario Zenker – Belfort ∞
Vakant continues its VALT series with the third installment of uncompromising club tracks. Started in 2008 with Onur Özer and followed up by Tolga Fidan in 2009, Dario Zenker brings up VALT3 in 2010.
Vakant’s representation in the decent south of Germany locates ‘Belfort’ as close to Detroit as it’s indefinite in time. Was it written by little Dario in the 90’s? Or maybe on a US tour in Detroit itself with some helping hands? We don’t know, but surely have a timeless piece of music here.
VA029: Patuá – Macaista/Chapado ∞
Hailing from the southeast Asian jungle, globalization, diaspora, and the unchecked native baboon explosion have all seriously endangered Patuá, so we are afraid that poor Patuá has very few brothers and sisters left in this world.
Lucky for you, as the Vakant freak out bus has transversed the planet so many times now, we have indeed found (gasp) Patuá and present Patuá here for your delight and revelry. All it took to lure Patuá onto the bus was some animal crackers and a 1989 Game Boy. Truly momentous, yes we feel like Noah.
Once onboard we immediately put Patuá to work and this double A-side is the result. Apparently house is big everywhere. Smooth and warm, A-side ‘Macaista’ reaches out to the remaining Patuá of this world and says, I am here, do not fret.
If Patuá reaches out with ‘Macaista’, AA-side ‘Chapado’ is the reach around. Much like his newfound masters, Patuá is quite cheeky. Thick and spacey ‘Chapado’ is the Patuá mating call to all the remaining tribe members earthbound and beyond.
VA027: Dario Zenker – Would Be Nice EP ∞
Munich man Dario Zenker is back again for his second Vakant EP following 2008’s ‘Sam Und Er/Womde!’ (VA019). Still fresh faced and just as hungry, Dario continues to bring the Bavarian goods to our freaky masses.
A side ‘Would Be Nice’ makes more twists and turns than a sausage factory while consistently pumping out the mystery meat thick and juicy. If you want freak, thump, space, expanse, its all here.
B1 ‘Blue Champa’ is perhaps more on the vegetarian tip: light, nutritious, guilt free and always leaving you a little hungry. Fun and bouncy, ‘Blue Champa’ easily proves that you don’t need to eat meat to get phat.
At B2 position you will find ‘While Rain Gets Air’. We have no idea what Dario means here but if you were asking yourself “where’s that track on this Vakant record that wont let close my eyes at night cause I heard this track at 7am and I’m still a little freaked out,” this is it. Listeners beware.
VA019: Dario zenker – Sam Und Er/Womde! ∞
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?
A side ‘Sam und Er’ goes on that first forest camp trip, giddy and exciting. It’s all about the ride to the spot: happy expectations and the psych-up. Scattered claps and fun synths combine to make something uplifting with friendly mystery. Definitely forest rave.
B side ‘Womde!’ is 3 days later. You are still there and realize it’s not all hippies and sunshine anymore. Its getting dark and the trees are coming in on you. You don’t remember where u parked. Or if u drove. In other words, Dario drops the deep freak on dis here.
