Oliver Huntemann - Play! 01

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  • Bremen technoist Oliver Huntemann has been DJing and producing for over ten years, building up a reputation as one of Germany’s most reliable electronic acts. ‘Play!’ marks his latest venture, a new mix CD series released on his own Confused Recordings label, and Huntemann himself has taken the honours of mixing the first volume (his first mix CD in seven years). True to form, he’s put together a consistent and highly enjoyable listen, delivered in his straight, no-nonsense style. ‘Play! 01’ was recorded live at D-Edge, Sao Paulo towards the end of September 2006. D-Edge is apparently Sao Paolo’s most renowned venue for premier electronic music, and ‘Play! 01’ catches a hint of what the club might be like. For his mix, Huntemann makes a well-chosen selection of stripped-down tracks that range in style from minimal to electro-disco, yet balanced throughout are build-ups and pace to give the crowd breathing time when needed. In other words, it is an intelligent set, and one begins to envision the D-Edge crowd as music-savvy. There is crowd noise interspersed throughout the mix (don’t worry, not in that annoying way) and Huntemann throws in some flangers and live effects once things turn more electro-y in the second half of the set. The subtext reads of enthusiasm and hedonism, and when Huntemann says of D-Edge that “its Brazilian spirit is incomparably euphoric,” it becomes believable as you listen. It wouldn’t be too wrong to call ‘Play! 01’ a marketers dream. For starters, the CD opens with a remix of Huntemann side-project H-Man’s ’51 Poland Street,’ a moody, vibrating and sensible cut that sets the tone for the next eighty minutes. Then there is the superb ‘Sao Paulo,’ shadowy and bass-heavy, which Huntemann produced exclusively for the CD as a dedication to D-Edge (it will also be released on the ‘Play! 01’ vinyl). Besides the zillion placement points just named, there’s also space for unreleased tracks by Xenia Beliayeva and Huntemann studio partner Stephan Bodzin, who seems to be releasing quality records by the minute these days. Rarer tracks by well-known artists such as John Dahlback, aka Huggotron, and Gui Boratto help fill out the CDs symmetric tone. The ‘Play!’ series would appear to have a bright future if ‘Play! 01’ is to be taken as indication of what will follow. Huntemann should be congratulated for creating a mix that matches skill with craft, while capturing the mood of a time and place. And for only using two tracks that contain vocals. An excellent live CD experience worth many listens.
  • Tracklist
      01 H-Man - 51 Poland Street (Extrawelt Extra Remix) 02 Shokh & Star - Lirum 03 Pelle Buys - Sad Feelings 04 Jurgens - Love It 05 White Trash - Auf dem Dach 06 Xenia Beliayeva - Hellraiser 07 Petter - Some Polyphony 08 Gui Boratto - Division 09 Huggotron - Superkiller 10 Jan Driver - L 11 Oliver Huntemann - Sao Paulo 12 Sebastien Leger - Little Bug 13. Stephan Bodzin - Luka Leon 14. The Knife - Like a Pen 15. Oscar - Rakete 16. Rekorder - Rekorder 8.1
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