Close to summer, the international Spaceport Ibiza opens its doors and together with his crew, Commander V嵨 is raring to go ready for the Disco Invasion at Amnesia. However, before the Amnesia raid takes place, Commander Sven is sending the first signal from planet Minimal Techno Funk with the Cocoon Summer Mix Cd and its Cosmic Electronic Grooves on two CDs, he is giving a foretaste of the attack of the Disco Invaders. On the first CD, Chris Tietjen opens his case and has compiled a fine and funky mix from tracks by newcomers such as Minilogue, Markus Fix or Robert Dietz, capturing the motto of this year's season in a perfect way: groovy, funky, housy. Being only 22, Chris has widened his fanbase over the last few years both nationwide and internationally, and has developed into a true ambassador who is perfectly reflecting the Cocoon vibe and transporting it to the planet's dancefloors. The second CD ties in with its predecessor and sprays a groovy and housy sound, matching the summer just like Cocoon matches Ibiza. With Reboot and Johnny D, two young DJs from the Rhein Main area are coming to the fore, using mainly unreleased own tracks in their mix, and thus putting their trademark on the mix. Both Frank Heinrich (Reboot) as well as Johnny Debese are new to the Cocoon Ibiza crew, and have, over the last 18 months, attracted attention with numerous productions. Whereas Johnny has made his debut on Oslo Rec., Frank caused a furore with his release on Cadenza. And due to the fact that both of them are madly working on new productions and projects, we can look forward to a lot of hot stuff. So, if you can't wait for the attack of the Disco Invaders and already want to get in the mood at home here is the perfect mix for you! Welcome to the Cocoon Summer 2008!

X-Press 2 first burst onto the international club scene in 1993 with the demented sirens, typewriter-noise percussion and dance floor pyrotechnics of Muzik Express. The three DJs, Ashley Beedle, Rocky and Diesel all from unfashionable suburbs of London, had each played leading roles in the capitals cooler, more influential club scenes. Their first studio session left them cold theyd intended to sample an old Cloud One track but that typewriter percussion noise was all that survived. Everyone else disagreed. Muzik X-Press was an instant worldwide club hit. DJs as influential as Pete Tong and New Yorks Junior Vasquez then in his Sound Factory prime loved it. Clubbers around the world declared it an instant anthem. Its follow up, the juddering, funky London X-Press with its exhortation to "raise your hands!" was just as monstrously successful, it was the daft dancefloor smash, Say What, that came next. When their records began to get, as Ashley puts it, "more oblique", the three were content to put X-Press 2 aside and move onto other projects, and the three moved effortlessly into jazzier, funkier, more downbeat arenas with their internationally respected Ballistic Brothers team-up. In April of 2000 X-Press 2 found themselves back together on the road and in the studio. In 2001 they released the mighty AC/DC. The boys were back in town. Into 2002 the singles Muzikizum and Lazy (more on that later) followed before the lads dropped their debut album also titled Muzikizum, the album was critically acclaimed and charted at number 15 in the national charts. A massive success. Lazy was a track that perfectly summed up the mood of the nation. Released in April 2002 and charting at number 2 in the national. It became the biggest airplay track of the year and won them the coverted Ivor Nevello award ."I had contacted Beedle and co some five years ago after hearing Ballistic Brothers, which I loved," says Byrne, who offered them a slot on his European tour, thinking they were a live band. Hes glad the collaboration finally happened. "I loved the contradiction of a pumping dance track that is called Lazy". With their dazzling six deck DJ performances that used effects-ridden mic performances from Ashley, CD-players and basic samplers to send crowds wild. "We like a bit of a challenge and it certainly creates something of a potent atmosphere", says Rocky. "Its like a jam, really, its not rehearsed, were inspired continually by the shenanigans on the dancefloor". Whoevers playing the tune coming out the speakers, the other two can cut in effects, beats, acappellas. It becomes like a wall of sound." (official Myspace bio)

His debut release was courtesy of UK label Black Vinyl (2002), the inspirational ‘Never Felt So Fly’ captured many peoples hearts, bringing together the warming soulful tones of fellow Swede Melo, with the sweet musicianship & guile that Rasmus is so well known for to incorporate into his sound.
After two original releases on US label Sub-Urban and remixes for, among others, E-Smoove and Kenny Bobien, people were starting to show this young swede some serious attention. He was hunted down by Defected chief Simon Dunmore to remix a forthcoming Dubtribe Sound System release.

Simon was so pleased with the work Rasmus delivered he quickly snapped up this unquestionable talent offering a management & label deal - Farplane Records was born. Soon after he got to rework Junior Jack’s monster hit ‘E-Samba’. Recording new vocals & completely reinventing the original, Rasmus´ remix went on to be played throughout the summer by the likes of Morillo, Tappert, Sanchez & Morales.

Released in 2003, ‘Ever After’ was Farplane Records' debut release, and went on to become a major hit and a timeless classic. This took Rasmus Faber's career to a new level, and after a faultless line of equally successful releases (such as 'Divided/United' and the Axwell remixed ‘Get Over Here’), his name was fully established as a major player, his production trademark being combining dancefloor friendliness and flawless musical quality.

Recent years Rasmus have been as busy as ever, flying around the world performing doing live shows, and DJ-ing in his own unique style, playing the piano over his DJ sets. He has had global sucess with his music, in Japan even crossing over heavily into the commercial public, with chart topping albums and singles releases. New musical adventures are in sight, both exploring the musical fields completely outside of the dance scene, as well as going deeper into the more big room sounds of house, releasing harder and more electronic tracks and remixes under the RaFa moniker.

Rico Tubbs - The finish lion of everything funk is here and he aint going anywhere till you bow at his overly skin tight jeans and kiss his ethically sound sneakers. and this is exactly what you will be doing when you hear his brand new album on Menu Music. Featuring the club monster Gangsters, this full length player is packed to the brim with full on monster mashouts.
Menu could not keep it down any longer and with unprecedented early support from Tayo, Krafty Kuts, Crookers, Stanton Warriors, Switch & Sinden you know this is going to be special. Ricos sound has developed over time with all his releases on Menu, and various other releases & remixs on other labels. But we think that hes hit the nail firmly on the head with this set. Bottom heavy UK garage influenced bass lines, hip hop samples, cracking snares, and Baltimore grooves. Rico pulls it all in to make a heady album for your feet. Not many modern breaks Producers can call on the amount of influences Rico has for his album. Simply put, this is his finest work to date and we are proud to bring it to you as Menus first ever full length album release. You wont be disappointed.

Rico Tubbs has been the broken beats pioneer in Finland since 1994. Co-founder of the first Finnish breakbeat label Pyssy and half of the chart topping hip hop/beats producer duo Skillsters. Skillsters is responsible for producing the first ever Finnish hip hop album (2000) and was also hired to produce and be a part of the live act of Finlands biggest dance music export Bomfunk Mc's on their 3rd album. Many Finnish hip hop acts have hired Ricos avantgarde scratching skills and his fierce breaks dj sets have been heard from Tampere (Where his eclectic breakbeat club "beatformers" is running 9th year!) to New Zealand. Voted for the best electronic music DJ in Finland 2006 and again 2007.

The French beatmaker Moar drop a special collab' with Raashan Ahmad (from Crown City Rockers, Oakland, USA), make a nice hip-hop jazz mellow version, and a bounce remix for all hip-hop heads ! In bonus track check this instrumental with Moar on MPC (beat) & Fender Rhodes and Moar's Father at the Saxo & Flute

Jyrgen Hall, member of the Groenland Orchester, releases on Staubgold his first solo cd using his alter ego GUNTER ADLER. Having a background in sound research und psycho-acoustics Hall appeared on the scene for the first time in the mid 90s, being a member of Hamburg's Stora Community and releasing music under the name Anubis. These "15 Electronic Pieces" prove of Hall's long experience in working with electronic music. Being both a piece of very diligent work and a labour of love, his vivid electro-pop miniatures tell of adventurous travels to far away countries. His best trump-card: simple and charming melodies.

Master funk musician Nick van Gelder, legendary drummer and architect of the original Jamiroquai sound returns to planet earth with his brand new band. Featuring the amazing vocal talents of Mazen (formerly Akwaaba People) and London’s finest “stella” horns – Jim Hunt, Dom Glover, and Nichol Thomson (Incognito, The Brand New Heavies, Omar). “Choose Music” is a collection of tight, infectious, soulful, jazzy grooves. No gimmicks, just real live dance music. How it should be! Get on up!

Lovers of electronic music have been raving about Minilogue for many years. In 2008 it is almost impossible to imagine club music without the two musicians from Malm欠Sweden. Nowadays, electronic producers tend to retreat into their special stylistic niche - Minilogue dare to draw the bigger picture. After releasing outstanding productions on such renowned labels as Traum, Crosstown Rebels and Wagon Repair, their opus magnum is to appear on Sven V嵨s Cocoon Recordings. There are few producers who match Cocoon's vision of an electronic sound both on the dancefloor and beyond the club so perfectly: "Animals" covers a wide spectrum of music, it reaches from peaktime techno to beatless deep ambient. The full range of Minilogue's vision of electronic music is developed on a double CD, while the vinyl version naturally focuses on the dance tracks. The immediacy of the club tracks sweeps everything away that is circumstantial and long-winded in contemporary dance music. The tracks incorporate the elegance and simplicity of classical early Nineties' techno, the economy and lightness of the minimal sound and the sweetness and charm of the recent developments. "Animals" is not a collection of single tracks but a journey that is supposed be listened to from beginning to end and is mixed in a seamless flow. Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson emerged from opposing backgrounds. In his youth Sebastian played a range of classical instruments, he even worked as a violin teacher in his teens. At 18 he discovered contemporary music and joined a band. Marcus used to be a fan of Front 242 and Kraftwerk, he was ravished by the repetitive beats of techno when the music exploded in the nineties. He started to organize parties of his own and became a well known DJ in southern Sweden. When Sebastian and Marcus met at a party, there was an immediate connection. With Sebastian's formal knowledge and Marcus experience with club music the two fitted together like a lock and its matching key. As Son Kite and Trimatic they became very successful in the trance scene, playing enthusiastically received live sets all over the world. With Minilogue they leave the boundaries of that genre - and actually of any genre. After having risen to the A-List of electronic producers, they still reside in the tiny city of Malm殠As boys from the countryside they enjoy the easy and humble life of a small town. At the same time Malm桨as always been very important for the underground dance music scene of Sweden. Since techno and house have exploded in this country, Stockholm tends to ride the hypes and trends, while Malm桩s fighting for the deeper and more minimal side of the music. That is why Sebastian and Marcus still feel strongly and passionate about Malm桡s their musical home. Minilogue have always been very interested in the visual aspect of their art, it is natural for them to create a visual image as well as an audible one. For many years they have thought of animals as the front for Minilogue. These animals do not actually exist as pets. They are mystic, imaginary creatures, merged together from different species. They function as symbols for Minilogue's approach to electronic music as a mix of different genres and styles. The production of the album was a notable effort: It took Marcus and Sebastian three years until they were entirely happy with every bit of "Animals". In order to create something timeless, they quit working on the tracks from time to time and returned with virgin ears. The result couldn't be more striking: The dance tracks remain powerful and humble, the ambient tracks are subtle and bold at the same time. Minilogue's music is emotional but not moody. While contemporary electronic producers tend to get lost in layers of sounds and reverb, "Animals" is spring-loaded and nimble. Tracks so humble, effective and elegant they stream unremittingly into the listeners ears. The music stretches out towards the horizon in a gesture of unmitigated desire: a desire for wideness, a desire for sound, a desire for the elementary beauty of techno.

With 15 years of DJing and production behind him and over 100 releases on his Freerange label, now seems an apt moment to release a collection of some of the best of Jimpsters remixes from the last four years. Jimpster, aka Jamie Odell, is one of the key figures pushing forward the deeper sound of house, proving that it needs to be neither fast nor brash to induce that uncontrollable sense of musical intoxication that makes your heart sing and your feet bounce. This remix album is a soundtrack of extraordinarily powerful and emotive house music that could make even the most cold-hearted villain crack a smile. Jimpsters skill as a remixer lies not necessarily in his ability to turn an average track into a good one, but rather to hunt down a track that already sounds pretty much perfect, and take it to another level. He sprinkles his magical space dust on a tune, and in doing so manages to create a slow-building and deeply satisfying euphoria that hits you right in the pit of your stomach and warms you up from the inside. Jimpsters last remix collection, released back in 2004, was a more downtempo affair, taking in laid back jazzy house and elegant broken beat. Skip forward four years and the Freerange boss is championing a more dancefloor-driven, late night vibe. This is the sound of an artist very much at home in his own musical skin, and with a confidence and perfectionism in his remixes that shines through in every track. Opening with the cosmic disco of Tam Coopers Galactica, Disk One builds up through the rousing pianos of Joris Voorns The Deep, the urgent strings of Kiko Navarros Siempre, and the beguiling US influenced grooves of Delano Smiths Message For The DJ, before the blissed-out, halcyon tones of Iz & Dizs Love Vibe kick in. Jimpsters haunting mix of Justin Martins The Sad Piano breaks your heart like your first girlfriend, before Akabus Im Not Afraid Of The Future picks you up, dusts you down, and gets you on your dancing feet again. Other artists getting the Jimpster treatment here include the excellent Motorcitysoul, Solomun, Kurd Maverick, Lo:Rise and Carlos Gibbs & Mike Acetate. Disk Two will keep the DJs happy, providing an almost identical track listing but in a useful unmixed format. For those uninitiated into the world of Jimpster, this remix collection should serve as an education in what house can and should be pure, emotional, and compelling music that makes you feel like youve not got a care in the world. For those who are already converted, the album is a selection of remixes some well loved, some perhaps still undiscovered - that will serve to remind you what a great British house talent we have on our hands.

Alongside Sven Väth'ss "Sound of the Season"-Series the letter compilations are Cocoon Recording's most anticipated product. They express Väth's view on the current state of club music. Months before the season starts, Sven Väth and Cocoon Recordings' Label Manager Pauli Steinbach meet up to discuss who are the producers who's music excites them most right now. The selected musicians are invited to contribute to the compilation. The result is released in a limited box of six coloured vinyls and as a CD. Each of the tracks unfolds on a side of its own, the artist is introduced with a short portrait. Connecting Cocoon's activities to the diverse club music scenes from all over the globe, the twelve tracks work as a multifaceted manifesto for Cocoon's activities of the upcoming summer. The H Compilation promises an exciting season: Each track sounds special and unique and yet all the artists share a collective acoustic vision. They develop a stirringly euphoric rave sound with a 'housy' subtlety. Each track is a different stage in a mutual journey through the artificial paradise of electronic sound. The spectrum of the featured artists covers esteemed musicians and upcoming artists from the likes of: Joris Voorn, Oliver Ho or Len Faki appear alongside Simon Baker, Mark August or Matt Star. The tracks are so individual that it is hard to tell which one will become a hit but for sure there will be a few. Cassy Britton's "A Plea for Me is as charming and sweet as a techno track can be. It is fascinating how Cassy manages to create a rich and suggestive mood with so few short looped elements. With its vocals, Joris Voorn's "Deep Side of the Moog picks up the vibe of Cassy's track. Voorn develops a rich atmospheric vibe, he manages to fuse a Detroit sensibility with an overwhelming euphoria. Oliver Ho's "Tempo relates to his Raudive-Releases and combines an ultra-rough yet super-funky house groove with besetting disturbing sounds. In their collaborative track, Roman Fl�l and Sven Väth develop a mind distorting synthesizer frenzy without giving away the least bit of their electronic coolness. Merging wide-ranging sounds into complex structures, Simon Baker creates a very special sexy tension in his "U. Len Faki's "Death By House combines the slow, meditative speed of a deep house track with the captivating energy of his highly influential techno productions. "Diablo by Oliver Huntemann and Dubfire is the kind of tracks that soak you in completely: its combination of efficiency and elegance make you feel like flying in a supersonic aircraft. In "Us And Them, Tolga Fidan displays his special talent of composing graceful melodies which are arranged in an acoustic labyrinth. Gui Borratto combines a linear cologne-styled groove with haunting ambient sounds. Efdemin's "Float has a vibrating staccato groove whose energetic centre can't be seized. The fine-grained sound textures remind of a cloudy sky. "3 Of A Kind by Mark August is a moody tech-house track which fixates certain emotional states in order to drive them into escalation. H's conclusion is the humorous and tribal-styled "I am Dreaming by Matt Star. Suggestive, but not escapist; immediate and straight, yet full of fantasy: The H compilation will be a devoted companion of summer 2008.

Long awaited it's finally time, the debut-album gets reality and Cecile releases her album in Europe! She is Jamaicas multi-talent, presenter on Pulse (Caribbean MTV equivalent), producer, artist, singer and the Bad Gyal!! - Guest features incl. Shaggy, Bounty Killer, Lord Kossity, Trina and upcoming artist Ziggi!!! Long awaited, several times announced as release (with various artworks!) and after a lot of publicity it's finally time! Cecile, Jamaica's Bad Gyal, releases her debut-album in Europe. This stunning album is chock full of killer riddims, Caribbean and European club hits, the icing on the cake being features by artists such as Shaggy, Bounty Killer, Lord Kossity, Trina and Ziggi. This Jamaican multi-talent, (presenter on Pulse, Caribbean MTV equivalent, producer and artist), displays her versatility on this album, and makes it clear how much crossover potential her work has, without losing any of its Caribbean authenticity. She's currently storming the charts in the Caribbean with Waiting (Track 10) and is showing critics that her creativity is far from exhausted, despite years of strife with the former management & Delicious Viny record company. There are the Dancehall Vibes, and also Roots Riddims & Lovers Tunes rubbing shoulders with Club Tunes! She's worked with a lot of top artists to date, including feature on Sean Paul's multi-platin album Dutty Rock (Can You Do The Work), Timbaland, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Elephant Man and many more. This is her time: Bad Gyal Power! For Bad Gyal Cecile has assembled top notch Jamaican musicians and producers & riddim writers: Sly & Robbie, Lenky, South Rakkas, Steely & Cleevie, Scatta, a.o., resulting in a 18 track full-length album with over 70 minutes playtime with an incredible crossover potential.

The Body Snatchers - A super-tight production supergroup featuring the sickeningly skilled Baobinga and the equally gifted 30Hz. (DJ Mag)

Like a street rat with a heart of gold, this is rough, rugged but full of blinged out beauty. Essential 5/5 (IDJ Mag)

Following two massive singles that have ruptured the splean of club land Big Ass Miniskirt and Freaky Ho b/w Twist Up and with a third vocal-led monster about to drop Call Me featuring Lil Jons latest signing the super hype Sporty-O alongside sublime UK vocalist Yolanda (Bugz In The Attic/Massive Attack) this will be the last in a 12 trilogy before the release of the debut artist album Feeling Good, Looking Nice, Smelling Right, an album that is set to flip the script on UK Urban sounds infused with serious electronic sensibilities. Other vocalists on the album include rappers Goldmouf (Atlanta), and Mr Smith (Tampa) plus UK MCs Sirplus (Bristol) and Frilla (Bristol)

Featuring a whole host of MCs, mixed up with skits a club-based album this aint. Think Urban style music with the production standards of two geniuses, two mad professors whove been locked in the studio formulating a super hype hybrid sound.

When you've finally extracted your head from the speakers and taken the LP off repeat, two days will have passed and you'll be rabid for more thumping 'Snatchers beats. (Skinny Mag, Scotland.)

18-track mix feat. exclusive "vinyl only" re-rubs from the Sonorama Catalogue incl.unreleased tracks & edits. 60s & 70s jazz & funk roots by Memphis Black, Mombasa, Joe Haider, Elsie Bianchi Trio and many more refixed by Dr Rubberfunk, Matt Flores, Georges Deligny, Ben Human, Chadeo, Rob Smith, Malente, Eva Be, Curv and others)

The new collection of Sonar Kollektiv entitled elektrish is entirely dedicated to fresh and innovative electronic music. It is the new platform used by JAZZANOVA to release the work of artists that push things forward and bring a breath of creativity in that field.

Talk To Your Angel (SK188CD/elektrish) includes Roland Appel's masterpiece Dark Soldier and his other great numbers such as Changes, Unforgiven, Inner Soul and New Love.
New tracks like Secret, Angel and Lost Valley also cross that invisible barrier between a house track and real song through elegant strings orchestrations, intense harmonies and tight drum parts in a very nice Chicago-Detroit style. With Talk To Your Angel (SK188CD/elektrish) you can be certain that ROLAND APPEL has been blessed by the Gods of music.