This year Jacek Sienkiewicz seems unstoppable. Right after his massive single "Beacon" and most recent collaboration with Pier Bucci on his own label Recognition, it's time to renew the Frankfurt connection. It's six years already since "Téchnè", the first artist album on Cocoon ever, and Jacek's third album for Sven Väth's imprint is on the way - now we've got a roundup of both artists' experiments to date, and a teaser of things to come.
"All Yours" starts immediately, and after the very first kick it's absolutely clear that we are dealing with some serious modern techno business here. The track is rolling on the wheels of steel, like an almost impossible steampunk machinery, and by the time the strings move in one will recognize an instant classic. The complexity of shuffling beats, flowing hi hats and percussion sounds is simply breathtaking - but the track never loses its club appeal. Vibrant strings sound simply timeless, and suddenly strange and a bit disturbing metallic shrieks give way to a glockenspiel-led fairytale... One can imagine the imminent destruction this track can bring to a dancefloor, but listening to it at home could also be rewarding - complex, vital and soulful, this is just MUSIC of highest quality available today.
Flip the record for "Connections", somehow deepest excursion into the utmost unknown. Jacek's trademark bells, bongos and cymbals are still present, but the buzzing synths, solid bass stabs and a maelstrom of unidentified voices create somehow different experience. The tracks builds mercilessly, and when the halfway through the synth riff glides in there is no escape - muffled shouts give commands we do not understand, but feel obliged to follow. Once again the artist presents us with a touch of his magic.
"All Yours" is a splendid accomplishment and a refreshing break from anonymous, artificial and formulaic music of today. Jacek clearly is an individual, modestly paving his way through muddy puddles of today's electronic club music.
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