- Five years is a long time when it comes to electronic music. Back in 2008, minimal techno was just past its zenith, and towards the top of this pile was Loco Dice's Desolat, a trusted imprint that had earned its stripes through bona fide classics such as "Ribcage" and "Watamu Beach." Place those two alongside its more contemporary fare (Pirupa's "Party Non Stop" and DJ Sneak's "Necessary Evils" being the most marked examples), and it's clear that somewhere along the way, the label's modus operandi has shifted.
5 Years Desolat kicks off with ringmaster Loco Dice himself, with the whirling strands of "Lolo Popinho" signalling a frantic start. Shlomi Aber's "Mancha" is similarly relentless, but his effort fails to capitalise on the record's early promise. Yaya's "Our Connection" engages the listener once again. Horatio's "How Much 909 Can U Take" is, predictably, a less tame affair: the Romanian producer answers his own question with an unremitting barrage of acid that just barely lies on the right side of acceptable.
Solid if unremarkable efforts from label mainstays tINI and Hector play their part later on, but it's Alexkid and Lucero En Vino who provide the collection's standout moments. The former does so with "Enty," a warm, intricate number that'll slide neatly into his acclaimed live set. But it's the latter's "La France," complete with latin flair and jungle-esque percussion, that provides the cherry on top. Dice rounds off the package with a mix that incorporates all the aforementioned tracks and a slew of others from regular cohorts like Guti, Benny Rodigues and Premiesku.
Tracklist01. Loco Dice – Lolopopinho
02. Shlomi Aber – Mancha
03. Yaya – Our Connection
04. Horatio – How Much 909 Can You Take?
05. tINI – Room 305
06. Hector – Amorphous Mass
07. Lucero en Vivo – La France
08. Alexkid – Enty