CD TWELVE is the latest installment in DJ Hells much lauded and highly anticipated annual selection and compiling of material from Gigolo artists, new and old. This year Hell has two themes, one is house music and the other is Vienna, both of which have contributed dramatically to the previous 18 months worth of output from both DJ Hell and International Deejay Gigolo Records. The most obvious evidence for this statement is the critically and commercially successful Teufelswerk album from Hell. Mostly produced in Vienna by Hell and Peter Kruder, Christian Prommer and Roberto Di Gioia, the album reflects Hells history and affinity with electronic music providing some of the most memorable House moments of last year and a lot of the labels output for the year to come. Peter Kruder was the first of the Vienna based collaborators to present his vision of house music in 2009 first with the EP Visions Ltd. which was later followed with the excellent Hard To Find, a homage to the classic Birmingham based mail-order record store. Next to join the fray was Christian Prommmer, who presented his remix of a collaboration with Ivano Coppola called Hot. This record is undoubtedly a classic house sound not just sonically but also in arrangement and production, taking a sample from Willie Ninjas Hot and building an infectious groove all around it. Christian and Hell soon identified an affinity with each others sound and chose to collaborate more on both co-productions and remixs. On CD Twelve you will find one of their first outings, which is Hells remix of Peaches. As yet only released on Twelve inch this monster remix is one of 17 exclusive tracks on CD Twelve.
With this kind of activity in Vienna word spread fast, and similar producers caught wind, approaching Hell to release on Gigolo. Makossa and Megablast presented a sublime 12 for Gigolo in 2009 and have returned for CD Twelve with Soy Como Soy feat. Cleydys Villalon. Three new talents and local boys Skwerl, Ken Haywakawa and Crazy Sonic surface on CD Twelve, presenting their debut releases for Gigolo with Liron, Trip To Amsterdam and One Way Ticket respectively. One of Hells close friends Diskokaine presents an unreleased Skatebård remix of Hall of Shame. It is this output specifically that Hell refers to when he speaks of the new sound of Austria and how it is being sculpted by Gigolo and how we want CD Twelve to serve as a benchmark.
It is with this in mind that we come to the other artists and tracks on this compilation. Chosen specifically to compliment this sound they are, at first glance, an interesting mix. But once you have listened to the album in its entirety it is easy to see the synergy that runs through it. Kick-starting the compilation is David Kenos cover of Chics Upside Down, which is a statement in itself. Known more for his Big-On-The-Blogs alter ego Riva Star, this cover is not only much more reserved in its sound, but it undoubtedly a potential house classic. Following immediately with a classic house sound we see DJ Linus Are You Ready already a firm favourite with the a cross section of DJs from Brodinski to Matthew Dear, Danny Howells to Laurent Garnier. Next up is the infamous, and until now impossible to get hold of, Soulwax re-edit of Walter Murphys A Fifth of Beethoven. For those in the know this has been a staple of many DJs across the world since its original form in the 70s, based around one of Viennas most important musical exports it is infectious and impossible to ignore. Play Loud. Next up we see a nasty dance floor affair called I Piss You, from long-time Gigolo collaborator Marascia. Then we move onto one of two tracks that Hell recently discovered whilst providing the music for the Michalsky fashion show. The brief was Blog music and Hell discovered Fagget Fairys Feed The Horse and Mintel Roses Better Days, both highlights from Januarys show. The former will be released on Gigolo later this year with a thumping remix from Hell and Christian Prommer. Familiar names and releases from Snuff Crew and Psychonauts follow kindly, previously released on Gigolo in the first half of 2010 to a fantastic response from DJs and press. New boy Axel Boman presents his vision Azteca (Bitch Dub), this debut Gigolo release is the first of more from a artist with support from DJ Koze, Magda and Seth Troxler, to name a few. Next we have Oliver Ton and Ronald Christoph, who present two great house records on CD Twelve, the Toni Lionni remix of Hasta el Fin and new track Joint Venture. Another new Gigolo artist, New York based threesome Vinyl Life spit and rap through their vision of the Goodlife, to a Kraftwerk sounding back drop - classic hip house style. Classic Gigolo artist UHU return with Faster Speedias as the final track for CD1.
The 2nd CD kicks off with Nick Colemans This City I Love, a firm favourite with DJs Luke Solomon, Sian, Larry Tee and Timo Mass, to name but a few. Next up with G Man Vs Kusserow New Vs Old, there is absolutely no debating the fact that this straight up house music, but as one half of LFO G Man has the credentials to argue it out with the best of us, but the music in this case does all the work for us. Next up we have Sei As My Montage which was released last year in Gigolo to a ubiquitous response with features in DJ magazine and firm support across both Radio and DJ. Classic Gigolo artist Herman Schwartz presents All Alone a track firmly inspired by Farley Funkin Keiths (Farley Keith Williams) 'I Need a Friend.'
On the 3rd CD we find two new material from Lenoir&Meiton, who previously released on Gigolo late 2008 and make a welcome return to pre-empty their forthcoming album. One of 2009s highlights was the release of the Kikumoto Allstars which one favor with everyone from Troy Pierce to DJ Mehdi who declared it the album of the year. The track House Music was the first single from the album and was featured heavily on BBC Radio 1 and Friz FM to name a couple of choice stations. Finally we come to the icing on the cake, or the cherry, Hard Tons Forever No More. Released in the first half of 2010 this brand new and extremely exciting artist for Gigolo Records immediately impressed the world of media with some great press from international music magazines like Mixmag to Gay Publications like Attitude.
CD Twelve is one of Gigolos most ambitious compilations to date not just in size, but because it is sculpted around a concept that started in Vienna whilst Hell worked on Teufelswerk. The premise being that this is the sound of Gigolo future, so in this sense CD Twelve is 3 years in the making, predated by the critically acclaimed release of his own album then charted by the last 12 months of Gigolo releases, and now redefined by the imminent release of this compilation.
