Vienna's Klein Records, on the whole, tend to channel their energies into the more down tempo side of music, occupying an increasingly popular area of dance music.
After over half a decade in service, they have released some twenty seven twelves and a handful of albums. This particular compilation features fifteen of their more recent singles including eight previously unreleased tracks.
Quoting influences such as labels Creation and Warp, and bands such as The Fall and Public Enemy, Klein's Christian Candid, the labels founder, has kept his feelers out ready to grab music on a leftfield experimental tip. And, in some instances, he clearly hits the target - with a bulls eye. But in other instances, his very nearly misses completely.
Like every label, Klein have their high profile (by underground standards) artists, such as first signings the Sofa Surfers or MUM and UKO. But oddly enough it is two of these artists who open the album and get it off to a bad start with a wishy washy, non eventful blend of pap pop and mundanity.
Fortunately, however, things, as the say, can only get better - and they do. The Sofa's Surfers' bring some depth back to the album with the atmospheric soul vocal of 'River Blues'. Likewise Albin Janoska shows that he can cut it with a piano-laced DJ Cam style excursion.
Other high points include the new version of Seelenluft's excellent Music For The Stars (a track which, in it's original version gained him the honour of "Worldwide-Winner" on Gilles Peterson's radio show), and Lichtenberg's extremely danceable Mexican salsa 'El Duke'.
Choose the right moments and you will be sincerely grateful.
