Boogy Bytes 4

Ellen Allien | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 15, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bpitch Control
• ASIN: B0013N3XEI
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,911 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars just as interesting to those who make this fare as well as those who sweat to it, April 22, 2008

By 

David M. Madden "nonnon/dj_webern" (salt lake, utah United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boogy Bytes 4 (Audio CD)

Be it Microhouse, Tech House, Dubstep, Glitch, Minimal or any other myriad of Techno, Berliners know electronica. While not all of the artists on this compilation are natives, the disc was, however, mixed by Bpitch owner, Mistress/High Priestess/Early Grandmother of Berlintech, Ellen Allien. So what's so special? Though these tracks contain a beat, familiar rhythmic couplings, synth stabs and the other basic elements of all dance music, there is a mysterious sheen, something just "off" that makes this gathering of sub-genres unique. For example, the bass drum isn't so up front and refuses to pummel, allowing a pleasant Sunday morning headphone mix if you so desire; dusty, swirling textures flicker in and out and make for something just as interesting to those who make this fare as well as those who sweat to it. Not your average party jam, Boogybytes might even undo the years Americans ruined electronica.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Back to some dark, ecclectic techno for Ellen., April 25, 2008

By 

Doctor Trance (MA, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boogy Bytes 4 (Audio CD)

Gone are the bubbly IDM tracks found on her artist album collaboration with Apparat, Orchestra of Bubbles, and the slick techno and tech house melodies used for her DJ turn on Fabric 34. This is sort of a return to her glitchy past, with some primal minimal techno. It's full of darker, stripped down beats, but that's not to say it isn't a solid ride. It's definitely got Ellen's quirky twist right from the get go, with the opening track sung in German, right through to some demented vocal tracks by Sascha Funke and Richard Seeley. Without the flooding of melodies used in her last mix, she's fully up for the task by still managing to create a catchy mix using bloops, broken beats, and vocal snippets.

In true BoogyBytes form, as Sascha Funke and Kiki did before her, she ends the mix with a leftfield vocal track that really has nothing at all to do with the mix we've just heard. It's a mix closer to volumes 1 and 2, but without the happy, perky melodies and vocal tracks found there. It's a fine return to form for this mix series, as I wasn't impressed with Boogybytes, Vol. 3, Modeselektor's first attempt at a CD mix. It really deviated from the series, and it's glad to see that it's now back on track with Ellen's Volume 4.

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 Stars - A excellent techno mix, July 23, 2008

By 

Steward Willons (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boogy Bytes 4 (Audio CD)

Before Ellen Allien's contribution to the Boogybytes series was released, I remember reading a review in Remix magazine that expressed disappointment that there were no tracks from Allien's forthcoming album, "Sool." As it turns out, Boogybytes Vol. 4 actually IS a pretty good indicator of what would soon follow on "Sool" - dark, minimal, atmospheric techno. That description could apply to the majority of her work both as a composer and a DJ, but this is different. The music has never been more understated, more cold, more distant. There's an air of mystery lurking just below the surface creating tension and suspense that carries through the mix.

As always, her track selection is excellent with a mix of artists, both familiar and new. Well, new to anyone that doesn't have access to a record store that stocks the most current German imports. The music flows nicely, although some tracks are stronger than others. Whenever you have such subtle music, there's always the risk of things becoming dull. Allien avoids this with skillful pacing and just enough high points to keep things intense, but not overpowering.

I haven't always been impressed with Allien's previous mixes. Technically, she mixes the BPitch Control Camping series, but those are more like promos for her record label and her job is to present the music of her artists, not necessarily what she wants to play for herself. Her "Other Side of Berlin" mix has some great tracks, but it doesn't have the uniformity of style, nor the dark atmosphere of Boogybytes Vol. 4. Her Fabric mix is comparably strong, but with more big name artists. I can't offer any good reason for recommending one over the other, but I prefer the Boogybytes mix to the Fabric mix. Really, you can't go wrong with either.