- For a label run by a man known by many as Papa Sven, it's fitting that going through Cocoon's annual "letter" compilations feels like flicking through old family photos. There are appearances from patriarchs like DJ Hell and Ricardo Villalobos, and artists who have grown with the help of the label's exposure, like Dominik Eulberg and Petar Dundov. And there are some, like Denis Rusnak, who now feel like the cousin you lost touch with.
Over time, Cocoon's letter series has become less about showcasing the big tracks at their Ibiza parties—that's what the Sound Of The Season and Cocoon In The Mix compilations are for—or giving a taste of the label's style. Some edtions, like F, were more minimal, while others like O were on a slightly housier tip, but it's well known that Cocoon's main export is techno and tech house bangers. These days, the comps are more about Väth's famous mates and new producers he's taken under his wing.
Josh Wink is squarely in the former camp, contributing "Buoyantly Grounded," a big-room tune whose dynamics build into something epic yet too safe to be truly exciting. Alex Smoke's "Porridge" is also pretty conventional compared to his recent Love Over Will album, though conventional for him is still a track so full of strange bends it's like chasing a mechanical eel around the dance floor. Redshape, meanwhile, continues his long-running purple patch with the sleek, powerful "The Choice."
The collection's best track comes from newcomer Atelier Francesco, who delivers on the promise of last year's "Akaino" with "All This Is For A Jump," ten awe-inspiring minutes of queasy synths and 4 AM sonics. It might overshadow everything else, but there are still other highlights. Jacob Korn offers "You Fill Me," which is straightforward and euphoric but still as good as his You & Me album and recent Uncanny Valley EPs. La Fleur is tough and trippy on "Chemicality," and Ilario Alicante finds a good combination of wired and wistful on "Rising Lines." It's safe to say nothing on P will reach the classic heights of something like Roman Flügel's "Geht's Noch," which first appeared on D in 2004. But if you pull this out again in 16 years, then—unlike those old photos—none of it should be too embarrassing to look back on.
Tracklist01. Mirko Loko - Artificiel
02. Wouter De Moor - Tesla Coil
03. Einzelkind & Robin Scholz pres. Rhythm Factory - N.2guts
04. Redshape - The Choice
05. La Fleur - Chemicality
06. Alex Smoke - Porridge
07. Alex Bau - The Whip
08. Dustin Zahn - Sun Breaker
09. Ilario Alicante - Rising Lines
10. Josh Wink - Buoyantly Grounded
11. Jacob Korn - You Fill Me
12. Atelier Francesco - All This Is For A Jump