2012 IT. VG+ DJ Copy. Ultrasonically cleaned, hairlines DNAP. Sol. Deep For it's 7th release, Life and Death presents a series of newcomers to the label (as well as a few familiar names) as it presents an evolved and updated version of the sound that has rightly had this young label on the lips of a diverse movement of devoted fans across the globe. Moody yet not morbid, futuristic but not foreign, modern but not without class, this collection of 6 tracks clearly points a direction for a label that has always prided itself on not following trends, even when the trends are ones it may have even helped create itself.. Moving over to the 2nd part of this double vinyl release, those music lovers who haven't been living in a cave for the last 2 years might have heard a few things about the artists behind "Big Sins". Tale of Us are the Italian duo (with American and Canadian roots) that have risen to meteoric heights over the last few years with releases and remixes that have helped define the Life and Death sound. Meanwhile Ryan Crosson, one of the visionaries behind the Visionquest label and DJ collective, has artfully mixed his Detroit past with his current European environment to develop his own signature sound -- one that gels quite well with his Italian counterparts for this unique slice of atmospheric techno. A driving bass that nimbly rests around a sparse but well laid out frame, it gives enough space for the mood to slowly sink into the listeners' bones without assaulting it so much that any of the subtle nuance is lost. Truly beautiful. Building from there Roland Appel and Christian Prommer, two producers who are consistently put on a pedestal by their contemporaries for their musical prowess, join together their big bags of tricks to create a total dancefloor killer that sounds like it was sent back in time to assassinate any preconceived notions of what the future of music should sound like. "Return of the Aquarius" is like a lightening bolt that strikes directly at us at as we ride across the precipice of this new modern age. As the precession of equinoxes marches forward, here is a grinding soundtrack for its bacchanalian devotees. A twisted soundtrack for a twisted time as one reality comes to a close and another begins a new. And from the flames of the burning of the old rises the hopeful ecstasy of the new. "Tausend" sounds like a loveletter from our future as we experience the joy of what we might one day become. Emotional and moving are good descriptions of both the music and its creator, Christian Löffler. A new shining star leading the forward charge of electronic music today, Löffler combines both acoustic materials and electronic elements to create stirring music that touches souls while moving bodies. A brilliant example of what dance music can be when it straddles that fine line between functional dancefloor necessity and pure artistic vision. A perfect fit for Life and Death and a fine coda for the stellar lineup of talent presented here. Artists Roland Appel // Christian Prommer // Tale Of Us // Ryan Crosson // Christian Loeffler