Loco Dice experiments in The Lab

Tunisian born, Dusseldorf raised, Loco Dice has firmly established himself as a major player in the electronic techno house field with an incredible reputation as both DJ and producer. Beginning his career as a hip-hop MC and Urban DJ, supporting the likes of Snoop Dog, Ice Cube and Jamiroquai all over Germany in the early 90s, Dice made the switch to more house orientated beats in the latter part of the decade, spinning at legendary German clubs such as La Rocca and Tribehouse.

Perhaps the style that has elevated Loco Dice to A list DJ status has been the minimal techno explosion over the last few years, but quite simply, Loco Dice plays house music, “deep, groovy, chunky, driving, 123 Music for the terrace” as he describes it. A residency at the now legendary DC10 in Ibiza and an association with fellow German DJ/producer, Timo Maas, propelled Loco Dice to the fore, with hot productions on labels such as 4:20. Ovum Recordings, Cocoon, M_nus and Cadenza Records. And let’s not forget his own label, Desolat, an imprint that has fired out a select bunch of records that all hit the spot.

And so to The Lab, a new series of DJ mix compilations launched by undisputed Kings Of House, NRK Music. Each mix in The Lab series will be a double CD of forward thinking electronic dance music, a platform for the selector to experiment with sound and rhythm, and create a 2 hour + mix that folk are gonna talk about! And Loco Dice does not disappoint; just shy of 30 tracks over two discs, with a mixture of all the styles that make up the Loco Dice sound. Disc One concentrates on the darker club moments, otherworldly and hypnotic grooves from the likes of Terrence Dixon, Kerri Chandler, Second Hand Satellites, Robert Dietz, and other leaders of the nu school sound….intelligent minimal dance but with a great groove and swing….. Disc Two ploughs a deeper house path, winding things down a little from Disc One’s upfront and urgent selection. Many familiar names make up this second mix; dance veterans such as Nick Holder, 95 North, Audio Soul Project, Tyree Cooper and Terry Lee Brown Jr mix it up with Franck Roger and Alix Alvarez beats, and contemporary deepness from Sascha Dive and Daso & Pawas. Mightily impressive stuff from Loco Dice, who is set to have a huge year in 2009, and a great start to NRK’s latest series, The Lab.

The Lab 01, compiled & mixed by loco Dice, will be released on March 16th on 2CD (Mixed), 2CD (Unmixed), two 12" vinyl samplers and a ful digital album release.