This September Oliver Koletzki’s label Stil vor Talent will turn three years old. A lot has happened since DJ and producer Oliver Koletzki started the label in September 2005: Stil vor Talent can look back on 23 EPs, both underground techno tracks and popular hits, the discovery of great newcomer artists, one artist album and many, many parties. Now, as a birthday present to all of Stil vor Talent’s listeners and followers, this double-CD takes on the task of showcasing past, present and future of the label that is Stil vor Talent.

The two most prolific names on the label – that have released quite a number of EPs themselves – are Oliver Koletzki and Florian Meindl. The two DJs and producers have become very good friends over the years. Actually, it was Oliver Koletzki who discovered Florian’s talent in 2005 and since then, they have been working together on various projects. So who else would be more appropriate than Florian Meindl and the label boss himself to present a DJ mix for Stil vor Talent.

Oliver Koletzki takes over the part of showcasing the present and future of Stil vor Talent. WHAT WE DO is a compilation of 16 tracks that have been licensed exclusively for this mix. In his encapsulating DJ style Oliver Koletzki immerses the listener into the world of Stil vor Talent. It all starts out with Johnjon’s wonderfully musical Simple Days. Not only does Oliver Koletzki include new material of the artists on the label, he also puts in some new fresh names for good measure. One of them is Animaltrainer – residents at Zurich’s Hive Club – who have produced Real Ghetto Tray, a real ear-catching club tune. Also new is David Keno with Adore, Norman Weber with Apos Pianopumpe or Mickey Monzza & Joseph Disco with their stabby techno pusher Lonely. But the well-known Stil vor Talent artists have also shied neither time nor effort to produce fresh new material: Be it Channel X’s deep minimal track Sleeping Dogs or Kai Kurve’s piano-electronica piece Peppermint Patty. Not to forget Format B’s most-likely-to-become-a-real-hit-tune Jawohl. Oliver Koletzki has really taken the best of what his artist pool has to offer and has created a both very personal and charming mix, yet always with a focus on the floor. This mix is what Stil vor Talent is all about: many different musical styles, great artists – both newcomers and established producers and a real family atmosphere.

On the second CD Florian Meindl presents the last three years of Stil vor Talent by mixing 16 tracks seamlessly into each other. His focus is clear: this is Stil vor Talent’s minimal side of things, from the dancefloor for the dancefloor. He starts out with the title track of his first ever single on Stil vor Talent Sputnik, a funked-up minimal piece of electro that reminds us of the early days of the label. Then it’s straight onto more recent stuff. Channel X’s housy minimal tracks Bug Trouble and Black Coffee, Johnjon’s great Ach Gewitter and H.O.S.H.’s house-anthem Blaupause mark the beginning of his DJ mix. With three Format B tracks that have been a huge success for the label Florian Meindl gets down and dirty and paves the way for the peaktime of his mix. He really hits things off the roof by including Oliver Koletzki and Kiki’s übercool club track Don’t forget to go home. After this peak Florian Meindl slowly brings it down again with his own track Second Man on the Moon and Jürgen Kirsch’s Paladina before getting us all very sentimental by playing the first ever single on Stil vor Talent – Oliver Koletzki’s wonderful Blackout. Hearing this again is like listening to your favorite teen band: it will run shivers down your spine. WHAT WE DID is a magnificent homage to Stil vor Talent’s ability to release records for the dancefloors of the world.

These two mixes are not only an absolute necessity for the die-hard Stil vor Talent fan. They are the perfect pre-clubbing-companion, the only way to listen to many new and unreleased tracks and the best overview of a small and upcoming label that is set to become even bigger: with its modest and naturally sympathetic way of getting things done. Happy Birthday!

Catalogue number: SVT025