V/A - Grand Cru

"If music be the food of love, play on." If techno be the wine of anything, then Connaisseur recordings think rather a lot of themselves. Grand Cru are certainly more auspicious the basic vin de pays of techno, but they're no bank-breaking Chateau Petrus just yet. There's a freshness to Connaisseur's ability to identify new talents, and a crisp finish in the smooth productions of Ripperton, Art Bleek and Daso, but this particular brand of melodic techno has long been the preserve of labels like Kompakt or Sonar Kollectiv. Indeed, the neat satisfaction of much of Grand Cru can be slightly inhibiting, but Kollectiv Turmstrasse's Lüchtoorn links deliciously minimal production with the fruity, intriguing flavour of real instrumentation. Best given room to air and savoured over a period of time, Connaisseur records present a compelling case for the appreciation of Frankfurt techno. Ripperton crops up twice on the comp, and whilst Afrilounge might be Connaisseur's biggest hitter, it's clear he's one to watch.