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Best Of 2021: Compilations

Although there are far fewer compilations around these days, those vinyl compilations that do get a full release have been elevated: lavish artwork, extensive histories, and sleeve notes all showing off the hard work put into the art of the compilation.

Playlists and mixes have become the standard way for DJs to show off their sets, so these days, there is no need for a commercially produced mixed CD with only the established series such as Fabric, Late Night Tales and DJ Kicks still releasing mix CDs these days. Highlights this year include the third volume in DJ Harvey’s ’The Sound Of Mercury Rising’ series and Plessow aka Motor City Drum Ensemble’s eclectic 'Fabric Presents’

Outside of these mixes (and their unmixed vinyl versions), the true art of the compilation lies in expertly curated collections around a 'sound', a 'scene', a historical period or a looser concept.

Our recommendations this year include those two Berlin stalwarts of Berlin club life, the Tresor club which celebrated 30 years this year with a lavish and beautifully packaged box set and Ostgut, based around Berlin's infamous Berghain, which celebrates 16 years with an excellent box set including the debut track from Roi Perez with Avalon Emerson!

Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato’s Japanese ambient, jazz and new-wave focused 'Heisei No Oto’ was the highlight of Music from Memory's continued excellent output this year. Heisei No Oto delves into a world of music released almost exclusively on CD and brings together a fascinating selection of discoveries from a little-known and overlooked part of Japan’s musical history.

Other recommendations are the Young Marco-compiled guide to tasteful early trance: 'Planet Love' on Safe trip, the astonishing rare independent soul compilation 'Swave villi Us' on Backatcha and the Sam Donnison-compiled second volume of Lovers rock 'For the Love of You'!

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various-artists-heisei-no-oto-japanese-left-field-pop-from-the-cd-age-1989-1996-lp-2024-repress-music-from-memory-cover

various-artists-ostgut-ton-fnfzehn-1-lp-ostgut-ton-cover

dj-harvey-the-sound-of-mercury-rising-volumen-tres-lp-pikes-records-cover

various-artists-swave-villi-us-independent-soul-1971-84-lp-backatcha-records-cover

various-artists-planet-love-early-transmissions-1990-95-lp-safe-trip-cover

overmono-various-artists-fabric-presents-overmono-lp-fabric-cover

don-letts-various-artists-late-night-tales-version-excursion-by-don-letts-lp-late-night-tales-cover

donato-dozzy-marcellus-pittmann-john-tejada-various-artists-10-years-of-acid-test-lp-acid-test-cover

various-artists-do-not-use-for-the-love-of-you-vol-2-cd-athens-of-the-north-cover

various-artists-ritmo-fantasia-lp-soundway-cover

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various-artists-no-photos-on-the-dancefloor-berlin-techno-2007-today-volume-two-above-board-projects-cover

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motor-city-drum-ensemble-fabric-presents-danilo-plessow-mcde-lp-fabric-cover

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jayda-g-jayda-g-dj-kicks-lp-standard-vinyl-k7-records-cover

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various-artists-disco-reggae-vol-4-lp-stix-cover

roisin-murphy-daniel-avery-glok-various-artists-gun-aid-lp-the-gun-well-st-cover

delano-smith-tyree-cooper-norm-talley-various-artists-unity-vol2-lp-upstairs-asylum-records-cover

4-mars-super-somali-sounds-from-the-gulf-of-tajdoura-lp-ostinato-records-cover

various-artists-essiebons-special-1973-1984-ghana-music-power-house-lp-analog-africa-cover

various-artists-la-ola-interior-spanish-ambient-acid-exoticism-1983-1990-lp-bongo-joe-cover

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curses-next-wave-acid-punx-part-1-origins-lp-eskimo-recordings-cover

various-artists-too-slow-to-disco-presents-yacht-soul-the-cover-version-lp-how-do-you-are-cover

various-artists-profondo-nero-lp-dekmantel-cover

red-axes-birds-of-paradise-frak-various-artists-hga-nord-100-the-effect-will-last-forever-box-set-hga-nord-rekords-cover

various-artists-deewee-foundations-compilation-cd-deewee-cover

disclosure-various-artists-dj-kicks-disclosure-lp-indie-exclusive-green-vinyl-k7-records-cover

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