Various Artists — 100 Jahre Einsamkeit: Markus Detmer Plays Staubgol

It’s all about the flow. 100 Jahre Einsamkeit (the German translation of “100 Years of Solitude”) has been culled from various tracks found throughout the Staubgold catalog, and assembled into a single, near-continuous mix. It’s only until we get to track 7 that there’s an actual silence between tracks, and by then we’re already so hip-deep into the groove we barely notice.

“Groove” is another good word. No matter what the artist in question, whether it’s To Rococo Rot, The Flying Lizards, or Faust vs. Dälek—just the concept of the last alone blows my mind; the track itself lives up to the promise—every track bomps along with confidence. When it isn’t bomping, it’s drifting (as with Rafael Toral’s “II.V”, or Leafcutter John’s “In the Morning”). And sometimes throws all caution to the wind and flat-out rocks, as with Sun’s “Reach for the Sky”.

For sheer variety, this compilation’s just about impossible to beat. Normally, with any compilation I’d refer to a couple of tracks that would be good for your next playlist for a friend. This time, the disc is the playlist. It’s been put together by folks with taste and a fine sense for how to make a collection like this … well, flow. Yup, I used that word again. It fits.