Riemann Kollektion 11: Wehbba

Two techno heavyweights join forces for Riemann’s latest Kollektion.

Riemann Kollektion have always delivered some of the very finest techno and tech-house samples around, which is no surprise when you consider that it’s the brainchild of Berlin whizzkid Florian Meindl. Not only are his own packs meticulously produced and on-trend, he’s also been able to call upon some high-profile pals to chip in with their own guest samples. Shlomi Aber, Popof and Christian Smith are just three of the A-list names to grace the 10-strong series so far. Number 11 sees Riemann enlist the skills of Brazilian rising star Wehbba, who contributes one sub-folder of content while the rest is provided by Meindl himself.

In the main body of the pack, Florian raids his personal sample vault again to deliver more sterling loops and hits that will have techno and tech-house producers drooling. Clocking in at 168 loops and 41 one-shots, Meindl races through deep, driving and varied basses, bristling and pleasingly sparse drum workouts, subtle chord loops (with variants and associated MIDI), haunting chopped vocals, techier synth lines and a variety of functional kick, hi-hat, percussion and clap/snare loops.

With releases for techno specialsists including Toolroom, 100% Pure and Great Stuff, Wehbba’s already built a reputation for beefy, rip-roaring techno. Frankly, we’d have liked to see more of it here. At just 58 loops and 58 one-shots, Wehbba’s folder feels pretty meagre. And what’s there is something of a mixed bag. The drum loops folder delivers 18 kick-free loops which, whilst they possess head nodding grooves, seem to lack weight in the mid-range (just that bit too toppy). The vocals folder is the biggest but it was a shame to hear the same effects and processing applied to each phrase. It might be consistent but it lacked flair. Fortunately, the ten bass loops save the day: a selection of warm, fat and punchy lines that instantly bolster the mix in the Wehbba way.

Don’t expect Riemann Kollektion 11 to capture the essence of Wehbba’s sound, but if you’re a fan of Meindl’s more restrained aesthetic then this is still a solid package with plenty of highlights.