diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 46f6e41..44c6960 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
-FROM python:3.6-alpine
+FROM python:3-alpine
 
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 
-RUN apk update
-RUN apk add gcc libxml2-dev libxslt-dev py3-pip libc-dev linux-headers
-RUN pip3 install psutil
-
-RUN pip3 install malojaserver
+RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual .build-deps \
+    gcc \
+    libxml2-dev \
+    libxslt-dev \
+    py3-pip \
+    libc-dev \
+    linux-headers \
+    && \
+    pip3 install psutil && \
+    pip3 install malojaserver && \
+    apk del .build-deps
 
 EXPOSE 42010
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dcba5bb..185e2df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ I can support you with issues best if you use **Alpine Linux**. In my experience
 5) (Recommended) Until I have a proper service implemented, I would recommend setting two cronjobs for maloja:
 
 ```
-@reboot maloja start
-42 0 * * * maloja restart
+@reboot sleep 15 && maloja start
+42 0 * * 2 maloja restart
 ```
 
 
diff --git a/install_alpine.sh b/install_alpine.sh
index 75c9ac3..43705d7 100644
--- a/install_alpine.sh
+++ b/install_alpine.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-apk add python3 python3-dev gcc libxml2-dev libxslt-dev py3-pip libc-dev
+apk add python3 python3-dev gcc libxml2-dev libxslt-dev py3-pip libc-dev linux-headers
+pip3 install psutil
 pip3 install malojaserver
diff --git a/install_ubuntu.sh b/install_ubuntu.sh
index ff0bd66..d30bd7b 100644
--- a/install_ubuntu.sh
+++ b/install_ubuntu.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 apt update
 apt install python3 python3-pip
+pip3 install psutil
 pip3 install malojaserver
diff --git a/maloja/__pkginfo__.py b/maloja/__pkginfo__.py
index 0d9379c..f1bf847 100644
--- a/maloja/__pkginfo__.py
+++ b/maloja/__pkginfo__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author = {
 	"email":"maloja@krateng.dev",
 	"github": "krateng"
 }
-version = 2,4,9
+version = 2,4,13
 versionstr = ".".join(str(n) for n in version)
 links = {
 	"pypi":"malojaserver",
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ links = {
 requires = [
 	"bottle>=0.12.16",
 	"waitress>=1.3",
-	"doreah>=1.5.6",
+	"doreah>=1.6.3",
 	"nimrodel>=0.6.3",
 	"setproctitle>=1.1.10",
 	"wand>=0.5.4",
diff --git a/maloja/data_files/settings/default.ini b/maloja/data_files/settings/default.ini
index 427fe05..e6415d7 100644
--- a/maloja/data_files/settings/default.ini
+++ b/maloja/data_files/settings/default.ini
@@ -68,3 +68,4 @@ USE_PYHP = no #not recommended at the moment
 USE_JINJA = no #overwrites pyhp preference
 FEDERATION = yes #does nothing yet
 SKIP_SETUP = no
+LOGGING = true
diff --git a/maloja/database.py b/maloja/database.py
index 9730588..ac94d77 100644
--- a/maloja/database.py
+++ b/maloja/database.py
@@ -933,6 +933,7 @@ def build_db():
 	log("Building database...")
 
 	global SCROBBLES, ARTISTS, TRACKS
+	global TRACKS_NORMALIZED_SET, TRACKS_NORMALIZED, ARTISTS_NORMALIZED_SET, ARTISTS_NORMALIZED
 	global SCROBBLESDICT, STAMPS
 
 	SCROBBLES = []
@@ -941,6 +942,11 @@ def build_db():
 	STAMPS = []
 	SCROBBLESDICT = {}
 
+	TRACKS_NORMALIZED = []
+	ARTISTS_NORMALIZED = []
+	ARTISTS_NORMALIZED_SET = set()
+	TRACKS_NORMALIZED_SET = set()
+
 
 	# parse files
 	db = tsv.parse_all(datadir("scrobbles"),"int","string","string",comments=False)
@@ -1067,6 +1073,9 @@ cache_query_perm = lru.LRU(csz)
 cache_aggregate = lru.LRU(csz)
 cache_aggregate_perm = lru.LRU(csz)
 
+perm_caching = settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_PERM")
+temp_caching = settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_SHORT")
+
 cachestats = {
 	"cache_query":{
 		"hits_perm":0,
@@ -1102,11 +1111,11 @@ def db_query_cached(**kwargs):
 	eligible_permanent_caching = (
 		"timerange" in kwargs and
 		not kwargs["timerange"].active() and
-		settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_PERM")
+		perm_caching
 	)
 	eligible_temporary_caching = (
 		not eligible_permanent_caching and
-		settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_SHORT")
+		temp_caching
 	)
 
 	# hit permanent cache for past timeranges
@@ -1138,11 +1147,11 @@ def db_aggregate_cached(**kwargs):
 	eligible_permanent_caching = (
 		"timerange" in kwargs and
 		not kwargs["timerange"].active() and
-		settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_PERM")
+		perm_caching
 	)
 	eligible_temporary_caching = (
 		not eligible_permanent_caching and
-		settings.get_settings("CACHE_DATABASE_SHORT")
+		temp_caching
 	)
 
 	# hit permanent cache for past timeranges
@@ -1173,17 +1182,18 @@ def invalidate_caches():
 	log("Database caches invalidated.")
 
 def reduce_caches(to=0.75):
-	global cache_query, cache_aggregate
-	for c in cache_query, cache_aggregate:
+	global cache_query, cache_aggregate, cache_query_perm, cache_aggregate_perm
+	for c in cache_query, cache_aggregate, cache_query_perm, cache_aggregate_perm:
 		currentsize = len(c)
-		targetsize = int(currentsize * to)
-		c.set_size(targetsize)
-		c.set_size(csz)
+		if currentsize > 100:
+			targetsize = max(int(currentsize * to),10)
+			c.set_size(targetsize)
+			c.set_size(csz)
 
 def reduce_caches_if_low_ram():
 	ramprct = psutil.virtual_memory().percent
 	if ramprct > cmp:
-		log("{prct}% RAM usage, reducing temporary caches!".format(prct=ramprct),module="debug")
+		log("{prct}% RAM usage, reducing caches!".format(prct=ramprct),module="debug")
 		ratio = (cmp / ramprct) ** 3
 		reduce_caches(to=ratio)
 
diff --git a/maloja/globalconf.py b/maloja/globalconf.py
index 4118189..5ed516f 100644
--- a/maloja/globalconf.py
+++ b/maloja/globalconf.py
@@ -1,23 +1,34 @@
 import os
+from doreah.settings import get_settings
+from doreah.settings import config as settingsconfig
 
 
-# data folder
-# must be determined first because getting settings relies on it
 
-try:
-	DATA_DIR = os.environ["XDG_DATA_HOME"].split(":")[0]
-	assert os.path.exists(DATA_DIR)
-except:
-	DATA_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"],".local/share/")
+# check environment variables for data directory
+# otherwise, go with defaults
+setting_datadir = get_settings("DATA_DIRECTORY",files=[],environ_prefix="MALOJA_")
+if setting_datadir is not None and os.path.exists(setting_datadir):
+	DATA_DIR = setting_datadir
+else:
+	try:
+		HOME_DIR = os.environ["XDG_DATA_HOME"].split(":")[0]
+		assert os.path.exists(HOME_DIR)
+	except:
+		HOME_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"],".local/share/")
+
+	DATA_DIR = os.path.join(HOME_DIR,"maloja")
 
-DATA_DIR = os.path.join(DATA_DIR,"maloja")
 os.makedirs(DATA_DIR,exist_ok=True)
 
+
+
 def datadir(*args):
 	return os.path.join(DATA_DIR,*args)
 
 
 
+
+
 ### DOREAH CONFIGURATION
 
 from doreah import config
@@ -26,9 +37,6 @@ config(
 	pyhp={
 		"version": 2
 	},
-	logging={
-		"logfolder": datadir("logs")
-	},
 	settings={
 		"files":[
 			datadir("settings/default.ini"),
@@ -44,9 +52,18 @@ config(
 	}
 )
 
+# because we loaded a doreah module already before setting the config, we need to to that manually
+settingsconfig._readpreconfig()
+
+config(
+	logging={
+		"logfolder": datadir("logs") if get_settings("LOGGING") else None
+	}
+)
+
+settingsconfig._readpreconfig()
 
 
-from doreah.settings import get_settings
 
 # thumbor