In A Fragile State mixed by Ben Mynott

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  • This collection of after hours music comes from Ben Mynott, one half of the duo that was the excellent Fragile State, before they unfortunately split earlier this year. However that parting was precisely to concentrate on projects such as this, and Mynott makes an auspicious start to what will be a new series from Slip ‘n’ Slide. Oi Va Voi’s ‘Refugee’ is the richly orchestrated opener, with a beautiful vocal winding us down nicely before the dreamy bliss of Hem’s ‘Sailor’. Chances are you’ll have heard Chungking’s torch song ‘Making Music’ before, a favourite track of Rob Da Bank, and it makes a powerful impact here. Broken beats become more prominent for Shurikan’s ‘Generations’, and there’s a nice jazzy undertone to the piano on Horis’ ‘One More Day’. Electroheadz’ ‘Out Of Asia’ harks back to the ambient sound so popular in the mid 90s, while Japanese producers Electric Sheep contribute the gorgeous, almost timeless ‘Amniotic’. To close is Robert Miles, with Future Sound Of London putting ‘Paths’ in quite a different light. Like the best of these compilations, Ben Mynott introduces some unfamiliar sounds and thinks of the whole rather than the sum of the parts. The resulting album is one to lose the winter blues with, or if you’re lucky enough to live in warmer climbs, one to watch the sun go down to!
RA