- One cannot deny that Global Underground have been at the forefront of mix compilations for the last few years. The main series features the DJ heavyweights of Progressive House – Digweed, Sasha, Tenaglia, Seaman just to name a few. The Nubreed series has showcased slightly more obscure talents, but heavyweights in sheer talent – Pappa, Howells, Burridge coming to mind. Seb’s prototype series has its fans but it’s Steve “Dark Drums” Lawler who is grabbing the attention with his new series and it’s debut mix – “Lights Out”. The lights do indeed go out on this mix and plunge you into the dark and dirty world of Steve Lawler.
Trademark Lawler greets you in the first disc. “Spanish Tales” by Shmuel & Baranes gives you the first sign that this cd is not for those afraid of the dark – evil baselines, the echoing vocals and heart shattering drums. Ultra Fine’s “Kasso” gives you more of the percussion sound that Lawler’s made his own. The soothing melody and eerie brilliance of Scumfrog’s classic “The Watersong” is closely followed by an 80’s electro interpretation by Swain & Snell, which is, funnily enough, titled “Electro Track”. The sleazy “Orgasm” by Thick Dick should arouse the senses while “Houze Muzik” by Angelo Kortez farewells the first disc in style.
The second disk lifts the pace just a little – “Music Pressure” by Daniel Mode being an early highlight. John Ciafone’s “Thunder” runs away from conventionality with its heavy drum patterns and peculiar effects, a pattern that continues with “The Crowd Song” by Rhythm Gangsta – a brilliant display of fuck-with-your-head electronic music. Or is that the next two tracks, Crossover’s “Phostographt” and Dirty Waltzer’s “By Sound Of Man” – I won’t bother trying to describe these tracks to you! 80’s French-Electro-Rap-House perhaps?? “Brighton Project” by Hardon restores sanity to the mix in brutal fashion and the brilliant Maurice & Noble mix of Canteen’s “Everyone” calls a halt to disc 2, which can only be described as a journey to the boundaries of electronic music.
Overall this debut mix by Lawler in the Light Out series a genuinely solid effort. I must say that disc two was the stronger of the mix in my opinion, and showed a side of Steve Lawler that should be unleashed as often as humanly possible. If you like your music on the nastier side of house, check this mix out – just hope you aren’t afraid of the dark.
Tracklisting:
Cd 1
1. Lights Out - Intro Part 1 feat Helena Barber
2. Shmuel & Baranes - Spanish Tales
3. Sam - u - L - Generate
4. Ultra Fine - Kasso
5. Frank O Mariaghi & Mr Mike - Harlem Shuffle
6. Paranoid Jack - Dirty Fingernails
7. The Scumfrog - The Watersong
8. J & S - Sunrise
9. Steve Lawler - Andante
10. Swain & Snell - Electro Track
11. Cevin Fisher - Lets Get it Together(Somebody)
12. Thich Dick - Orgasm
13. Angelo Kortez Feat. Alan T - Houze Muzik
Cd 2
1. Lights Out - Intro Part 2 feat Vaule
2. Union - Technological Aspects (Cevin Fisher Beats)
3. Daniel Mode - Music Pressure
4. Pimp - The Light (ATT mix)
5. John Ciafone - Thunder
6. Desert - I see the Light (D Ramirez Bitcrusher rmx)
7. Rhythm Gangsta - The Crowd Song
8. Crossover - Photographt
9. Dirty Waltzer - By Soul Of Man
10. Psycho Radio - In The Underground
11. Hardon - Brighton Project
12. Dr Kutcho & Wally Lopez - La Luna (Antoine 909 Mix)
13. Noize Gate - Bang the Drum
14. Duality - Static
15. Canteen - Everyone (Maurice & Noble Mix)