- I stated in a review last year that there are mixes occasionally that come out of nowhere and really surprise you. The first for the year in 2003 comes from the Hooj Choons stables, and the jockeys in questions that ride the release to the winning post are Red Jerry & Ross Cale. The release; Le Future, Le Funk, the result; a brilliant combination of tech house with a funky electro edge.
The quirky and bouncy SWAG mix of Metro Area’s “Pina” is an early highlight on disc one as is the hypnotizing yet simply stunning “Haze” by Danmass with its retro melodies and churning baseline. Chicken Lips add their flavour to the mix with their solid mix of “Hitchhiking” by Jas. Ewan’s mix of Freeform Five “Perspex Sex” is a downright sleazy piece of production, and “Real Life” by Audio Bullys is just as dirtier as the mix enters a funky peak. “Fitting Together” by Black Strobe is just as brilliant as the tracks that proceeded it bringing a trippy tech element to the mix, while Mr Velcro Fastener takes us down to retro town with his “Electrical Appliances”. Soul Mekanik bring a deeper element late in the mix with the subtle strings and smooth grooves of “C’mon Over” as Oko’s “Because” concludes disc one with an smooth yet beautifully epic piece of electronica. A stunning disc.
Thankfully disc two is just as good. It begins with the stunning breakbeats and eerie organs of “Mooger Fooger” by Bermuda Triangle. Baseline meets a quirky vocal in “Dripping in Gold” by Brooks as the strings and melodies of Subway’s “Testing” slowly take over. The deep basement beats of “Be There” by Envelope bring a groove to the disc as does the RJ Monkeyhouse mix of RJ Project’s “What Colour Is Love”. Its back to the funk with Sir Drew’s Mix of “I’m Here” by Blackwatch while not much really needs to be said of Royksopp’s classic mix of “Please Stay” by Mekon. Just when it appears it can’t get any better it certainly does with the insanely good Les Rhythms Digitales Mix of “Miss You” by Mirwais – a killer blow by the red haired veteran. Metro Area provide their brilliance to the mix with the delightful “Caught Up” while the vocals and smooth elements of Swayzak’s “Make Up Your Mind” provide the conclusion to a contender of mix of the year so far.
Unique is one word to describe this release. There are not many mixes like this in a market where repetitious mixes are saturating the shelves of record stores. Be sure to check this out at the end of the month when this fine release should hit those stores, and don’t expect to put it away for a while either.
Tracklisting:
Disc One
01. Chris Lum - Feelin' High (Nova Scotia Player 1 Remix)
02. Metro Area - Pina (SWAG's Mas Jugo Dub)
03. Danmass - Haze (Danmass Remix)
04. Dee Zee - I Have A Feeling
05. Jas - Hitchhiking (Chicken Lips Dub Unlimited)
06. Chris Lum - You're Mine
07. Psycho Radio - In The Underground
08. Freeform Five - Perspex Sex (Ewan's Ni NRG Remix)
09. Audio Bullys - Real Life (Source)
10. Black Strobe - Fitting Together
11. Mr Velcro Fastener - Electrical Appliances
12. Bunch Of Gurus - Punk Cake (Dub)
13. Soul Mekanik - C'Mon Over
14. Oko - Because
Disc Two
01. Bermuda Triangle - Mooger Fooger
02. Brooks - Dripping In Gold
03. Subway - Testing
04. Mazi & Nathan Drew Larson - Give Chase/ Abascus - Black Thanx (Acapella)
05. Envelope - Be There
06. Abacus - Black Thanx (accapella)
07. KV:5 - So Far
08. RJ Project - What Colour (RJ Monkeyhouse Mix)
09. Blackwatch - I'm Here (Sir Drew's Heshe Remix)
10. Mekon - Please Stay (Royksopp Remix)
11. 16b - Behind The Face
12. Metro Area - Caught Up
13. Swayzak - Make Up Your Mind