I've never been convinced of the merits of DJ compilations or mix tapes for use in the home. I mean the way I see it the whole point of this music is to get people dancin' in a club isn't it or if you're lucky provide the soundtrack to a commercial. So here I am stuck at chez nous with former Cream resident and Radio One DJ Seb Fontaine's latest weighty offering from his decks, will I start dancin?
Cd one of two kicks off with the massive AGENT SUMO's: 'The Force'. It's slow building ambient house which Seb says is "always a big one in my sets". The vocal repeatedly asks " Chicago, Detroit, New York can you feel the force ?" and I 'm left in no doubt that I 'm feeling something. The next track is the more rigid techno of AIRCRASH BUREAU's: 'Don't expect me' supported largely by a generic female club vocal repeating the words: 'Don't
expect me to forget you' before eventually settling down into more gentle futuristic vibes.
The anthemic feel of JEFFEDI's: 'Into the light' picks the tempo back up again with a vocal Annie Lennox would be proud of before the house of BJORN MANDRY's : 'Time Factor' hits even harder and I'm forced to remember all those nameless choons I've heard over the years that have all melted into one long futuristic synth with an industrial edge sounding monotony. SAIKOs :'Pod' brings things back a peg or two with a moderate groove in terms of
beat intensity but the tempo is still right up there and the robotic vocals don't add anything useful.
Of the remainder worth mentioning SAINTS & SINNERS: 'Pushin' too hard' has some interesting anologue synth sounds with a pulsing throb of a beat and plenty of phaser and flanged organ strains. Along with the best track on CD1, DIDBABA's: 'Hold You' that features some classic vocals and chants that tease you in and stop just as they start to get going. A good one to end on
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leaving the punters with a smile on their faces. It's the standout track with a great feel good vibe.
CD2 open's with the squelchy sounding SALTPERVERTS: '5am Soho' and a gentle plodding ambience that's easier on the bones. It's dark and a little spooky, a bit like you'd expect Soho to be at 5am. SHAGRAT's :'India' does what you expect and is full of eastern melody and a whispered male vocal held together over an easy beat. UDG's :'Workshop of the Devil' gets a little harder and darker and features more of the obligatory industrial sounding
bangs and crashes.
Of the remainder on this mix THE MOOKs : 'Dropped' and MATRIX vs GOLDTRIX's :'It's Love' are worth mentioning for keeping it funky and pumped up and for the best vocal performance by a female vocalist on this goddam thing; featuring an ode to Seb: "Seb Fontaine's got me trippin, well he's got my whole life livin' before the onslaught of a massive drum and bass attack.
Overall, not what I expected but I still can't say I'm a fan of the genre even though I couldn't help busting a few moves here and there. That's not to say that within the contexts of a club late at night I wouldn't enjoy this. The club being the missing essential ingredient when listening from within the confines of one's own home even if your decorating is really funky!
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