COMPILATIONS REVIEWS
This Is What The Universe
MONE
Y
Sounds Like Vol.1
SHO
T!
Mixed by Paddy Freeform
Universal Vibes
How house got its groove back
The deep house whisper of Paddy Freeform’s Universal
Vibes label has increased in decibels to a timely roar. The
funk is back in club music, gradually thawing our souls
after exposure to the freezing extremities of minimal for
so long, and Universal Vibes is leading the sun-soaked The oscillating, Michigan tech machinations of The
charge as one of the slickest, freshest proponents of the Onaz’s ‘Love One Love’ come next, plunging us into a
good groove this side of the Milky Way galaxy. far more electronic realm and we’re soon pin-balled
What began as an internet radio venture in 2002 — by the Strictly Rhythm styled female vocal cut-ups,
focusing on the DJ and label owner’s love of all the molten liquid keys and serious snares of Jaffa Surfa’s
dance universe’s many eclectic sounds — has grown ‘Here I Am’.
into one of the UK’s best labels with a policy of fi nding But perhaps the highlight of the whole mix is the
the best unknown talent and giving them a platform strobe-lit aquarium synths and walls of percussion of
to air their freshest cuts. ‘Danote’ from the mysterious but appropriately named
The fi rst compilation from Universal Vibes is mixed by Darko. Indeed, the bigger producers ought to watch
Freeform himself. A heady trip into the heart of the their back if the new artists featured on ‘This Is What
funk, from the opening sampladelic jazz notes, dusty The Universe Sounds Like Vol.1’ are anything to go by.
drums and fi ltered bass booms of Surra’s ‘Futural’ we With a digital version of unmixed tracks also doing
know we’re in the presence of greatness. And from the rounds, the vibes here are, as the name implies,
the fi rst 4/4 kick, we’re addicted — caught hook, line for everyone — DJs and punters, welcome to your new
and sinker. favourite label… Ben Murphy
Kevin Saunderson Claude Von Stroke Optimo Turbo Omni-Dance
History Elevate Fabric46 In Order To Edit Turbo
Fabric/KMS Fabric R&S Records
Turbo boost
Two-sided remix retrospective Bumpty techno bliss Blasts from the past
Not everything on Turbo is brilliant (though
This compendium features one CD of Detroit For those that didn’t quite get all the eternal For older techno heads, the return of its batting average is higher than most) but
techno innovator Kevin Saunderson’s fawning over minimal’s second wave, Claude Belgium’s R&S Records last year provoked you can say one thing — label boss Tiga loves
remixes, followed by another of other artists Von Stroke’s 2006 productions hit like a laser similar feelings to when TV producers decided every track. Anyone who has read his
getting to grips with his work. to the arm. An antidote to the endless to remake ‘Doctor Who’. Slick and impressive brilliant, excitable newsletters can attest to
With everyone from Octave One and Simian indistinct machine grooves, the spooky as the new releases from Radio Slave and that. And there doesn’t seem to be any more
Mobile Disco to Lighthouse Family and Pet ‘Whose Afraid Of Detroit?’ and the infectious Steve Lawler were, it was the old stuff you rhyme or reason to ‘Omni-Dance’ than the
Shop Boys all receiving the Saunderson gimmick ‘The Whistler’ fi lled minimal with a remembered from your misspent youth that boss man wanting more people to hear the
treatment it’s a weird mixture, but in nearly dirty bump ‘n’ grind groove, a haunting still had the creaky antique charm. amazing tunes Turbo has put out.
every case it is Kevin’s sturdy techno sound melancholy and a cheeky sense of fun. Given a bit of a nip and tuck by Optimo’s JD Any compilation that kicks off with ZZT’s
rather than the original artist that shines But, solid as it is, CVS is hardly slashing his Twitch, this mix of the label’s back catalogue fax-sending ‘Lower State Of Consciousness’ is
through into the limelight. own rulebook here with 22 tracks of might sound slightly dated now but still confi dent in its wares and the two CDs here
The two exceptions are the two highlights — low-down boompty, bouncy tech, minimalist reminds you how far ahead of their time R&S are packed with gems, many old, some new.
Cerrone’s ’70s disco classic ‘Supernature’ and tribal and — in Voodeux’s ‘Just A Spoonful’ seemed during the early-’90s, with the ‘Mind Dimension 2’ — Soulwax’s version — is
the hip-house, acid-era hijacking of Wee Papa — blissfully tripping melodies. cavernous boom of Joey Beltram’s peerless better than the original, while Chromeo’s
Girl Rappers’ ‘Heat It Up’. No surprise, then, that it is still his own cuts ‘Energy Flash’, the electro bounce of Mantrax’ new take on ‘Mercury Tears’ is voicebox-
Simian (again), Carl Craig and John Tejada that stand tallest such as the sleaze-funk ‘Untitled’, the militaristic drum tattoo tastic.
head up the list of luminaries doing classy minimal of ‘The Greasy Beat’ with Bootsy patterns of Capricorn’s ‘20HZ’ and the Oh, and if you missed his newsletters, 30 of
work on Saunderson classics — it’s just a Collins and the brooding aquatic shimmers of enveloping warmth of Aphex Twin’s ‘Analogue Tiga’s own ‘one sheets’ are included here,
shame there’s no third CD of originals ‘Aundy’, which references lost d&b visionaries Bubblebath’ just a few of the highlights on which are almost worth the asking price
too. Ben Willmott PFM. Allan McGrath display. Paul Clarke alone. Seriously. Helene Stokes
140
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DJ474.compilations.indd 140 5/5/09 14:50:31
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