March 19, 1999
Various
He smiles. He compiles. He's DELE FADELE, and he has the skill to pay the eclectic bill...
Various
Distance To House: French Sessions - Vol 4
(Distance)
France has been famed down the centuries for its decadence - and who but young faceless Francophone DJ Deep could have the temerity to mix and subsequently obscure some Chicago house classics old and new for maximum dancefloor pleasure?
Necessary or evil? Would be worthwhile if the tracks weren't turned into a stodgy mess of soul vocals and ill-fitting rhythms. 5/10
Rubberoom
Architechnology
(Indus)
Kinda like a Star Trek mindmeld in which the sensibilities of two rappers and two avant-electro noise producers are fused together with unforeseen and unsettling results. Rubberoom have also hired 13 Chicago turntablists to spice up the heavy beats and pseudo mystical rhymes with strange scratch techniques.
Necessary or evil? About as far removed from R&B digitized hip-hop as Rage Against The Machine were from Julio Iglesias. A heavy-going time will be had by all. 6/10
Various
Deep House
(Choice)
- which sounds like an advert for a rack of lamb - this is in fact nothing of the sort. Old disco cuts are ripped off (Studio 54's 'Freak It') and the more modern offerings come complete with cheesiness writ large.
Necessary or evil? 'Deep house' is actually the term applied to the heavily soul-influenced house trax of years gone by, and this playful and silly imitation won't do. 4/10
Various
Tribes Of Da Underground Vol 4 - Strings'n'Bass & Things
(Infracom)
Not so much tribes as a collection of individuals and oufits with seemingly different intentions. Despite an eclectic potpourri of classical moods, jazzy grooves, big beat, and all-round experimentation, Michael Rutten's grab bag still doesn't reward a limited attention span.
Necessary or evil? Weirdness aplenty. There'd be more to say for Switchblade Sisters, Pathless et al, if it didn't seem at times like a knowing musical joke was being played. 5/10
Sven Vdth
Six In The Mix (The Fusion Remix Collection '99)
(Virgin)
Hardcore techno has rarely found a more extreme standard bearer than Sven Vdth. And now the famous DJ generously farms out his tracks to some mates for an instant overhaul, which means making the noises as repetitive, hypnotic and mind-numbing as humanly possible.
Necessary or evil? Really cool for anyone who finds the thought of heavy metal too quaint and retrogressive, but wants something visceral. A nightmare to others. x/10
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