Compilation Recommendations September 2011

Review: In the manner of "New Blood, "Critical Sound" and so on, Horizons comes up with a various artists compilation showcasing the fresh new up-and-coming talent on their label. Whilst some names such as June Miller, Cause 4 Concern, Data and Spinline, others may not. Highlights from across the selection include Cause 4 Concerns murky, moody roller "Under Forever", Amoss' "We All Grow" with its politicized lyrics and warping dubbed out b-line and fidgety Rockwell-esque edits and Data's opening cut "Formless", with its clicking beats and growling b-line. A nice taster of what we can expect from Horizons in the future.

Review: Perennial crate-diggers BBE have long been capable of unearthing hidden gems and shining a light on long-forgotten scenes. Here, with the help of fellow vinyl-sniffer Mr Peabody, they highlight Chicago's little-known 1970s/early 1980s underground disco and boogie scene. For those reared on the familiar sounds of New York disco and boogie, it's something of a revelation. Certainly, there's plenty for disco enthusiasts to get excited about here, from the piano & horn laden grooves of Sheila Hutchinson and Nedra to the tribal, African-influenced dancefloor rhythms of Lady Gwendolyn and Africa International. Along the way, expect to hear everything from hustlin' party jams and essential 80s groove to crackly disco-funk and distinctly cosmic soul. Absolutely essential!

Review: This second collection of remixes from celebrated Paradise Garage resident DJ Larry Levan digs a little deeper than its predecessor. So while there are plenty of scene classics present - Levan's versions of Class Action's 'Weekend', Gwen Guthrie's "Seventh Heaven", Instant Funk's "Got My Mind Made Up" etc - there's also a smattering of lesser-known cuts. Check, in particular, the 1991 mix of Nami Shamida's "Sun Shower", one of Levan's last production jobs before his death in 1992. Its bleep-heavy US garage-with-a-twist sound is in stark contrast to the delicious disco and electrofunk elsewhere (see the epic mixes of the Strikers and Inner Life), and paints a bleak portrait of a great talent on the wane.

Review: One time Crosstown Rebels man Jamie Jones is now firmly part of the furniture in the global house scene, pushing a floor-friendly but easy-on-the-ear blend of snappy tech-house, touchy-feely grooves and late night electronica with a nu-disco twist. Here he delivers his first mix for Fabric, a pleasingly rolling, soft focus set that gently shifts focus across its 70-minute duration. Jones begins by showcasing the sort of heart warming but strangely aloof house and techno cuts that have become his trademark (Coat of Arms, Waifs & Strays, Cajmere etc), before slowly taking the mix in a more disco-centric direction - all live drums, wonky synth-pop and subdued nu-disco.

Review: Dubstep don, DJ heavyweight and Chestplate owner Distance steps up to mix the 8th instalment of Dubstep Allstars, following in the footsteps of the scene's luminaries such as Kode 9 and Youngsta. As one might expect from the early dubstep pioneer, the mix is dubplate heavy, with fresh cuts from Cyrus, Kryptic Minds, Benga, Deleted Scenes (his recently reinvigorated collab project with Pinch) and more. The overriding mood of the mix is characteristically deep, dark, dubbed out and compelling from start to finish. Squelchy basslines sit side by side with rolling subs, crackling atmospherics and snapping snares. It's glorious bonafide British dubstep at its best! Big tip!

Review: While not one of the most familiar names from the Chicago house scene, Gene Hunt was nevertheless one of the hardest-working and popular DJs during the Windy City's pioneering 1980s heyday. Here he's paired up with serial Chicago crate-diggers Rush Hour to present a collection of previously unheard tracks originally given to him on reel-to-reel tape. With many of Chicago's original pioneers present (Larry Heard, Virgo Four, Ron Hardy, Steve 'Silk' Hurley, Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk etc), Chicago Dance Tracks is house music's equivalent of finding a bunch of unreleased Beatles recordings in someone's loft. Musically, it's as delightfully raw, funky and uncomplicated as you'd expect, with tracks ranging from proto-acid and early jack-tracks to warped electro disco and heavy 808-funk. Nigh on essential.

Review: Those unable to reach out to the Croatian coastline for the many festivals propping up on the Petrcane beach this summer can find solace in the shape of this mix CD from the ever dependable Nang imprint. Beach Sessions 2 provides a suitably slinky accompaniment to last summer's debut mix, with Nang's resident Slovenian disco merchant Sare Havlicek running through a fifteen track selection impeccably mixed and recorded live in one take. Mixing up the familiar with the unreleased, Havlicek digs through the recent output of Nang and like minded horizontal disco deviants Bear Funks with many a highlight along the way! Look out for the analogue efunk of Social Disco Club's collab with compatriot Rui Maia and overwhelmingly glistening textures of sound that filter through the excellent "Fluffy Amadeus" from Fillipson & Ulysses.

Review: While he's been relatively slack on the original release front in recent times, Dirtybird boss Claude Von Stroke hasn't slacked when it comes to knocking out remixes - as this 12-track collection of CVS Makeovers proves. As an audio calling card, it's quietly impressive, pairing rhythmic diversity with floor-friendly builds, breakdowns and grooves. Few of the reworks stick too closely to the original material, resulting in some surprising interpretations. So, Gonzales' oddball "I Am Europe" is turned into a quirky midtempo swinger, Cajmere goes fidget, Girl Unit's "Wut" gets a sparkly electro-meets-rave re-boot and Katy B's "Easy Please Me" is reinvented as a bubbling UKG roller.

Review: Following forays into the worlds of pop, dance and "groove", the popular 12"/80s series dons black mascara and delves into the world of alternative 80s pop. As with previous instalments, there's a veritable mix of classics, forgotten gems and so-so mixes spread over three CDs packed with Goth, synth-pop and new wave tracks. As ever, there are some much-owned (but nevertheless essential) cuts - "Blue Monday", "Bela Lugosi's Dead", "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" etc - as well as lesser-known delights from the likes of Cabaret Voltaire (the superb "Yashar"), Furniture, The Psychedelic Furs (the stuttering, edit-happy New York remix of "My Heart") and the Sisters of Mercy (a 10-minute version of Goth standard "Lucretia My Reflection").