Tonearm Terrorwrist: DJ Rectangle. Flawless mixing, recording quality and scratching. Rec has been crankin out an awful lot of CDs recently, but as long as they’re good-which they are… Very explicit lyrics.
Kokopelli 82876527232: Kosheen. Taking a completely different path from Resist–Kosheen really shines with their musical prowess on Kokopelli. Guitars, chill drums and warm earthy vox make this one to listen to again and again.
From Here To There: DJ Dara. Super-tight jungle mix with some great female vocals and beat-oriented material. Recorded very cleanly, so turning it up is not a problem. More organic than many junglists’ mixes these days and the sunflower j-card is perfected suited to the beats.
Come Clean: Curve. Distortion-treated vocals, driving guitar, sweeping 808’s, tight basslines, a great release from these post-rock veterans.
Portishead: Low-fi throwback grooves with eerie organ riffs and often downpressing vox. Torch songstress Beth Gibbons brings a very unique/introspective approach to the intense album. Think Grace Slick meets the Beastie Boys. Quite witchy, indeed.
Zoolook: Jean-Michel Jarre. One of the first cool ambient albums. Synth and sample-heavy, futurist psychedelia. This album has provided junglists with plenty of crazy samples/concepts. Where else can you hear pterodactyls these days? (Goldie, Timeless).
Dewdrops In The Garden: Deee-Lite. House album of the decade. You got scratchin, transforming, tweakin’ and Miss Lady Kier all in one place. Wow.
Mulholland Dr.: Angelo Badalamenti, David Lynch. Eerie, dramatic, diverse, well-composed and performed, sophisticated, ultimately satisfying. Test your system’s dynamic range with this one. Great movie-great soundtrack.
Lover’s Rock: Sade. Calm, sweet, tranquil, and smooth, smooth, smooth. I listen to every Sade album-often.
Timeless: Goldie. Likely many peoples introductory album to drum n’ bass. Very tight, vocal and sample oriented new-age, futurism d&b stuff. Likely the most polished, expensive-sounding album around. Sounds vaguely reminiscent of Jean-Michel Jarre’s keyboard wizardry.
The Screen Behind The Mirror: Enigma. The first compelling thing about this disc is the Eyes Wide Shut/Story Of O imagery album cover-very fitting. Then, when you listen to the music you realize how exotic, alluring and ambient it actually is. The songs segue very well into one another, and there is an O Fortuna theme throughout the release. Very chill.
Turntable Torture: DJ Rectangle. 2002, LA’s biggest inner-city star is back bringin’ the bounce. Featuring all the latest and greatest hip-hop music with blazing-fast stereo swept scratches. This is the most advanced turntablism and technical mixing your dollaz can buy. No, he didn’t earn his American Championship for nothing. Very explicit lyrics.
Drum And Bass Warfare: Adam F. This double-disc pack is the shit right here. Disc one: the remixes-the hottest UK producers step up and turn tha heavy hittin rap into some crazy-dope jungle music. We are talkin primo hybrid material. Disc two: give tha remixes to the reining turntablist champ and let him tear-it-up! DJ Craze with some serious skills cutting up the mix-check it out, yo. Very explicit lyrics.
Dummy: Portishead. Real nice ‘n smooth female vocals with melodic music and supa-tight scratches. Kind of a mixture between a roarin ‘20s lounge singer and dope trip-hop turntablism. Bristol sound-check it.
Lunatic Harness: µ-ziq. Here is an album which is definitely experimental, but yet still tight and listenable. He touches on some dark sounds which are quite haunting. A great introduction to IDM.
To Venus And Back: Tori Amos. Here is a two CD set with one studio recording disc and one live. Totally deep, totally real, most definitely a “10”. With lyrical references to Nine Inch Nails, Young Athena, and Story Of O, Tori proves her worldly knowledge. On Venus Orbiting. (disc 1-studio work) you have Zeppelinesque vocal overdubs, plenty of instruments and vocal effects that sound absolutely awesome.
Venus Live. Still Orbiting (disc 2) are songs which seem to flow like mystical tales performed in an ancient, marble opera hall. That may sound like a stretch, but this album is divine.
Temperamental: Everything But The Girl. This album is a nicely-flowing collection of intelligent, narrative songs that are about real-life urban stuff. Couple that with subdued d’n’b and you get this smooth, cool record. First you hear the intelligible lyrics, next you contemplate the verse, finally you accord with it.
97 octane.: Dieselboy. Continuous mix d’n’b with very few vocals at all. This one has some dirty, wild beats and cool astronaut & elephant samples. After further review, this is the best in the DSL collection earning it a venerable 5 stars on amazon.com. Check out the wickedly flanged track Twister by Decoder.
World Dance XprsYrslf: Andy C. This 2 disc DJ mix is a fantastic variety of 35 contemporary UK drum & bass tracks. It is a seamless blend mixed on an Allen & Heath Xone 62 mixer according to the liner notes. Although there’s no scratching on the album his flawless beatmixing, high-fidelity and excellent track selection makes for an interesting DJ mix.
Jungle Classics Vol. 2: DJ 3D. This mix has some ultra-cool ragga and jump-up cuts on it and the only drawback is the poor recording quality. The disc flows and the track selection is great.
Resist 74321880812: Kosheen. Excellent [female] vocals and accompanying dance music makes this a very solid album. Hide U, (Slip & Slide) Suicide and I Want It All are highlights, yet the album is fantastic listening start to finish.
Drukqs: Aphex Twin. Double disc set for the curious. Some moments of greatness (Taking Control, Petia Til Cx Htdui, 54 Cymrv Beats), with Richard’s video game aesthetic. Many of the song’s structures are quite non-linear so don’t expect to be able to hum along or anything. Cutting-edge acid-lines.
Fear Of Fours: Lamb. Amazon.com has been recommending this disc to me for years. I finally picked it up and am really very happy with it. Hailing from Manchester Lamb produced a cohesive, superb disc and yet have managed to stay slightly below mainstream radar (I think).
Deconstructed: Bush. These jungle and trance remixes are dark, intense and super-catchy. A very nice example of what happens when you mix a rock band with remixers like Goldie, Tricky, and other ultra-pros, damn.
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea: PJ Harvey. The distortion pedals are switched off on this album and it makes for a smooth, cool listening experience. An intimate, personal narrative of the city and of the sea…
Telegram: Björk. Cutting-edge remix project with a very experimental/eclectic array of tracks. It’s insane and impossible to classify, but crank it up cause it’s sweet. Musically, she’s not afraid of taking chances and it totally pays off on her records. Exotic, mystical vocals too cool for mere words. Remixes by Dillinja, LFO, Dobie and other masters.
The Fragile: nin. A thematic, ambitious 2 disc recording by industrial pioneers Nine Inch Nails. They have a mastery of studio techniques-especially in regards to vocal effects and aggro-beats. Balance out the Yin of To Venus And Back with the Yang of The Fragile. Explicit lyrics.
You Got It Mixed Up, From Behind Bars: Rectangle. The millennium release represents hip-hop and trick mixin’ by the master of the tables who keeps his work underground. Do yea? Do yea? Do yea like scratchin? Very explicit lyrics.
Obscene Underground Vol. 1: Freaky Flow. Bad ass scratchin, mixing, and tearing it up in general. Freaky Flow fiercely representing Toronto. Explicit lyrics.
Shot Down On Safari: )EIB( Bad Company. Very tight drum ‘n’ bass UK swingster-stylee. 8 tracks of diverse material which is bound to make ya wanna dance. Notably Hornet and Snow Cat, whew dancefloor ringers.
Gift: Curve. Toni and Dean are back with their unmistakable guitar/distortion driven post-rock sound. They’ve been around for a long time and they definitely know their way around the recording studio.
Booked 001: Danny The Wildchild. After seeing Danny spin at one of my regular haunts, I knew I had to pick this one up. Nice long scratches, cool tracks, and clean mixing makes this Chicago turntablist worth checking out. Very explicit lyrics.
Never Before And Never Again: Marilyn Monroe. Totally-cool, jazzy, sexy-lounge music outdating color TV. Wild.
Too Damn Tuff: DJ 3D. One of the best d’n’b artists of our time, 3D demonstrates his flawless jungle tactics.
The Best Of Bond…James Bond: Various. 19 songs!! 007 soundtracks by original artists. 39 years in the making. Essential to your spy collection.
Streetmix 4/3/99 & 4/10/99: Bobby D. Some sweet club & house cuts on this w/ extended doubling-up and high-end sound. Hear Bobby on party radio B-96 when you’re in the Chicagoland area-you won’t be disappointed.
Mysteries Of Funk: Grooverider. Nice collection of beats, from jazzy to ultra-techstep drum ‘n’ bass. High-end recording job to boot.
House Blend Vol. 5: DJ Rip vs. DJ Work! Side A: DJ Rip slammin’ the Chicago hardhouse beats. Side B: DJ Work! back with the L.A. hardcore, demonstrating his high-speed tech-house beat mixin. This just might be a good one to test your system. Explicit lyrics.
Homogenic: Björk. Hypergirl is back in all her glory, flowing future and doing it in style.
System_Upgrade: Dieselboy. Moonshine Music is one of the few labels that has survived the whole techno fad and they continue to release some bangin’ stuff. This drum ‘n’ bass DJ mix is tight and has 16 ultra tracks. DSL manages to subtly sneak in a porno track if you listen close. He always manages to pull off studio tricks where you think to yourself “why I the fuck didn’t I think of that?” No scratchin’ or turntablism on this one-just good, clean beatmixes, and catchy beats.
The Remix Album… Diamonds Are Forever: Shirley Bassey. If you took my advice and picked up The Best Of Bond…James Bond than you will know this material well. It is the diva’s ultra-smooth material from the ‘60s remixed into more DJ friendly dance musica.
Wax Assassin: DJ Rectangle. Anybody who takes a kung-fu approach to mixing is o.k. in my book. This is what one would call breakin’ out the heavy artillery. DJ Rectangle… I have to admit you’re pretty good. Hip-hop the way it’s meant to be listened to-in the fuckin’ mix! Very explicit lyrics.
SEAL (premier release): Very ambient and melodic jams best heard in the background at a European pub with friends.
Science Of Things: Bush. OK, you need to get by some cheesy lyrics to appreciate this one (i.e. Jesus Online, Spacetravel), however, once you do what you hear is a rock-solid album by a great modern band.
4x Harder Vol. 3: V/A. This UC hardhouse release is pretty damn smooth. 4 DJs slammin’ the mixes to bump up your ride. Chicago & L.A. meet head-on and this is the end result. Explicit lyrics.
2Future4U: Armand Van Helden. This producer/DJ understands how to bust all kinds of diverse sounding music. This is a nice album with very cool dance beats. Explicit lyrics.
Future Perfect: DJ Dara. This one is hot right from the get-go. The intro track (Blue Rose) is a drum ‘n’ bass mix of the Twin Peaks theme. How can you not dig that? The disc is a seamless mix of cool d’nb with tribal chants and other unique soundscapes.
Best Of Fromage: Nick Nice. A two CD set of his radio mixes featuring a truly global excursion into dance music. Extended mixes executed perfectly (of course), with a huge spectrum of tracks. Naughty Nicky has turned me on to a lot of great music in the past decade.
Straight Outta Compton: N.W.A. This is the O.G. rap album that propelled Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and (the late) Eazy E. on the road to superstardom. To this day the lyrics have a shock value of 10/10. Remastered CD to be released soon-not a bad idea. Very explicit lyrics.
House Music Trajic Style: DJ Trajic. I don’t have to tell ya Traj has his name on more huge records than damn near anybody in the ‘90s. Here’s one of ‘em, you’ll know the songs. Explicit lyrics.
Erotica (remixes): Madonna. Here is the theme song of the international sin set. She proved she’s hardcore on this track. Explicit lyrics.
Paul’s Boutique: Beastie Boys. The B-Boys teamed up with the Dust Brothers in ‘89 to engineer some very smooth music. State-of-the-art sampling and scratches make this the band’s finest release. Explicit lyrics.
Come To Daddy: Aphex Twin. What I used to think was just plain weird I’m now digging quite a bit. Experimental would likely be the first word that comes to mind, strange may be the second. Hey, as long as you don’t plan to dance to it by all means check it out! Explicit lyrics.
Power: Ice T. Who can ever forget the power tip? Ice T’s got pimp shit goin’ down. Hardcore lyrics, west coast bass, and always entertaining stories from the hood. Very explicit lyrics.
Babylon By Bus: Bob Marley & The Wailers. This is an excellent collection of Reggae songs by the pioneers of the genre. A very uplifting/positive message with great harmony throughout.
Sexplosion!: My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. Leather & plush lounge music for cocktail parties, fetish nights and such. Explicit lyrics.
The DJ Rocks: Bobby D. He has the best sampling and editing skills of anyone in the industry. Mega multi-layered and more catchy hooks than a tackle box. This is what happens when someone knows how to use all that dope gear in the studio for stuff like sequenced scratchin’ and drops. Explicit lyrics.
Cruel/Raspberry Swirl: Tori Amos. This 4 song [remix] single is very colourful and cool. Total swirling-sexy synesthesia. Another great release by one of the most prolific songwriters of our era.
Kid A: Radiohead. This is a solid album by guys who aren’t afraid to do things their own way. Everyone else is doing it, so should you. It’s all pretty mellow, so give it a few listens.
Control (remixes): Traci Lords. You’re bound to find a dance mix of this cut you’ll like-there are 6 to choose from.
House Connection 2: Bad Boy Bill & Richard “Humpty” Vission. Two house legends doublin’ up the remixes on this one. You’ll recognize a lot of the tracks. Deeper house than the duo’s previous releases.
Hot Mix #15: Bad Boy Bill. His most aggressive mixing ever. Tech-loops blended to perfection. Wanna hear the roots of hardhouse-check this. Explicit lyrics.
MCMXC a.D.: Enigma. Some serious intensity here. Deep, mellow and trippy. Sacred or secular? You decide.
Mixin It Up Vol. 3: To Kool Chris. Street-house renegade TKC style, with some nice long scratches. Explicit lyrics.
Pretty Hate Machine: [NIN]. Rock-solid electronic compositions. Give Trent Reznor & Co. credit for their high-energy contributions to dance music. We all get fucked-over sometimes and here is the accompanying soundtrack. Explicit lyrics.
Cuckoo: Curve. Smooth dance music of the early ‘90s UK goth underground. Some songs later remixed by the likes of NIN and Aphex Twin.
Greatest Hits: Eurythmics. One of the first electronica supergroups, many of these tracks are saturated with pure emotion. Besides, it will bring back pleasant memories of legwarmers, Rubic’s cubes, and Atari. Ah yes, who can forget the incredible video: Here Comes The Rain Again.
King Of Bass: DJ Laz. Very dope Latino and Miami bass sound. Vicious ass cuttin’ & scratchin’. Check out Power 96 when you’re in S. Florida. Explicit lyrics.
Dewdrops In The Remix: Deee-Lite. It’s no secret that these are some of my favorite dance songs ever. Imported all the way from Japan!
Buyaka-The Ultimate Dancehall Collection: Various. Very cool tropical Jamaican dance rhythms compiled in 1994.
Remixed Remade Remodeled: Blondie. You don’t often find commercial remix projects nearly as dope as this. 11 smooth tracks you’ll groove out to, and you’ll know all the cuts!
Morrison Hotel: The Doors. Psychedelic party music released in 1970. Amazing high-end recording/ambience.
Live And Rare: Jane’s Addiction. The sound of the LA underground punk scene back in 1986-91. Cool tribal beats and echoed vocals.
Angels Versus Animals: Front 242. Hardcore industrial dance-beats with super-charged female vocals.
Led Zeppelin: The first album of the influential supergroup is quite powerful and rockin’. Frontman Robert Plant and I both share August 20 (leo) birthdays as well!
Decade: Duran Duran. The synth-pop innovators of the ‘80s cranked out this great compilation.
The Tunnel: Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap. Underground hip-hop compilation by the masters of the industry field. This one is hardcore and raw. Everybody needs some East Coast shit. Very explicit lyrics.
Kiss The Sky: Jimi Hendrix. Guitar-based psychedelic music of the acid generation.
Diver Down: Van Halen. Summertime music for surfing, scuba diving and partying.
Best Of House Vol. 3 & 4: V/A. Preserve your old vinyl and pick these compilation discs up. Old school classics like: House Nation, Jack Your Body, Hip House, Nightmare, and Farley Knows House. Kick it in and flashback.
