Compilation Recommendations September 2016

Review: Thanks to his reputation as a knowledgeable house selector with immaculate mixing skills, hopes are high for Gerd Janson's contribution to Fabric's long-running mix series. As predicted, it's superb. After opening with Luke Abbot's deliciously steamy, marimba-heavy rework of Todd Terje sunset classic "Snooze 4 Love", the Running Back chief gradually ups the tempo and intensity, along the way finding time for the melodious breeziness of John Talabot, the stripped-back retro-futurism of Shan, a dash of big room business from Joy Orbison and Boddika, and a swathe of lesser-known house gems from the likes of Joe Clausell and Scott Grooves. He also squeezes in Prins Thomas's loose and summery rework of Caribou's "Sun", which closes the mix perfectly.

Review: 2016 sees Coyote arrive at a decade of posing the question Is It Balearic? Replicating the compilation shaped celebrations surrounding their fifth anniversary, the landmark is noted with this fine 2CD collection. The compiling skills of Balearic chieftain Max Essa are called on for the first disc selections, with Coyote taking care of business on the second for a fine horizontally-minded celebration of all things Balearic encompassing 22 tracks. Tempos nudge back and forth, different vibes coming to the fore along the way as a dash of steel drum is replaced by forthright synth glistens and upright basslines. Legends mingle alongside future heroes, Foolish Felix and Baldelli impressing as much as Last Waltz and Clandestino. As the end nears, up pops Prins Thomas's classic Diskomiks of Downtown Party Network. Here's to another ten years Is it Balearic?

Review: In honour of another successful season on the White Isle, Cocoon delivers a celebratory two-disc mix-up, with Carl Craig and Sonja Moonear at the helm. Craig handles disc one, serving up a smoothly mixed selection that fixes the starry melodiousness of Detroit, to the drowsy, big room throb of European techno. Along the way, the Motor City legend showcases killer cuts from Floorplan, DJ Deep, Chymera, Oxia and his superb remix of Agoria. On disc two, Sonja Moonear takes a slightly different approach, working her way through a hot selection of bumpin', Chicago-influenced tech-house cuts, before diving deep into the murky waters of late night techno hypnotism.

Review: Tale of Us launch their Afterlife label in style with the Realm of Consciousness compilation. Bringing together some of the best-known names in contemporary techno as well as a group of newcomers, it moves effortlessly between esoteric moods. Tale of Us contribute the ambient intro, while Monoloc and Woo York are both in more mellow form than usual on the melodic "Phoenix" and "Poseidon" respectively. Meanwhile, Recondite contributes the sad melodies and throbbing bass of "Murphy's Law" and Locked Groove balances supernaturally beautiful hooks with powerful bass pulses on "Emeralds". Even more dance floor-focused tracks, like Obscure Shape & SHDW's "Die Wiederkehr", are filled with trancey melancholia.

Review: Hospital boss London Elektricity returned to the release realm last year with this first album in four years... And his best album in well over 10 years. With the originals already doing the damage in all areas, he's passed the stems over to his Med School counterparts and given them the green light to reinterpret as they see fit. Highlights hang, swing and leap from every corner as the likes of Frederic Robinson switches "Seven Days To Live" into a futuristic synth soul frenzy, S.P.Y adds a touch more low-end grit to "Why Are We Here?", Kimyan Law flips "That Thing You Did" into a deep dream with some really interesting drum work and Rawtekk turn "Telefunken Lizard Filter" into a toxic, halftime swamp monster. With versions and VIPs from the likes of Keeno, Etherwood, Bop, Subwave and many more, this is less of a remix album and much more of a straight-up opus.

Review: Over the last couple of years, Lisbon label Principe has done a terrific job in showcasing the hard-to-pigeonhole fusion sounds of the city's Afro-Portuguese dance scene. Mambos Levis D'Outro Mundo, the stylish imprint's first compilation, does a terrific job in emphasizing their anything-goes, globally-mind style. Containing cuts from rising stars such as Niagara and DJ Nigga Fox, as well as a swathe of hot tracks from lesser-known lights of the Lisbon scene, the compilation's 23-tracks giddily meld throbbing sub-bass and dense, Afro-influenced rhythms, with bubblinbg electronics, humid vocal chants, and all manner of American and British influences. As a result, it hits home hard, delivering the kind of electric, thrill-a-minute dance music that's devilishly difficult to pin down.

Review: Those in the soul scene should be familiar with Soul Survivors magazine, a well-produced freebie edited by DJ, journalist and record collector Fitzroy Anthony Facey. As part of the magazine's forthcoming tenth anniversary celebrations, Expansions Records has invited Facey to gather together some of his "dance, disco, boogie, jazz and fusion" favourites. There's plenty to enjoy, not least a swathe of organic, disco-flecked soulful house cuts featuring the unmistakable vocals of boogie legend Leroy Burgess. Highlights come thick and fast, and include Yam Who's deliciously loose and hazy remix of Incognito's "Show Me Love", the hard disco-funk thrills of Beggar & Co's cover of Kool & The Gang's "Open Sesame", and the sultry dancefloor brilliance of Soul People's "Our Time Is Coming".