Felix Dickinson – Originals Volume 5 review

The tracklisting for Felix Dickinson’s instalment of the famed Originals series on Claremont 56 has been such a closely guarded secret we’d suggest even Julian Assange would’ve struggled to get his mitts on them prior to its release. The man known to the discothèque as Foolish Felix is loved in London and beyond for his eclectic DJ sets and impeccable taste, and as such there’s a wide spectrum of under-appreciated, obscure gems here. However the obvious question tumbles involuntarily from our lips: does this stand up to the past Originals compilations from Mark Seven, Sean P, Moonboots and Matthew Burgess & Jolyon Green? Previous volumes have thrown up individual gems such as the utterly brilliant “Got To Fan The Flame” by Gordon’s War (a highlight of Burgess and Green’s selection), while each of Mark Seven’s 12 picks for volume 2 offered a fascinating glimpse into the mind of the ultimate collector.

The sexy Latino strut of Kolbe-Illenberger-Dauner’s “Fun Tango” gets things off to an auspicious start, while King Sporty And The Extras’ early 80s boogie funk jam “Do You Wanna Dance” features the distinctive voice of King Sporty aka Jamaican reggae singer Noel Williams, a man best known for co-authoring “Buffalo Soldier” with Bob Marley. House heads will immediately sniff out the inclusion of “Feeling Sleazy” by Fingers Inc, a brilliantly dubby track which predates the current vogue for promiscuous deep house by, oh, a decade or two. Staying on a Chicago tip, next up sees some late 80s Windy City jack courtesy of Joshua’s “On The Other Side”. Things reach a suitably decadent crescendo with Roshelle Fleming’s 11 minute “I Know Just What You’re After” before we’re treated to a porn anthem (Gabi Delgado’s “History Of A Kiss”) and a wonderful finale of extravagant electric guitar hooks and vocodered vocals (the Bestedos edit of “Moving On”) that ensure that Originals Volume 5 takes its rightful place in the pantheon of Claremont compilations.

Aaron Coultate