Compilation Recommendations Best Of 2014

Review: Given the infamous depth of Nick The Record's vinyl collection, you'd expect this contribution to Z Records' excellent Under The Influence series to be packed to the rafters with unheralded gems. Predictably, it is, delivering 22 cuts that should be thrillingly new to all but the most dusty-fingered collectors. Picking out highlights from such an excellent and in-depth collection is tough, but try the steel drums-laden celebration of Boogsie's "Can't You See Me", the synth-laden jazz-funk badness of "Keep Your Shoes" by MC and His Great Googa-Moogas, and the fizzing, melody-rich 808 electro of Ronnie Jones "Video Games". If that's not enough there's also a swathe of DJ-friendly re-edits from Nick himself.

Review: It's taken Defected a while to get round to putting together a Masters at Work retrospective for their popular House Masters series. Given the New York duo's legendary status, this is something of a surprise. This CD edition does a good job in rounding up some of their highlights, touching on forgotten gems as well as well-known anthems ("The Nervous Track", the brilliant "The Ha Dance"). It's nice to revisit the MAW-produced 1994 cut "Voices in My Mind" (effectively a side project featuring regular vocalist India), and, in particular, the stomping, piano-laden soulful house flex of Kenny and Louie's classic Dub of Lood and Donell Rush's "Shout N Out".

Review: Given the expansive nature of Terry Farley's first celebration of early and classic house, 2013's five-disc Acid Rain, you'd think he'd be running out of choices for this second, similarly epic selection. In fact, Acid Thunder is, if anything, a more pleasingly deep and in-depth collection. Whereas that first installment was heavy on relatively well-known classics, this follow-up digs deeper for inspiration. As a result, it's packed with tracks that many house DJs simply won't know, or have struggled to get hold of; not just stone cold classics such as Bobby Konders' "Nervous Acid" or Hexx Complex's "I Want You", but genuinely overlooked material from the likes of Risque III, Peter Black and Jack James Rabbit. It's something of a welcome history lesson, even for those with a good grasp of house music's formative years.

Review: Alongside like-minded imprints Claremont 56 and International Feel, Coyote's Is It Balearic? label - a fitting name, given the difficulty in pinpointing the Balearic sound - has been at the forefront of the nu-Balearic scene for the last five years. Here, they celebrate that fact by offering up a celebratory compilation with pal Moonboots and Coyote each selecting a disc of unmixed favourites. There's predictably plenty of sun-kissed downtempo warmth (Windsurf's sunrise-friendly remix of Coyote's "Laidback", Gavin Gordon's flamenco-influenced "El Sueno Oscuro"), alongside a smattering of deliciously baggy and wide-eyed dancefloor moments (see Max Essa's jaunty Balearic disco jam "Heartache" and a thrillingly griity Soft Rocks remix of Social Disco Club). If that wasn't enough to get the juices flowing, the collection also features some stunning unreleased material from Freshro and Khidja Looki.

Review: It's been ten years since outspoken Detroit house legend Omar-S launched his FXHE label, which is no mean feat for a DIY label. To celebrate the fact, he's decided to put together the first in a series of mix CDs highlight the much-loved imprints vast discography. Entitled simply 1, the 74 minute vinyl only set takes an entertaining saunter through the label's bulging back catalogue, showcasing a range of well-known cuts ("Here's Your Trance, Now Dance" etc) and what the producer calls "some shit [fans] might have slept on". Predictably, it makes for a sumptuous and suitably groovy blend, moving between bespoke soulful house (Omar-S's much-loved "Sex"), deep Detroit futurism (Omar-S and O B Ignitt's "Wayne County Hill Cops Part 2"), dreamy jack tracks (Jason Fine's "Jack Yo Bodda") and tactile tech-house (Fit and Gunnar Wendel's "Enter the Fog").

Review: Given the recent upsurge in interest in the back catalogue of seminal Chicago label Dance Mania - particularly the ghetto booty side of their output - it seems fitting that Strut have finally given the label the retrospective treatment it so richly deserves. The whole story is here, from the early jack tracks of Hercules, The Housemaster Boyz and Victor Romero, to the stomping rhythms of DJ Funk, Dj Deeon and Robert Armani (whose ghetto-meets-acid jam "Ambulance" is a riotous highlight). Along the way, there are classics aplenty, alongside lesser-known gems from the vaults (see Parris Mitchell Project's ace "Ghetto Shout Out (feat Wax Master)" and Paul Johnson's thrilling "Feel My MF Bass"). Whether you're a Chicago house connoisseur or not, this should be essential listening.

Review: Hyperdub are really pushing the boat out to celebrate their tenth birthday, dropping four action-packed compilations over the next eight months. This excellent first installment explores what the label calls its' "dancefloor dimension", mixing 16 previously unreleased tracks with 17 certified classics from a decade of doing things differently. While these latter tracks are, of course, more than handy - unless, of course, you're a serious Hyperdub devotee - it's the unheard material that hits home hardest. Within this section, you'll find some wonky, bass-heavy techno from Kyle Hall, a typically murky dubstep excursion from Mala, an intoxicating trip into spiraling post-dubstep territory from Morgan Zarate, footwork from DJ Spinn, and a banging acid wonk-out from the late, great DJ Rashad and GantMan.

Review: The renaissance of veteran deep house and techno producer David Moufang over the last few years has been a joy to behold. It's great to see Fabric recognising his rebirth by offering him the chance to mix the latest instalment in their long-running CD series. Fabric 74 is as warm, melodic, deep and sensual as you'd expect, flitting between forgotten old school gems (K-Alexi's superb dub of MDIII's 1990 DJ International classic "Shake That Body"), overlooked recent tracks (Juju & Jordash's brilliant "Loosey Goosey") and bassier cuts from a new generation of house producers (see Last Magpie's sub-heavy "Roots"). It's pretty much the perfect example of a mix that entertains and educates in equal measure.

Review: [Emotional] Especial looks back at the first 9 releases since its inception to provide a
selection or "Eleccio" via a special dubbed out DJ meets studio mix from label stalwart
Jamie Paton. Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial
has been busy putting out music that are their own warped take on club music. Mixing the
influences of dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, a sound appeared without any preordained plan. To celebrate the end of the first series of releases come EES10CD - a DJ meets studio
compilation mix created by label artist, remixer and even in-house designer, Jamie Paton. Freaturing tracks from every EP, including two unreleased remixes are the tight productions
of Richard Sen; the wiggle of Scott Fraser; deep, chugging Cage & Aviary dubs; the Eastern
influences of Baris K and newcomers Khidja; the quirky discoid wonk of Maurice & Charles and finally not forgetting of course, the stand out Timothy J Fairplay touches. Whether
alongside Mr Weatherall, Andy Blake or in solo remix mode, young "Junior"s skills (and name)
grows and grows.
All this is perfectly put together by Jamie Paton, the man who launched the label with his
Bizarre Feeling EP. As well as the inclusion of several unreleased cuts, Jamie has edited the
"selection", adding live studio dubbing, FX and the odd mega-mix to make it truly (E)special.

Review: New York's venerable Mister Saturday Night imprint - an offshoot of Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin's party series of the same name - has spent the last couple of years building a reputation as a go-to label for those who like their house and techno eccentric and left-of-centre. Here, they present a showcase of their output to date that mixes previously vinyl-only singles - see Lumigraph's "Yacht Cruiser", the murky jazz-house flex of Archie Pelago's "Brown Oxford" and General Ludd's sweaty "Woo-Ha" - with a swathe of previously unreleased cuts. These are uniformly excellent, with the murky future voodoo of General Ludd's "C" and Archie Pelago's jazz-funk jam "Cinema Club" standing out.

Review: 18 years ago this month, Hospital Records launched with a deep and jazzy D&B 12" from the Peter Nice Trio, whose members included London Elektricity founders Chris Goss and Tony Colman. Nearly two decades on, Hospital is one of the biggest brands in electronic music, having cornered the market in funky, soulful, accessible, party-hearty "festival D&B". To celebrate their achievements, they've put together an impressively expansive compilation. There are two discs of new and previously unreleased tracks from the label's growing roster of artists - think Nu:Tone, High Contrast, Camo & Crooked, Netsky and Logistics - plus a thrill-a-minute bonus mix from Tomahawk. Covering most of the junglist spectrum whilst remaining unflinchingly melodic, it's a fitting celebration.

Review: Kompakt's Total compilation series - an annual round up of gems from the imprint's tightly packed release schedule - must be one of the longest-running in dance music. Amazingly, this latest installment is the 14th volume in the series. For those who enjoy Kompakt's generally positive approach to electronic music - think tactile techno, ambient pop and skewed, synth-laden house from the likes of Michael Mayer, Thomas Fehlmann, Partial Arts and Gui Boratto - there's much to admire, including a slew of previously unreleased cuts. These include Superpitcher's "Delta", a sublime chunk of hypnotic e-tronica that's almost too melodic for its' own good. Arguably even better is Weval's live recording of "Something", which is near perfect in its wide-eyed pop simplicity.

Review: Danny Tenaglia is a stone cold legend, but his profile has waned significantly over recent years. Given that it's 25 years since the release of his first production, this first contribution to the Balance series - and his first DJ mix full stop since 2008 - is well timed. Pleasingly, it seems Tengalia still "has it it". Throughout the two discs, the veteran NYC DJ maintains a fearsome energy level, mixing things up via a track list that spans chunky tech-house, darkroom tribal, heavily percussive fare (see Michel Cleis' dub of Basement Jaxx's "Mermaid of Salinas") and intelligent techno revivalism (Dax J's brilliant "Dreamscape" and Ho's "Deletion 3"). It is, of course, mixed impeccably, as you'd expect from a man with Tengalia's undoubted pedigree.

Review: When it comes to DJing there aren't many names as trusted as Marcel Dettmann to provide the essential mix, be it in CD or podcast format. To date he's curated the second installment of Ostgut's in-house Berghain mix series and the Conducted mix for Belgian label Music Man. So it's about time Fabric invited the Berghain resident to participate in their own mix series, with this 77th edition providing a selection mostly based on unreleased MDR demo tracks that Dettmann's been utilising in his sets for years. The result is a good primer for what to expect from his label in the future, with Answer Code Request, Norman Nodge, Ilian Taper Dario Zenker and French producer Marcelus amongst the high-profile names contributing unreleased productions.

Review: Last year's Pink Collection, the first in Eskimo's Colour Series of compilations, delivered a sumptuous blend of baggy Balearica, synth-heavy nu-disco, electronic deep house and wide-eyed indie-dance. Here, the long-running Belgian label repeats the formula, serving up 12 new and recent cuts from a wide-range of artists in unmixed (CD1) and mixed (CD2) formats. Highlights come thick and fast, from the touchy-feely goodness of Freeform Five's Roisin Murphy hook-up "Levinthian" and the atmospheric nu-disco-goes-acid of Volta Cab's subdued "Smoke Some Kill", to the guitar-laden Balearic house of Peak Oak and company's "Nova", and Elke Kleijn's sensual, string-laden deep house epic "A Tale of Two Lovers".

Review: Having issued a series of 12" samplers, the main course for the 15 year celebrations at Fokuz HQ arrives in the shape of this hefty 27 track compilation. Founded back in 1999 by Dreaz and Drum Origins, the Fokuz label has established itself within the international Drum & Bass community and their status is reflected in the tracklisting for this compilation. Consisting of both established names and rising talent, 15 Years Of Fokuz Recordings will wet the pants of most modern drum and bass lovers, touching on all styles of the genre and it's hard to pick out individual highlights such is the standard throughout. Any release that begins with a remix from the mighty Lenzman and ends with a cold rolling action of Lynx is a must!

Review: Given the iconic status of Peanut Butter Wolf's Stones Throw Records - not to mention the extended family feel about its' band of artists and collaborators - it's perhaps fitting that director Jeff Broadway has given the L.A-based label the full documentary treatment. Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton makes fascinating and entertaining viewing, with contributions not only from key members of the Stones Throw community, but also high profile fans such as Kanye West, Common and Snoop Dogg. Here, the DVD is packaged with a superb soundtrack CD featuring a host of new skits and jams from Madlib, as well as high-grade music from familiar Stones Throw artists such as James Pants, Dam Funk, Stepkids, J Dilla and Mayer Hawthorne.

Review: Mule Musiq boss Toshiya Kawasaki has pulled out all the stops for the sixth installment of the label's popular I'm Starting To Feel Okay compilation series. Not only does this tenth anniversary celebration run at two discs, rather than the usual one, it also features even more exclusives and unreleased tracks from the label's stable of like-minded deep house producers. As you'd expect, there's plenty to enjoy, from the hypnotic, Detroit-influenced pulse of Julius Steinhoff's "Downtown" and Axel Boman's woozy, picturesque "Anytime Is Fine" (which seemingly features a riff inspired by an obscure boogie classic), to the sinewy strings and bustling rhythms of Johannes Brecht's "London" and Fred P's typically musical "Electric Bridge".

Review: John Morales is no stranger to the compilation format, with long running UK imprint BBE serving up a great series of archival releases based around the New York disco icon's classic extended mixes. Here Morales digs through the sizeable archives of Motown to present a weighty 20 track selection of the label's dancefloor hits. The focus on Club Motown Volume 1 is squarely on the label's prodigious '80s output and features a pleasing mixture of stand out classics such as Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long" and the iconic Rockwell heater "Somebody's Watching Me" alongside some lesser known gems all presented in extended 12" mix glory. Extra intrigue for Morales fans is present in the shape of six new and exclusive mixes from Morales including thundering takes on Teena Marie and Tate Vega. Includes in-depth, track-by-track liner notes co-written by John Morales and edited by Motown head honcho, Harry Wiengar