Compilation Recommendations November 2015

Review: Recorded live in Berlin last July, Soul Clap's contribution to the Watergate series is the soundtrack to what sounds like one the summer's best parties. Focusing predominantly on US house, the transitions are seamless but unfussy, and the mood throughout celebratory. From the deranged sax squall of Chocolate City's "Taxi Luv" to the sun-kissed jazzy keys and disco groove of Roy Davis Jnr's "The Beautiful One" to seductive soulful tones of Ron Trent's "Deep Art Sounds", this is a near flawless collection. It never veers into self-indulgence and features percussive, acid-led remixes from Francois K and Jori Hulkkonen as well as Mike Dunn's classic Chicago track, "Dance U Mutha". When Soul Clap get on the mic near the end to invite the crowd to an after party, this reviewer was half-hoping that it would be extended to anyone who heard this mix.

Review: Prins Thomas and Belgian label Eskimo have form when it comes to the epic mix CD, the pair combined to classic effect on the Cosmo Galactic Prism back in 2007, but they've really outdone themselves with Paradise Goulash. We do not envy the Eskimo employees tasked with licensing all 57 (count 'em) on this triple disc set which fully confirms Prins Thomas as a master of joining the dots between multiple corners of the cosmic cosmos. Described as "a gentle wander within the musical mind of the Prins," Paradise Goulash of course takes its name from Larry Levan's Paradise Garage and unfolds into one of the most mind-bogglingly good mixes you will hear this year.

Review: While most DJs still choose to use their Fabric mix to dig deep into their record collections, some prefer to turn it into a production showcase. That's what Mathew Jonson has done on Fabric 84, filling it entirely with tracks that he's had a hand in, be they solo productions, remixes or collaborations. That the mix is hugely entertaining and ebbs and flows in the manner of a quality club set is testament not only to Jonson's production skills, but also to his understanding of the format. For the most part, it's rooted in his trademark take on techno - a surging, funk-fuelled fusion of Detroit futurism, European minimalism, and something more wildly adventurous - but also contains nods to acid, broken beat, synth-pop, new-wave, bleep and early British hardcore.

Review: Some DJs use the opportunity of a DJ Kicks mix to showcase the eclectic nature of their record collections, while others see it as a chance to give an airing to the dancefloor records that have inspired them over the years. Seth Troxler's mix sits somewhere in between. On the one hand, there are impeccable jazz and downtempo moments from the likes of Sun Ra, Herbert (as remixed by Phil Parnell) and DJ Koze, whose "Bodenweich" is an undeniably atmospheric, off-kilter delight. On the other hand, Troxler has picked out some genuinely brilliant, mostly US-centric house selections; deep, soulful and bumpin' fare from the likes of Butch, Kerri Chandler, Jasper Street Company, Mood II Swing and Derrick Carter. On paper, it's an odd combination, but somehow Troxler has made it work.

Review: You have to admire Ostgut Ton's ambition. While celebrating a decade in dance music with a compilation of exclusive, previously unheard music is now standard practice amongst leading underground labels, few would have the balls to release it on a box set that boasts no less than 10 slabs of wax or 3 CDs. Unsurprisingly, the track list is like a who's who of left-of-centre techno and deep European house, with Marcel Dettmann, Boris, Virginia, Steffi, DVS1, Martyn, Tobias and Ben Klock all featuring. Highlights naturally come thick and fast, from the spacey electronics, heady textures and hypnotic rhythms of Function's "DX3 Analog Bass Seq", and the rush-inducing, string-laden house warmth of Matthew Styles' remix of Dinky's "Planes", to the picturesque intelligent techno of Doms & Deykers.

Review: Given the richness of texture that characterises Jon Tye and Pete Fowler's prolific work together under the Seahawks name, it's no surprise to see such a splendid cast of artists willing to dive in and play around with their music. And so we have Deep Haul, a 12 track collection of remixes, redubs, reworks and what not featuring the likes of Prins Thomas, Ruf Dug, Secret Circuit, Pye Corner Audio and more casting their sonic magic over some gems from the Seahawks discography. It's little surprise Scandolearic don Prins Thomas comes through with an early highlight in the shape of a deft electronic disco rework of "Look At The Sun" (that bassline) but don't brush over Rune Lindbaek's sub aquatic Balearic Italo take on "Rainbow Sun" or the charmingly warm Forever Sound remix of "Paradise Freaks".

Review: It's a decade since the Smallville Records store opened in Hamburg, with the now famous label of the same name launching a year later. To celebrate this achievement, the deep house institution has put together an 11-track collection featuring brand new material from a hand picked bunch of label stalwarts. Predictably, there's much to enjoy, from the loose, organic rhythms and dusty melodies of Moomin's "I Whisper A Prayer" and the dreamy chug of Smallpeople's "Cricket Orchestra", to the instrumental synth-pop-goes-deep house of Jacques Bon's "Tribute To You", and the impeccable Motor City futurism of Juniper's "Variations In Grey" (an ironic title, given that it's amongst the compilation's most colourful compositions).

Review: Given the sheer amount of material released by spiritual jazz maestro Sun Ra over the years - 120-odd albums and counting - it can be hard for new listeners to know where to start. Gilles Peterson and Strut have come up with an answer: a two-disc Sun Ra primer, which casts a critical eye over his whole career in order to gather together some stone cold aural gold. Peterson has long been a Sun Ra obsessive, and does a superb job in representing the different sides of his career. Check, for example, the doo-wop sweetness of "Dreaming" (a 1955 collaboration with The Cosmic Rays), the African influenced weirdness of "Adventure Equation", and the outer-space brilliance of "Cluster of Galaxies".

Review: It's been some four years since Norman Jay MBE's last Good Times compilation. Here he makes a welcome return with Skank & Boogie, a typically summer and soulful selection that typically joins the dots between reggae, jazz, boogie, '80s soul, disco and more besides. Opening with Saint Germain's obscure - but rather fine - reggae-jazz cover of the "Pink Panther Theme", the legendary DJ digs deep to present a near non-stop stream of groovy gems. Highlights naturally come thick and fast, with The Real Thing's smooth, UK take on Philly Soul, "Love Takes Tears", Laurel Aitken & The Gruvy Beats' undulating reggae shuffler "Kent People", and Chanson's soulful boogie anthem "Don't Hold Back" standing out.

Review: In 2013, Joaquin "Joe" Clausell continued his explorations into the links between music, faith and spirituality with the release of a DJ mix dedicated to the world of gospel music. Two years later, he arrives at volume three, once again keen to prove his belief that gospel is "the true soul music". Certainly, PRAISE: Raise Your Hands and Praise does a good job of showcasing the links between soul, funk,disco, house and gospel, slinging together admirably celebratory selections from NYCC, The Twenty-First Century Singers, Hope Collective, Spirit Of Your Love and Billy Paul. To keep listeners guessing, Clausell also includes a number of spoken word interludes and more traditional sounding gospel favourites.

Review: As the title suggests, this CD finds Simon and Felix Basement Jaxx opening up material from last year's Junto album to an impressive cast of production contemporaries. Proceedings commence with their own studio off cut, "Taiko Jun tos", a thrilling tribalist jaunt through house music that doesn't sit still for a minute. From here it's deep into the reworks, with all manner of styles covered across the subsequent 13 remixes. Big Dope P & TT The Artist bring a typically brash club aesthetic to "Unicorn", whilst amidst the many shades of house Dub Phizix lay down some schizoid drum and bass on their take on "Buffalo".

Review: Ghost Box has always been a label that's hard to pin down, despite their self-styled "hauntalogical" approach to experimental music. This essential 10th anniversary compilation, comprising 31 back catalogue highlights over two discs, reinforces this opinion. While often creepy, unsettling and unusual, their releases cannot simply be described as "ambient" or "electronica". Contrast, for example, the jaunty, kitsch grooves of Belbury Poly's "Farmer's Angle", with the folksy, slightly pagan "Hey Let Loose Your Love" by The Focus Group, or for that matter the gasp-inducing ambient beauty of Pye Corner Audio's ambient treat "Deep End", and the string-laden, modern classical-meets-horror oddness of Mount Vernon Arts Lab's "The Black Drop". These are merely four of the disparate highlights on a superb, and typically varied anniversary set.