Fabric 50

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

The ever-prolific Fabric series returns with this effort from Dutch producer Martyn. Known for his work in dubstep, the mix starts out perfectly with Hudson Mohawke’s incredibly funky song “Joy Fantastic.” Martyn follows it up with two more drum-heavy tracks designed to get you dancing, and by the end of Nubian Mindz’s “Bossa Boogie,” which has an insanely catchy synth line, I was fully committed to dancing hard to this album.

Many of the tracks have a sound distinctly influenced by African and South American rhythms, like the two Zomby tracks, “Little Miss Naughty” especially. But even as Martyn looks to many places for influence, all of the tracks have a common theme of looking to the future to find new ways to make people dance, and perhaps more importantly, always be interesting to listen to.

Martyn’s track mixing is impeccable, as I hardly noticed when one track ended and the next began because of his subtle and masterful mixes. The songs all bring something different to the album, but they blend to create a perfectly curated mix that is a must have for your Saturday night play list.

Written by: Dana Reinoos, April 7th 2010

Fabriclive 48

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0000

By Filthy Dukes

Fabric Records

I was excited to review this album because I'm fascinated by the creative endeavor of mixing existing music together to create something entirely new. I'm a musician, but I know very little about being a DJ—I had heard that no one mixes like the Filthy Dukes, and that their albums were the next best thing to being at one of their events. So, I was intrigued—but I have to say that I expected more.

Fabriclive 48 sounds like a night of London clubbing minus the sense of discovery that often accompanies listening to talented DJs mixing it up. These guys are known as DJ demi-gods, but the album lacked the originality I expected from artists who are adept at creating "in the moment." Maybe the guys got a little lost without the dancing crowds to guide them. Or, perhaps the creativity of DJs and the energy of the dance floor share a symbiotic relationship that just can't be replicated on a recorded album.

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of what I consider to be an important aspect of a DJ's craft—discovering deserving underground groups to introduce a fresh sound to the club masses. There's not much surprise here; the Dukes rely on what could be called a "standards" list of the genre. Maybe I'm being harsh, as few would complain about the stellar list of artists included on Fabriclive 48. I just expected a few uncovered gems to be sprinkled among a group of artists that even I—a music fan with an admittedly meager understanding of the new disco genre—am already acquainted with. I was expecting some exposure to some up-and-coming groups or even artists who have created a new sound.

Even though the playlist felt a bit redundant, it does offer a wide variety of artists. From disco to techno, the lineup includes Popof, Zombie Nation, Muzaja, Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, and WhoMadeWho. On a more positive note, the album does provide a studied example of the electronic indie genre. Fabriclive 48 would make an awesome soundtrack to most any party, but the musical adventurer may want to look elsewhere.

Written by: Meg Rayford, December 31st 2009

dj mix

Fabric 50

Fabriclive 48