Nowadays it seems like everyone and their mother are jumping on the mixtape bandwagon, making it difficult to sort through the crap to find the worthwhile gems. Long considered to be one of the jewels of the genre, !K7's DJ-KiCKS series has consistently delivered the goods over the years and now carries the well-deserved reputation of purveyors of top quality mixes. Since 1995, the DJ-KiCKS series has sought out the hottest names in electronic music (including Bobka faves Hot Chip and Erlend Øye) to craft exclusive mixes targeted towards the home listening audience.
The latest DJ-KiCKS comes courtesy of Berlin-based electrohouse wizards Booka Shade. Founders of the successful Get Physical label, Booka Shade are more accustomed to producing and remixing tracks rather than simply spinning other artists, which made this mix even more of a challenge. And like every mixtape crafter, Booka Shade were forced to strike a balance between finding obscure tracks to make their mix unique, while not sacrificing the overall pacing and cohesiveness simply to prove how large their record collection is. In response to the challenge, Booka Shade have created a strong and well-balanced product. The tracklist is eclectic yet focused (mostly new-wavey tech-house with a few curveballs) and the mixing itself is nearly seamless. The flow and pace keep the listener engaged, but isn't overly demanding. Simply put, this mix is one of the gems, and proves why DJ-KiCKS is a reliable name and how Booka Shade got to the top of their field. Check out a three track sample below and look for the album in stores October 22.
DJ-KiCKS Preview mixed by Booka Shade
Featuring:
Yazoo- Situation (US 12" Remix)
Akiko Kiyami- The Misida Monarchy
Lopazz- 2 Fast 4 U
No comments:
Post a Comment