INCredible Sound of Drum 'n Bass Mixed by Goldie
Various
(Sony Music/Ovum Recordings)

Samples:
01 Grooverider - Rainbows of Colour
02 Dillinja - Angels Fell
03 Johnny L - See Red

You need RealPlayer to hear these samples.

The impact of the Drum'n'Bass movement on modern music cannot be overestimated. As so called 'electronica' has become more and more accepted into mainstream society, its fringe elements have continued to thrive in clubs and raves around the world. With its breakneck BPM rates and skittering heart-attack beats, Drum'n'Bass (or Hardcore or Jungle or Jungle/Hardcore or Breakbeat...whatever you want to call it) was strictly a fascination of the underground dance culture centered in London. That is, until Goldie arrived. With the foundation of the Metalheadz record label in the mid-90's, Goldie forced the D'n'B scene into the light of day. His classic album 'Timeless' brought a breadth of emotion and intensity long lacking in the techno scene. With its mixture of cool jazz, soul, hip hop, and (of course) Drum 'n' Bass, Timeless became the foremost statement in the Drum 'n' Bass movement.

Goldie didn't stop there, however. His follow-up album, 'Saturnz Return', was even more ambitious. Clocking in at two and a half hours (including the sixty minute opening track 'Mother', inspired by Henryk Gorecki's Third Symphony) 'Saturnz Return' managed to inspire about 70% of the scene, and piss off the other 30%.

But the turntables were always his first love, and mixing his speciality. So here we are with a double-disc of some of the best Drum and Bass the genre has to offer with mixing duties by the king of D'n'B himself. Do you really need to ask if this package is worth buying?

While this could have been two hours of Goldie and his Metalheadz cohorts, Goldie ranges far afield and chooses selections from a wide variety of artists. From the deep jazz sounds of Grooverider ('Rainbows of Colour') to the hardfloor antics of Johnny L ('See Red'), Goldie throws together a top-of-the-line mix perfect for either the dancefloor or the couch. Go figure. Other prominent guests include Roni Size ('The Calling'), Dillinja ('Angels Fell'), and Doc Scott ('Dark Angel').

The set features two discs, one of more recent cuts and a second disc of classic tunes, including two by Goldie himself, 'Manslaughter' and the classic 'Terminator'. His fades are top and, like any good DJ, he grabs hold of your senses and pulls you seamlessly through thirty-odd tracks without you ever noticing a transition. While Drum and Bass is admittedly an acquired taste, once the bug bites, there's no going back. This is the kind of music that you devote your life to. In one of the most rapidly changing musical genre's around today, Goldie has remained a pioneer, never content to let musical convention hold him back. All of Drum 'n' Bass' practitioners seem to hold this same philosophy, and this is about as complete a collection as you can find for the price.

Rating: 9 (out of 10)

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