VARIOUS ARTISTSAnother Late Night (Zero 7) Record label: Azuli/Kinetic Format: 3xLP/CD Release date: 18 Febuary 2002 The Another Late Night series offers just what you think it would: the ideal setting for your listening room or dinner party. Depending upon who’s in the driver’s seat, it may even provide a bit more bounce than the usual chill. Past installments have been guided by Howie B, Rae & Christian, and Fila Brazilia. Our hosts for this volume are Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns, better known to the world as Zero 7. Seeing as how it’s their debut mix, the wide critical acclaim is impressive, but not surprising since they were already media darlings courtesy of their debut album. More importantly, the mix itself shows that their influences run deep and diverse. Zero 7 start off with a double shot of hip-hop vanguard producer Madlib: one song from his Yesterday’s New Quintet project, the other under his alter ego Quasimodo. Further excursions in hip-hop are provided through Roots Manuva, Slum Village, and Souls of Mischief. The meandering sinister creep of Cinematic Orchestra’s “Channel 1 Suite” gives way to more alternative fare. I probably would have never heard the tracks by Joy Zipper and Jim O’Rourke had I not listened to this mix. (That’s the great thing about mixes and compilations of this nature: good sources to learn about lots of different music.) I love how the fade out from O’Rourke’s song segues perfectly into the hip-hop classic “93 Til Infinity.” Other pleasant surprises include my favorite Serge Gainsbourg remix (Herbert reworks “Bonnie & Clyde” into a quirky minimal house shuffle) and the Sylvia Striplin rarity “You Can’t Turn Me Away,” heavily sampled for Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Get Money.” Zero 7 also include their own cover version of Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth & Rights” and close the session out in style with “People Make The World Go Round” by The Stylistics. This addition to the Another Late Night series is worthy of all the hype. Recommended highly. {cali ginseng}
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