The Exclusives - 'DJ Kicks' (K7) Released 27/02/06

Simon Reynolds recently observed (referring to end of year music polls) that it will always be the beat driven, personality-large electronic music that will place as opposed to instrumental albums or compilations. And, when figures like Jim (I’m drunk I’m nobody, I’m drunk I’m famous, I’m drunk I’m dead) Morrison are still revered and LFO’s ‘Frequencies’ remains forgotten other than to a generation that grew up with it, you have to question this thing that is music journalism. If LFO can’t get a look in, then where does that leave that poor creature, the DJ?

Berlin’s K7 label has been issuing the DJ Kicks series for over a decade now. CJ Bolland, Belgium’s hardcore maestro kicked the whole thing off and the series has leapt all over the electronic music scene ever since. This then is the 25th episode in the series and features exclusives by various former mixers. And mighty fine it is too.

Starting with a typically deep and spacious effort from Kruder & Dorfmeister, a laid-back if slightly sinister mood is retained, excepting for DJ Cam’s almost cubist intro to ‘Bronx Theme’ evoking Tricky’s ‘Nearly God’ project. Kid Loco initially holds the groove but orchestral stabs usher in a bout of abstract scratching, taking it to the bridge if you like, but missing the railings and falling over the edge. We left turn into electrosoul/pop with Truby Trio’s vibrant ‘High Jazz’ and Vikter Duplaix’s ‘Sensuality’ which is buoyantly fizzy, the slightly off-putting too-smooth vocals allayed by a liberal sporadic overload of groovy sonic fx.

Depeche’s ‘Behind The Wheel’ is covered by Trevor Jackson’s Playgroup and sounding just as you would expect, filtered through his occasionally over-reverent but nonetheless enticing 80’s New York disco pastiche. Man of the moment Tiga invigorates and camps out in Nelly’s ‘Hot in Here’, and the mood becomes more frantic drawing to a mind-boggling close with Annie’s ‘The Wedding’, sounding all the world like Aphex Twin producing Rachel Stevens, her somewhat disturbing plea of “will you marry me” upsetting that proud and fine institution that is wedlock.

Finally, Carl Craig does his thing on a 10 minute bonus track, but to be honest I’m too busy looking for the ring to dance.