For such a high profile artist Goldie reveals more of the person behind the drums and bass with an exceptional blend of influences on this first of three CD set (The Alpha). Opening virtually with Terry Callier’s epic ‘Lazarus Man’ and travelling through some prime eighties moments from Maze ‘Twilight’ and Serious Intention, ‘You Don’t Know’ the blend then returns to the seventies via Junior Marvin’s timely ‘Police and Thieves’. However, that’s not before dipping into 60’s Motown with Smokey Robinson while ending the first disc on Radiohead’s rousing ‘Just’ – I guess you could call that Balearic, or just simply inspired. While this lays the foundation it’s to the second (Journeyman) and third CD’s that you get the heavy beats and low-end theory. But it’s not until the music gets that bit deeper with Internal Affairs ‘Hands Up To Heaven’ that it all gets much more interesting, and how could it not with the Roni Size’s seminal ‘It’s A Jazz Thing’ following, along with Wax Doctor’s luscious ‘Heat’ and Goldie’s own superlative ‘Sea Of Tears’. The final CD titled Headzville, not surprisingly, comes into its own to highlight the music’s innate strength with soulful songs and far reaching arrangements that truly do stand the test of time (see Commix ‘Be True’) coupled with the brutal beauty of selections from the likes of DLR & Mako, ‘Your Mind’. A Masterpiece.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Greg Fenton
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