Paul Woolford’s first album as Special Request is an absolute corker. It is a collection of two parts – the original LP and a set of previously unreleased reworkings made by Anthony Naples, Hieroglyphic Being and Lee Gamble among others. The whole way through there is a strong feeling of Woolford pushing against the grain, finding his own genre of powerful break beats that sometimes moves close to what we understand as drum ‘n’ bass, other times moves much nearer house. But maybe the whole point is not to label it and just enjoy his innovations along with the massive, massive bass sound that he gets at times. This is achieved through sampling himself – taking broadcasts and pushing them through the system again – to give an extra fullness of sound. It almost feels churlish to pick highlights, but the absolute winners include the throaty bass to ‘Hidden’, the thoroughly convincing urban picture that is ‘Alone’, the Warehouse mix of ‘Lolita’ that cuts really deep, and ‘Vapour’, which convincingly balances more of a four to the floor approach. That’s before I even mention the thrilling drum thrills that recur throughout ‘Broken Dreams’ and the cinematic sweeps of ‘Black Ops’. Woolford gets some really inventive play between different styles and rhythms, and in the process comes up with a searing, original album that doesn’t lose its intensity at any point – ‘sole music’ as well as ‘Soul Music’. Outstanding.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
