It’s that time of year when the compilation racks are over-flowing with titles like “Ibiza” and “Chill”. So, if in doubt, head for the recognisable names, as Mr Gooding certainly knows what he’s doing – he’s been the resident vibe selector for nearly ten years now. This double CD collection spans the decades, taking in 30 year old jazz classics to modern Balearic rarities like Youth’s Art Of Noise remix, to modern deep gems like Aya’s “Looking For The Sun”, Sebastian Tellier’s wonderful “La Ritournelle”, plus Plantlife, Furry Phreaks, Sydenham & Ferrer, Bent, and much, much more.
There’s also a solid dose of exclusive material amongst the classics and classics in the making. Mix wise, it’s all low-key and subdued, recognising that it’s all about how the tracks compliment each other, sounds merging like sea over sand. It’s not going to replace the Cafe Mambo experience itself, but this is definitely amongst the best compilations of its type, no argument, and will certainly help fuel those summer memories once the nights start to cool off.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: DARREN WALL
