Various Artists ‘Forever Underground: Artifacts (1997-2012)’ (NRK)
DMC World Magazine
This is the swansong compilation for NRK, whose founder Nick Harris is turning his attention to projects new. It’s totally fitting, then, that he is the one mixing the third of three CDs that perfectly sum up the label’s contribution to house music in their 15 year history. The first two CDs are unmixed, and look at some wonderful pieces of dance music that show how NRK retained their edge all the way through. Quentin Harris’ ‘Let’s Be Young’, Charles Webster’s remix of Shara Nelson’s ‘Go That Deep’ and the breezy Trackheadz cut ‘Our Music’ are three stand out highlights from the first disc, while on the second François K’s deep classic ‘Time & Space’ could hardly provide a better start. Nick Holder, one of the label’s shining lights, provides arguably his best track ‘Summer Daze’, while Ed Davenport’s ‘New Yorkshire’ is proof that the quality threshold was there the whole way through. NRK’s real victory was in their ability to bring underground house through to the surface, and this could hardly be better demonstrated than in Kerri Chandler’s ‘Bar A Thym’, which earns pride of place on the Harris mix that also contains Audio Soul Project, Kings of Tomorrow, Hipp-E and Blackjoy. An essential document to buy, then, and a fitting way to sign off for a jewel in the crown of British dance music.
