Few DJs invest as much care and attention in their mixes as James Zabiela, but this latest compilation for Renaissance pushes the boat out, even by his standards. He revisits the idea of adding in field recordings to boost the musical content, which gives both mixes a real sense of space and perspective. It’s best to listen to one mix straight after the other, as he spends a lot of time on CD1 building up the tension with slower beats, threatening to break out for a long time but finally unleashing some heavier breaks through Peter Benisch and Boys Noize. CD2 picks up where this left off, some spacey textures leading through to full on house and breaks from Phil Kieran, Gui Boratto and Jori Hulkkonen. Brilliantly executed, this is a compilation that does what so many don’t, taking the listener on a journey from A to B.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
