Now that Fabric have completed a century each of their studio and live compilations, the shackles are off and anything goes where compilations are concerned. Now while a ‘presents’ compilation with Bonobo may not seem like the most adventurous way to strike out, it turns out that they have struck gold in this particular instance. Simon Green – aka Bonobo – presides over a really strong mix that, as the press release states, ‘uses the multi-instrumental arrangements of his own work as the basic structure on which to build a narrative across 74 minutes of house, techno, electronica and breakbeat’. The bubbling mixture of rhythms, riffs, textures make for a really strong mix, with standout points being the groovy bass line for Poté’s ‘Jacquot’ and Titeknots’ ‘Buzzard Walk’, a lovely breezy number that caps a superb sequence from Olsen, O’Flynn, TSHA and Will Saul. Durante’s ‘Maia’ is a really lovely track, while towards the close we get to enjoy the rhythms of ‘If You’ from Earth Trax with Newborn JR & Annjet, before the soothing ambience of John Beltran’s ‘Collage Of Dreams’ returns us to earth with a seamless landing. This is a really excellent mix, nicely shaped, strongly melodic and consistently stimulating.
