Customer Reviews

Choice: Collection of Classics

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like all DJ's worth their salt, John Digweed has a seriously deep record collection. On this two-disc mix set, he presents tracks that have influenced him over his long and influential career. Fans expecting the spacy progressive house of his Bedrock label will be surprised to find none here. Instead, Digweed starts off with honest-to-goodness breakbeats and gradually increases the tempo, although things never get hectic. This is strictly classic business, with long out-of-print records that reflect the innocence and optimism of early dance music. Highlights include the slow breaks of The Grid's "Floatation," the U2-esque trip hop of T. Tauri's "Joy to the World," and the cascading piano licks of Smith and Mighty's "Dark House."

Along side the recent re-release of Sasha and John digweed's renaissance collection, the "choice" compilation is a comprehensive look into the history of electronic music, with tracks dating as far back as 1980. This mix is really meant to give a taste of what John Digweed considers to be his favorite tracks. This is not like the four-on-the-floor, proggy dance mixes that you'll find on Global Underground or Ministry of sound - this mix ranges from down tempo to trance, rock remixes to electro - including artists like The cure, INXS, and young american primitive. Although this mix is very different from what a Digweed fan might expect, it is still digweed - and offers just as much quality as other Digweed projects. In fact, being a dance musician myself, I am very inspired by the quality and originality of older dance music, and beleive that this resurgence of classics might possibly be the spark of a renewed level of quality in modern dance music.

If you are looking for some hard, progressive Digweed mix, this is not it. This is a really enjoyable, upbeat 2 disc set with funky, 80's-style songs that makes for a great listen. I have been listening to this for a few weeks and it's really catchy and diverse!

Before I purchased this, I read the reviews by other members. Some love it, some don't. So I bought it anyway and find it to be a wonderful compilation of what John Digweed considers to be classics. This album has a very future-jazz type vibe. You can play it in the background and it isn't obtrusive, but is also wonderful to listen to with undivided attention. For anyone that has heard John live when he is in one of his chill moods will thoroughly enjoy this album, because his chill still has momentum.

John Digweed has been playing electronic music for years. Over time, he's weathered the changes that have come about for electronic music. This collection is a small taste of what he considers his favorites. These aren't just tracks he's played, but tracks that have influenced him and his style over his long career. To call this album trash, or say it's not worth the money is not only ignorant, it's flat out wrong. This album is worth every penny for those that truly care about electronic music.

The variety of stlyes and sounds on this album is great. Everything from recent songs he's played to a few songs from the early 1980's. Although this album is basically a compilation of songs and not a mix, he does make an attempt at mixing a few transitions. The result isn't what you would normally expect from someone as well known as he is for flawlessly mixing tracks, but it's understandable given the songs he's selected.

If you're a true EDM fan, this album is a must have.

If you want to see an in depth preview of what Digweed used to spin when he was just a resident DJ, instead of a club promoter/vinyl making guru, I would definately recommend this Cd. This is the way Hastings took its first breath and welcomed in a new feel for life, and it was the ever fast paced heartbeat of acid house. This is the looking glass into a world unknown to me being younger than 30 and living in the US, not London. This 2 disc complilation flexes its muscles and gives you a total preview of what was to come from Digweed, the music he gave to us, as well as the remixes he pressed onto wax. You can hear the pressing sounds of Bedrock more in the second Cd, however Underworld's "Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (Jamscraper Mix)" and as well as Abfart's "Alone It's Me (Ally Cat Edit)", (which are coincidentally the two last tracks on the first Cd) have a definate tone that creates what John made his "type" of music to spin, as well as that deep trancy sound that inevitably has a bit of a sassy house lick in it. I deem this a Classic in itself and I am looking to buy more "Choice" complilation Cd's from Azuli.

For those old enough to remember clubbing in the late 80's-early 90's, this retrospective mix is sure to please.
The track list (see below) is an outstanding journey through the musical influences that made John Digweed the artist he is today. The only fault to be found is the absence of that perfect, seemless flow in the mix we've come to expect from the Master. However, given the diversity of the material and the time-span involved, this is hardly a serious criticism. It's more like Diggers showed up at a party you were throwing and agreed to spin a few just for sheer fun. Younger listeners may require some patience to really appreciate these sets, but if you're really interested in understanding where the Man is coming from, that's a small price to pay. If this doesn't grab you right away, just give it time. "There are none so blind as those who will not hear."

Disc 1
Voices Of Africa - Hoomba Hoomba
The Grid - Flotation
T Tauri - Joy To The World (No Felt Mix)
Hypnotone - Dreambeam (Ben Chapman 12'' Remix)
Smith And Mighty - Dark House
Peech Boys - Don't Make Me Wait
Propaganda - Your Wildlife (Red Zone Mix)
The Beat Club - Security 88 (Midnight Club Mix)
Sheertaft - Cascades (Hypnotone Mix)
Euphoria - Mercurial (Euphonic Original Mix)
One Dove - White Love (Scott Hardkiss' Psychic Masterbation Mix)
Dance 2 Trance - We Came In Peace (John Digweed Re-Edit)
Desert Storm - Desert Storm
Abfart - Alone It's Me (Alley Cat Edit)
Underworld - Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (Jamscraper Mix)
Disc 2
Babble - Beautiful (Blue Mix)
Waterlillies - Tempted (Apple Crumble Mix)
INXS - Disappear (Morales Mix)
Megatonk - Belgium (Nintendotone Mix)
DSK - What Would You Do (8 Minutes Of Madness Mix)
Reese & Santonio - Back To The Beat (With The Sound)
Jody Watley - I'm The One You Need (Def Dub Version, John Digweed Re-edit)
Saint Etienne - Cool Kids Of Death (Underworld Mix)
Hi-Bias - Drive It Home
Young American Primitive - Young American Primitive?
DJ H & Steffy - Come On Boy (Larry Levan Remix)

These songs are very good picks by John. Most of the songs he presented I never heard of. They are't really that much of techno or progressive at all. However they are groovy and intelligent songs. I considered most of them instant CLASSICS!!
I have only listened to the album once so far, I need to give it another spin :)

This review is intended for those who prefer their
house/tribal/trance music to be vocal-free.
What makes many of Digweed's CD's fantastic are the
significant number of dark tracks which are vocal-free,
especially on the Global Underground CD's "Hong Kong" and
"Los Angeles."
So if you're considering buying this "Choice" package, you
have to ask yourself: Are there enough vocal-free tracks
to justify buying this?
The answer is a resounding NO. NO. NO. And again: NO.