Customer Reviews

Fabric Live 24

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

 

 

For those who've checked out Diplo's earlier mixes, both solo and as the other half of Hollertronix, none of the stops on this musical ride should be that surprising. Nothing too obscure here, just solid tunes that cold rock the party - with a twist. The mix starts with an indie-fied reworking of summer jam favorites Nina Sky, weaves into some early electro, New Wave, and proto-techno, and then parks itself into a lengthy mash-up of Brazilian favela funk and grime. The Cure usher in the punk-funky final act that makes a brief detour into classic Detroit booty. The ghetto fabulous refrain of "uh, oh, work it, work it!" should bring a smile to anyone familiar with the club and radio scene in the 313 during the late 90's. By connecting the dots between seemingly-disparate subgenres that in fact trace their roots to that most fertile of moments in pop music, the late 70's-early 80's, Diplo is truly one of the new generation of DJ/producers that "gets it."

Say what you like about Diplo, but the simple fact is that very few, if any, have the vision and courage that is displayed on this mix and just about anything else baring the Diplo name.
With a mixture of old (Debbie Deb, Model 500, Freestyle), new (M.I.A, Outkast, Ludacris), exotic (baile funk) and downright strange (Aphex Twin, DJ Nasty), Diplo delivers a set of quality mixing and innovative track selection.
To those of little musical bravery - stay clear of the great Diplo in general and definately this mix,as you will find everything from 80's breakbeat to 00's hip hop rubbing shoulders with the rockier sounds of The Cure and Le Tigre. If however, you are open to musical experimentation, then this mix will surely install in your brain the feelings of euphoria it did in this humble reviewier's cranium.

Turn it on and take a journey into the wonderful world of Diplo.

Diplo, the mastermind DJ/producer behind M.I.A.'s legendary "Arular," has compiled one of the phattest party mixes I have heard in recent years. He starts out with some classic, hand-picked 80s techno tracks, including Yaz, Debbie Deb, and Cybotron. Midway through the madness, you can't help but throw your hands in the air and shake your ass to Solid Groove's "This is Sick." Diplo then takes a sharp turn into the realm of South London grime, continuing on to some underground Brazilian tech-hop. The beats get more aggressive through this later section of the mix. Towards the end, he shows his true genius as a party DJ by throwing everything you wouldn't expect into the mix--The Cure, Le Tigre, and ending up with CAT POWER??? This IS sick!

Diplo is the man behind the decks with M.I.A. He is also her main collaborator. There fore he is the hottest new DJ in quite a while. He hooked up with Ninja Tune two years ago. He did a few remixes and ended up working on the mixtape that put M.I.A. on the map. Of course he was a DJ at Fabric soon after that. This mixes old and new tracks. A little funky ass with old electro. Cybotron, Model 500, and even Yazoo are some of the best of that era of Electro. He even throws in some of his own tracks with M.I.A. "Bucky Done Gun" and Aphex Twin, and also The Cure. Ludacris and Outkast represent Hiphop. Le Tigre makes pretty lame albums but some of their remixes are tolerable. There is even a track by Cat Power on here. I am very unsurprised by these sort of collections. But this one and Annie DJ Kicks are great collections.

I have to give Diplo props for putting together such an ecclectic mix that delivers on all levels. All the old school party jams from the eighties infused with current hip hop and latin flavors shows how diverse his musical tastes are. I particular enjoyed hearing Le Tigre being mixed in with old school techno and house grooves. If you want a fresh musical experience that is guaranteed to get the party going pick this up.

Combines every important style of music into a cohesive vision of where music has been is now and is going. you should have ALREADY picked this up.

Although Fabriclive and Fabric albums are obviously suppose to differ in regards to being truely live recorded sets versus pure studio sets(that may or may not have be modelled after a set that the featured artist or DJ actually played at the fantastic London-based club), there sure is an overwhelming difference in quality between the two major series overall. Sure, Fabriclive is live, and therefore will sound a little more raw, but that is not the issue with the majority of Fabriclive's albums. The artists, DJs, and more importantly their sets are terrible! Diplo is no exception. I may have electronica genre preferences which guides (with some bias) my music collection, I do still try to sample a little from each genre and subgenre whenever possible.

I had a hard time listening to this ablum in its entirity. Various types of a particular food kept popping into my head. Provolone, Mozarella, Feta...you get the point.

2/5 stars for this album.