Customer Reviews

Sessions: Mixed By Mark Farina

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

 

 

Yes, I was afraid when I knew that Farina's next mix would be on "Ministry Of Sound"...a poor label in my opinion. I love what Farina did on OM Records, and I was afraid of discovering a COMMERCIAL Mark Farina. In fact, I was wrong, because his mix is great. Okay, not as great as Frisko Disko or San Francisco Sessions, but efficient. The mixing technique is solid, and the track selection is good. A lot of "unknown" house tracks, far from the mainstream crap.

And for DJs : Buy his "Bes Enatainment" vinyl on Great Lakes Audio!!! Masterpiece

Two discs, almost 40 tracks. Jackin' house music that will put a smile on anyone's face. A must have.

I am a house/dance snob, owning a ton of records and cd's, including all of Mark Farina's (including Seasons Vol. 1). By far, this is the most representative of the type of set you are likely to hear Mr. Farina play at a club or party. The other live Farina CD, live in Tokyo, captures the live-ness of the event, but the track selection was more mainstream than anything he normally plays when he's behind the decks and in front of a crowd. The tracks on this Ministry of Sound sessions were mixed live, with no editing and only a short break between discs. The tracks are underground and there is no digital assistance to account for the mixing skills.

Disc 1 is a 5 star review from me. With the exception of one mix toward the end, this set is flawless, the beginning is especially jump-up exciting.

Disc 2 began to loose the focus of the set in my opinion. The last track on the first disk is the first track on the second disc, giving it a continuiity and "full set" type of feel. While its a great idea, this 2nd disc struggles to maintain the flow of the first disc. Track 10 throws the whole set off when it drops a super vocal disco-type sound that sticks out like a sore thumb in the otherwise underground sound of the set. Thankfully, Mr. Farina picks up the end of the set after track 10 and finishes strong.

These CD's are a must for any true underground house fan who is looking for that 'live set' or 'out at a party/club' sound at home.

After listening Farina's, Mushroom Jazz Vol2 and Mushroom Jazz Vol5, I now realize I was expecting way too much from this album. During the first listen, I recommend lowering the volume and play it as background music in the car or at your home. When I did this, the album grew on me and I began to appreciate and love the music for what it truly was.

It's a great work of art, but don't make the same mistake I did and expect too much. Just kick back, relax, and enjoy.

From the tracklist alone, you can tell this CD is pretty hot. I like how he mixed it in oldschool mixtape style bridging both cds. That Jamanta track is pretty intense.

Unbelievable. I picked this up 2 years after it came out and said to myself "you've been under a rock for 2 years." He just continues to get better and better. Un ultra-premium mix of the dopest house music. And 2 discs!

If you are in love with Mark Farina then this is a great disc to get. Nothing mind blowing, but definitely up to the usual high standards of Farina. If you are new to Farina this might not be the disc for you. I would recommend San Francisco Session Vol. 1 or the latest from his Mushroom Jazz series. That being said, this is still an excellent disc to own. Get your copy while you can.