Album Review: Fabric 50 - Various mixed by Martyn

Somehow both 2008 and 2009 seem to have been proclaimed "The Year of Dubstep"... Something that quite frankly bores BlackPlastic to tears because, well... It's just slowed down UK Garage really, isn't it? And you can try and big it up to be something more than that but as 'new genres' go it's treading what is already pretty well trodden ground. So Fabric 50, compiled and mixed by Martyn, is yet another bloody dubstep compilation.

Yet, actually, it's pretty darn good. And BlackPlastic can't really agree that this is any more 'dubstep' than it is 'nu skool breaks'. Or any other breaks genre really because in all honesty this shares more with the bass heavy breaks sound of early Stanton Warriors than any dubstep we ever heard.

Semantics aside Fabric 50 may be good, but it actually makes a bad first impression. Hudson Mohawke's opener 'Joy Fantastic' does a serviceable impression of Stankonia-era Outkast - it is fine but hardly as good as the real thing. And whilst Nubian Mindz's 'Bossa Boogie' is actually an enjoyably chunky take on breakbeat things begin to head downhill from there. Altered Native's 'Rass Out' is instantly forgettable and Zomby has two tracks early on in the album that utterly fail to justify the hype heaped upon him.

But things quickly turn around on DJBone's 'We Control The Beat'. It's an absolutely lush, warm slice of sound the introduces a house feel to Martyn's set that is more or less kept through to the end from that point on. Before you know it you're dizzy, staring at the floor to Martyn's dubby-ska mix of Detachments' 'Circles' and Joy Orbison's soulful and snappy 'Brkln Clln' (Broklyn Calling?).

And BlackPlastic can't help but feel that this slowed down garage album specifically just might be worth getting excited about. The twee pitched up samples of Burial come off like Sweet Female Attitude on PMT. But in comparison whilst Joy Orbison and Martyn may not justify a whole new genre tag (it's still just soulful breakbeat) they definitely worth listening to. Roska's mix of Martyn's 'These Words' is thick and paranoid and delicious and, unsurprisingly, it is Martyn's own productions that really shine in this mix - 'Friedrichstrasse' being another prime example.

Closing on Jan Driver's relative hard 'Rat Alert' followed by the funky and filtered 'Trilingual Dance Sexperience' by Dorian Concept, Fabric 50 is a confusing mix to the end. It's eclectic and confused and it starts badly, yet there it also clearly demonstrates why Martyn is one to watch.

BP x

Fabric 50 is out now, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD and MP3 [affiliate links].

Album Review / MP3 Download: FabricLive 49 - various mixed by Buraka Som Sistema

Judging by FabricLive 49 Burakama Som Sistema are a goddamn cussing noisy bunch. Make no mistake, this album feels like being tied to the front of Alton Tower's biggest rollercoaster (is that still the Oblivion?) for an hour or so with an emotionally epic hangover.

To be honest BlackPlastic was ready to slate it but instead we will say this - you will like FabricLive49 if:

• You like the sound that several travelling fair grounds would make if you put then all in the same place at once and told them to SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FAAAAAASTTAAAAAA!
• You hate your own head.
• You have some incredibly persistent guilty voice inside your soul constantly reminding you that you butchered your mother.
• You are on more drugs than BlackPlastic has ever tried.

There are a few better moments but, in all honesty, they are not good - they just gave BlackPlastic a bit of a breather because they didn't sound like a baby screaming.

It might be built to sound like a soundclash but to BlackPlastic it just IS a soundclash.

Download the full version of 'Kurum (Roulet Remix)' by Buraka Som Sistema, which appears on FabricLive 49 for a taste [right click, save as].

BP x

FabricLive 49 is out tomorrow, available for pre-order now from Amazon.co.uk on CD [affiliate link].

Album Review: Fabric 49 - various mixed by Magda

Fabric 49 technically hits the streets a month late because, goddamit, this is the most Halloween Fabric have ever got. Compiled and mixed by Magda (of Richie Hawtin's legendary Minus label) it's a spooky set of minimal, carved up with weird samples disorientating sounds.

If you haven't heard Magda DJ before then the sheer darkness of this album is reminiscent of The Glimmers' (or Glimmer Twins as they were then known) two Serie Noire compilations released on Eskimo five or six years back. The difference is that Fabric 49 contains much more upfront minimal techno compared to the John Carpenter soundtracks and early no-wave of the Glimmers' discs - this is a set clearly aimed at making you move.

And it still pretty much works - straddling a divide between atmosphere and dancing. Most of the tracks themselves are fairly nondescript but that is kind of the point. In contextualizing them, cutting several records together and never playing just one song at a time Magda has created something which feels like much more than the some of its parts... This is a mix that packs serious atmosphere.

It's true that things occasionally misfire and there are portions of the mix that are just too dry but when it is good, particularly on the closing third, Fabric 49 delivers something pretty special.

BP x

Fabric 49 is out now, available on Amazon.co.uk on CD [affiliate link].

Album Review: FabricLive 47 - various artists mixed by Toddla T

Broadly speaking Fabric albums can be divided into two categories - thoughtful and carefully considered or balls-out party starters. Toddla T's mix, perhaps unsurprisingly, falls into the latter. FabricLive 47 is a mix of grime, breakbeat, dancehall, dubstep, house and, occasionally, pop.

As BlackPlastic mentioned in our review of the recent Scratch Perverts' Beatdown album there is sometimes a tendency to get caught up in the 'now' without any concern for the actual quality of the tracks. There seem to be plenty of positive reviews forBeatdown, which suggests BlackPlastic's opinions aren't shared by all, but we would simply say: this is a far better postcard overview of dance music in 2009 than that album.

The difference is that the tracks generally feel much more like they will stand the test of time and whilst the mixing is perhaps a little less creative it's ultimately the tunes that count, right? Right...

So Toddla T has triumphed by keeping things fresh her, really chopping up the genres. Hip-hop on Stone's 'Amen' (featuring Roots Manuva) melts straight into a jump-up drum 'n' bass track Toddla creates by slamming several tracks together...

...And FabricLive 47 is at its best when it takes this approach, worrying less about what it should be and more about what it could be. There is the tongue in cheek soulful pop-dub take on Human League's 'Love Action' from Philly and then the tribal Caveman remix of Duffy's 'Stepping Stone' at the start of the album, or the soulful broken beat house of Skream's remix of Toddla T's own 'Rebel' and the blissed out Caspa mix of Deadmau5's 'I Remember' winding things up at the end. Sandwiched in the middle you have the likes of the aggressive hard-house hip-hop mash-up of of tracks (made from Bart B More & Diplo Vs Bashy's 'Millionaire Bingo', Bashy's 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' and Bingo Players' 'Get Up (Diplo Mix)') and Sticky and Lady Chann's cheeky 'Sticky Situation'.

FabricLive 47 may not exactly justify Toddla T's hype, but it certainly goes some way to explain it - it may not be sophisticated or that carefully considered but it sure is fun.

BP x

Toddla T's FabricLive 47 is released on 17 August - available for pre-order from Amazon.co.uk on CD [affiliate link].

On the topic of Lady Chann - in advance of her performance at FabricLive this Friday for The Heatwaves Funky Bashment takeover of room three we also have two tracks from Lady Chann available for download.

First up is Lady Chann & Sticky's 'Sticky Situation' as a free MP3 download - Download 'Sticky Situation' [right click, save as].

Also, made exclusively for this event, we have a medley from Lady Chann & Busy Signal - Download 'Medley' [right click, save as].

Download: Mix for the Big Chill - In Flagranti

Another weekend approaches and it being summer it tends to mean they'll be yet another festival. Yet this weekend it happens to be the Big Chill, and those who know know that the Big Chill is a little bit special. This year it is being headlined by Talking Heads' David Byrne, Orbital and Basement Jaxx but there are plenty move acts worth checking out, from Friendly Fires to Lindstrøm (live) to the Horse Meat Disco DJs.

Amongst all of this In Flagranti are playing this year and to get you in the mood we have a nice chilled mix they have put together available for download. Check the tracklist:

1. Africa Talks to You - Sly & the Family Stone - edit
2. Lost In The City - Plastique De Reve
3. Some Disco edit by In Flagranti
4. Tanya Hyde - Herr Wunderbar - edit
5. Space Art - Welcome To Love
6. Project Sandro - Blazer
7. Pleasure Dome long version - Frankie goes to Hollywood
8. Voyage - Souvenirs - edit
9. Asphalt JungleE - Freakin' Time
10. Passengers - Hot Lea - edit
11. The Z.A.C.K edit
12. Bombers - Get Dancing - edit
13. Bizzy & Co - edit
14. Gargot - Choco tech
15. Low Dose Virility - In Flagranti
16. Yes Maam (All Nite Long) (Trentemøller Remix) - Visti & Meyland
17. The Foot Therapy EP - Untitled B2
18. Ednah Holt & Starluv - edit19. I'll Never Forget - Dexter Wansel - edit

Download In Flagranti's Big Chill Mix [right click, save as].

The Big Chill kicks off on Thursday and runs until Sunday. For more information head to the Big Chill website.  You can no longer buy tickets online but they are still available to buy at the event on the day.

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