This latest release from the man behind those wire rimmed glasses who seems to have found success in every musical area he has explored is called Progression Sessions. With an upcoming tour and being fairly recent visitors to our shores at the 2003 Fuzzy Field Day, LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad, are now up to volume 8 in this series of releases. LTJ Bukem is known to his friends as Danny Williamson and has been a key figure in the evolution of break beats and sub-genres for a number of years. Coming from a classical music background the soul and jazz influences to his music can be heard throughout many of his tracks and releases that have lead to his constant success since the early 90’s.

Starting off the mix, MC Conrad’s trademark vocals explode into the mix introducing LTJ Bukem, with the crisp live sound of the crowd’s reactions crackling away in the background. Starting with the tracks Where Are You Going? Immediately Conrad’s mixture of melodic singing and dark introduce their distinctive sound. Treasure Towers continues on the soulful tip with its moving vocals and emotive string samples. LTJ’s trademark smooth basslines are featured in almost every track. One can imagine how good they would sound at the venue through a huge sub stack or oozing out of the speakers on a Sunday morning.

As the mix continues Conrad uses his voice in a variety of interesting ways, incorporating different tones, and effects to enhance the tracks being belted out by LTJ. Shining features a very funky groove, and break beat that has a particularly exotic feel. This leads into Trust with its sexy saxophone solos, my favourite of this mix and definite dance floor filler. Electrofusion has a great sound with the Rhodes chords and general jazzy influence common to LTJ’s sound. After this LTJ’s heads off on a much harder and darker D&B tip with Take You Higher & Someone Like You. The nicely melodic drum and bass of Still Doin’ It is a nice break from the pounding beats, and is sure to cause mayhem throughout any venue; the mix finishing with the chilled goodness of Sky High.

The soulful and mellow vibes are a feature throughout the mix; constantly infused with rushing breaks, and lush ambience. LTJ Bukem created a stunning selection of huge breaks and drum & bass tracks, while MC Conrad lays some brilliant vocal additives in the form of clever rhymes and stirring lyrics. Conrad constantly utilises both the mic and effects to keep the eager crowd hyped for the whole mix. By the end you feel hungry for more atmospheric basslines and lyrical treats as I am sure the crowd at the venue were. However after listening to LJT cut, drop and rewind the tracks with the lyrical assistance of Conrad it is very hard not to get right into the groove of the mix.

Out now on Interia Records