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(Yoshitoshi/Stomp/EQ)
The latest installment in the Yoshitoshi ‘In House we Trust’ series, features the talents of two young rising stars of the music scene, Canadian Dj and producer Luke Fair and British Dj and producer Desyn Masiello. Picking up where Behrouz and MV left off, Fair and Masiello highlight the cross-section of the Yoshitoshi catalog of past, present, and future releases.
Chosen by Dj Magazine as one of the “Faces to watch for in 2003”, Luke Fair has been credited with the emergence of a strong house scene in Toronto, Canada in the past year. Fair has established his name rapidly across the globe through his production work for Yoshitoshi, sister label Shinichi, Digweed’s Bedrock, and Satoshi Tomiie’s SAW to name but a few.
Taking control of the decks for the first disc, Luke Fair described his CD as being druggy, and I completely agree. It actually took a fair few listens to really appreciate the nature of it. Known for his use of deep vocals, melodic grooves, and dance floor shakers, I found that parts of this CD went absolutely nowhere.
He begins the CD with the original pairing of Heiko Laux’ Dedicated to all Believers, and Christian Smith’s Perpetual. Not one of my highlights for the CD, it has been one of the most commented aspects of the CD’s release. Fair takes it up a notch with Dished out Bums (aka. Deep Dish) – A Glass of Chianti, but then doesn’t seem to go anywhere with the following track by Loudeast – Sonido Profundo. Lisha’s That’s why I’m here (Miguel Moodscape Dub) takes it up a notch however with its divaesque vocals, and bassy echoes.
Fair, under the alias of Luke Wan includes one of his own production works, The Wish which is definitely one of the highlights of this first disc. A dynamic track with lush female vocals, it looks like finally the disc is going somewhere…and yet back down we go, with Miguel Migs’ Find What’s Mine (Migs Deluxe Pusher Dub) which was way too housey for me, and seemed strangely out of place.
Pascal Vegas’ – I know you like it which has featured on Renaissance Ibiza, Dark Drums, and Clubbers Guide to Ibiza Summer 2000, makes a statement with its dubby, techy bleeps, and fast pace. It’s just a shame that it’s only at Track 10 that the disc finally begins to pick up. Christian Smith & E.B.E Present Timeline – Clockwork Orange continue with their 1999 dance floor shaker. With a deep bassline, and percussion this track is a fine example of early tech-house.
Fair finishes the CD in style, with Shinichi’s release of Sultan – Night Visions, featuring the vocals of Stephanie Vezina, which is featured on Global Underground 025 – Toronto, mixed by Deep Dish. This track is bound to see airplay by the big guns of prog very soon.
British Dj and producer, Desyn Masiello, takes the decks for the second installment. Like Luke Fair, he has skyrocketed into the worldwide music scene quickly. Just recently Dj Magazine asked the top 100 Djs who to look out for in the future, and Dj’s such as Danny Howells, and Sander Kleinenberg all said Masiello as their “Future Hero 2003”. Like Fair, he too has a flourishing production career as well as Djing, having produced and remixed tracks for Yoshitoshi, Future Groove, and his own labels Alternative Route, and Sexonwax.
Immediately Masiello takes this compilation up a notch, and down a fair few years, with the deep upbeat bass of DC Depressed’s (aka. Deep Dish) – Come Back which was released in 1995. Although an oldie (you can definitely tell!), it remains a goodie. By track 3, he is already showing his creative skills by overlaying Mysterious People’s – Flyaway, with Chiapet – Tick Tock. He keeps the pace going with Disco Bandin by Dj Emily, and layers the accapella from Luzon’s The Baguio Track over the top. He then goes into Loudeast’s beautiful – Lights Off. You really can’t go wrong with this track selection. Lights Off has appeared on Yoshiesque 02, and Funky Deep ‘n’ Tribal, and remains a classic steadfast favourite of many.
Although the CD is beat matched well, the mixing at times sounds, well, clunky. There are no long mixes here, and I found myself being able to spot the exact moment he began to bring in the next track – and I’m no trainspotter! For example, the mixing between David Alvarado’s Passion Fruit, and Humate’s Choose Life (Gee Shock Remix), the latter of which I found slightly monotonous, was extremely obvious. Choose Life has a driving powerful bass beat, but it didn’t seem to develop or take it anywhere.
Chab’s – The Dub Sessions released on the Shinichi label, is a great example of the deep twisted house Masiello has become known for. Extremely smooth, and with a deep reverberating bassline, this track truly grinds, and provides a great lead up to PQM You are Sleeping (PQM vs Luke Chable Remix). I’m a massive fan of the original, and when I first heard Chable had remixed it, I though “oh no they’ve massacred it!” However, Chable has to be given credit where it is due. Although I’m still in love with the original, this remix is bliss. Recently played by Chable in Sydney at Sweetchilli, it’s by far the highlight of the entire compilation.
He goes onto BC’s – Switch it (now), which for me, doesn’t quite flow properly. Although a great track, it doesn’t gel well with PQM, and the mixing stood out strongly. Deep, twisted, and not a little bit evil, this is a dance floor stormer. Masiello takes this disc exactly where it should go, and shows off the capabilities of the Yoshitoshi/Shinichi label to have both deep house, and tribal shakers.
Masiello brings the feel down a notch or two with Altocamet’s Pasion Descalza (Hernan Cattaneo & Martin Garcia Dub), a beautiful melodic track with a rhythmic bassline, which is by far the nicest slo-mo track on the compilation. Masiello finishes off with KOT I Want you (For Myself) (Brother Brown Remix) which was released in 1998, and for me slows down the feel a little too much. Not one of my favourite KOT productions, it is a little too vocal-based, and loungey for my liking, and does not follow the atmosphere Masiello created.
Luke Fair’s disc one stands out as a CD to listen to in the car, or whilst you prepare for a night out, whilst Masiello takes it up a grade and shows off his skills in twisted deep house. A fan of the Yoshitoshi/Shinichi label, I am still undecided about this compilation, and I was slightly disappointed.
