(Vital/Shock)

This release is a landmark debut mix album from acclaimed DJ and production duo Layo & Bushwacka! Named after their monthly residency at The End nightclub this release combines many elements of the distinct sound there are renowned for that ranges from hip hop, electro, & breaks to deep house, funk, & techno. Having made this double cd with longevity in mind both cds dig deep to find some amazing tunes from a number of genres and this duo certainly show that creative and original mix cd concepts are yet to shine throughout the dance music scene. Having had amazing successes with last two single Love Story and Night Works the duo are in a prime position to take all night long to a mass audience and new would be fans. With such an impressive list of achievements and strong reputation and experience anyone who is a L&B fan will be expecting something pretty special!

The first disc has an extremely laid back feel with the emphasis being on obscure funk and phat bass hip hop beats taking centre stage starting with the old skool sounding Vernors. Special Place introduces some Japanese hip hop, while Rock the record features some ultra dirty funky bass and tasty scratching. The cd continues to stroll through some amazing funk and hip hop starts to pick up the pace after the deep bass melody of The Detroit Experiment – Think Twice and spoken hip hop lyrics Clyde Feat Capitol A – Serve It up.

The house beat takes control with a rare early remix from Danny Tenaglia of From the Ghetto and a series of rare and exclusive Layo & Bushwacka Live Edits of a couple of Fast Eddie tracks which are a bass and electro extravaganza with a nice progressive feel. Sha Lor – I’m in Love (Layo & Bushwacka! Live Edit) is another highlight with beautiful male vocals and another stomping house beat that bring the compilation to a hand’s in air mood. All these tunes cleverly mixed, chopped and arranged in a way that you’d only expect from Layo & Bushwacka!

Disk 2 moves towards a deep house and electro feel and just like the first disk is jam packed full of quality tracks. The mixing on this cd is smooth and much more graceful than the first funkier cd and all these progressive tracks seem to blend sweetly into the next. This mix kicks off with Psychedelic Research Lab – Tarenah with moaned vocals, crunchy bass and cool tribal percussion. Other highlight tunes include the funky vibe of James Benitez – Starchaser (Paranoid Jacks Mix) which would no doubt fill any dancefloor with its psychedelic feel and dirty tribal sounds. Recent prog house remix favourites Depeche Mode get the L&B treatment with Dream On, sporting a solid house beat and hard electro breakdown with a subtle intensity to it.

Overall this double CD represents an amazing collection of hip-hop, electronica, deep house, funk and soul that reflect well the diversity of tracks that this duo play when they mix live. The mixing throughout is divine and these lads simply can’t help but show off these cross style mixing abilities, this is talent. This compilation is simply pure gold throughout both disks and is one that will stay in the CD player for a long time and then be revisited and rediscovered again and again over time. A must for fans as well as for those who want to explore some quality tunes that can be summed up by the four words: Funk, Breaks, Electro, & House.

Track listing:

CD1:
1. Vernors – The Detroit Experiment
2. Special Place – Higashida Tomohiro
3. Rock the Record (Kenny Dope Mix) – Resin Dogs
4. Jam on It (Wiki Wiki Song) – Newcleus
5. Funny Break (Layo & Bushwacka Mix) – Orbital
6. Scorpio Swift – Western Roots
7. Think Twice – The Detroit Experiment
8. Serve It up (Brooks Hip House Mix) – Clyde Feat Capitol A
9. From the Ghetto (Danny Tenaglia Mix) – Dread Flimstone
10. Acid Thunder (Layo & Bushwacka! Live Edit) – Fast Eddie
11. Yo Yo Get Funky (Layo & Bushwacka! Live Edit) – Fast Eddie
12. Manila (Ewan Pearson Mix) – Seelenluft Feat Michael Smith
13. I’m in Love (Layo & Bushwacka! Live Edit) – Sha Lor
14. Take 5 – Johnny Fiasco
15. Juice Stop – Midas
16. Loveless – 4 Hero

CD 2:
1. Tarenah – Psychedelic Research Lab
2. Dumbek (Jay Tripwire Unreleased Version) – Mothersole & Haris
3. Sacred Sessions – Weekend World
4. D&g Vol 1 – Lhb017
5. Starchaser (Paranoid Jacks Mix) – James Benitez
6. Simularity – Funk Device
7. Funky Misbehaviour – Ogi G Cash & Mimi Gonzales
8. So Nice (Layo & Bushwacka Mix) – Bebel Gilberto
9. Foulchette (Next Evidence Re-Edit) – Soha
10. Dream on (Bushwacka! Mix) – Depeche Mode
11. Crazy 8 – Pyromaniac Gardeners
12. Point of No Return – Stasis
13. ‘La 11eme Marche’ (Alexander Kowalski Remix) – Agoria
14. Dance to the Music (Layo & Bushwacka! Live Edit) – Sly & the Family Stone