(Shock)

This mix, assembled by Mark James, is the first in the Two Tribes series to feature split branding with the newly created Future Music Festival. His track selection sits comfortably in the land of all things electro-prefixed, with the occasional foray further afield. It could be said that tracks like No More Conversations might be nearing the end of their shelf-life as far as compilation releases are concerned, but there is a strong feeling that the more familiar tracks are here because they work in the mix. And there are more than enough surprises and oddball inclusions to even out a few radio hits.

After a forgettable opening, the double punch of Digitalism’s luscious Zdarlight and Dylan Rhymes’ sassy Fashion Kills steps things up a notch, and sets the tone for the remainer of the disc. German lads Digitalism appear to be on the verge of very big things, so this tune is bound to be around for a while yet. As for Rhymes, I have nothing to say except welcome to the future of dance music. I was a fan before I saw him play at Future, now im a full-blown groupie.  

Tocadisco’s rework of Walking Away by The Egg is quite marvellous (and he knows it – he opened his Future set with it). I suppose if I produced remixes that good I’d me a tad happy with myself too. And while we are on Tocadisco (and dodgy segues), I should mention You’re No Good For Me, which for those who have been under that proverbial rock is a monstrous electro house beast built on the Kelly Charles vocal hook famously sampled in the Prodigy classic No Good. It takes balls to re-use a sample like that without sounding like a lame also-ran, so much respect to Tocadisco for pulling it off.

The highlights of the second disc, strangely enough, are all tracks that have been around the traps and should really be sounding a bit tired, but surprisingly are not. The first being of course The Drill, an inexplicably wonderful piece of electro-tinged trance that brings out the inner raver in all of us. Released at around the same time, Dave McCullen’s Bitch was a defining moment in the new electro craze, and two years down the track it still sounds as sleazy, nasty and wonderful as ever. And all from the same guy who brought us “Castles In The Sky” – now that’s versatility. Throw in Pryda’s dazzlingly camp Aftermath, and you have yourself a tidy little selection.

I won’t say much about Wonderland Avenue’s reworking of White Horse. Except that I find it so disgracefully insipid and sanitised, such an affront to Laidback’s filthy, minimal masterpiece, that it pains me to write about it. But I’m sure other people will have less violent reactions, and I only hope that its popularity compels DJs to dig out the original.

All said this is a top release, which in retrospect perfectly sums up  the musical formula (or indeed lack thereof) that made the inaugural Future Music Festival a success.

Disc 1
1.  Praise Cats Featuring Andrea Love – Shined On Me 
2.  Big Black Boot – Vibrate 2005 (Peace Division Deeper Pass Mix) 
3.  Digitalism – Zdarlight 
4.  Dylan Rhymes – Fashion Kills 
5.  The Egg – Walking Away (Tocadisco Remix)  
6.  Tomas Andresson – Washing Up (Tiga Remix) 
7.  Warren G Featuring Bishop Lamot – Do What It Do (Sharam Jay Remix) 
8.  Suicide Sports Club – I Don’t Know (King Unique Vocal Mix) 
9.  Tiga – You Gonna Want Me (Jesper Dahlback Remix) 
10.  Tocadisco – You’re No Good For Me (Tocadisco’s Recover Mix) 
11.  Husky Rescue – City Lights (Product .01S Crunchy City Remix) 
12.  Coburn – We Interrupt This Program (Interrupted Vocal Mix) 
13.  Chab Featuring Jd Davis – Closer To Me (Lexicon Avenue Vox Mix) 

Disc 2
1.  Freeform Five – No More Conversations (Mylo Remix) 
2.  Twisted Funk – Raise Your Hands (To The Dirty Dub Mix) 
3.  Who’s Who – Not So Dirty 
4.  Enzo Mori & Stephan Clark – First Class 
5.  Pyrda – Aftermath 
6.  David Amo & Julio Navas Pres Paco Maroto – Electronic Electro 
7.  Dave Mccullen – B’tch (Club Extended) 
8.  Soulwax – Ny Lipps 
9.  The Drill – The Drill 
10.  Cirez D – Knockout 
11.  Martijn Ten Velden & Lucien Foort – Bleeep! 
12.  Steve Lawler – That Sound (Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso Mix) 
13.  Wonderland Avenue – White Horse