Tom Middleton is a magician. No DJ on the planet today can transcend genre and era as seamlessly as this man. A bold statement to be sure, but for anyone who has picked up his mixed releases, like the first installment of ‘The Trip’ series, or his bona fide classic ‘A Jedi’s Night Out’, they will whole heartedly agree; he is an elite selector. Middleton has an uncanny knack of digging crates for the right golden oldies, the right oddball funk jam, and the right heart melting instrumental piece, then whipping it up into a musical maelstrom that boldly runs almost every emotional gauntlet.

After mixing the first installment in this intriguing series Middleton returns to deliver his second, and while it is wilder around the edges and defiantly kooky in parts (check the 70s Thames TV theme). It is similar in concept to the first Trip and undeniably Middleton. Over two discs he breezes through aural time and space, whizzing through a galaxy of styles without ever loosing control, and as a listener all you can do is just hold on with your ears, shake your head in wonder and grin in awe, Tom is completely in charge here.

The first disc takes in Eric B & Rakim’s trademark sample heavy hip hop, the peacock funk strut of Lyn Collins and Recloose’s feel good ska bounce, before Middleton whips in a gypsy dream in the form of Shantel’s ‘Bucovino’ which ends the first half of this journey on a very sunny tip. The second disc is really where the magic happens though, as Middleton turns up the emotion and lays on the melancholy. Boards of Canada, Kevin Shields and Tangerine Dream all turn in beautiful pieces but it’s the use of two acoustic pieces that really elevate this through the stratosphere. Beck’s mournful ‘Round The Bend’ is an inspired choice and the center piece of the album. Folk golden girl Emiliana Torrini shines brightly with the gorgeously deep ‘Sunny Road’.

‘The Trip 2’ is an astounding mix and testament to the sorcery of Middleton who continues to grow in stature as a maestro selector. In a word, masterful.