- See all the Ratings
- Add my Rating now
In the saturated compilation market, few series stand the test of time. The dance music industry in particular is littered with bland compilations plastered with pictures of bikini-clad women and words like ‘Ibiza’ and ‘chillout’; it’s an insult to any discerning dance music lover’s intelligence really. It’s not surprising then that many compilation series disappear after just a few installments; formulaic structure, boring track selection and in many cases, shambolic mixing, are just a few reasons why poor sales inevitably ensue.
When a good series does deliver though – and keeps delivering – it’s a breath of fresh air; Defected’s In The House series is the perfect example. Since Jay-J and Miguel Migs’ first instalment dropped way back in 2003, the London-based label’s In The House series has featured the world’s best DJ/producers and has become the benchmark for showcasing the best upfront and classic House.
Sandy Rivera, Kenny Dope, Louie Vega, Dimitri From Paris, DJ Gregory, Jazzy Jeff, Danny Krivit and Martin Solveig are just a few who have been approached – and subsequently jumped at the chance – to compile and mix an edition in the series, with all subsequently leaving their own unique mark on the series through their track selection, mixing and overall vibe. Gilles Peterson’s In The House dropped in January this year and was both a commercial and critical success. Now The Shapeshifters step up to the plate with the 26th edition of the series, and what an effort it is.
Featuring three CDs broken up into two peak-time mixes and a third unmixed ‘inspiration’ disc, Max Reich and Simon Marlin have put their all into this compilation, and it shows. Their own 2008 take on Orbital’s Chime features among new cuts from the likes of Knee Deep & DJ Spen, Copyright, Dirty South, Axwell & Bob Sinclar and ATFC, whose 2008 remix of Bad Habit starts disc two off with a bang.
Their own productions get a substantial look-in too; in addition to Chime, the pair’s most successful track to date Lola’s Theme features, as does Treadstone and their remix of Todd Terry All Stars’ club smash Get Down.
It’s disc three however that really sets this compilation apart from the rest. Defected invited Max and Simon – like they did Gilles Peterson earlier this year – to delve into their extensive record collections to include some inspirational tracks that have shaped their development as DJ/producers over the years. The result is fantastic: Al Green’s Look What You’ve Done To Me, Tears For Fears’ Head Over Heels and Barrington Levy’s Here I Come sit alongside seminal house favourites like Frankie Knuckles and Satoshi Tomiie’s Tears and Lil Louis’ Club Lonely.
This is another giant step in Defected’s evolution as a truly global house music brand. The Shapeshifters copped a lot of flack on online forums prior to the release of this compilation, with many house (and Defected) purists bemoaning the duo’s commercial leanings, but Max and Simon have proven all wrong (well, me at least) with this tight package; a worthy addition to the In The House series.
Elliot G says...
nice one Timmac.. absolutely love this cd... cannot get enough of Adam K