Various Artists - Buzzin Fly Vol 2, Compiled & Mixed by Ben Watt

(Buzzin Fly/Stomp)

As both a rambling, eclectic stroll through the world of modern house music and a peek inside the mind (and record box) of one of the defining musical figures of our generation, Buzzin Fly vol. 2 lives up to its tagline of “Replenishing Music for the Modern Soul”. In a reflection of how the Buzzin’ Fly stable has grown and diversified, Watt strays considerably further from the beaten track than on the previous house-heavy volume, with techy moments such as DJ T’s Time Out and adding another dimension to the mix.

Manoo And Francois A’s 5 Seasons starts things on a classic NY house tip however, with little more than a thumping, percussive Todd Terry-esque beat and some judiciously placed strings resulting in a piece of stunning, simple house music devoid of superfluous surface decoration.

Watt shows that he still has what it takes as a producer with easily the two best tracks on this disc, the squelchy electro funk jam Lone Cat (Hold On), and of course the exceptional Pop a Cap in Yo Ass. The juxtaposition of Estelle’s confronting spoken word storytelling with Watt’s debauched 90s Italo-house production is quite magical. Mike Skinner, look out. Watts’ mix of Unity’s I Love You is another highlight, the kind of deep soulful, end-of-the-night house that we don’t hear enough of.

There is a definite ethic flavour to the middle part of the mix, with funky offerings from the likes of Sofian Rouge (El Wahrania) and Alex S. & Jazzy feat. Fubu (Senti Sabi) showing that there is certainly more to world music than ambient fluff and pan pipes.  

All said this is a much braver and more interesting release than vol. 1, still packed full of quality house but with a bit of a streetsmart edge. There are a couple of distinctly dodgy mixes, but in context they seem to add to the handcrafted charm. For house music aficionados and Watt followers alike, this is an essential purchase.

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