Album Review: ‘fabric 50′ by Martyn
February 5, 2010
Since my editor has reviewed it for Data Transmission, now I can post my own relatively more subjective review on ‘fabric 50′ by Martyn here. The reason why it’s ‘relatively more subjective’ is because whilst Martyn, the Dutch genius who compiled the mix, is famous for his dubstep-techno hybrid productions, it wasn’t until a few months ago that I started devleoping an interest in dubstep, the recently up-rising descendant of the 2 step and jungle family, or to use a more academic term, the ‘hardcore continuum’ theorised by well-known music critic Simon Reynolds.
It’s indisputable that the once London-centric dubstep genre has gained a great deal of popularity amongst artists and fans from all over the world over the recent years, yet music-wise to be honest it didn’t really do much for me as I found the music a bit too dry for my liking – yes its dark flavour and syncopated beat patterns are definitely appealing; however, particularly in terms of their use of synths, it lacks the fluidity of house and techno. That said, the genre’s focus on vibration and affect, especially with the theoretical support from Kode9 aka Steve Goodman, the boss of arguably the most revered dubstep label Hyberdub, has caught my attention continuously. (In fact Goodman, along with Ewan Pearson, is my favourite artist/theorist in the dance scene, and I’ve even written an essay on his perspective on ‘sonic virology’ for my MA at Goldsmiths a couple of years ago)
What really triggered my interest in dubstep music-wise was indeed the cross-pollinations between dubstep and techno, as artists such as Martyn, Appleblim and Modeselektor have started blending the strengths of the two species together and breeding fresh-sounding dub-techno hybrids that are dark, fluid, intelligent and resonating – hence my review here.
Regarding the mix’s track selection, Martyn has stated that he “wanted to try and make it as varied as possible and get people from all corners of the globe together on one CD.” In order to achieve that, he has painstakingly edited 26 quality tracks ranging from dubstep, techno, 2 step, UK funky, etc and neatly mixed them together. One noteworthy point about the sharp yet fluid mixing is that he did it all live – ‘I thought that was more honest than doing an Ableton DJ mix. It is how I would play live – not everything on the CD is perfect, but it’s not meant to be,’ explains Martyn.
The compilation kicks off with electro-hip hop hybrid Joy Fantastic by Hudson Mohawke, then through a few descendants from the hardcore continuum and Ben Klock’s dark and brooding techno remix of The Clock, the energy level surges with Martyn’s very own remix of Detachments’ Circles, an edgy and energetic cut characterised by the tough beats, indie rock vocal and Bloc Party-esque guitar riffs.
After that the mix heads towards a deeper direction, and after some emotive vibes supplied by Cooly G and Kode9 through their tracks Feeling You and Oozi respectively, canverous and throbbing techno returns as Ben Klock’s and Redshape’s excellent reworks of Martyn’s Is This Insanity and Seventy Four make their appearance, constituting my favourite moment of the CD. They also prepare the way for the arrival of the techified dubstep, such as another Dutch dubstep don 2562′s resonating Flashback and Martyn’s very own Vancouver. Finally, the mix comes to an end with Dorian Concept’s Trilingual Dance Sexperience, whose vibrant and invigorating synths echo the delightful party-vibe of the opener Joy Fantastic nicely.
A brilliantly crafted compilation delivered by Martyn, not only does this mix have an eclectic track selection, but it’s also exquisitely segued and programmed. Compared to the Master’s Series CD by M.A.N.D.Y. on Renaissance, which is also acclaimed for its eclectic quality, fabric 50 sounds darker, edgier, and technically better. It’s a mix that matches well with the cutting-edge brand identity of the club, and undoubtedly a fitting celebration for the half century of the fabric series indeed.
Tracklisting:
- Hudson Mohawke – Joy Fantastic ft Olivier Daysoul
- Alec Wizz `Drummin’ – (Louis Benedetti Drumminpella)
- Nubian Mindz – Bossa Boogie
- Maddslinky – Lost On Tenori Street
- Altered Natives – Rass Out
- Zomby – Little Miss Naughty
- Uncle Bakongo – Afar
- Zomby – Light Cycle
- Deepgroove & Jamie Anderson – The Clock (Ben Klock’s Timepiece)
- DJBone – We Control The Beat
- Detachments – Circles (Martyn’s Round & Round Mix)
- Joy Orbison – Brkln Clln
- Cooly G – Feeling You
- Martyn ft dBridge – These Words (Roska’s Speechless Mix)
- Kode9 – Oozi
- Roska – Without It
- Martyn – Friedrichstrasse
- Levon Vincent – Air Raid
- Martyn ft Spaceape – Is This Insanity? (Ben Klock Mix)
- Martyn – Seventy Four (Redshape Mix)
- Actress – Slowjam
- Zomby – Mercury’s Rainbow
- 2562 – Flashback
- Martyn – Vancouver
- Jan Driver – Rat Alert
- Dorian Concept – Trilingual Dance Sexperience
*quotations above are from fabric’s official website: http://www.fabriclondon.com/label/fabric/50/
