FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1999. All Rights Reserved
| CD Review by Red Eye VARIOUS ARTISTS • Basically a maniacal mix tape made by the mastermind behind The Prodigy, Liam Howlett. • A whirlwind rock ’em sock ’em ride through 50 minutes of flat-out funky shit including Beastie Boys, Fatboy Slim, Coldcut, Jane’s Addiction, Herbie Hancock, Public Enemy and the JB’s. Don’t believe the hype when you see this advertised as a DJ mix CD in the stores. As shown in the sleeve itself, only one turntable was used to make this cut ’n’ paste collection of bombs from the past and present. Most of what you hear is done through studio trickery, but, hey, that’s a good thing ’cause Liam Howlett’s a genius in the studio and that touch is all over The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One. It’s the big beat version of Coldcut’s legendary Journey By DJ’s mix CD, with effortless mixing and cutting of hip hop, funk, punk and rock ’n’ roll. The Charlatans sing over top of Grandmaster Flash’s "Pump Me Up" until Prodigy poke in and, before you know, it Jane’s Addiction’s "Been Caught Stealing" and Tim Dog and KRS One are gettin’ wrecked. That’s just in the space of four minutes. Elsewhere the Sex Pistols give way to Fatboy Slim’s "Punk to Funk" and Barry White gets sandwiched between Beastie Boys and Public Enemy; Frankie Bones, KLF and Meat Beat Manifesto represent the whistle brigade; Chemical Brothers, Propellerheads and the London Funk All Stars come correct with the breakbeat; and the old skool pedigree is proved by the inclusion of Ultramagnetic MC’s, Mark The 45 King, West Street Mob, Digital Underground and LL Cool J. Howlett pretty much leaves no stone unturned and excerpts almost 50 tracks in one of the best party compilations to ever come down the pike. 4/5 |
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