Artist: M.A.N.D.Y
Title: At The Controls
Label: Resist Music
By: Nick Williams | 31 October 2006
Tracklist:

• Disk 1
• Disk 2

1. Mathew Dear - Tide
2. Isolée - Willy Skipper
3. Djuma Soundsystem - Les Djinns (My My Mix)
4. Jona - Smart Cats Vs Dumb Dogs
5. M.A.N.D.Y - Take Two Four
6. Alex Under - Collage
7. Dinky - Michelle
8. Señor Coconut - Electrolatino (Ricardo Villalobos 'Lecktro Carlño' Mix)
9. Osborne - Outta Sight
10. Jesse Rose & Henrik Schwarz - Stop Look & Listen (Henrik's Version)
11. Rockers Hi Fi - Push Push (M.A.N.D.Y Mix)
12. Booka Shade - In White Rooms (Mexico Version)
13. Mathew Jonson - Sub Atomic
14. Mile Caro & Franck Garcia - Far Away (Jennifer Cardini & Shonky Mix)
15. Cobblestone Jazz - India In Me
16. Kenny Larkin - Catatonic (Fourth State) (Stacey Pullin Mix)
17. Fingers Inc - A Path (Instrumental Mix)
18. Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - Feel Am
19. Michal Holy & Ajana Calugar - Black Vanilla Guitar

1. Marden Hill - Bardot
2. Cat Stevens - Was A Dog A Doughnut
3. Rune Lindbaek - Junta Jaegar
4. Atjazz - Its Complete (Chateau Flight Darkside Mix)
5. Lopazz - Share My Rhythm
6. My My - Clean Break
7. Claude Vonstroke - Who's Afraid Of Detroit
8. Lindstrøm - I Feel My Space (M.A.N.D.Y Mix)
9. Heartz4 - Intimacy Girl
10. Ricardo Villalobos - Ichso
11. Sensorama - Where The Rabbit Sleeps
12. Scsi-9 - Senorita Tristeza
13. Chikinki - Assassinator 13 (Ruege Hagelstein 'Ride On Take Off' Mix)
14. Justin Martin - The Sad Piano (Charles Webster Mix)
15. Zweikarakter - Synthic
16. Djuma Soundsystem - Les Djinns (Trentemøller Mix)
17. Coldcut - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (Henrik Schwarz Radio Mix)

M.A.N.D.Y "At The Controls"

The duo of Patrick Bodmer & Philipp Jung create the M.A.N.D.Y. moniker that we have all grown to love, as this German duo have gained popularity with their productions and the music that they push on their own label, Get Physical Music. Creating an accessible sound with an edge, Get Physical Music has established themselves as one of the most in demand electronic imprints in the world. Working under various project names since the early 1990s, these guys have built their reputation on creating electronic music that blurs the boundaries between electro, techno, and house with pop sensibilities.

The 'At The Controls' series aims to delve deep into the musical psyches of the worlds greatest contemporary DJs, and following up from James Holden’s tripped out jaunt into his techno inspirations, the expectations are high as we look towards the most heralded German electro-house dj duo on the planet. My first thought when looking at this track listing is that these guys must have attention deficit disorder. A two hour mix that spans over 25 pieces of music is very impressive, yet that fact made me question whether or not this will be able to be pieced together in a cohesive manner.

The first disc starts in a very recognizable way, with minimal techno beats showing funk influences, and builds and develops in atmosphere very well through the first twenty minutes. Matthew Dear brings some sunny cheer mixed with round organic sounds and birds chirping from Isolee's 'Willy Skipper'. They slowly build and get your head bobbing, with some very impressive mixing as the tempo increases. No loop drags on, and playing off of the attention spans of most DJs, M.A.N.D.Y. have managed to gain my full blown attention right off of the bat. The music is preaching the sound that they have pushed since the early days of the label. However, as this first disc continues, it loses steam as quickly as it gained it, with the inclusion of funk-driven loopy techno sixteen minutes into their mix. To top that, the mixes that I hailed earlier in the mix, are replaced with more deliberate transitions that are literally out of key in quite a few instances, destroying the atmosphere that was built by the earlier tracks.

My attention finally picks back up again with Henrik Schwarz's version of 'Stop, Look, Listen'. Dub inspired chords coupled with an Asian sounding stringed instrument and tablas create an Ibiza sounding latin-tinged track. However, we are again met with a pretty boring mix into another great track, M.A.N.D.Y.'s remix of Rockers Hi Fi 'Push Push'. An awesome distorted guitar rides along with the plucked chords and bassline. Another quick mix into the Mexico remix of 'In White Rooms', showcases their good friends Booka Shade, who incidentally have gained increased notoriety with their releases on Get Physical Music. Mathew Jonson's inclusion brings some nice jazzy funk to the picture with one of his signature deep techno cuts. As simple as his percussion may be, he has perfected it in a very unique way.

Druggy disco is now in effect with deep surging bass with bendy whistles. 'India In Me', with its swirls and detuned organ riff, create a unique vibe, yet I feel that the accessibility that they are known for may have jumped out the window along the way during this wild ride. Borderline disco riffs, alongside uninteresting drum beats, with a slight circus feel, have not only lost my attention for this mix again, it has tainted it. The icing on the cake is the dropout that occurs changing the feel of the mix entirely. What is this? A random day on the musical playlist of M.A.N.D.Y.? We have moved straight to dreamy island music now; the type of music you listen to at 8am after a long night out. Poorly mixed, out of key, and harshly taking us from this dreamy place, we march back to deep disco tech house with 'Black Vanilla Guitar'. The vocal and horn samples are quite unique here, but it is a must to have the backing beats in key please. It hurts my ears to hear this. Not the feel you want to leave your listeners with.

The second disc opens up with a sunny, whistling, organ-backed number, reminding me of a time gone by. Epic strings and horns build and build, and then stop… Is this actually a mixed complilation? I believe you need mixes for that. Cat Stevens, an artist with popularity in the 70s, comes next with his disco-dunked elevator music, backed by thick drums. Tempo has increased with more electronic sounds, but the cheese is kept on full force, yet in an almost tolerable way. I can see M.A.N.D.Y's intentions of showing some older music that holds a special place in their hearts, yet I feel that this is not what their fans will be expecting. A nice groove finally starts to get going, yet the mood is still kept cool, as we 'Share The Rhythm' in a electro disco inspired plunker with electro stabs creating a nice melody.

Yet another horrible mix brings us to the last resurrection of hope for this CD. My My's inclusion brings very interesting drum arrangements and a grungy low slung funk. San Francisco native, Claude Von Stroke, also makes his way into the Germans' limelight with 'Who's Afraid of Detroit?'. The low slung funk is in full force here as well, with a slick Detroit vibe. Distorted vocals keep a grin on your face, as this is the best part of the compilation.

The immensely popular big room remix M.A.N.D.Y. made of Lindstrøm now makes its appearance as it slowly builds and builds, and we start seeing the assembly of some sort of direction to the mix. A sharp lethargic vocal takes over the mix in Heartz4's piece making some indiscernible noises, perhaps in a different language. This piece in particular just keeps looping and is mixed again pretty poorly into Ricardo Villalobos' melodic bouncy techno number 'Ichso'. We delve deeper and deeper into a couple sounds and bass, then into another mellow melodic techno loop, this time with a somber guitar and harmonica alongside. Some feathery tinker bells and reversed loops bring the energy with some plucking guitar.

At this point, I just want the mix to end, as the energy has just stagnated. Yet we are brought back up again with some delayed bells and an upright bass, with clicks and ghostly vocals. A theramin-esque background eeriness ensues, mixing its way to the wailing vocals with a distinct James Holden feel. The other standout track for the CD is the inclusion of Trentemøller's remix of 'Les Djinns'. Although this track may seem old to some, it sounds heads and shoulders better than most of the music on this disc, and it's a couple years old at least. This track puts you in the mood you have been waiting for the entire album to get to. The "hidden track" on this mix, Henrik Schwarz's remix of Coldcut is also lack luster, yet, when compared with the rest of the CD, they should have considered making this one part of the mix and hiding one of the others!

This compilation really disappointed me, and not based on my opinion of what I may think quality music is or is not. If you are as into disco as this duo is, you may fall in love with these tracks, the tracks that have inspired M.A.N.D.Y. to create the music that they do. The most astonishing thing to me about this mix is the lack of direction and premeditation that this compilation shows. I can only imagine this to be a rushed project that just did not fall together. This is not an actual thought-out mix of music, as it dips and dabs into many different subgenres with much difficulty. If you are looking for a recreation of M.A.N.D.Y. in the club, this will be quite hit and miss for you. If you are interested in a glimpse into the inspirations of this duo, you may want to have a listen before you decide.