Artist: Various Artists
Title: Yoshitoshi YR100
Label: Yoshitoshi Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 22 May 2003
Tracklist:

• A: 6400 Crew - Dubb Me Some'tin Fresh (Phil Kieran Mix)
• B: Eddie Amador - House Music (Filterheadz Mix)
• C: Alcatraz - Give Me Luv (That Kid Chris Mix)
• D: Luzon - The Baguio Track (Chus & Ceballos Mix)

"Yoshitoshi YR100"

Having dominated the house scene since 1995, Yoshitoshi hits 100 releases, and has chosen to celebrate by revisiting some of the classics from it's past, enlisting some of the finest talent today has to offer to update and reinterpret each of them for the 21st century. There's not much more to say than that, so let's get this party started..

Kicking off the shindig is 'Phil Kieran' who grabs Halo, Hipp-E and Tony's 6400 Crew cut 'Dubb Me Some'tin Fresh' by the horns. Originally released in 2000, Phil rips apart the track, removing a lot of the original elements and adding in a large pumping bassline, sliding in deep stabs and twisted fx which roll in and out of the chunky groove that emits from the speakers. You definately need to play this loud so it can kick some serious arse.

Meanwhile, back in 1998 Eddie Amador reminded us what 'House Music' is, and now in 2003 the 'Filterheadz' revist that legacy and add their own interpreation of it, staying true to to it's roots but bringing it to a whole new listener base. Using big loops and riffs to take the groove of the original to a new dimension, the Filterheadz really pull the vocal out from within and it is delivered with tremendous effect. So far so good..

The classic 'Give Me Luv' by Alcatraz comes next. As the product of a collaboration between Jean-Philippe Aviance and Victor Imbres, this as one of the early tracks (released in 1995) that really formed the foundation of Yoshitoshi's legacy, and probably one of the biggest to date with chart success globally in both club and national charts. A tough cookie to crack I'm sure you will agree, so how does That Kid Chris cope? The answer is quite well, but with the original being such a classic, even with the low end bass stabs throught and big riffs that he slips in during the break and beyond, this doesn't live up to the original but is a rather unique interpretation nevertheless.

The final track is the hugely popular 'Baguio Track' by Luzon. Over the years since it's release in 2000, and via numerous releases and remixes people have either come to love or hate this track, so for some it's not a track they would selected but in the grand scheme of things it is undoubtedly one of the most well known tracks to emerge from the label. The task of remixing the track falls to the Iberican masters Chus and Ceballos. You may think that their sound combined with the ethnic flavour of the the track might result in something dark and plodding, but the actual truth as it unfolds is that it refuses to be held to one ideal, as layers of beats intertwine with slithering percussion whilst the duo drop in quirky and effected sounds underneath. The results are better heard than explained, but be sure, you will be surprised.

So there it is.. an overview of a legacy so far. A sample of some of the finest tracks from the last decade, and an indication of where Yoshitoshi have been, where they are, and where they are headed to. Here's to another 100.