Artist: John Digweed
Title: MMII
Label: Bedrock Records
By: Simon Jones | 17 April 2002
Tracklist:

1. Pollon - Lonely Planet
2. Pole Folder & CP - Dust
3. Bermuda Triangle - Mooger Fooger
4. Sean Q6 - Of Course
5. Flash Brothers - Protect The Sense
6. Te Quiero - 108 Grand (Darren Emerson Mix)
7. Shakespeare's Sister - Black Sky (Dub Extravaganza)
8. James Holden - I Have Put Out The Light
9. Spooky - Belong (Vocal Club Mix)
10. Mandalay - Deep Love (Charlie May Mix)

John Digweed "MMII"

John Digweed's career goes from strength to strength. In 2001, he was voted the World No.1 DJ in DJ Magazine, where the public voiced their opinions to make their feelings known. From there he has worked alongside studio partner Nick Muir, sourcing, scoring and producing material for a forthcoming blockbuster film called Stark Raving Mad, as well as working on remix for the likes of Flash, Brancaccio And Aisher, and Evolution under the guise of Bedrock

You may think he has a very busy schedule, but still he manages to cope with the running of two labels, signing talent from all corners of the globe, as well as embarking on a major 32 date tour with Sasha and Jimmy Van M, the first of it's kind, and something that will set a precedent of what people will come to expect from the dance industry in the future, immersing anyone who witnesses the tour with visuals beyond the wildest imagination that generate in time to the soundscapes being emitted from specially crafted sound setups, with some of the best sound experts in the industry making sure everything is tweaked to perfection. A far cry from promoting nights on Hastings Pier back in the early 90's. Surely nothing more is possible, but sure enough John has found the time to put together a brand new mix cd for your listening pleasure, and MMII has arrived.

In a way only he can do, John lays down a cornucopia of sound that spans over 70 minutes, incorporating forgotten classics amongst future essentials, and blending them all into one subtly evolving life form that starts off with a deeply atmospheric electronic vibe that pays homage to the past years of John's career, with Pollen's Lonely Planet and its cinematic pulsating synths fading into the deep harmonious vocal of Dust by Pole Folder, before the mix twists on its axis into a more tripped out psychedelic direction with Mooger Fooger by Bermuda Triangle bridging the change perfectly as Thing by Sean Q6 enters the mix.

The pace lifts as Israel's hottest export of the moment, The Flash Brothers deliver a brand new track called Protect The Senses. It's an eerie journey that evolves and grows before orchestral stabs mark a tougher pace that continues into Darren Emerson's remix of Te Quiero's 108 Grand which builds and fluctuates into a heavenly drop that gives way to some atmospheric analogue percussion that forms yet another new direction for the mix.

Dark, spacey grooves are the order of the day before the dubby vocal of a classic from yesteryear, Black Sky by Shakespeare's Sister builds the pace once again as Digweed seamlessly crosses the fabric of time itself, heading towards the future once more.

As the subtle melodies roll over the hypnotic beat of James Holden's I Have Put Out The Light, and as the mix ends into it's grand finale John calls upon sometime Sasha collaborator Charlie May to take things to fever pitch, first with the warm flowing beats and soft vocals of Spooky's Belong, Charlie and production partner Duncan Forbes's first outing under the guise since the mid 90s leading into Charlie's own interpretation of Mandalay's Deeper Love, a slick groove rolling along as the pace gradually lowers in tempo and the journey comes to an end.

Whether you are new to the electronic scene, or have followed John's career from the early days in Hastings right through the nights at Renaissance, Bedrock and many of the top festivals across the world, there is something in this mix that will find appeal with you, with fans of Northern Exposure also being catered for here.

As John proves it does not have to be about how many upfront tunes you own, but that if you have the imagination and the willingness to try, that anything will work here in 2002, and still sound as fresh as it does even years ago. But that's John Digweed for you, like a vintage wine he matures and betters with age.