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MANDY At The Controls (Resist) Rating: NNNN
Mandy are Germany’s Philipp Jung and Patrick Bodmer, who run the Get Physical label and are two of the hottest producers and remixers around. This two-disc mix sees them showcasing their own particular take on the techno/house question, and frames that with an extravagantly wide set of sounds and ideas. To put it in perspective, this is the kind of techno mix that incorporates Cat Stevens and makes it seem totally natural. It does exactly what a good DJ mix should do place the underground club sounds of today in the context of the history of music, not only making it more accessible, but also highlighting how adventurous and exciting it still can be.
HENRIK SCHWARZ DJ-Kicks (K7) Rating: NNNN
The DJ-Kicks series has a long history of quality DJ mixes to its credit, and this outing by German producer Henrik Schwarz is no exception. Like many these days, it travels across so many genres and eras that it’s hard to put it in any category but its own. At its core is an emphasis on spaced-out soul, but Schwarz ranges from minimal techno by Robert Hood to spiritual jazz by Pharoah Sanders, with many stops in between including dub reggae, weirdo-disco and some Marvin Gaye. It’s simultaneously strange and sexy, subtle, yet rich and complex.
