Digweed's EM 10-05-02 - review

[revaluation]

I am a huge Diggers fan, so to say I was initially unimpressed with the newest Essential Mix means something. After listening a few times it has really grown on me a little more, plus I have to keep reminding myself that it IS and EM and he playing to a much more trendy audience.

The trend of the moment is progressive breaks. While proggers like Sasha, WOW, and Danny Howells have been incoporating it in their sets for years, it seems these days no progressive set is complete without it. Personally, I use 'em to add a different dimension to a set, but only as a way to add flavor and rarely feature more than one. In the first hour of Diggers set he's got three. This is not a typical 'next generation' move that Diggers usually displays. For example, last year's EM @ Homelands featured some impossible to find tracks (Kung Fu Sanchez just came out last week) and showed us the dark, chugging side of progressive house. A lot of DJ's picked up on it and that sound moved through the end of 2001 and into the beginning of this year (Steve Porter, Satoshi Tomiie).

Instead, we have a collection of 'at the moment' tracks, incoporating breaks, cheesy vocals, and even a little 'hands in the air' synth lines.

The best moments come at the beginning of the second hour, starting with Pete and Ted's "Drama" and moving through Side Kick's "Response". The rest of the mix, although excellent track selections, lack the fluidity of the middle of the set and sounds more like he's just playing songs.

The KissFM sets rarely disappoint, so I'd advise the hardcore Digger fans to stick to those.

The Essential Mix Tracklist: 06/10/2002

John Digweed recorded live @ Bedrock

1) Bedrock - Emerald (Charlie May Remix) (Bedrock)

2) DM - Unknown (Lexicon Avenue Remix) (White Label)

3) Pole Folder and CP - Dust (James Zabeila Remix) (Bedrock)

4) Klaus - Always (Ronster)

5) DJ Taucher - Millenium Bitch (Jimmy Van M & Sean Cusick Remix) (White Label)

6) Luke Chable - Sealers Cove (Zero Tolerance)

7) Caesa Del Rio Juan Magan meets Gio Lopez - Carolina (Kut & Paste Remix)

8) KAO - Above & Beyond - (Earresistable)

9) Patrice Strike - Wonder (Original Dark Mix) (White Label)

10) Range of Motion feat Tanja Dixon - What You Need (Wink Remix) (Ovum)

11) Pete Heller & Ted Patterson - Drama (White Label)

12) MAS Collective - In My Mind (White Label)

13) Sleepers - Fishbone (Junior)

14) Side Kick - Response (White Label)

15) Atlas - Compass Error (Tarantella & Redanka Remix) (Plastic)

16) LSG - Unknown (White Label)

17) Graffik - Lessor Man (Satoshi Tomiie Remix) (RIP)

18) Ekkoheadz - Hypnotic Seduction (Q Records)

19) Futreshock - Frequency (Fuju)