Welcome to our first compilation review. In our introductory note way back at the start of this month, we said we'd pick one out of our extensive collection of compilations and review it for your reading pleasure. For both of us, there was no argument about which compilation we'd pick first. Katalyst Presents Dusted won hands down.
So, if you could put together a collection of songs guaranteed to keep a party rockin', who would you put on it? I think someone must have asked this question of Ashley Anderson, otherwise known as Katalyst, because he has put together quite possibly one of the greatest collections of tracks known to man, deftly mixed together on two discs of pure listening pleasure. But Dusted is more than a compilation or a mixed tape. Katalyst has seamlessly blended old school, new school and rare grooves into a listing transcending the very idea.
Oh sure, it doesn't have anything approximating hard rock or even medium rock, for that matter, but he does have the original track Eminem sampled to use for My Name Is..., Labi Siffre's I Got The... and some of the world's biggest hip hop luminaries in acts such as A Tribe Called Quest (Check The Rhime), Public Enemy (Burn Hollywood Burn), Wu-Tang Clan (Uzi (Pinky Ring) ) and Run DMC (Down With The King) as well as some classic old school acts like Fred Wesley, The JBs, Roy Ayers, Nina Simone and The Meters.
It's surprising how well this blend of old and new works and this album never fails to inspire and delight. But it's in his own tracks he really shines, highlighting both his love of hip hop (Let The Music Talk) and funky grooves (Uprock This). Both are instant classics.
If you've not heard this collection before and you want something 100 percent guaranteed to kick start your party, even if the party is of one, you won't find anything better. It even makes me wanna dance, something very few recordings can do.
VERDICT: TURN IT UP hit repeat and let 'em dance all night
MINE
Party party party party - this 2-CD album is an essential for an "all back to mine" event. We saw him - erm "live" - a couple of years ago and he was a-ma-ZING!
As a collection of songs, it works beautifully - from the first strains of California Soul to Run-DMC's Down With the King on CD 2. My personal favourites are the funky tunes (have I mentioned I like to dance?) especially Cherrystones and I Changed My Mind.
But the rappier and rockier songs work too - showing he's well worth all the gongs he's garnered as a music producer and DJ. This is the second copy of this album we've owned after the first one walked - and I'm voting for it as one of the CDs I'd buy first if the whole collection vanished tomorrow. Nothing else to say but...
VERDICT: TURN IT UP (invite your best mates over and get the cocktail shaker out)
For more information: http://www.katalystmusic.com.au/
In our collection we also have What's Happening
In our collection we also have What's Happening
Word.
ReplyDeleteKatalyst is one of my favourite hip hop producers - check out his own stuff
Anon, aint he just brilliant. Forgot to mention we also have Agent Manipulated as well. He's also just released an album under the Space Invadas name - been trying to hunt it down for a while now. Have you heard this at all?
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