Dave Clarke

A double-CD featuring techno on disc one and electro on disc two, with both being mixed by Dave Clarke. The first techno mix features tracks by notables such as Jeff Mills and Joey Beltram. Hard pounding club-techno best appreciated through several amps in a warehouse. While the set does not seem to have an overall direction, Clarke prefers to let the tracks stand on their own without blending them into each other to form a larger track. The electro mix on disc two is positively mind-blowing, featuring cuts from Adult, G.D. Luxxe and Radiohead, amongst others. Big, fat, juicy '80s-informed synth lines remind me of '80s club era Trans-Am, Ministry and New Order. The mixing does not always flow however, since these are songs rather than tracks they are too individualistic to serve as DJ tools. If you like music from Ersatz Audio and Suction Records this double set is worth getting, because Clarke did a terrific job of filtering out mediocrity and presenting the best.