Various

Part of a mix-CD series that also features well-known scenesters like Gilles Peterson and Trevor Nelson, this collection of d&b comes to us from Goldie, a graffiti artist, DJ, producer, label-boss and now actor known as much for his ego and grandiose self-indulgence as for his creations. Inspired by people such as Kemistry & Storm, Grooverider, Randall, and the Reinforced camp - amongst those already creating, DJing and laying the jungle foundation - Goldie jumped in with both feet in '92. More significantly, he does give credit where credit is due. Much of this history and paying-of-respect is evident in this comp's play list, where Reinforced is mightily represented. CD 1, dubbed "Spektrum," leans heavily on tracks released in the mid- to late '90s, travelling tightly through instrumental d&b tunes ranging from Alex Reece's jazzier "Pulp Fiction" to the heavier, kick ass dance floor anthem of Jonny L's "Seeing Red" and the clangy bangy hardcore of Ram Trilogy's "No Reality." It's great to hear the less obvious jump-up madness of Fresh, Vegus's "Otto's Way" mixed beautifully into Grooverider's sweet "Rainbows of Colour." CD 2, "Retro," is much less inspired - surprising given its heavier focus on the early '90s. The mixing is, for the most part, decent, but there is no real tension, flow or momentum here. Far too reliant on Metalheadz artists and friends, Goldie actually comes across as having run out of steam. That said, Doc Scott's "Dark Angel" and the gold-toothed one's own "Terminator" certainly do embody the classic 1993 sound - classic breaks and beats, and squealing hardcore keyboard madness - and are worth reflecting on, smiling at, and thinking about how far this music has developed.