:: Solid Steel Presents Hexstatic

Various Artists

Continuing on from the very excellent DJ Food and DK ‘Solid Steel’ mix, comes the second instalment from Hexstatic. Hexstatic made a name in clubland primarily as audio-visual wizards, with extensive attention to detail and a general sense of weirdness. The track selection here is eclectic to say the least, however it successfully avoids the terrible predicament befalling many compilations around these days. The eclectic nature of the selection doesn’t fall into the “hey look at me and how crazy my record collection is”. This predicament has meant for a bundle of mixed compilations all trying to out-do each other with eccentricity – this one manages to avoid that, but providing a fun and interesting listen, throughout the whole disc – no mean feat. It’s a true mix for the home or café, and I mean that in the best possible way. It begins with some opening dub cuts, then into the fantastic blend of the Dawn Penn reggae classic “No, No, No”, mixed into the Hexstatic edit of DJ Food’s “Mr. Scruff’s Ninja Tune Megamix”. Yes, this is a trainspotters delight. Some fantastic scratching, then things get all party on yo’ ass. We jump into “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash, and blast in some cuts by Ike & Tina Turner, Toots & The Maytals, Boards of Canada, Shirley Bassey (!!), Young MC (with the classic ‘Know How’), and finally ending things up with the drum-tastic ‘Do your thing’ by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Rhythm Band. This is one of the better releases from the rag-tag bunch of overpriced and over-hyped dance compilations so far released in 2003. Explore and enjoy.