This week's update is full of front-of-the-crate releases, but first, here are some of the highlights:

CRUDE REALITY "Stay Or Leave" (Original and Francois K & Rob Rives Mxs) Arthrob [House, Tech-house] As truly one of the elder statesmen of the scene, Wave Records main man Francois Kevorkian has been making hits and breaking remixes before most of us were even born, and needless to say, his dossier reads like the Holy Bible of dance music since the late ‘70s. With his finger on the pulse and with studio man Rob Rives (Floppy Sounds) by his side, they turn out a mix that is so genre-crossing it's amazing how effortless it comes off. Starting off with minimal Chain Reaction-style key stabs, the atmosphere slowly builds up with tougher percussion, swirling synths, random FX, distorted vocals, and a bassline that Rob seems to have been saving for a special occasion. On the flip, the Crude Reality mix is a chugging atmospheric houser, with a grooving bassline, shuffling percussion, and ethereal female vox that could very well be a staple in Tom Middleton's box.

http://www.arthrob.co.uk
http://www.wavemusic.com

UNDERWORLD "A Hundred Days Off" LP JBO [House, Tech-house, Progressive] Formerly known as Freur, Underworld embarked upon their sixth album sans member Darren Emerson, who had joined the group after 1988's Underneath The Radar and radically redirected the band's sound. When I first received a copy of A Hundred Days Off some months back, I found myself pressing play with some reservation. With such undeniable albums as Dubnobasswithmyheadman and Second Toughest In The Infants under their collective belt, Underworld seemed to have set a standard for themselves that seemed difficult to surpass, and to an outside observer, the formula seemed somewhat reliant on Emerson's presence in the studio. My first listen was tentative, but slowly the subtle glimmers of greatness came flooding out of the speakers. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have dished out a range of tracks from the sure-fire club favorites of "Mo Move" and "Two Months Off," to the narcotic downbeat grooves of "Sola Sistim" and to the quirky dancefloor stylings of "Little Speaker" and "Luetin.” So after the hundredth listening, A Hundred Days Off is more than ever a cohesive whole that spans tempos and genres, all while dutifully maintaining Underworld's time tested aesthetics.

http://www.dirty.org
http:/www.tomato.co.uk

DEEP BLUE "The Helicopter Tune" (Rob Playford & Rennie Pilgrem Rmxs) Moving Shadow [Breaks] Without a doubt, "The Helicopter Tune" is one of the most classic
drum & bass tunes of all time. Having received a slew of remixes around the time of the original release, the tune saw its fair share of space in record boxes around the world, but apparently Moving Shadow label honcho Rob Playford decided that it was high time to give it the re-rub. After producing and/or co-producing the first few seminal releases on Moving Shadow, and after an extended stint as Goldie's engineer, during which time he produced the aptly titled Timeless album, Playford is decidedly no stranger to the studio. Even with such high credentials, Rennie Pilgrem was brought in on additional remix duty, and together the two have given the tune new life and have brought it to a new audience. Playford and Pilgrem's collaborative remix is slightly more true to form of the original, with prominent use of the unmistakable helicopter break, warm pad washes, and a rolling subterranean bass groove. To use the word lethal would be a spot-on description. On the flip, Pilgrem's tribal mix sets its sights squarely on the dancefloor, with its pulsing modal bass melody, hypnotic drum programming, a subdued acidic groove, and dubbed out FX. Wicked business!

http://www.movingshadow.com
http://tcr.uk.com/

New releases and remixes in this week come by Neon Heights, Joshua, Stargazer, Neon Lights, East Coast Boogiemen, Triangle Orchestra, Lance DeSardi, CPEN, Miguel Migs, 4:20, Rob Mello, Chris Lum, Nova Scotia, David Duriez, and Smithmonger to name a few.

Restocks in this week come in the form of Metro Area #1 on Environ, Chris Lum's "Bigger Tool EP" on Tango, Miguel Migs "Steppin' Up" on Yoshitoshi, Lo-Motion's Field Day project on Drop, and the much sought after Haris & Dedan "Elektro Oro" 12-inch on Laus.

Also, check the assorted mix CDs that we've just posted, with the standout being a brand new Jeno CD titled Midnight Sun. It hasn't left the store's CD player since we got it!

So until next week, be good!

(Justin Corbett)