FABRICLIVE 47

Although he’s keen to point out that he’s not just about ragga and dancehall, these are the flavours that kick Sheffield badman Toddla’s FABRICLIVE mix off and indeed continue much of the way through – his calling card essentially. Alas, it doesn’t feel like such a varied affair as his awesome Essential Mix.
 
We kick off with honeyed vocals from Philly and Duffy (don’t lament, she sounds very good over a clattering riddim), with the first big analog b-line appearing on Monkey Steak’s squlechy Tigris Riddim. Afrikan Boy and Batty Rymer help give Toddla’s Fill Up Mi Portion a re-fit, the latter extolling the virtues of chips and curry sauce and chopped liver in contrast to Mr Versatile’s Caribbean cravings, and just as the dancehall vibes start to get a bit stale, he switches deftly into some no-brainer D&B from Clipz.
 
Next it’s into a dash of UK funky, before the bassbin-troubling fidget and electro basslines start to lash out thick and fast, Toddla’s remix of Shake Aletti’s The Way He Does buzzing about all over the shop. Some generic bassline material follows, before the momentum of the mix falters with some stripped back riddims and grimey flavours that lost this reviewer’s attention somewhat. Towards the end things get a touch 2-stepy, with Sticky & Lady Chann’s fun Sticky Situation and Skream’s very smooth remix of Toddla, Benjamin Zephinia & Joe Goddard’s Rebel, before Caspa’s epic remix of Deadmau5’s I Remember rounds things off in graceful style, the gorgeous vocals making for a emotive and unexpected ending.
 
This isn’t quite Toddla at his best we feel. There’s no moments of genuine surprise (the ending aside) or unexpectedness, and there’s only a touch of drum & bass, little in the way of classics and influences from his past, and none of the excellent hip-hop, R&B and ‘90s classics that littered his Essential Mix. It feels less daring and as a result less interesting. Maybe there were licensing issues, who knows. However you look at it, it’s a good introduction to his sound – but it’s not the Boom DJ at his finest.

Tracklisting:

01 Philly - Love Action
02 Duffy - Stepping Stone (Cavemen Remix)
03 Monkey Steak - Tigris Riddim – Steak House
04 Backyard Dog - Baddest Ruffest (Pipes & Slippers Mix)
05 Toddla T ft Mr Versatile - Fill Up Mi Portion RMX ft Afrikan Boy & Batty Rymer
06 Stone ft Roots Manuva – Amen
07 Toddla T ft Trigganom Vs Clipz - Boom DJ From The Bristol City
Toddla T – Boom DJ From The Steel City
Clipz – Offline VIP
08 Toddla T ft Serocee - Manbadman (Andy George Refix)
09 Toddla T ft Serocee - Shake It (Martelo Megashake)
Fish Go Deep – Cure And The Cause
Geeneus & Zinc – Emotions [Geeneus Mix]
La Silva – Funky Flex
10 Shake Aletti - The Way He Does (Toddla T RMX ft Serocee)
11 Bart B More & Diplo Vs Bashy - Millionaire Bingo
Bashy – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Bingo Players - Get Up [Diplo Mix]
12 Drums Of Death - Lonely Days (DOD's Glasgow to Sheffield Nightbus Version)
13 Alex Mills - Beyond Words (Wittyboy Remix)
14 Skream - Toddla T Special
15 Toddla T ft Tinchy Stryder & Mr Versatile vs. Untold
Toddla T – Safe
Untold – Anaconda VIP
16 Busy Signal Vs Pulse X - Tic Toc (J Needles Driver Blend)
Busy Signal – TicToc
Youngsta – Pulse X
17 Sticky Ft Lady Chann - Sticky Situation
18 Toddla T & Oneman Ft Mr Versatile - Right Leg Shuffle
19 Oris Jay - 4 Real
20 Toddla T Ft. Benjiman Zephinia & Joe Godard - Rebel (Skream Remix)
21 Deadmau5 – I Remember (Caspa Remix)