Highly regarded as a landmark in the history of electronic dance music, Renaissance’s Mix Collection compilation series was launched in 1994, with Sasha and John Digweed delivering a classic mix album that still remains as one of the most respected in the scene.
15 years later, M.A.N.D.Y., who are two of the key figures that founded the Get Physical label and built the minimal tech dynasty a few years ago, were appointed the sacred duty of compiling the latest installment of the legendary series.
Showcasing the eclecticism they have always been upholding, the German duo crafted 2 discs with an expansive list of 44 tracks cherry-picked from an extremely wide spectrum of sounds: chilling downtempo, cutting-edge minimal tech, classic Detroit techno, uplifting house, stylish electro… the list goes on.
As was said on their blog, the first disc is for ‘partying to at home, and the other for just before you go out, or perhaps your own rave in the car.’ With tracks like Nature Boy by dOP and Threnody For The Victims of Lucio Fulci by Bronnt Industries Kapital, CD1 Upside Down features more leftfield and chill-out sounds. Crowdpleaser & Ly Sander’s Walking Home, creatively composed of country/folk flavoured guitar riffs and vocals on top of electro synths, is a real eclectic pick.
The mix does not lack dance floor-oriented moments, though. Whilst the techy beats in Gui Boratto’s remix of Bomb The Bass’ Black River deliver some clubby flavour to the mix, its dark, driving guitar riffs and spellbinding male vocal are edgy enough to sustain the eclectic mood of the mix.
Schneider TM and Kpt. Michi.gan’s The Light 3000 - their electronic retake on The Smiths’ classic There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - is a spacey, futuristic yet romantic piece that closes CD1 with some sweetness.
With CD2 Downside Up, the duo deliver a mix that has more energy and dance floor appeal. In order to condense 27 tracks into one mix, a great deal of efforts have been exerted in reconstructing the tracks so as to generate the best overall flow. For instance, in the mashup of Martin Buttrich’s Stoned Autopilot (C2 Version) and Felix Da Housecat’s Silver Screen (Shower Scene), the ear-catching hook from the former is all stripped off and replaced by the vocal parts of the latter and that of Ellen Allien’s Lover, so that it fits into the main flow of the mix more properly.
As the mashup is segued into Dapayk Solo’s Geheimtipp 01-B - a melodic, Detroit-influenced techno affair, and then the brilliant remix of Ben Watt’s Guinea Pig by the duo themselves and Smallboy - a haunting synth riffs –driven dance floor killer, the mix reaches its finest moment.
Nevertheless, the momentum is lost a bit bluntly over the course of the next few minimalistic tracks, until the robotic vocals and powerful bassline of the Miami classic Bass Generator by Dynamix II take over. The last sublime moment of the mix is conjured up by the piano acapella from Radio Slave’s remix of DJ Hell’s The DJ, as it ends the epic sonic journey elegantly.
With this compilation, M.A.N.D.Y. have showcased their ambition and capability to create an eclectic album that can push and merge musical boundaries. Although the flow of CD2 may not be flawless, their musical taste, as illustrated by their exhilarating track selection, is undeniably impeccable. Whilst the advancement of computer technologies has brought about an overload of mediocre electronic music nowadays, M.A.N.D.Y. have shown us that there are still plenty of exciting territories to explore.
Tracklisting:
Disc: 1
1. Shed - Waved Mind
2. dOP - Nature Boy
3. Toby Deschamps -Sit Down Relax
4. Ryan Crosson - Under The Willow
5. M.A.N.D.Y. - Full Off
6. Wareika - Ascending Descending
7. Crowdpleaser & Ly Sander - Walking Home
8. Bodycode - Immune
9. Chica And The Folder - Perfect Day [Sometimes] (Pikaya Mix)
10. Lopazz - Perfume Lab
11. Sebastien Tellier - La Ballade Du Georges
12. Holger Zilske - To Them To Me
13. Bronnt Industries Kapital - Threnody For The Victims Of Lucio Fulci
14. Bomb The Bass Feat. Mark Langan - Black River (Gui Boratto Remix)
15. Claude Vonstroke & Christian Martin - Groundhog Day
16. 51 Days - Paper Moon
17. Schneider TM & Kpt. Michi.gan - The Light 3000
Disc: 2
1. Kenny Larkin - Gimme
2. Glimpse & Alex Jones - Cambria
3. Isolée - October c/w Induceve - Time To Begin (Ragapella) [M.A.N.D.Y.'s Cut-up Re-edit]
4. Peter Kruder - After The Dawn
5. Tedd Patterson - Shattered (Beat Pharmacy Dub)
6. Blagger - Strange Behaviour (DJ Koze AKA Swahimi Remix)
7. Kuniyuki Takahashi - Dear African Sky
8. Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (Jori Hulkkonen Remix) [Instrumental Edit]
9. Kenny Leaven - Odyssey (dOP Remix)
10. Microworld - This Is My Friend (Disco Version)*
11. Martin Buttrich - Stoned Autopilot (C2 Version) c/w Felix Da Housecat - Silver Screen (Shower Scene)*
12. Dapayk Solo \x{2013} Geheimtipp 01-B*
13. Ben Watt - Guinea Pig (M.A.N.D.Y. & Smallboy Musical Variation)*
14. Gang Gang Dance - Bebey
15. Zombie Disco Squad - The Cursed
16. Terry Toner - Eat The Positive
17. Dominik Eulberg & Gabriel Ananda - Eucalypse Now!
18. Robag Wruhme - Fufo2
19. Dynamix II - Bass Generator
20. Lopazz - Parau Api
21. DJ Koze - Mrs. Bojangels
22. The Black Dog - Virtual
23. DJ Hell - The DJ Feat. P Diddy (Radio Slave Remix) [Piano Acapella Edit]
24. Bonus Track: Junior Boys - What It's For