Over the years, Exceptional has been one of those nice little labels that occasionally serves up some great goods from time to time. See Cloud’s forthcoming album, some of The Rogue Element’s stuff or tasty cuts from Plej and Culprit 1. In fact, they’ve had lots of very well respected bigger names alongside the newer talents that they push. This compilation rounds up their first decade of releases, picking out some of their finest and most eclectic moments.
Picking highlights is tough when the quality is so, um, exceptional, but I’ll give it a go. Mock & Toof’s analog acid house stomp over Plej’s Borderline is tinged with Balearic warmth and makes for a lovely opener, leading swiftly on to Maelstrom’s deep and contemplative mix of Oblong & Adam Parker’s Playing On My Mind – coming across like a dubbed-out Whitest Boy Alive or something – and onto Toby Tobias’ typically sweet and summer remix of Plej’s Safe Place.
The cool and slinky Fenomenon Mix of Butti 49’s Alan Accelerates falls somewhere between Trentemoller and Diskjokke, while Jimpster’s remix of techno don Ken Ishii’s Awakening makes for a deep yet stompy cut. Cicada’s remix of Blu Mar Ten’s Why Me Why Now finds them in typically driving yet breezy electro disco house form, while Olav Basoski’s remix of Superpumas’ Hiph is a bruising, metallic techy roller infused with a warped Italo-disco arpeggio. There’s also gritty warped gnarly dubstep on Raffertie’s mind-bending remix of The Rogue Element’s Hive and on Reso’s typically nasty refit of Culprit 1’s No Need To Ask, and right at the end, what’s this? The gorgeous tones of Fat Freddy’s Drop’s Joe Dukie lacing Tubbs’ New Way Of Life, a lovely deep dub version thereof.
Some of the stuff on here sounds, unexpectedly, a little dated, but not in a particularly bad way – it’s still great music that’s full of charm. Tom Middleton’s remix of Blu Mar Ten’s All Over Again¸ for instance, doesn’t sound so slick – but its driving feel and euphoric crescendo make it a lovely listen.
A truly wonderful collection that surprised us with its range, depth and quality. Roll on the next 10.
Tracklisting:
1 Plej Borderline Mock & Toof Remix
2 Oblong Playing On My Mind (feat. Adam Parker) Maelstrom Vocal Mix
3 Plej Safe Place Toby Tobias Dubbindelay Mix
4 Butti 49 Alan Accelerates Fenomenon Mix
5 Cloud Innocence (feat. Lucien Etori) Falconcrest Remix
6 Ken Ishii Awakening Jimpster Remix
7 Cloud Turning AlphaMotive Remix
8 Blu Mar Ten All Over Again (feat. Ernesto) Tom Middleton Mix
9 Superpumas Hiph Olav Basoski Urban Haze Remix
10 Blu Mar Ten Why Me Why Now Cicada Mix
11 The Rogue Element Panic Attacks King Roc Remix
12 Nursery of Naughtiness Electrified The Rogue Element Remix
13 Culprit 1 No Need To Ask Reso's Resurrection Mix
14 The Rogue Element Hive Raffertie's S.W.A.R.M. Remix
15 Culprit 1 Screamer Planas Mix
16 Tubbs New Way Of Life Marlinspike Mix