Various Artists mixed by Dirty South - Toolroom Knights

Think Dirty South and you’ll probably think of big, peak-time electro house remixes for the likes of Evermore and Cicada, and big anthems with Axwell, right? Well think again, ‘cos on the evidence of this superb double CD, there’s a lot more to the Melbourne-based talent than meets the ear.
 
Sure there’s some of the electro house sounds he’s known for on here, but by and large its techno variants and deep house – with startling results. Disc 1 kicks off with Kemistry’s cute remix of Rodamaal & Claudia Franco’s Insomnia, giving a less intense version than that made famous by Âme, followed by the overwhelming, lesser-known gem that is Rasmus Faber’s Epic Instrumental mix of Studio Apartment’s I’m In Love. More melody is laid on by Gui Boratto, before we head down a warm techno alley with Tiger Stripes’s gorgeous, chugging prog-tinged remix of Sunshine Jones’ If You Wouldn’t Mind and the throbbing bass of Samuel L Sessions’ remix of Jerome Sydenham, Texu & Romantic Couch’s Ebian.
 
The mix continues to progress perfectly, never allowing you to tire of any one flavour, and soon we’re thrown into atypical Toolroom big room sounds with the awesome Dub mix of Mark Knight, Adam K & Soha’s From The Speaker, and Dirty South’s own stabby electro-houser Minority. Then as we reach the final section, the epic tones creep back in, with the huge build-up of Skylark’s remix of X-Press2’s Musik Xpress and the rousing string crescendos of Solomun’s Deadman, before a huge finale of Joris Voorn’s remix of Robert Babicz’s Dark Flower (the tune of the year perhaps?) and James Holden’s timeless re-rub of Nathan Fake’s The Sky Was Pink.
 
The second disc gets off to a shaky starts with his naff Open Your Heart with Axwell, but we’re soon on the right track again with some peak-time techno rotters like Dubfire’s subtle re-rub of Booka Shade’s Charlotte, Style Of Eye’s maniacal The Big Kazoo (described by a colleague as sounding like Pingu in a rave), and Mark Trophy’s grotty Ripper. Then it’s into more familiar territory for Dirty South, with Angello & Ingrosso’s emotive stringfest Partouze leading into Mark Knight & Funkagenda’s straight-forward re-rub of Dave Spoon’s massive 88 with a little added acapellas flavour. Quirky tech vibes start to creep back in, with Workidz superb twanging, metallic groove of a remix of DJ Aron & Sample Guys’ Don’t Feel No Shame, before an uplifting finale comes from his own superb piano chord-driven remix of John Dahlbäck’s Pyramid, and Tocadisco’s remix of his own Doors-sampling The End closing the curtains in a most fitting fashion.
 
It’s a captivating double CD that touches a lot of bases and is programmed pretty damn well, mixed smoothly and with plenty of memorable moments. Highly recommended – it’s just a shame we don’t often get him playing over here in the UK! Trip to Melbourne anyone? 
  
  
Tracklisting:
 
CD1
1.                              Rodamaal Feat. Claudia Franco – Insomnia (Kemistry Mix)
2.                              Studio Apartment Feat. Ron Caroll – I’M In Love (Rasmus Faber Epic Instrumental)
3.                              Gui Boratto – Anunciación
4.                              D’Julz – Just So You Know
5.                              Sunshine Jones – If You Wouldn’T Mind (Tiger Stripes Remix)
6.                              Jerome Sydenham, Texu, Romantic Couch – Ebian (Samuel L Session Remix)
7.                              Mark Knight, Adam K & Soha – From The Speaker (Original Dub Mix)
8.                              Dirty South – Minority (Dirty South Remix)
9.                              Dagaard & Morane – Keep It Down
10.                          X-Press 2 – Muzik Xpress (Skylark Remix)
11.                          Solomun – Deadman
12.                          Robert Babicz – Dark Flower (Joris Voorn Magnolia Mix)
13.                          Nathan Fake – The Sky Was Pink (Holden Remix)
CD2
1.                              Axwell & Dirty South Feat. Rudy – Open Your Heart
2.                              Booka Shade – Charlotte (Dubfire Remix)
3.                              Style Of Eye – The Big Kazoo
4.                              Mark Trophy – Ripper
5.                              Sebastian Ingrosso & Laidback Luke – Chaa Chaa (Edx’S Marakesh Souk Remix)
6.                              Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso – Partouze
7.                              Dave Spoon – 88 (Mark Knight & Funkagenda Mix)
8.                              Dirty South & Paul Harris Feat. Rudy – Better Day (Acappella)
9.                              Steve Angello – Gypsy
10.                          Dj Aron & Sample Guys Feat. Kane Luke – Don’T Feel No Shame (Workidz Minimal Fox Instrumental Mix)
11.                          Steve Mac & Paul Harris – You (Fps Remix)
12.                          John Dahlbäck – Pyramid (Dirty South Mix)
13.                          Dj Simi & Dj Marotta – My House (David Tort Remix)
14.                          Dirty South – The End (Tocadisco Loves Techno Vocal Mix)