VA - Final Song

At first a rather unsettling concept, Final Song’s theme of asking renowned DJs and producers to pick the last song they’d like to hear before they die actually turns out to be an insightful and charming collection.
 
There’s the predictable and the to-the-point (host DJ T choosing Erik Satie’s graceful piano classic Gymnopédie, David Holmes picking The Beach Boys’ ‘Til I Die)  the understated (Giles Peterson opting for Rob Gallagher’s Little One) and the otherwordly, dream-state-inducing (DJ Hell’s choice of The Stranglers’ Golden Brown – intended to make his funeral attendees dance, he says).
 
Then there’s tracks which ostensibly relate directly to the chooser’s life and scene rather than just being a fitting piece of music (Storm digging out Photek’s graceful, trip-hop jazz groove Modus Operandi), and choices which show artistic fulfilment and feelings of accomplishment (Chloé choosing her own Paradise).
 
While some choices revel in sorrow, pain and decay, others are defiant, jubilant celebrations of life, energy, dancing – Kevin Saunderson opting for Cerrone’s italo-disco belter Supernature - and in the case of Ewan Pearson’s choice Peggy Lee’s Is That All There Is?, knowing humour.
 
Best of all are the tracks that really encapsulate what these selectors are all about when they are behind the decks. Laurent Garnier chooses Radiohead’s heart-wrenching Sit Down Stand Up (featuring the ominous lyric “Walk into the jaws hell”) – sorrowful and painful at first, then out of nowhere launching into a blistering frenzy of drum & bass style beats and Thom Yorke’s man-possessed vocal chants. If you’ve seen one of his extended DJs sets, you’ll know it’s these unexpected twists and turns and the whole “taking you on a journey” thing that defines him. Likewise Richie Hawtin’s choice of Link’s Amenity is a clear indication of how dedicated he is to and how besotted he is by electronic music.
 
How can you judge such a collection like this? Being so subjective about something so very personal? Well it makes for an enjoyable listen to doubt, and the initial sense of morbidity is eventually replaced by the life-affirming power of good music, and how important it is to people.
 
For the record, I’d go with Sasha’s Xpander I reckon… 

Tracklisting: