FABRICLIVE 88

It's meaningless to review these sort of releases track-by-track as I feel compilations, or mixed ones anyway, are there to serve a different sort of purpose. Whilst it's without doubt the DJs selection that's most scrutinised, it's what the selector does with those tracks and how they present them that matters. Flava D's effort, number 88 in a line of mixed-genre and frankly mixed-quality releases is a shining light.

The best DJs utilise tracks in this release format by creating a theme, a scenario, some sort of state a listener will instantly connect with. Anyone who's been a keen raver over the last few years will instantly feel at home with this mix - even from the comfort of your own living room, there's a legitimate sense that you're actually somewhere much livelier, perhaps not even raving per se but just in the club, existing amongst the music.

Largely the mix is influenced by Flava's own productions, most of which are modern, garage-tinged efforts, the culmination of growing-up through the Grime era whilst being under the heavy influence of pirate radio 2-step, her time amongst labels such as Butterz undoubtedly spiriting her willingness to go further than the standard expectations. As a mix the joints are thrown in and out quickly, exciting the listener with build-ups and drops in the right places, switching between the silkier gloss of 'Closer' and the waving bassline of 'Bleeding' all the while encompassed by frantic bursts of energy such as Riddim Commision's D Double E collaboration 'Dem Tings Dere' and DJ Q's 'What I Like' remix.

In regards to my earlier comment on creating feelings, 'Conflict' is a great example of that. If you could capture the sound that accompanies the sometimes distant moments you have during the night, that sort of subconscious stop in time where you briefly acknowledge your surroundings and all there is in the background is that one pulsating rhythm, a continuous thump from the sound system, 'Conflict' is that. I don't think tantalising would be too extreme a term to use - Flava's mixing style married with the right beats is a tease - a rave that jitters along steadily but gradually sparks into action, inducing audible ecstasy with bangers like 'Happy' and 'To My Heart' whilst appealing to the serious gun-finger crowd with Distro's 'Off The Chain' and Terror Danjah's 'Juicy Patty/Dollar Sign' combo.

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r&g

Once again a massive shout out to the Complex massive. They asked me to compile a list of rhythm and grime tracks worth revisiting, you can check the list out and read some small commentary on each selection here.

Some points of interest: there are loads of tunes not on the list because they're (currently) not on any sort of streaming platform such as YouTube or Soundcloud. Not to suggest that any one tune on the list would have instantly been "drop-able" but there are some absentees that exist only on old records and hard to find mix tapes. Such examples include Chanel & Skepta's 'Fly Away', the majority of DVA's 'Voice Of Grime' CD and other little gems that eventually I'll get around to ripping.

There was a lot of "do I or don't I" with the inclusion, or non-inclusion rather, of some tracks - I anticipate somebody dutifully reminding me of some obscure Mssingo bootleg they picked up at a Kale Milkshake selling record fair - ultimately I had to pick the tunes that I knew people would relate to in terms of the description I provided in the opening paragraph.

I believe I'm right in my comments r.e Terror's productions as well. His discography is a mighty one, with a lot of bits falling into the aforementioned ether of non-ripped vinyls and murky radio rips, he alone could've surely filled a list of the best rather than a revisiting piece and maybe that's a thought for future writing. No one will ever write a piece about r&g and not mention Ruff Sqwad - 'Together' was the obvious choice really. I wrestled with the idea of daring to include others like 'Ur Love Feels' and perhaps I should be berated for not opting for the even more prominent 'Functions', but the Wiley-influenced track made perfect sense to me.

To make the list appear at least slightly diverse, I chose the Scandalous Ultd and Low Deep tracks. Many of Scandalous' productions are often unspoken of, rather unfairly I might add, whereas it's seemingly Low Deep's instrumental contributions that only get noticed: I feel 'Unsung' as an album went a little under the radar.

Anyway, there's ten tracks in the list and a little bit of feedback would honestly be appreciated. Hit me up: @mfcfrankos.