Danny Howells - GU 24:7

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  • There’s simply no arguing that Danny Howells is currently in top form. Global Underground’s latest release – and their first for a new series entitled “24/7” – stands in as irrefutable evidence. Made up of a “Day” and “Night” mix, the compilation pushes the boundaries for the GU Crew with a little bit of something for everyone to embrace – regardless of his or her typical tastes. Disc one follows in the footsteps of Nick Warren’s Reykjavik release – a down tempo mix meant more for the post club chill out or an afternoon car ride than the peak time hours of a packed dance floor. In this mix, blips and bleeps garner preferential treatment to pounding 4/4 bass kicks. It’s similar to what one might hear during the opening hours of Howell’s monthly residency at Arc, or his annual appearance at B.E.D. in Miami during the Winter Music Conference. The “Day” mix flows effortlessly from track to track, in what is arguably one of the best compiled opening discs in Global Underground’s history. To name standout tracks wouldn’t do the mix justice, as all 14 records add a necessary element – suffice to say that with releases from labels such as Kompakt and Elektrolux, as well as artists such as Static, Subtonal and DJ Shadow, it’s all but impossible to go wrong. Howells has a knack for starting off his mixes with a tune by Bent, and the second disc of 24/7 is no exception. “An Ordinary Day” is a luscious house track featuring melodic keys under beautiful, yet haunting female voice proclaiming – who would’ve guessed it – a day starting out as an ordinary one. Sam Paganini follows with “Into Africa”, arguably one of the best tracks on the “Night” mix. Tribal drums accompany space bound effects over a nasty low end bass line guaranteed to get one’s booty grooving. The track is subtle, yet has an anthemic quality about it which would get any dance floor around the globe moving. It’s a transitional track that prepares the listener for the funk to makes its entrance. San Fran/Chicago duo Iz and Diz take over next with their throbbing deep house number “Love It Remix It” – in this instance the Fred Everything take on the track. Half way into the mix, Howells works his magic the way only he can – layering Princess Superstar’s seductive “Do It Like a Robot” acapella over the deep and dirty bass line of Sexonwax’s “Keep It Real” – two records that work so well together it just might be illegal in some countries to create such vinyl madness. Sexonwax shows up again (this time, just the label) with “Rush” by The Idiots – a progressive track with shades of electro. This peaks out the mix before Danny takes a melodic turn toward the finish line. While not as experimental as the first disc, CD 2 has all the components of an excellent club mix – it keeps the booty shaking without being overbearing or too repetitive. The first 24/7 release for GU is concluded with Laurent Garnier’s “Sambu”, an excellent record from one of techno’s elite. Although it may be premature to proclaim Danny Howell’s 24/7 release the best Global Underground to day, such declarations are currently being made in the dance music community. Howells has teamed up with GU to create a monster – a double disc set that promises to reignite interest in the commercial mix CD, while establishing the former Bedrock warm-up DJ as a well rounded master – both on the decks and in the studio.
  • Tracklist
      Disc One - Day 01. Honeyroot – Starshine - Just Music. 02. Nor Elle - Desert Storm - Mole Listening Pearls. 03. Headman – Headman - Gomma. 04. The Black Dog & Black Sifichi - Invisible Things (Mescalito's Mix) - Hydrogen Dukebox. 05. Static - Promesse De Bonheur - City Centre Offices. 06. Funckarma – Noir - Funckarma Music. 07. Subtonal – Electricite De Nuit - Elektrolux. 08. Telefon Tel Aviv - Sound In A Dark Room - Hefty Records 09. Will Saul - Fast lane (Fink remix) - Simple Records Ltd. 10. Sideshow - Sound of Today - Simple Records 11. Fresh Moods & Samuel Andrews – Price - Elektrolux. 12. Kaito - Release Your Body - Kompakt. 13. Dj Shadow – You Can’t Go Home Again - Island. Disc Two - Night 01. Bent - An Ordinary Day - Sport/Ministry Of Sound Records. 02. Sam Paganini - Into Africa - Airplane! Records. 03. Iz and Diz - Love it Remix It (Fred Everything Remix) - Silver Network. 04. Celestial – Harijan - Midnight Recordings. 05. Vince Watson - Bubbles - Alola. 06. Sexonwax – Keep it Real - Sexonwax Music. Princess Superstar - Do It Like A Robot (Acapella) - The Corrupt Conglomerate / Rapster Records. 07. Subtonal – Shibuya - Elektrolux . 08. The Idiots – Rush - Sexonwax Music. 09. Heiko Laux - The Silent Bass - Kanzleramt 10. Octex – Emergon - Tehnika 11. Dibaba -Hold You (Agoria 'Bear' Remix) - [Pias] Recordings. 12. Subverter – Apertures - Reverberations. 13. Laurent Garnier – Sambou – F Comm
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