- I find it incredibly funny how so many compilations that try to market itself at the mainstream always proclaim that they have their finger on the pulse of the underground sound, and so many times they couldn’t be further from the truth, unleashing mixes full of dated productions that have died a long and painful death by the time it appears yet again on a mix. Now Club Azuli is a mix that is definitely trying to do the same thing, but thankfully, if those out there are looking for a good solid, more mainstream mix of house then this should probably be your next stop, unlike some other horrible mixes out there (Ministry of Sound Annual anyone?).
The first mix is full of some nice peak time flunkeyish house, with some intense productions early from the likes of Full Intention, Rasmus Faber as well as uplifting Axwell mix of Hard-Fi. ‘I Can C Thru U’ brings some nice deep basslines into the mix alongside a nice smooth acid riff while Fuzzy Hair’s summer anthem in ‘A Kind of Voodoo’ will please those who like the vocals. In fact, the mix up until now is very vocal and summery, but that does end to some extent with the very gritty Philippe B Remix of ‘Not So Dirty’, full of wobbling basslines and tough electro patterns. Todd Terry gets in the act with the retro house sounds of ‘Can U Feel It?’ while the first disc ends with the pretty average ‘Can’t Fake It’ by Steve Anders.
It’s disc two for me where this compilation shines, beginning with the superb Jacques Lu Cont remix of Depeche Mode’s tasty ‘A Pain That I’m Not Used To’. Layo & Bushwacka! Bring some chunk to the mix with their ‘Life to Live’ while the Booka Shade mix of Moby’s ‘Dream About Me’ is somewhat eerie and melodic at the same time. The 2005 Ibiza anthem in ‘I Feel Space’ by Lindstrom gets a deserved run early in the mix, followed shortly after with Booka Shade’s haunting ‘Manderine Girl’. Nick & Danny Chatelain provide one of the biggest tunes of the album with the twisted build ups of ‘It’s Killing Me’. Pryda’s ‘Afermath’ really shouldn’t need any description as shouldn’t Mad 8’s club smash ‘Work This Pussy’. Buick Project ends the mix with ‘Watch Out For The Gnomes’, a gritty electro filled production that ends the mix of in a good enough way.
Azuli have done a pretty good job here trying to target the mainstream with the bigger tracks that have been heard in the last few months. It’s mixed well by Piccioni, although the flow of tracks probably could have been thought out a little better, but if you are looking for that party starter album then this is definitely worth a look in.