- The Chinese Laundry is one of Sydney's longest running clubs hosting popular breaks night Break Inn and attracting DJs such as Ewan Pearson and Serge Santiago. On the 'Chinese Laundry', the club's first ever compilation, early big beat pioneer Jon Carter and local electrohouse DJ Matt Nugent try to capture the sound of the club.
If you like your music deep with driving basslines, disc one is for you. Although Carter kicks off with big guns - Trentemoller's 'Beta Boy', Trevor Lovey's 'Legwarmer' and Ame, Dixon and Henrik Schwarzïs 'Where We At?' - he keeps the flow steady without getting us too excited too soon.
The mix settles in too comfortably before the arrival of Carter's own 'How Do You Love' - it features too late to pull the mix out of the predictable slump Carter has worked himself into, but nevertheless should get you out of your armchair, into the groove and onto the dancefloor. Lightening up as it draws to a close, disc one finishes with Christopher & Raphael Just 'Popper'. It's time to pop in disc two.
On the second disc, Nugent offers up a mix true to the infectious style he delivers week after week at The Laundry. The hard, bouncing bassline and the definitive party vibe of Hatiras & DJ Dan's 'Baked from Scratch' will especially draw you in - no doubt many will reach over and turn up the volume up in preparation for an assault on the senses.
Smooth vocals bring a fresh element to the gritty electro of Jon Gurd's 'Lemon Sherbet' and DJ Jose's 'Stepping to the Beat'. Here Nugent digs deeper than most: These are not tracks you hear that often around Sydney and they're welcome change indeed. Jeff Drake & Nash T's 'Rollover Rockstar' - a definite favourite on this disc - further lifts the pace and Thugfucker 'The Dance' will have you bopping your head to the beat before Nugent brings his journey to a climax with Potbelleez 'Junkyard' and the mellower finisher 'Human' by Intercourse.
Overall, if you've never heard a Carter mix, or electrohouse isn't your bag, you might find the mix a little uneventful and predictable. But the CD serves up a collection of relatively unknown tracks partnered with tight mixing from both Carter and Nugent, and even if the tracks are slightly forgettable, they are fun. Considering the amount of competition out there and the fact that the general public will not know 90% of these tracks, 'Chinese Laundry' may not stand as far in front as it should. Carter is a very old hand at this game (he's even been labeled a has-been) and The Laundry have taken a big risk in recruiting him to carry the baton for their first CD release - the question is are they overestimating our familiarity with him? Regardless, 'Chinese Laundry' is worth a listen if you are sick of the more commercial side of electrohouse on offer at the moment.