Goldie
INCredible Sound of Drum-n-Bass
[Ovum/Ruffhouse/Columbia]
Rating: 7.3
Something was stirring the cobwebs in my brain, that's for sure. The Hippie thought I'd
strained something, but I knew it was Goldie. As INCredible Sound of Drum-n-Bass
piped through my speakers and 'phones, I began to think of another album-- Urbal Beats
2.
Y'see, 1998's UB2 was a double-disc compilation of skillfully DJ'd tracks that served a
higher purpose. Disc One was nu-skool, fresh hits and Disc Two brought back some fat-ass gems
from the vault, again proving that old techno isn't necessarily bad techno. INCredible Sound
of Drum-n-Bass works on a similar premise-- Spectrum (Disc One), splits drum-n-bass
into a wide range of colors ranging on the new side, most tracks coming from '97 to '99.
Goldie's Metalheadz label is represented heavily-- tracks by Alex Reece, Doc Scott and Codename
John give way to acid-jazzy compositions like Digital's "Space Funk." It's comprised of tight,
well-chosen tracks that stretch boundaries instead of pants.
INCredible's second disc, Retro, recalls the Disc Two of UB2. It's
largely composed of older tracks that sound, frankly, like a walk down memory lane. I remember
back in the day when "Terminator" was on all the floors. Used to be, you could got a pill for
just $10 bucks back then, but half'd kill ya. In any case, even if you haven't necessarily heard
all of these tracks in this mutation, you've likely heard pieces of them sampled on other songs.
Goldie contributes not only 1993's "Terminator" but 1994's "Manslaughter." He also brings Neil
Trix, Optical, J Majik, Source Direct and Matrix, mixing house-fun sensibility with live
drum-n-bass intensity to pleasing effect. But as with UB2, the older sounds almost
surpass the newer material-- the hindsight of a couple of years provide clarity for Goldie's
vision.
In short, INCredible Sound of Drum-n-Bass is for the following people:
Old people trying to fit into their baggy pants
Pacifier-suckers whose teeth have fallen out
Youngsters that are curious about "the old days" but want a disc of new stuff, too
The bi-curious: those willing to try drum-n-bass, but frightened of the "harsh stuff"
Worshipers of the Metalheadz crew, Goldie, and the jungle/techstep way
It is not for the following people:
Your mom
The lady downstairs whose breath stinks of cigarettes and coffee
People in search of relaxation
Swing dancers
Baba booey
That's it. Move along. Nothing to see here.
-James P. Wisdom