"A Trak"
(Fabric)
six / ten
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FABRICLIVE 45 "A Trak" (Fabric)
six / ten |
What were you doing when you were 15? Picking your nose? Trying to persuade some older dude to go into the off licence and buy you a flagon of Devil's Bit? Writing Green Day on your school bag in Tippex? Well A-Trak was busy winning the DMC's World DJ Championships in 1997. What a guy. And a great man for making all us regular plebs feel especially useless. Cheers, A-Trak!
Still only 27, the Canadian record wunderkind has been around for an age, and has found himself currently elevated to the lofty status of Kanye West's tour dj. To be so close to a deity must be an ordeal, but he somehow manages to bash out a half an hour of commercial tunes before each show without quaking in his boots.
Here, on Fabric's latest dj comp, he gets a chance to showcase what is currently rocking his world, without the worry of Kanye wandering in, telling everyone how great he is, and demanding he put on 'Take on Me'.
The sense of relief is palpable as he bashes out a frenetic beginning of house, Miami bass, and assquake-ing dancefloor fillers. The pace is relentless - a bit too relentless - but bangers like Metronomy's 'Heartbreaker' and Alex Gopher's 'Aurora' keep euphoria levels from dropping.
The mix however is sadly missing the personality you would have expected such a skilled DJ like A-Trak and it remains a superbly polished but rather benign batch of tunes. The last half hour of italo and synth loveliness - (Aeroplane's Friendly Fires remix - swoon) - at least lets you pause for breath.
Mark Keane
www.myspace.com/djatrak
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