Various Artists / ‘Fabric 57: Agoria’
CD
Fabric / Released April 18th 2011
What does it sound like?
A guy who has been influenced by jazz as much as Detroit techno putting records together for the best mix series in the world. Ranging from dub infused downbeat in the opening, to classic UK house- vocal loops and rave accents abound. On top of that, there’s also Ella Fitzgerald, double dropped to provide a lyrical accompaniment to deep, stepping, Soul Clap style vibes in the early moments, and a big brassy conclusion as the album draws to a close. No, we haven’t got confused.
Where would I dance to it?
Definitely one directed at the home listener, it’s not that it isn’t upbeat, more that the contents are clearly not supposed to be heard solely as a club set. That’s no bad thing, as anyone who has caught Agoria will know venues are usually busy when he plays, so there’s little hope of admiring the multitude of mixes that go into the performances. With a tracklist at least you can try and work out how many tunes are playing at once.
What highlights can I expect to hear?
Ella Fitzgerald and the Buddy Bregman Orchestra’s Night and Day, when it finally arrives in full effect, simply for the surrealism. In contrast Mark E’s gutteral, percussive Belvide Beat belongs not just in another era, but a different dimension, all strained hoovers and acid tweaks. On top of those, though not to dismiss the other 16 tracks, we’d recommend opening ears to Eisbar’s Subspace Two, a soaring number of filtered pianos that wouldn’t sound out of place mid Garnier. And Sunrise Sunset by Cottam has more hands in the air harmony than one would imagine a subtle, techy workout could hope to achieve.
Why should I pay for it?
Because, like almost everything else in the Fabric series, it’s going to get played when you get home, before you go out, and while you’re in the car. With that in mind, surely it’s better to have a CD-quality copy, even if it does just wind up on your iTunes. You’ll also get a nice case too.
Where can I buy it?
