John Digweed - Global Underground 019: Los Angeles download free

John Digweed's third release for the global underground series mixes a fine selection of dark house tracks so well it would leave the un-acquainted listener feeling very disturbed. Los Angeles plays a fitting backdrop to a seamless mix of driving basslines, twisted samples and tribal rhythms to create a trademark Digweed sound John Digweed has been an integral part of house music for over 10 years. He gained notoriety at the famous Renaissance club in the early nineties prior to partnering up with Sasha to take their Northern Exposure tour worldwide. Digweeds production skills are highlighted by his remixing of M-People, the Huge Trainspotting tune “For What You Dream Of” and the more recent ”Heaven Scent”. A recent visitor to Australia over the New Year, Digweed currently holds court over his own Bedrock parties every Thursday at London’s Heaven club as well as a monthly residency at New York’s Twilo. Starting off with a Sunset over the Pacific with the Pen Folder & CP track “Vibes”, Digweed wastes no time plunging into darkness with simmering samples complimenting a driving house beat of New York House master Satoshi Tomie’s “Love In Traffic”. Again but under the alias of Madam, Satoshi creates some stabbing sounds with “Penetration” and the proceeding tunes utilise some strong progressive tribal/tech combinations and echoing vocals. Fluid sounds from the fluid label in "Music" by Jamez presents Tatoine and fine percussion layers of "Paranoize" by Bipath warp and throb the sound scape weaving their way into “Groove is in the Air” from Tijuana. A track that definitely transcends the dance floor. The Spanish vocals of “Musica” by Dirty Harry and the Balearic arrangement of sounds from Brothers Luv Dubs “1-800 Ming” complete the mix in preparation for CD2 CD2 Gets of to a grinding, sleazy start with US DJ Jimmy Van M’s “Sanctuary”, moving quickly into the heavyweight house sound of “Strapped by White Room. Funky tribal elements continue in this mix with “Inner Laugh” by Roland Klinkenburg taking you out of the swamp and straight into space. The Bedrock remix of “The Fall” by Way out West (A project of Nick Warren’s) builds and squelches into the groovier sounds of Cass’ “Genesis” which proves build ups don’t need snare drums in 2001. “One” by Aria is a great selection which avoids genre classification. The haunting sounds gradually ease of with the more conventional beats of the final track “Energy” by Salt Tank. This is one of those mixes that digs deep into your brain with new arrangements of sound welded to a driving house beat. It sounds like a natural and more refined progression from his earlier Sydney and Hong Kong compilations. Digweed’s mixing is brilliant with several examples of 2 minute plus overlays. I’d personally prefer to listen to this in my own little world rather than be distracted by the other charms of a night club dance floor.