Hmmm … an Ibiza-themed mix from Richie Hawtin? Richie “mnmlr-than-thou” Hawtin? A tag-team mix? From Richie “your-next-seven-hours-are-mine-alone” Hawtin? Yup. Anyone else find this a bit … konspicuous?
By the way, that’s Ibiza as in “Hi, I’m rich Eurotrash on holiday. Holy shit! My corneas are burning from staring at the sunrise on Ecstasy, but, wow, this epic trance DJ is amazing!” … That Ibiza.
That said, this is easily the hardest, most skillfully selected Ibiza comp ever pressed. Since that’s not saying much, I’ll add that most tracks are engaging and the presentation is unique. So maybe (gasp!) the mainstream record industry’s portrayal of Ibiza isn’t the whole truth? And maybe, just maybe, the entire island hasn’t sold its strung-out soul to Paul Oakenfold’s overrated minions.
The Sound ... takes us — from Richie and Sven’s perspective — through a Monday evening and into a bloodshot Tuesday afternoon in 74 minutes via a few compressed life-slices. From dinner to the Cocoon Club to the after-party, each environment has its own sound track. With remixed airport gate announcements, car travel, crowd noise and DJ booth banter, it’s a rock star-phase supplement to Hawtin’s drug-speak conversation editing on the 1994 Plastikman album Musik.
Apparently, Hawtin hadn’t told his friends he was recording them until the middle of the set — pretty funny. Yet there’s something obnoxious about superstar DJs flaunting their exploits (“I ohrduhd da T-bon steak so we can sheya,” a German accent, presumably Vath’s, mutters at dinner amid clinking wine glasses). Eventually, though, the interludes become more endearing than they are pretentious — but just. You get to know the DJs a bit throughout the mix and, although they’re on the Euro-fabulous train, you’ve gotta respect their good taste and infectious appetites for life.
Whereas most mix CDs are about track selection and DJ skill first, these elements fuse organically and secondarily in The Sound … . And if you’ve never heard Hawtin slur drunkenly, now’s your chance.
Hawtin and Vath will perform Wednesday, Nov. 27 at the City Club (400 Bagley, Detroit). For information, call 313-962-2300.
E-mail Robert Gorell at [email protected].
