Booka Shade burst into the legendary DJ-Kicks series with their trademark techy, glithchy house sound, cutting it up with soulful, wonderous slices of electonica and 80's electro to concoct a real winning formula.

The cinematic phrases of Noze's "Slum Girl" open the proceedings, breathing a seriousness and elegance into the mix – setting the tone with drama, like the opening of the curtains on a grandiose theatre stage. But Booka don’t beat around the bush, sliding straight into the 4/4 techy stuff with some real personality. An early highlight is their own “Estoril”, a beautifully worked melodic, melancholic techy track that seems to have an arrangement and tone designed to fit in perfectly between John Carpenter and Yazoo. This is what is so well done about this mix – lines are drawn between old and new so seamlessly, that in one coherent mix you get drawn into their present material within the context of their roots.

Aphex Twin’s track serves as a Volta in the mix, a pause for thought in an ocean of circling analogue synths and clever drum patterns, but Booka jolt back into the thick of it with the pulsing, post-punk electronic pop of Heaven 17. Other highlights include their own DJ-Kicks track (Numbers), which mixes seamlessly from the 60’s French disco of Brigitte Bardot’s “Contact” (by Serge Gainbourg – was well ahead of his time here!). You even get The Streets in the mix, along with Carl Craig and 2 back-to-back Matthew Dear tracks to end on a positive, uplifting note. For me, a real 5/5 mixtape!

Go forth and support the DJ-Kicks imprint with your purchase of this special addition. You will feel no regret! ;)