Luke Slater - Fear And Loathing

I really wasn't expecting a lot when I first heard this mix because I'm not that huge a fan of Luke Slater's music the past few years. But I figured I'd take a leap of faith and buy the cd.
OMG!!!!! I was greatly surprised on a number of levels. Firstly it's a live dj mix and not a computer edited release. You can hear a couple of minor warts in Luke's mixes but nothing that takes away from the overall quality of the mix. The tracks can be a little monotonous at times but again, nothing to take away from the mix as a whole. And disc 2 completely blows me away!!!!! Deep, minimal techno done on three decks and done in a way that doesn't really stick out and no real obvious tracks being played.

Though his production work references everything from retro-electro to funky breaks, Luke Slater's still a purist on the decks, and his double-disc mix treatment for React keeps it deliciously simple (similar to Dave Angel's 39 Flavours of Tech-Funk from a couple years previously). Slater introduces the set with the raggedy sax solos and furious bongos of a self-titled single from Birdland, then quickly moves into more bangin' territory, courtesy of tracks from Ben Sims, Jeff Mills, DJ Shufflemaster, James Ruskin, and no less than three from his own Planetary Assault Systems alias. Slater stretches out on the second disc, beginning with a minimal DHS jacker from 1989 (!), stringing together left-field tracks from Two Lone Swordsmen and DBX. Minimal techno favorites like Mills, Pacou, and Mr. G make appearances midway through the set, then Slater turns to tech-house with breakbeat tracks from B.L.I.M. ("Eskimo"), Tipper ("Tug of War"), Si Begg's S.I. Futures project ("I Like That (Brand New)"), and, to top it off, an FC Kahuna mix of Felix da Housecat's 2001 burner, "Silver Screen - Shower Scene." He's no Hunter S. Thompson on the decks (thank goodness), but Luke Slater proves his touch is good as gold.

I was disappointed when I heard Disc One like I was disappointed when I heard him DJ at LOST for the first time a while back (as opposed to his live sets!). If this is your kind of music I'd choose Dave Clarke every time.

On the other hand I was entranced by the subtleness of the first three quarters of Disc 2. The choice of records is fantastic and my opinion of Luke's DJing has changed dramatically.