Various - Acid Felch

Just like Smitten's release history, "Acid Felch" goes from star high standards down to some pretty uninteresting and dull techno. The compilation starts on a strong note, as Rozzer's Dog deliver a great remix to an all time classic, Mad Cows On Acid. Whatever they were taking when remixing it, I want it too! While the remix is not as raw and the 303 is not as devastating as in the original, all those "mmmmuuu" sounds and ill laughs you hear during the ten plus minutes of this track really leaves with a feeling that the Rozzer's Dog guys were twice as wasted as those poor cows were.
Another stand out is Geezer's Long And Short Of It, with stomping percussion and irritant, demented, rapidly changing and morphing 303 sequences scattered all over. In my opinion, this is one of Guy McAffer's stronger works.
13 drops a tight one with Unlucky For Some, which goes on with fast, thumping minimal techno percussion and little else with it for over three minutes, and then slowly introduces an acid line, which gradually gains in space, and amplifies to the point when this track becomes a banging acid techno monster. Easy to mix and fabulous to dance to!
Those three ace tracks aside, only Vibe Bar Rejects with Mardy Alan come close to reaching the brilliance of the aforementioned material. They come up with a funky tune and a wicked, playful acid lead. Great track, but I seriously dobut it would stand out as much if it were present on a stronger compilation.
As for the rest, my honest opinion is that strong names don't necessarily imply great music. There are no incognitos on "Acid Felch", these are all heroes of London's acid techno scene, but that is precisely why I am not impressed with their work here. They all have done better on countless other releases or twelve inch EPs.
Basically, this one is a roller coaster drive. It will take you through some of the highs and lows of acid techno. While I don't think it's anywhere near the quality of compilations on Smitten such as "BITten" and "Contortions", "Acid Felch" nonetheless contains what in my book are considered some of the finest jewels of the acid techno scene. If you see it for a reasonable price, go for it, but the main problem with these releases focuesd on the mid-nineties London acid sound is that they cost way too damn much!