Ben Watt - Buzzin' Fly Volume III

In the liner notes to Buzzin' Fly Vol. 2 (2005), Ben Watt declared: "I'm sick of Ironic Disco and I'm sick of mindless Funky House." It was hard not to sympathize with the veteran Deep House DJ/producer/label head and half of Everything But The Girl (and of Lazy Dog), but for him to state it quite so boldly in writing is tantamount to a declaration of war on the House Music establishment. At a minimum, he holds himself to some fairly high standards but, fortunately for us (his listeners), he acquitted himself admirably on both Vols 1 and 2 of the Buzzin' Fly mix series, delivering in the former a thumping Deep House/House mix, and in the latter a more lyrical, meditative sequel.

For the present Vol. III, if there is an updated manifesto of his philosophy on House Music somewhere in there, I can't read a word of it because all of the liner notes and artwork have been not so much printed on the album jacket as splattered on (in multiple layers, no less), as if Watt had commissioned the ghost of (abstract American painter) Jackson Pollock to do the graphic design.

Musically, this selection of midtempo Deep House tracks, with some mild-Electro and Minimal House/Techno Dub elements strewn in, once again underscores Watt's exquisite skills in selecting essential tracks and mixing them into a coherent, pleasing whole. There is no (obvious) pandering to vain commercialism here, only thoughtful selections that have been crafted into a unitary piece of mood music with a grooving beat, ideal for contemplative and/or after-party moments. And continuing in the fashion of the two previous installments, Watt makes judicious use of spoken word overdubs, by no less than four different artists plus an acapella from a fifth, which are spread liberally throughout this mix. When used sparingly, spoken word can enhance by underscoring the mood/message being conveyed by the DJ, and Watt remains well within the boundaries of acceptability here, although if one extrapolates the trends to a putative Buzzin' Fly Vol. 4 next year, the results may come (uncomfortably) close to territory best described as Ambient House with Spoken Word (think: David Alvarado meets Ursula Rucker).

Be that as it may, Ben Watt will remain an authoritative figure in underground dance music, and to his fans he will always be a source of musical enrichment for the soul.