Rating:
Genre:
Electronica
Release Date: 11/16/2004
After a decade and a half,
Daddy G finally stepped out of the shadow of
Massive Attack for his solo debut release, a mix album entry in the long-running
DJ-Kicks series. It's a good move for
G. He's ensured plenty of exposure with this release, given the high-quality reputation of the series, and it gives him a chance to showcase whatever sort of personal style he brought to
Massive Attack. Judging by this 17-track mix, his personal style is a fairly eclectic one, as his mix veers all over the place yet surprisingly flows quite well. There's a particular emphasis on
reggae, which serves as the backbone of the mix. Occasionally
G veers off into something unexpected, such as when he drops
the Meters'
"Just Kissed My Baby" or
Foxy Brown's
"Oh Yeah," but for the most part, his selections are either straight-up
reggae or only a few degrees removed. Examples of the latter include dubby
trip-hop tracks like
Melaaz's
"Non Non Non," Tricky's
"Aftermath," Leftfield's
"Inspection/Check One," and
Massive Attack's
"I Against I" -- none of which are far removed from
reggae, at least as far as beat-making goes. In addition to
"I Against I," with its standout
Mos Def feature, there are a few other
Massive Attack inclusions: a pair of typically claustrophobic remixes -- of
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's
"Mustt Mustt" and
les Négresses Vertes'
"Face a la Mer" -- and the vintage breakbeat-driven "Perfecto Mix" of
"Unfinished Symphony," which closes the album on a high note. Practically every track here is a highlight, with
Danny Krivit's edit of
Aretha Franklin's
"Rock Steady" perhaps being worth the price of admission alone and the opening
"Armagideon Time" being a particular joy for anyone familiar with
the Clash's B-side cover. Yet another standout mix in the
DJ-Kicks series this release is. If you're a
Massive Attack fan, you're sure to love this, and even if you're not but simply enjoy creative, well-done mixes with personal flair, there's a good chance you'll find much to enjoy here.
~Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
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