Rating:
Genre:
Electronica
Release Date: 02/10/2004
More a greatest-hits volume than
Ninja Tune's previous multi-disc collection (the rarities-heavy
Xen Cuts), the double-disc
Zen: A Retrospective barely includes any Top 40 hits (the number 37
Coldcut's
"More Beats & Pieces" is the highest peak), but if dance music had a Hit Parade, there'd be at least a dozen number ones here. The first disc buttonholes listeners by spinning through some of the downright hookiest tracks in dance history (
Amon Tobin's
"Get Your Snack On," Coldcut's
"Atomic Moog 2000," Mr. Scruff's
"Get a Move On," DJ Food's
"Dark Lady"). The second disc hardly lets up, beginning with
"More Beats & Pieces" -- a digital-
turntablist symphony that qualifies as the label's highlight -- but also including career highlights (or close to it) from
the Herbaliser (
"Mr. Chombee Has the Flaw"),
Kid Koala (
"Fender Bender"),
DJ Vadim (
"The Terrorist"), and
Cinematic Orchestra (
"All That You Give"). It really does feature the best tracks that have ever been out on
Ninja Tune -- who knows better than the label itself? -- and doesn't neglect the addition of a great rarity or two, like a non-LP
"Get Your Head Down" by
Luke Vibert and a non-CD version of
"Check Fraud" by
Fog. An accompanying remix CD and fully packed DVD make the
Zen experience a fitting postcard to itself from the best breaks label in the business.
~John Bush, All Music Guide
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