FUNDACION [VINYL] [Box set]

While not the most astonishing mix I've heard in recent times, its still a step in the right direction. Where Airdrawndagger was fair enough, it lacked punch. Sasha took his production know how and applied it to what he does best, creating ace remixes and thus we had Involver. Fundacion keeps following the path that Sasha has set before him but this time its an actual variety of artist tracks laid before our ears. Its refreshing to see the big name DJs steering away from progressive dullness of recent, letting melodies, glitchy beats, dirty electroid funk and scatterings of vocals slip into their sets ... no doubt due to the rise in power of more experimentally minded tech-house DJs. Even though Sasha has picked up on this shift in power on the scene, when you hear these tunes mixed together, it has nothing other than the official stamp of 'SASHA' across each track. Those glacial synths, the seamless flow of tracks.

Thanks to the mixing software used on this album, you don't get to hear some tracks shine as such, but used as elements to enhance other tracks. Of moments to bring a smile to my lips there is ace Depeche Mode cover from Playgroup, the latter section of the mix where Freaky Chakra takes everything a bit offkilter by introducing 6/4 rhythms and Goldfrapp pick up the baton to move into glam electro territories. Certainly an ambitious mix.

I remember reading ages ago that Sasha was planning to do a series of 3 DJ mixes for Global Underground. We've had a mix of remixes from Involver and a mix from the laptop with Fundacion, I'd seriously like to see Mr Coe follow in the steps of Mr Digweed's Fabric mix and go back to grass roots for his final mix in the series, putting Ableton Live or whatever he is getting his hands on to play around with aside. Sasha, some decks and some pure dancefloor material ... a bit of raw energy. It has to be done.

While not the most astonishing mix I've heard in recent times, its still a step in the right direction. Where Airdrawndagger was fair enough, it lacked punch. Sasha took his production know how and applied it to what he does best, creating ace remixes and thus we had Involver. Fundacion keeps following the path that Sasha has set before him but this time its an actual variety of artist tracks laid before our ears. Its refreshing to see the big name DJs steering away from progressive dullness of recent, letting melodies, glitchy beats, dirty electroid funk and scatterings of vocals slip into their sets ... no doubt due to the rise in power of more experimentally minded tech-house DJs. Even though Sasha has picked up on this shift in power on the scene, when you hear these tunes mixed together, it has nothing other than the official stamp of 'SASHA' across each track. Those glacial synths, the seamless flow of tracks.

Thanks to the mixing software used on this album, you don't get to hear some tracks shine as such, but used as elements to enhance other tracks. Of moments to bring a smile to my lips there is ace Depeche Mode cover from Playgroup, the latter section of the mix where Freaky Chakra takes everything a bit offkilter by introducing 6/4 rhythms and Goldfrapp pick up the baton to move into glam electro territories. Certainly an ambitious mix.

I remember reading ages ago that Sasha was planning to do a series of 3 DJ mixes for Global Underground. We've had a mix of remixes from Involver and a mix from the laptop with Fundacion, I'd seriously like to see Mr Coe follow in the steps of Mr Digweed's Fabric mix and go back to grass roots for his final mix in the series, putting Ableton Live or whatever he is getting his hands on to play around with aside. Sasha, some decks and some pure dancefloor material ... a bit of raw energy. It has to be done.

The album begins with some sci-fi style vocals(desination...planet earth... engage sound system etc.)

This, I thought was a worrying start. The last album I bought with something similar at the beginning was by Aphrodite - hardly the same class as Sasha.

However, once this bizarre sequence is over (2mins in) we start to get into the proper music. I won't go through each track one by one, as there will be others that can do this more adeptly, rather I will sum up the CD overall.

The music reminds me very much of Darren Emerson in Singapore (another GU release). Whilst I could put Involver on, and drift away to its blissful sounds this offering is much more upbeat, some bit of it almost reminiscent of Deep Dish.

I am a great believer in both of those artists, and Sasha offers a variation on their themes. For me, it really works - it's faster and more energetic than Involver and the track selection and mixing is more "housey".

The fact is, that this shouldn't be compared to Involver. It's a completely different kettle of fish. It's inspired by New York City, so was always going to be something that reflects the hustle of the NY life, and it's this that Sasha's got down almost to a tee.

This could almost have been part of the GU series - "Sasha in New York", which would set expectations slightly differently - but probably more appropriately. Fundacion brings Sasha back towards what's going on the rest of the scene whereas for me Involver was all about setting himself apart from the rest of the crowd.

That's not to say it's a bad record, far from it... just something to put on at the start of a party rather than towards the end.

Ian