DJ dB Presents - Higher Education Drum 'N' Bass Session (CD)

All Music Guide

DJ DB, one of the veteran breakbeat DJs in the world (to say nothing of America), delivers a few lessons in drum'n'bass (as well as one on label politics) on The Higher Education Drum 'N' Bass Session. Unlike his work on Sm:)e's brilliant History of Our World series, which gathered jungle anthems from many different independent labels, all but four of the tracks here originally appeared on F-111, the same major-distributed label that released this album. True, there are top-flight producers scattered all over the mix; Grooverider, Rob Playford Dominic Angus, Origin Unknown, and Optical all make appearances, though all of their contributions are remixes (of material by Soul Coughing, Control Freq, Amar, and Static X, respectively). Fortunately, the one great jungle producer F-111 does have on their roster, Acen, has two tracks (including the tearing "Black Dawn") plus two remixes. The other label inclusions are obscure producers -- Kazimir, Pieter K, Karl K, Phunckateck's UFO -- who co...ntribute solid but uninspiring tracks. DB's mixing and compiling is great, but it's hard to lose the feeling that most of these tracks are on here because of the label and not the DJ. - John Bush, All Music Guide Read more Less