Artist: Various
Title: The Best Of Get Physical 2016
Label: Get Physical Music
Release Date: 23rd December 2016
Genre: Tech House/Techno
So, to the end of the year we come, and the time of year we celebrate many different things with the ones we love, cherish and hold dear. We exchange love, best wishes and raise a glass to future endeavors, hopes, and dreams. Of course, though Christmas and New Year is also a time for reflection, retrospect and a nod to the past. Sometimes we’re glad to see the back of the year gone by, but most of the time we hold our heads high and we come out the other side bigger, stronger and more determined than ever before, often quoting “hope it’s the best one yet”. Music itself is absolutely no different at this stage of the year. Across all forms of dance music, a lot of labels like to thank their fans, listeners, and supporters by offering them a retrospective look at the year’s releases on one huge compilation. This year, Get Physical have compiled a plethora of their biggest releases from 2016.
If you’re going for the digital pack of this one, there’s a whopping 49 DJ friendly tracks included, as well as 3 full-length continuous mixes (they’re spoiling you) from tech house and techno’s biggest names. Label co-founders M.A.N.D.Y. are present with a trio of their tracks, Kolsch, Black Coffee, Pezzner, Tim Green and the ever so popular Eagles & Butterflies all make outstanding contributions to Get Physical’s ever-growing list of talents.
Without really giving too much away I’ll just give a brief outline of the soundscapes you can hear on this album. If it’s bass heavy tech house sounds that you enjoy, look no further than ‘DJ Le Roi feat Roland Clark – I Get Deep’. Remixed to perfection by Late Nite Tuff Guy (edited by Emanuel Satie). One of those tracks you can just play loud and leave your neighbours banging on the walls (although you probably won’t hear them!), featuring a thick, pounding bassline, techno stabs and a great vocal performance by a house music legend, thrown in is some eccentric cymbal work. This would take pride of place in a dark, sweaty underground club. At the same time, you can only imagine the damage it would do at festivals or warehouse parties.
If deeper, more ethereal sounds that do it for you, just a little nudge in the direction of ‘Blunted Dummies – House For All (Ruede Hagelstein Ecstatic Dub)’. Oh, what a treat this one is! It has all the hallmarks, trademarks, and all the other marks you can think of from this man. Ruede makes this one his own! Spaced out effects, a deep lying bassline, warm layered ambiance, vocal, bleeps, noises. Just another Ruede Remix, but damn it’s good!
Just one more track I want to touch on here, a more melodic approach, which to me, harks back to a kind of old skool style, I just can’t seem to put my finger on where I can hear this old skool vibe. Maybe you can help me? ‘Francesco Tristano – Place On Lafayette (Thomas Gandey & Radio Slave Last Communication Remix)’. It’s another bass laden track with a driving, twinkly melody which sounds as though it’s been played on a kids xylophone! Don’t let that put you off though!
All in all a fantastic “Best Of” album to round off what has been a great year for Get Physical. Released just in time for Christmas too. A great stocking filler! I hope you’ll all join me in wishing them a Merry Christmas and let’s hope it’s a very Happy New Year for them! By the way, it’s the piano that gives it the old skool feel!