Nitin Sawhney - FabricLive.15 (2004) [FLAC]

Review by Joshua Glazer [-]

Who knew that Craig Armstrong recorded a track with Photek? Thank goodness for Fabriclive.15, the new mix by British-Asian musician, DJ, artist, and actor Nitin Sawhney, who closes the 16-cut beat epic with the breathtaking ambience from the U.K.'s strongest modern composer and minimalist beatmaker respectively. But that only comes after an hour of sensual nu-jazz from the strongest names on the market, including 4hero (who appear on one track and two remixes), Koop, Seiji, Atjazz, Burnt Friedman, and Tosca. Sawhney's own productions keep up the pace, as well as several from fellow British-Asian Ges-E, who is Sawhney's labelmate on the appropriately named Outcaste imprint. Sawhney clearly values his heritage throughout the mix, with Asian sounds peppering cuts by Visionary Underground, who are far more notable for their highly progressive drum'n'bass rhythms. But fear not that Sawhney puts his background over his beats, be they broken, breaks, or jungle. And by the time you arrive at the nearly beatless "Hymn 2," it's all for the better, bringing the session down on the perfect note. Chalk another win on the board for Fabric's nearly unmalleable series of DJ mixes.