CD Reviews

DJ Food and DK

Now, Listen Again! | Ninja Tune

By MATTHEW GASTEIER | May 8, 2007

3.0 Stars

DJ Food

Six years ago, DJ Food and DK kick-started Ninja Tune’s “Solid Steel” series with Now, Listen. That mix was so good that it’s drawn comparisons with Coldcut’s seminal 70 Minutes of Madness. So the sequel has a lot to live up to, and though it can’t be accorded classic status just yet, Now, Listen Again! is an invigorating set encompassing a wide range of pop from the past three decades. New Order bump up against Aphex Twin, Rakim rides a Human League beat, “Purple Haze” is given Northern Soul treatment, and a little-known psych classic by the Dragons takes the album to the end. You’d be hard-pressed to find such proficient and seemingly effortless mixing. Some average tracks and too many cutesy spoken-word samples keep this from matching the achievement of its older brother. But, given today’s hyper-trendy mix climate, it’s still a must-have.

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