British DJ/producer Flava D (Danielle Gooding) has been somewhat of an underdog since she first hit the scene as a grime producer during the late 2000s. Her profile increased when she began releasing U.K. garage and bassline house tracks on labels like Butterz in 2013, but many of her original tracks and remixes were digitally self-released. Fabriclive.88 is her first commercially released mix CD, and it's an excellent showcase for her boundlessly energetic style. Within the disc's five-minute intro alone, she seamlessly ...
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British DJ/producer Flava D (Danielle Gooding) has been somewhat of an underdog since she first hit the scene as a grime producer during the late 2000s. Her profile increased when she began releasing U.K. garage and bassline house tracks on labels like Butterz in 2013, but many of her original tracks and remixes were digitally self-released. Fabriclive.88 is her first commercially released mix CD, and it's an excellent showcase for her boundlessly energetic style. Within the disc's five-minute intro alone, she seamlessly switches between brooding grime, bouncy rave pianos, and disco house before properly launching into the mix. The energy level rarely lags throughout the disc's 30 tracks, as it keeps jumping from one ecstatic peak to the next. Roughly two thirds of the tracks were produced, co-produced, or remixed by Gooding, so it's no surprise that the quality level is so consistent. Other selections include cuts by Terror Danjah, Swindle, My Nu Leng, and Flava D's regular collaborators DJ Q and Royal T. The mix generally sticks to fast-paced beats and wobbly bass, occasionally punctuated by the type of MK/Todd Edwards-esque chopped-up vocals standard to much U.K. garage. A few grime MCs such as D Double E and Stush make welcome appearances, and two songs are graced by the sugary-sweet vocals of Miss Fire. The mix is overwhelmingly cheerful, but not in a garish, cartoonish way like most happy hardcore. Only during the disc's final tracks does it seem like Flava D is getting a bit more reflective, but the tempos remain punchy even as the disc heads for a comedown. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi
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