Anjunadeep 05 has finally arrived after a few release date push backs! I have been eagerly anticipating this album for quite some time, and have now had a few weeks to listen, re-listen, and assess this massive compilation.
For those that don’t know, Anjunadeep 05 is the fifth installment in a series of compilation albums; these are done more or less annually by both Anjunadeep and its parent label, Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats. This year, putting together the two mixes are none other than Anjunadeep label boss James Grant and the legendary Jody Wisternoff, who debuts as an Anjunadeep compilation mixer with this beautiful outing.
Since this is a fairly lengthy album, with the two mixes clocking in at a combined two hours and forty minutes, I decided to stick with my usual style of writing -- it is best and most fun if I would just throw on the mixes non-stop and basically commit to writing a running commentary about the music as it progresses over the 29 tracks.
James Grant's mix officially takes off with this fourth track in the mix called Back To Love from Bekwith feat. Catherine Porter. Porter’s infectious vocal addition on top of an anything but boring melody really ups the tempo of the mix in a traditional deep house way: with a dark yet energetic groove. The mix then goes into a very liquid-groove for a few minutes, with songs blending together to form a musical fusion that lulls your mind into serenity. Dusky's Nobody Else, an absolute favourite on this compilation, is a massive deep house track that is bordering minimal yet still melodic in nature. With several weeks as the #1 song on Beatport’s deep house chart, it is no surprise it has made it’s way onto this compilation. Between this track and the previous Bekwith offering, Anjunadeep 05 is starting to fire on all cylinders. Fifty five minutes through this thing and WYV AUW CHU has become another favorite on the mix. Tom Middleton's catchy track title is an attention-getter and boy, it is worth the time you will give it. The tune is slick, and the vocal usage is interesting when compared to the name of the track (WYV AUW CHU = without you, duh!), and the groove is just intoxicating.
Andrew Bayer, obviously is one of my absolute personal favourite dj/producers. His It’s Cool remix sees Bayer join forces with the man behind this entire mix, label boss James Grant. The song is extraordinary - or it could possibly be that I am just biased. The vocals are infectious and really set the tone of the track, along with those powerful piano chords behind it. The track has been featured on Group Therapy numerous times in the past month, and I have been in love with it ever since hearing it for the first time several weeks ago.
Suddenly, the first half of the mix concludes. I noticed that I was too zoned out to say much about the Solarity (Dusky is at it again! The duo used to go by the name of Solarity, and they dusted off one of their older tracks specifically for this album) track; all I know is that the mix ended beautifully, and I couldn't wait to get into the second half.
And then suddenly it's time for the second half, on which Jody Wisternoff has reshaped/retouched/edited almost every single track. The only thing I am aware of going into this side is that the reworked Alchemy will be one of my favorite tracks, no exceptions. I know that this is very biased, again. But trust me, you'll listen to what I'll play and you'll love it - that's all you need to believe in.
As the last tune from the James Grant mix fades out, it's now time for the legendary Jody Wisternoff. I've been a fan of his works - I only follow a few acts on the deep, melodic house sub-genre and Jody's one of them. I am just thrilled he is debuting as a contributor on this slick collection.
His mix kicks off with his remix of Ich Lass ́Dich Nicht Zurück from The Peacemaker Project act. The opening track is definitely solid! The saxophone melody later on really reminds of mild James Zabiela tracks, which are amazing for just that reason. This Jody Wistermoff edit of Lane 8′s Be Mine is one that fans of Anjunadeep will be quite familiar with, as it was showcased in a minimix preview some time in June. The dubby fun Wisternoff describes as being his edition to the track is indeed wonderful, and is a key highlight to the range of sound that can be found on Anjunadeep.
Once more the mix takes off on an understandable lull, which is in no way a bad thing. Jody is taking us now on a journey with this mix, and part of that is including tracks that perhaps blend a little more into the background of the experience, as opposed to popping out. It’s ridiculous how many layers every song has. This sentence is being typed after a re-listen of the second side. So many little bits and pieces pop out at me after running through this again. Small, almost pad like percussions that rattle through This Way went unnoticed during listen one, but now pop out at me and envelope the track in an entire new layer of sensations. We Are Heroes is enticing and infectious. The first time I heard of this track, and Pete Josef commands a soulful and sultry voice that is just slick and polished. The bassline and drum pattern are dirty. Again, the mix takes off -- some form of Dusky is everywhere on this compilation, and Kuza by Alfred Taylor is just another example of the strong production coming from one or both of that duo (FYI -- Alfie is one half of Dusky).
Finally, here comes Alchemy. I have looked forward to hearing Jody's take on this rather heart wrenching, earth-staggering A&B original. It receives a deep house rework that does the original justice in every way. Jody gives the classic track a darker undertone that still perfectly highlights Zoe Johnston’s beautifully haunting verse. The trancey feel of the original is completely replaced with a deep house vibe that even takes on a dubbish tinge in its synth usage halfway through. It’s glorious and easily one of the crowning tracks of this compilation.
As it looks, I glazed over some, paid way too much attention to others, zoned out here and there, but in the end, I came up with the conclusion that this is one of the best albums of the year in terms of enjoyability. Whether or not you are into this sort of style/sound of house music, I guarantee you will find the compilation generally pleasing at the very least. If you dig deep style intertwining with melodic beats and piano chords, this compilation is for you.
The negatives against this compilation are very few and far between, and they mostly center around the fact that deep house simply isn’t a genre for everyone. There are lulls in the mix. Some tracks on a 29 track outing are simply going to be less interesting than others. On the other hand, I am quite confident that music fans from every background can find tunes that they absolutely love here. And this is the brilliance of Anjunadeep; some variation of the deep house sounds found on this album will resonate with people from all walks of taste.
Noteworthy tracks include
Track list:
CD 1 / James Grant
1. Croquet Club "Cardigan"
2. Vincenzo & Aram "Let Go"
3. Andrew Bayer & James Grant "Living"
4. Beckwith feat. Catherine Porter "Back To Love"
5. Universal Solution "Yukon"
6. Universal Solution "Osheen"
7. DAVI "The Time Has Come"
8. Jody Wisternoff & Jonathan Mendelsohn "Out Of Reach" (Alfred Taylor Remix)
9. Dusky "Nobody Else"
10. DAVI "The Bay 6"
11. Tom Middleton "WYV AUW CHU"
12. Dusky "Mr Man"
13. Matt Lange feat. Tania Zygar "Way You Know"
14. The Presets "It's Cool" (Andrew Bayer & James Grant Remix)
15. Solarity "Symbols"
CD 2 / Jody Wisternoff
1. The Peacemaker Project "Ich Lass´ Dich Nicht Zurück" (Jody Wisternoff Remix)
2. Lane 8 "Be Mine" (Jody Wisternoff's Deep 05 Reshape)
3. Skanna vs. Jody Wisternoff "This Way"
4. Jody Wisternoff feat. Pete Josef "We Are Heroes"
5. Alfred Taylor "Kuza"
6. Beckwith "Townsend Sling"
7. Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston "Alchemy" (Jody Wisternoff Remix)
8. Rashid Ajami "Coming For You" (Jody Wisternoff Remix)
9. Kahwe "Driving Me Wild" (Jody Wisternoff's Deep 05 Reshape)
10. Leftwing & Kody "Deep In" (Jody Wisternoffs Deep 05 Reshape)
11. Meramek "Feeling"
12. Jody Wisternoff "Macbeth"
13. Matt Lange "Only You"
14. Andre Sobota "Move Into Tokyo Dawn" (Jody Wisternoff's Deep 05 Blend)
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