Various – The House Sound Of London - Vol. IV - "The Jackin' Zone"

This is a stellar collection that stands the test of time that I was lucky to score used for a buck (by virtue of the vinyl being sleeveless). This compilation probably gets most attention because it contains a couple of very early (their earliest?) Orbital productions here as "D.S. Building Contractors" offering what sounds more like late stage electro nevertheless foreshadowing the more "intelligent" sound that would indicate the future greatness of their productions amidst a couple of more well known tracks like the Kevin Saunderson and Tyree outings.

Personally I think the compilation shines in the form of a couple of offerings proprietary to this record which are the quirky J & M Connection "Living In A World Of Fantasy" (obviously influenced by Marshall Jefferson's Jungle Wonz productions -- see my review of that track under the specific 12" release the label put out for it) but also House Addicts "Come Together", a dark, hypnotic futuristic 3-4 AM stormer that sends chills up my spine. "Come Together" reminds me of a time when a late night dance floor with perhaps a little accompanying black market pharmaceutical was transportation to a magical alternate universe; it still sounds fresh and futuristic to my ears and is a pleasant reminder of just how mind blowing the house scene was to those of us that were paying attention as 35 years later I'm still wondering what hit me.

Excellent and varied classic compilation. But I've chosen to concentrate on the two D.S. Building Contractors tracks, which are strictly exclusive to this title.

Two of Paul Hartnoll's (one half of Orbital's) earliest tracks. One For The Burglar is a really tight production for 1988. More on the electro influenced techno tip than house music or acid. However, there's a downfall - the use of childish and cheesy ass Thunderbirds dialogue from an episode. Absolutely ridiculous. It's a shame as it's a funky little warehouse number musically. If one can place the corny samples at the back of the soundscape, it can be enjoyed fully to the maximum. Better still reissue the bloody thing as a pure instrumental mix.

Depth Charge on the other hand is much more underground in sound. One of the roughest sounding tracks Paul Hartnoll's been involved in. Rasping unintelligible vocoder which sounds like it might have been sampled from Hashim's Al-Naafiysh or Jonzun Crew's Pack Jam but I'm not sure it is. Raw Electro styled programmed beat and dirty acid. Funky as hell. Not house music in the strictest sense though. Perfect for dry ice, smoke, laser and strobe in a massive warehouse scenario. Badly needs to be pressed on 12" plastic already.

D.S. Building Contractors - One For The Burglar lifts its samples from "Trapped in the Sky", the first episode of Thunderbirds (a 60's TV series).