Essential Mix 2000

This double-disc set presents DJ Pete Tong mixing his favorite records of the year 2000. Virtually everything on these two very different discs comes from the underground, and was not only under-celebrated, but lacked any proper notice at all other than being played by Tong all over the world. Disc one is essential house and thematic variations on same, Tong's added elements including souling them up a bit, but, other than that, these tracks are untouched in the wash of sounds. The best of the lot are Jan Driver's remix of Laurent Garnier's "The Man With the Red Face," the Deep Dish remix of Dusted's "Always Remember to Love and Honour Your Mother," and DJ Rolando's "The Jaguar." Disc two is essentially twisted and macked up takes on trance from Futureshock's "Sparc," with its pitch bending middle, to Sasha & Emerson's "Scorchio" to Dave Clarke's slamming "The Compass" (remixed by DJ Giglio), and don't forget the awesomely funky freak out that is Halo Varga's "Future." Both platters add up to a couple of solid hours of pumping it up. Tong's an essentialist; he digs through the entire track to find the moment it cracks and he breaks it wide open with his magic. Either way, as a collection of tracks that happen to jam, or as Tong's personal visionary selection, this package works fine. ~ Thom Jurek