BnB Review: Back In The Box - Mixed By Global Communication

Written by Youri Jozee

Electro / Techno -

It’s been fifteen years since we last heard from them, but Global Communication (aka Tom Middleton and Mark Pritchard) are back in full effect, having compiled and mixed the latest in NRK’s famed Back In The Box compilation series. Here’s the BnB review.

Let’s keep the intro to a minimum. We could go on and on about Tom and Mark’s impressive careers, but let’s not. Both have been producing countless genre-defining house tracks over the past few years but for their BITB mix, they opted to go down memory lane with a selection of personal favorites and forgotten classics. Most of these fall into the category of atmospheric Detroit-techno and pre-hipster electro, with an occasional chunk of house fatness squeezed it. And it’s some good eatin’ if you’re into the aforementioned sounds: The first disc lines up tracks such as System 7 & Derrick May’s Altitude (it’s the Mayday Mix here, wooh!), Shake’s Sonar 123, and Speedy J’s – De-Orbit (The Outer Limits Salute Repitch) amongst others, delivering a nasty clash of obscure to very obscure grooves with a filthy raw touch. How’s things in terms of mixing? It’s 90s style: quick, a bit messy here and there, but that all adds up to the huge, vibrant flow this mix transposes.

Now, the second mix is a bit more melodic, (or ‘mellow’, if you will) and more electro-tinged, with tracks such as Psyche’s Elements, Aphex Twin’s Tha and 808 State’s ass-kicking Sunrise. Again, we find ourselves listening to tracks from waaaay back and again, a brilliant vintage vibe is served up. Highlights aplenty: Model 500 – Infoworld, Urban Tribe – Covert Action, Ross 154 – Mayflower…

Our verdict:
GC is back, better believe it! The duo’s take on the BITB series is one damn fine collection of vintage house, electro and techno grooves, incorporating both classic hits as underrated and hard-to-find cuts and graced with smooth mixing too. Now let’s hope for some new GC gigs this summer…

Standout tracks: Neuropolitique – Minds You Don’t Trip, DHS – Number 9 Bad Acid, Ross 154 – Mayflower
Weak moments: States Of Mind – Audio Q5A, Link – Places Of Origin

Rating: 7.0/10
Label: NRK
Release date: May 30^th, 2011

Tracklist
CD 1
1. Fade II Black - The Calling (Reprise)
2. System 7 & Derrick May - Altitude
3. Reese - Just Want Another Chance
4. BFC - Galaxy
5. F.U.S.E. - Technotropic
6. Shake - Sonar 123
7. Lory D - Sickness (Sounds Never Seen)
8. Neuropolitique - Mind You Don't Trip
9. DHS - Number 9 Bad Acid
10. Speedy J - De-Orbit (TM Outer Limits Salute Repitch)
11. Balil - Nort Route
12. Florence - A Touch Of Heaven
13. Flux - True Feelings
14. Reload & E621 - Ptyzh
15. States Of Mind - Audio Q5A
16. Robert Leiner - Aqua Viva

CD 2
1. Link - Intro (The Labels)
2. Ismistik - Flow Charts
3. Yennek - Serena X (Carl Craig Inner Zone Remix)
4. Psyche - Elements
5. Never On Sunday - The Journey
6. As One - Amalia
7. Aphex Twin - Tha
8. Stasis - Point Of No Return
9. Balil - Whirling Of The Spirits
10. 808 State - Sunrise
11. Urban Tribe - Covert Action
12. Link - Places of Origin
13. Model 500 - Infoworld
14. Reel by Real - Surkit
15. Ross 154 - Mayflower
16. Global Communication - Incidental Harmony
17. Barbarella - Barbarella (The Irresistible Force Remix)