On Ultraviolet, DJ Touché, the one time ‘Wiseguy’ and master of breakbeat this time whips up a dish of genre crossing house music. Perhaps best known for the hip hop and big beat inflected ‘Start the Commotion’, ‘Cowboy 78’ and the Budweiser advert for which sound over track, ‘Ooh La La’ made number 2 in the UK, Touché splices together enough funky house and bouncing beats to pack a packet of tens.
So where did it all start? Underground hip hop princes, Touché and Regal met at college in the early ‘90s and formed the Wiseguys. After the release of ‘Executive Suite’ in 1996, and the ‘The Antidote’ in 1998 Touché became known for his ability to straddle often considerable divides.
Like many a compilation it’s bit of a mixed bag. A freestyle selection of tunes may be one way to describe it – a wall of fierce, urban soundbites may be another. Teaming up with the Audio Bullys on floor stealing ‘Ego War’ (a kind of Streets/Dury ‘Sex and Drugs and Rock N Roll’ for all the big beat hardliners and ska-mongers out there) Touché provides a tongue in cheek opening jab. Next up, ‘Tangerine’ a head-nodding blast of bass-plucked Latino groans and glides into the proceedings with an oddly techno vibe bubbling up onto the surface.
Halfway through and things begin to funk up a little. Kid Crème’s Hypnotizing enters the fray and Milton Jackson’s Incidental, (complete with original sample from Portishead’s Sour Times) meshes the mix with a spectral female lead and a driving ethnic pulse (resurrected on Paul Kieran’s acid-tinged raver “Africa 70“)
Anyway, whilst it bears the same peaks and troughs as any compilation out there, there’s plenty here to get excited about. Even a brief guest shout from Mr Slim Shady himself.