The shuffle option is a modern day addiction and one of the ways in which our listening habits have been transformed over the past decade. A downside to this is that the meticulous studio sequencing becomes redundant as tracks are automatically mixed on mp3 players. On top of this the majority of downloaders tend to cherry pick tunes rather than grab an album in its entirety. A positive is that the juxtaposition of music from entirely different genres can put songs into a fresh perspective as connections are made where you thought non existed. I recall recently being struck by how contemporary Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' sounded when placed back to back with a Madvillian rap.
With this 3 cd box set, Lemon Jelly's Fred Deakin has prepared 3 readymade playlists each lasting over an hour. This release comes as part of the series presented by the Family Recordings label which aim to "get away from conventionally themed compilations". Previous contributors have included Dirty Vegas, Jarvis Cocker & Steve Mackay and Snow Patrol.
Deakin's triple trip (triptych - geddit?) is a logical continuation of live mixes in his DJ work and those done for Mary-Anne Hobbs' Breezeblock show on BBC Radio 1. You can see from the fansite listings page - www.jellyheads.info - that many of the track combinations featured here have been tried and tested elsewhere. As you would expect from the man who, with Lemon Jelly, gave us sunny electronica like 'Nice Weather For Ducks' the tone here is light and celebratory.
He opts for more mix than mash and it works a treat when, for example, an easy listening version of the folk standard 'Wayfaring Stranger' is bookended between the Man Parrish's helium fuelled Boogie Down Bronx and Drilla's 'Mama Said' rap. Pete Seeger's old timey banjo piece Ode To Joy also sounds great alongside contemporary rap.
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Rap, for me, is the one forms of music that has benefited most from being shuffled. I found it hard to endure over a 45 minute period but interspersed with less confrontational music it began to make more sense - a short well placed blast of outrage being much more effective than an overextended rant.
Deakin draws upon a healthily eclectic record collection and he largely steers clear of using major artists, probably a decision also forced on him by copyright restrictions.
The range includes easy listening standards James Last to James Taylor, stirred in with stew of global funk, ska, post-punk, drum'n'bass, electro-pop & traditional folk. His stated aim here is "an attempt to bring together all these styles in a coherent way" and this he achieves effortlessly.
There is enough variety to make it interesting although at no point does a sequence really leap out of the mix. I should say, however, that this review is based on an advance promo copy containing roughly a third of each of the complete 3 disc set. I see that the final version includes intriguing combinations like setting a comedy track by Bernard Cribbins alongside Jesus & Mary Chain.
This album will appeal to those looking to add a bit of variety to their own tried (tired?) and trusted mp3 mixes. To preserve the element of surprise, listeners are recommended not to read the track-listing beforehand but simply to go with the flow.
Just press play.
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