FEATURED RELEASE
One of the most anticipated instalments of the Fabric series to date, Shackleton's 'fabric 55' was guaranteed to be something special from the outset. Ever since his move to Berlin Shackleton has been refining his style, evolving his unique sound that fuses dubstep, minimalism and primal rhythms.
His recent outings, such as his triple EP for Perlon or his epic remix of Moderat's 'Rusty Nails', should have tipped us off to the fact that something exceptional was brewing in Shackleton's kitchen, but the sheer primal force and energy of 'fabric 55' still comes as a surprise.
Consisting solely of Shackleton's own tracks the album is essentially a 75 minute live set, summing up the past 3 years of Shackleton's creative output. Previous highlights like 'Death Is Not Final' from his Skull Disco phase or 'Moon Over Joseph's Burial' off his Perlon release make an appearance, as do exclusives like 'Hypno Angel' or 'Busted Spirit', as well as the first tracks from his simultaneously launched label, Woe To The Septic Heart.
Rarely has an album's track list been so completely beside the point however. Shackleton strips, layers and condenses his source material into a tightly orchestrated opus magnum. Its minimalistic passages alternate with outbursts of percussion and tribal chants, creating an atmosphere of constant, griping tension. With 'fabric 55' Shackleton has delivered a manifesto of his personal style and one of the most powerful works of electronic music we have heard all year.
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MORE ESSENTIAL FABRIC MIXES
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Few have mastered the art of digital DJing as Surgeon has, and for his Fabric mix he layers his 30 source tracks in sublime fashion for a deep, dark and pounding mix, reaching from dubstep to techno, back and beyond. Outstanding.
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Following up on Martyn's excellent 'fabric50' mix is not an easy job for DJ T., but Get Physical's main man adds a great touch by focusing on the stylistic breadth of vocals in contemporary house, from Danton Eeprom to Soulphiction. Sweet.
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dBridge and Instra:mental's Autonomic podcasts have gained an impressive amount of attention for their refreshing take on drum and bass. This stunning 31-track mix for the 50th edition of Fabriclive showcases their powerful and innovative 'Autonomic' sound. Essential.
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Martyn compiles the 50th edition of Fabric's official mix series and proceeds to take it to a new direction. The Dutch producer flawlessly blends multiple tempos and styles resulting in Fabric's most refreshing mix to date. Feat. tracks by Actress, Roska, Zomby, 2562, Kode9, and more!
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It wouldn't be Magda if her Fabric volume wasn't carefully constructed from a plethora of individual components (available on a separate Minus album). Juxtaposing the likes of Jimmy Edgar and Jan Jelinek, Circlesquare and Gaiser adds interesting twists to the mix.
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Radio Slave is a master of purposeful suspense, of rising tension, and building atmospheres. His Fabric mix is an amazing demonstration of this talent, with long intervals of abstract, tribalistic grooves giving way to carefully spaced moments of harmonic elation.
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With 22 included tracks, this is one of the most ambitious Fabric mixes, but Claude Von Stroke pulls it off marvellously, thanks in part to digital technology, which allows him to cut, slice and loop the tracks into a fidgety, yet tightly orchestrated whole. Excellent.
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Omar S grabs the opportunity of recording a Fabric mix with admirable self-confidence, not only including 16 of his own productions but also subtitling it 'Detroit'. His healthy self-esteem has not gotten into the way of his talent however, of which this mix speak volumes of.
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Currently topping the charts with his Armand Van Helden colab, Duck Sauce, A-Trak dropped this FABRICLIVE mix last year. This is dance-floor fun in its purest form, tongue-in-cheek hi-energy house from start to finish, impossible to keep a straight face to. Great.
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Simian Mobile Disco dish out the delicacies on their FABRICLIVE mix with both guaranteed floor fillers ('Spastik', 'Flash', 'Erotic Discourse') and little known gems (by Moebius or Raymond Scott). It's an eclectic mix that's happy to please, but isn't this what we love SMD for?
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A beautiful and subtle mix by Âme, who combine raw and soulful house flavours by the likes of Armando, STL, and Even Tuell with Moondog interludes, wildpitch magic, and even some Dettmann and F.U.S.E vs. LFO at the end. Sublime.
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Detroit's math assassin takes to the decks and shows us what this techno thing is all about. Hood's idea of minimalism is all but devoid of soul, his griping live mix using his source material as parts to be assembled, from classics to news and own exclusive tracks. Brilliant.
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Steve Bug is known to tread a fine line between deepness and minimalism, house and techno, and consequently his Fabric mix is one of the most characteristically 'Berlin-sounding' of the series. Inspired craftsmanship without a shade of doubt.
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Ricardo Villalobos is hardly in need of an introduction, and his 'fabric36' album takes the series to a whole new level. Comprised entirely of tracks by the man himself, this is a recording that defies categories like 'DJ mix' or 'album' - it's a work of art.
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Not only an exceptional producer but also a master of the mix CD format, Ewan Pearson signs responsible for Fabric's 35th edition, an epic, free-styling journey, guided expertly through dub-house, minimal, techno, and pop. A truly remarkable effort.
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A one-off resurrection across time and space of one of dance music's most cherished acts, Global Communication's Fabric mix pits Mark Pritchard's grimey future r'n'b against Tom Middleton's catchy electro-house. Essentially two mixes in one, but two mighty fine ones.
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