The next instalment of the Toolroom Knights mix series sees label head honcho and Ministry of Sound resident Mark Knight step up to deliver a cutting-edge mix of future classics and forward thinking house music released on September 9, 2008.
This double-disc collection covers the length and breadth of the house music spectrum, moving from shades of legendary US producers right through to the current crop of ultra-talented UK and European artists. It is a sound that Mark has lovingly cultivated over many years of solid gigging and through releasing a staggeringly consistent collection of quality music via his Toolroom imprint. The mix is by no means a straight run-through of current big tunes, rather a musical journey that takes in album exclusives, drawn-out mixing and carefully placed accapellas to coax the maximum levels of impact out of the records.
CD1 begins with a definite soulful house vibe running through it. Mark’s own edit of Cloud Kickers ‘Bring On the Night’ opens the disc in blissfully orchestral fashion which then makes way for Charles Webster’s fantastic remix of US house kingpin Dennis Ferrer’s ‘How Do I Let Go’. The appearance of current deep house favourite Quarion provides a perfect segue into the more tech-orientated sounds such as Radioslave’s remix of ‘Elevation’ by Jerome Sydenham &Tiger Stripes and album exclusive ‘Scratch & Sniff’ by Nic Fanciulli. The disc closes in frenetic fashion thanks to Mark’s own remix of Underworld’s ‘Beautiful Burnout’, a track that comes across like a later-day version of Lil Louis classic ‘French Kiss’.
By contrast CD2 skips the niceties and goes straight for the jugular. Opening up with Justin Drake’s remix of Tom Noise & Dan Tait’s ‘360 Days’ the early stages of the disc are centred on dark, driving bass lines and incessant grooves that pin you down into the zone and don’t let go. Steve Mac & Paul Harris’s ‘You’ moves the mix into slightly more melodic territory, while it is twisted out by Mark’s expert mixing style. The track paves the way for another album exclusive in the form of ATFC’s ‘Bad Weed’ with its monster bass stomp and tribal percussion. The journey comes to a climactic finale with Workidz ‘Washmachine’ and Elvis Benait & Tony Gomez’s ‘Gate One’ sitting back-to-back, shifting the energy levels up one more notch before the curtain falls.
Mark explains, “I wanted to create a shortened edition of my epic main room sets at Ministry of Sound, building from very soulful to full on Techno, and with CD2 give people a taste of what’s now and future on my label Toolroom”.
There is no doubt with this latest Toolroom mix he has achieved his objective.
"Mark Knight has matured into one of the UK's most competent and versatile DJs. Here he produces a custom-made double package that semalessly builds and thrives" - DJ Mag
"jam-packed with exclusive cuts, re-edits, acapellas and the rest, Knight has gone all-out to bring a flavour of his Ministry residency to disc" - M8
"It's about time label boss Mark Knight gave us his take on what's becoming one of the most reliable mix series to have emerged in recent times. Needless to say, he doesn't disappoint. A true journey from deep house to monstrous rolling techno" - IDJ Mag
North American Tour Dates
Thurs 28 Aug - Boston, MA @ The Estate
Fri 29 Aug - Chicago, IL @ Sound Bar
Sat 30 Aug - NYC @ Pacha
Sun 31 Aug - Toronto, Ontario @ The Guvernment
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