Over the last couple of years, as UK funky has gradually drained out of the clubs, young urban London has increasingly been turning to the deeper, denser sounds of tech and minimal house for its dancefloor kicks. Mark Radford, who started his Saturday night Rinse FM slot in April 2011 after his profile had steadily grown over the preceding few years, has been a pioneering figure in that shift. Drawn to tech-house’s hypnotic, bass-heavy drive, he found himself frustrated with what he saw as a lack of soul in much of the genre. So in 2008 he began to dig deeply for tracks that kept the rawness and energy intact but didn’t sacrifice any of the melody and musicality. His new sets started to skilfully balance those two facets, drawing new energy out of the tunes he was dropping.
'Rinse 18' is a formidable document of the approach that has made Mark such a respected figure in such a short space of time. Drawing together music from well-known European producers like Steve Bug and John Tejada with newer UK names like James What and No Artificial Colours, it accurately captures both the more wide-reaching scope of his weekly Rinse FM show and the heady, adrenalised energy of his peaktime club sets. Opening with the frosty computer soul of Alex Niggeman’s ‘Point Of No Return’, he immediately draws deep and dubby for Rekleiner's 'Some People' and John Tejada's remix of Max Cooper. Fittingly, an early highlight arrives as a nod to classic Detroit: Carl Craig's stunning remix of Agoria's 'Speechless', a seedy nocturnal creature that acts as a perfect transition into the mix's ruder, more energetic second half.
'Rinse 18' is a formidable document of the approach that has made Mark such a respected figure in such a short space of time. Drawing together music from well-known European producers like Steve Bug and John Tejada with newer UK names like James What and No Artificial Colours, it accurately captures both the more wide-reaching scope of his weekly Rinse FM show and the heady, adrenalised energy of his peaktime club sets. Opening with the frosty computer soul of Alex Niggeman’s ‘Point Of No Return’, he immediately draws deep and dubby for Rekleiner's 'Some People' and John Tejada's remix of Max Cooper. Fittingly, an early highlight arrives as a nod to classic Detroit: Carl Craig's stunning remix of Agoria's 'Speechless', a seedy nocturnal creature that acts as a perfect transition into the mix's ruder, more energetic second half.
TRACK LISTING
01. Alex Niggeman - Point Of No Return
02. Rekleiner - Some People
03. Mark Henning- Sin City
04. Max Cooper - Dark Room (John Tejada Mix)
05. Steve Bug - Wet
06. Agoria - Speechless (Carl Craig Remix)
07. James What - In The Dark
08. Lee Brink - Over You (Wildcats Remix)
09. Noir & Haze - Around (Subb-an Remix)
10. No Artificial Colours - Girl You Know
11. Al Bassline - Bouyancy
12. Tiger Stripes - Voyage (Solomun Remix)
13. Martin Landsky - Morning Caffeine
14. Lazaro Casanova - Morning Confessions