Zone Magazine Issue 033 - Jan Johnson

Moshic: DJ World Series: Progressive
From Israel (2003)
Another covermount compilation, this one from DJ
Magazine, has grown better with time. I was quick to
dismiss it at the time, but on relistening it's easy to hear
that Moshic was definitely capturing the sound of the time.
If the sound of Aural Pleasure was perhaps indirectly
affected by the political climate of the early 00s,
Progressive From Israel is overtly so, and the Israeli-born
Moshic begins the mix with the sound of TV reporters
commenting on the political strife in the Middle East -
suicide bombings, nuclear inspections, hopes for peace.
Almost every single track he used was unreleased at the
time, and the producers hail from the Middle East region
and Turkey. KEY DARK TRACKS: Moshic's own "Nonok" (a
nearly 11 minute treatment), Groovemates "Power
Supply", Mavi "The Dream".
https://www.discogs.com/Moshic-DJ-World-Series-
Progressive-From-Israel/release/131499
Jimmy Van M: Bedrock - Compiled
and mixed (Disc One) (Pioneer, 2001)
The whole dark prog "thing" was probably born in
Twilo during Sasha & Digweed's legendary residency; an
attempt to capture it was documented on their last mix
collaboration together, the somewhat maligned
'Communicate' from 2000. As the two masters do, they set
a trend, and they moved on; some DJs are still chasing this
trend today. One of the rightful heirs of this sound was
Jimmy Van M, and disc one of this compilation is an
alchemist distilling ten records into a masterfully trippy
experience. Let's face it, Bedrock has always been in a
class of its own, and so is this mix, one of very few from
this era that I consider perfect. KEY DARK TRACKS: ECVM
"Circuit Breaker" (John Creamer & Stephane K remix),
Prototype "Control of Sound”.
https://www.discogs.com/Jimmy-Van-M-Bedrock-
Compiled-And-Mixed-By-Jimmy-Van-M/
release/72826
"So why isn't GU019 on this list?"
I know this will be problematic for some
people...why am I not including Global Underground 019:
John Digweed - Los Angeles on this list? Is it a tradition to
not love the GU compilation mix from the city you live in? I
attended every single one of the parties for GU 019 at the
Mayan Theater in downtown Los Angeles, and loved every
minute of them. Getting to meet John (and Dom Phillips! A
real thrill for a budding electronic music journalist) a few
nights after the initial party was cool as fuck. When I
finally got the promo copy of the compilation, I was
puzzled. The mix didn't match up with my experience of
those nights. I clearly remember a friend wondering aloud,
"Did he even PLAY 1-800-Ming?" I've tried relentlessly to
appreciate it, but have simply never gotten there. "Too
close to the work", perhaps. One of these days I'm going
to get the original recordings of those nights from Kazell
(Digweed's designated opener every time he played the
Mayan), and see if I can get to the bottom of this. But I'm
pretty sure I made the right call about Saeed & Palash.