VA: Buzzin' Fly III
Buzzin' Fly

Proving himself to be anything but a dilettante or poseur, Everything But The Girl's Benn Watt further solidifies his reincarnation as a house DJ, dance label head, and creative midwife on this fabulous third volume in his label's Buzzin' Fly mix series. Watt's crew presents a thoroughly stoked set of sunlit jubilation, with three-quarters of the disc devoted to roster artists.

Following convention, the 70-minute mix eases in gently (Watt's “Old Soul”) and ultimately decompresses peacefully too (Kayot's “One Week On Cuba”). But if the approach doesn't structurally deviate from the norm, the material distinguishes itself mightily. Occasional spoken word segments provide contrast, but it's the grooving cuts that speak loudest: careening voices flow from Manoo and Francois Aymonier's electric remix of Kayot's euphoric “Clear Sky” into Martinez's 'adjustment' of Jussi-Pekka's “Stereo Interleaved” while the chiming piano theme and lustrous strings in “Attack Attack Attack” recall Watt's EBTG days. The Timewriter's jacking makeover of Budai and Vic's “I Love Deep” proves exhilarating, as does the melancholy techno stomp of Madoka's “Metamotional.” Peaks? Darkmountaingroup's irresistibly danceable and impossibly sexy “Lose Control” tops the list, though it's almost matched by the darkly hypnotic electro-rush of Fairmont's panther-sleek “Gazebo” (from James Holden's Border Community label). All told, Watt's crisp and buoyant electro-deep house fusion makes for one exceptional outing.

July 2006