Artist: Herbal Infusion
Title: The Hunter
Label: Bedrock Records
By: Simon Jones | 10 June 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Herbal Club Mix
• B: Steiger Mix

Herbal Infusion "The Hunter"

Originally released over a decade ago (1992 to be exact) on legendary imprint Zoom Records, Herbal Infusion's 'The Hunter' was a collaboration between label head Dave Wesson and production duo Neil Barnes and Paul Daley (who later became Leftfield) and for it's time was hailed as a masterpiece. Obviously Lord Digweed still thinks there's life in the old dog yet, and it's now been dusted off for re-release 11 years later on Bedrock.

The 'Herbal Club Mix' is lifted from the original release, it's soft percussion and chunky bassline left untouched. What strikes you is the laid back tempo of the groove, which was pretty much the norm for tracks during the early 90s, as anyone who went to Shelleys or Renaissance would tell you.. An organ style melody is dropped in and out of the groove, whilst an ethnic influenced vocal sample can be hear sparingly thoughout the track. You can tell this is a track from many moons ago, but that doesn't matter because it's still great to this day.

Bedrock bring it up-to-date and into the 21st century by enlisting 'Steiger' to rework the track. Simon Rogers has been around in the music business for almost an eternity so would quite probably remember this from it's original outing. The first thing that is apparent is the increased tempo, but the production values of this mix ooze quality as Steiger slowly takes it apart and reinvents it, whilst remaining faithful to the original.

A surprising release from Bedrock you would probably think, choosing to go back and update yet another track from yesteryear, but fear not there are plenty of new cuts forthcoming, but for now you could do far worse than to slip a copy of this into your box for nostaglia. Hell you might even educate yourself.