Artist: Evolution & Lucien Foort
Title: Fluid Compilation
Label: Fluid Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 28 January 2002
Tracklist:

• Disk 1
• Disk 2

1. Evolution - Solina
2. Jamez Presents Tatoine - Music (16B Mix)
3. Cajun - Awareness (Lemon 8 Mix)
4. Coma Pirates - Dragonfly (Dub)
5. Kenny Shifter - Fused (Dub)
6. Jimmy Van M - E.C.I.P-S (Main Mix)
7. Boyd Westerman - Looplife (Escape Mix)
8. Christian West - Rotation (Dub)
9. Willerby - Freak (Pony Love Dub)
10. Ritmo - G13 (Evolution Mix)

1. Evolution - Phoenix (1996 Dub)
2. Evolution - Blaster (Dub)
3. Coma Pirates - Miaminylon (Dub)
4. Jamez Presents Tatoine - Music (Evolution Mix)
5. Andy Ling - Fixation (Main Mix)
6. JB - Unknown Origin (Main Mix
7. Taylor - Xenophobe (Original Mix)
8. Cajun - Echoplex (Original Mix)
9. Arrakis - Medusa (Dub)
10. Christian West - Eterna (Dub)

Evolution & Lucien Foort "Fluid Compilation"

Fluid Recordings was formed back in the mid 90s by John Sutton and Barry Jamieson, who collectively as Evolution have delivered some of the the most timeless progressive tracks from that era, and can count Sasha and John Digweed as two of their biggest champions, amongst a whole host of other top tier djs.

The label is representative of its name, the vibe of the sound being very fluid, mellifluous, gorgeous progressive house, and now, 30 releases on, they deliver their first album, a double cd showcase of not just the history of Fluid, but some of the tracks that form the foundations of today's progressive sound. Evolution natually take the reigns, with help from sometimes collaborator and fellow Fluid family member Lucien Foort.

Disc One starts with the string influenced journey that is Solina, a beautiful drifting production that was also featured on John Digweed's Bedrock album. The talented Jamez is up next with the epic Music, remixed in fine fashion by Omid 16b, whilst the percussive sound of Cajun's Awareness, remixed by top dutch producer Harry Lemon8 rips through the speakers, vocals punching through the soundscape as effects sweep from left to right. A collaboration between Evolution and Lucien, Dragonfly appears next, the first release as Coma Pirates which weaves along into Kenny Shifter's first single, Fused, a dark dubby percussive number that draws you in as the massive E.C.I.-P.S. by top US jock Jimmy Van M takes control of your subconcious, reminding any of those who were lucky enough to visit Twilo of long forgotten golden memories. The US flavour is continued with Florida's Boyd Westerman, whos track Looplife is a minimal driving progressive trance monster, taking us into Rotation by the consistantly superb Christian West as we head back to the uk to be 'Freak'ed out by Brighton boy Will Paton, better known a Willerby as the cd is ended by the Evolution mix of the Dave Seaman favourite, Ritmo's G13, a collboration with US dj Bill Hamel and Karlos Elizondo, an eerie, chugging workout that builds the mood and prepares us for whats to come on the second disc

Disc Two kicks off with two exclusives, the first being a ultra rare dub mix of Evolution's mid 90's classic Phoenix, and an exclusive to this album, the dub mix of Evolution's Blaster. Coma Pirates return with the worldwide hit, MiamiNyLon, next as Evolution deliver their own frantic and energetic remake of Jamez's Music which fires along as the familar break of Andy Ling's massive hit Fixation rips the speakers apart, the pace easing momentarily as the latest hit from the Fluid camp, JB's Unknown Origin bubbles and ripples slowly along as Taylor lifts the pace once more with the classic Xenophobe. From here its a trip down memory lane with the first fluid anthem, Echoplex by Cajun drives along, its bouncy bassline rolling into Arrakis's early classic Medusa. The showcase is brought to an end by Christian West with the Pete Tong accoladed Eterna, one final energetic moment in this retrospective of Fluid and a track that will get your feet bouncing around the floor.

Whilst not a definitive collection of classics, some will argue that some other tracks deserved to be featured, it presents both a good starting point of the new faces of progressive clubland, whilst also having major appeal to those who remember the days of Northern Exposure and the days at Twilo. A carefully crafted album that is very slick and very fluid, and with releases like Walking On Fire to come from Fluid in 2002, they show no signs of becoming rusty.