Sunglasses? Check. Sun tan lotion? Check. Plane ticket to Miami the WMC, Ultra and all that malarkey? Check? Eh? Uncheck? Well even if you’ve overridden your desire to beg, borrow or steal a plane ticket to the Sunshine state and those surgically enhanced sidewalks of South Beach, Miami FLA., you can still get the flavour by simply investing your hard earned dollar in Toolroom’s glorious 3 CD, 66 full length tracks and exclusives, 10 hours 39 minutes and 48 seconds magnum Miami opus. You’ll find that it’s a beautifully curated and lovingly crafted musical marathon and here’s why.
The Poolside mix dives in there like swimwear, whilst carrying an aquarium sized cocktail in one hand and swinging finger snaps with the other hand. Dipping into intro track Satin Jackets feat KLP’s swirling, creamy ‘For Days’ and later Jason Burns’ ‘Hold On’ will give you a clear idea of how adept Toolroom are at teasing your ears with the sand dance and romance promise. You’ll get aurally smashed on a selection that includes the bumping, jacking low key sounds of Saison’s ‘When I Look At you’, classic old skool house of Waze & Odyssey’s ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’, the filtered strings of Jaymo and Andy George’s ‘Henry’s Treat’ to the searing broken beat / uk garage switchback of Friend Within’s remix of Stylo G featuring Nancy’s ‘Badd’. It’s fun hearing how ‘Poolside’s selection moves you fearlessly from the musical spit roast to the high diving board to the snorkel.
The Club mix is a heat seeker that propels you through the night via tracks from a stellar deep tech roll call including Hot Since 82, Dusky, Chris Malinchak, Shadow Child, Rene Amesz, My Digital Enemy and DJ Lora. Siwell’s ‘Give It Up’ is a low-lit, percussive highlight whilst Chris Malinchak’s ‘If You Got It’ is so damned naughty that it would make anyone double bag their prophylactic in case of emergencies.
And if that doesn’t make beads of sweat involuntarily appear on your top lip, for the third and final CD, Toolroom lead you blindfolded into a heaving, dingy backroom of your choice with rabbit hole moments courtesy of dark lords, Ramon Tapia ‘Sub Shaper’ and Huxley’s ‘Inkwell’ amongst many others until you are left, eyes blinking, satiated but greedy for more, stumbling into the searing Miami sunshine (or the wherever-you-are which probably isn’t Miami rain).
If this is Miami 2014 then why subject yourself to the interminable jetlag? Kick back and enjoy this jacking, bumping ride through house in all its forms instead. From end to end, it lasts just about the length of your average London / Miami flight and radiates enough light, heat and good vibrations to give anybody a rush, a whizz tan and an ear to ear acid house smile. Add to basket.
4 out of 5
Reviewed By Paulette
