Mixed By Benny Benassi: Toolroom Knights (Toolroom Records)
Next up in line to mix the illustrious Toolroom Knights series is the brilliant Benny Benassi. The naughty Italian, with a penchant for sexy videos serves up 2 deliciously different mixes: 1 pure peak time, party pleaser; the other a more stripped back, deep affair. Put together, the perfect album for before and after your night out.
Benny rocketed to international stardom in 2003 with the track ‘Satisfaction’, acclaimed by the likes of Timo Maas, Carl Cox, Dj Hell and Fatboy Slim. Since then, Benny has had a million selling album and won a Grammy Award for his remix of Public Enemy’s ‘Bring the Noise’.
Benny has pricked the ears of label boss Mark Knight and the Toolroom gang, with his infectious, party style sets. Benny kicks off the proceedings The Rogue Element ‘Panic Attacks’. Dubby electro styles power through leading on to Streetlife Dj’s ‘We Love the Disco’, not for the faint hearted! Expertly switching over to some mild disco-infused notes with a funked out tech groove, the highly addictive ‘Hi Friend’ from the producer du jour DeadMau5 Ft. MC Flipside, adds some flavour to the mix with this edgy number.
Taking it up a notch again is Benny’s own track ‘Electro Sixteen’ which samples Iggy Pop. Iggy’s rock vocals with Benny’s Italian sirens work a treat. Mobbing and Boys Noize carry the mix through like old warehouse pro’s until once again we meet Benny Benassi Vs David Bowie for his almighty forthcoming single ‘DJ’. French newcomer Popof’s wicked remix of Tiga & Zyntherius’s ‘Sunglasses At Night’ is definitely one to look out for too.
Picking up the tempo again, Autokratz and Joachim Garraud serve up some electro anthems, and smash their way into Rune RK ‘Kosimo’. The Japanese Popstars have done a grand job remixing Tong & Spoon, ‘Gas Face’ retaining the haunting vocal. Benny mixes it up crazy style again before signing off with Alex Gopher’s ‘Aurora’.
CD2 jumps straight in with ATFC’s ace ‘I’ll Work Ya Babe’. Following on with tracks from Dataworx and Dave Spoon, who build up the momentum to lead on to the cracking remix of Depeche Mode’s ‘Enjoy the Silence’ by Workidz. Hot shots Zoo Brazil feature with Richard Murray’ Lil Muz remix of ‘Technik’, leading the way for up and coming UK talent, Kos who kicks it with some meaty deep beats.
CD2 chugs along, with some relentless slabs of house from Onion Ft. S.n.o.w and Dahlback & Cost’s ‘Golden Walls’. Axwell’s remix of Faithless, ‘Music Matters’ Ft. Cass Fox (which is soon to be released on Toolroom as their 100th release) provides a dash of vocal into the mix; a right corker! Benny rounds off the mix with Toolroom leader of the new school, Kim Fai, with the fantastic ‘Excuses’.