Brooklyn based ism label honchos Swingsett and J.Warrin continue their genre deflecting Europe meets Manhattan excursion with a follow up to last year's 'Sun Runners' compilation.
As is their want, 'Transitions' is a deliberately themeless musical philosophy that emphasises quality above style.
First up is Attica Blues boy Charlie Dark's re-work of Brooklyn based producer Takuya's 'Jaaz Airport'. A shimmering slice of nu jazz, it shuffles between new breaks and broken beats, gliding through sections like they're symphony movements.
Lacarno and Burns' superbly atmospheric 'Mahayana' slips comfortably into this complex arrangement, for once sounding utterly at home before it bridges in the darker and moodier break beat forces of 'Shell' by Cologne based Phoneheads. Underpinned by a shuddering bass end, 'Shell' holds a sense of continuity through delicate top end melodies.
Swingsett and J.Warrin's contribution to compilation is the decidedly West London sounding 'Themes and Dreams', which rolls in on a skipping broken beat before unleashing a genre busting fat bass line and ripples undefined vocals and instrumental samples through delays and effects.
London based Mr Magic introduces a swinging take on UK garage beats on 'O'Bleek Intelligence', while New Zealand's Denver McCarthy introduces African drum patterns to broken beat arrangements on 'Glistening'.
Orin Walters, aka Afronaught and Bugz In The Attic, gives Everyday Peoples' 'I Can't Get No Sleep' his trade mark broken beat assault, while Mr Magic returns with the down paced and multi layered 'A Deep Thang'.
New York based Duermo introduces greater dub based action on the rumbling 'Rios', while Dutch act Twilight Circus keep the King Tubby vibe but add vast, orchestral arrangements to the mix.
Finally Mindflight bring the album to rest with the soul fuelled broken funk of 'Corners'.
'Transitions' is as forward-looking and thought provoking as it is thoughtfully put together. A deeply melodic but on the button snap shot of the state of beat music
by Ben Osborne