It's been a long time coming but welcome to the second instalment of Azuli's 'Choice' collection just the same.
Why the long gap? ( 'The Frankie Knuckles Collection' came out over a year ago, whilst Groove Armada are about to scale 'Another Late Night's Volume 5 peak. Hmmm. Perhaps tracks of this sampladelic calibre take longer to clear)?
Griping aside, Francois K's CD1 selection alone makes the wait worthwhile.
Thoroughly representative of the man's production output, euphoric, enlightening DJ'ing style and sets, his 'Choice' helps you to internalise a scenic journey that traverses the sticky disco tarmac of Shalamar's 'Right In The Socket', the dusty afro-funk dirt track of Koro Koro's 'Warrior Dance' and Beginning Of The End's 'Funky Nassau', the horny house highway of Jamie Principle's 'Baby Wants To Ride'.
But when it hits the steaming, soulful sidewalk of Sylvester's 'Over and Over' you can't help but stop and let the string-laden, gospel-soaring jewel in CD1's crown help you to take stock of your life.
Or maybe that's just because it's also one of my all-time favourites.
The after hours CD2 gets up to some funkier soft shoe shenanigans with a rarer between the sheets selection including Zulema's flare-flappingly great version of 'Giving Up Is Hard To Do', The Earon's 'Land Of Hunger' (the much needed political and more credible anthemic antidote to 'Promised Land' if you ask me) and Robert Owens shines in Fingers Inc's minimal 'Never No More Lonely Jack' groove.
Yet it's not all about downtempo as Rufus and Chaka Khan's 'Any Love' drops the bassline to your waistline for an afro-singeing, sequinned shimmy across your well-shone floor.
After the adrenaline rush of CD1, CD2 seems perhaps a little too cosy-up (which sucks if you're single). Nevertheless, 'Azuli Presents Francois K Choice - A Collection of Classics' is just that and is now yours to collect.
Available on vinyl and CD this is one for aficionados, DJs, producers and dancers alike. Be warned though - talc is required.
