Various - Quango Sport

Various - Quango Sport (Quango/Island, 1996) (320)

Compiled by Jason Bentley.  Mixed by Jun Of Umoja Hi-Fi.

Well, since the Quango comps are all the rage here download-wise, I'll post some more.  I probably have ten more or so.  This one is good.  There are some quite excellent tracks here indeed.  Listening to it now, it surprises me that this was 15 years ago.  I mean, not really, these tracks live (in my mind) from that time in the late 90's where drum n bass was so vital and interesting.  It was a fun time, all the nineties really.  Started with LTJ Bukem, then Big Bud (which I'll post at some point), Roni Size, then DJ DB on one side and Dieselboy on the other.  Hospital Records, Breakbeat Science, etc.  Maybe I should grab a bunch of those mixes and post 'em up.  I have a bunch.  It's nice to hear this, now, for me.  I'm only on track two and it is totally bringing me back.  Gonna have to throw this into the car player tomorrow for further inspection (best listening time!).

01 Cool Breeze – Can't Deal With This (Kid Loops Vocal Mix)
02 Cloud 9 – Jazzmin
03 Doc Scott – Far Away
04 Tricky – Brand New You're Retro (Alex Reece Mix)
05 Alex Reece – Feel The Sunshine (Vocal Mix)
06 Aquasky – Desires (DJ Krust Remix)
07 Kid Loops – Alien Resident
08 Adam F – Circles
09 JMJ & Richie – Universal Horn
10 Nobukazu Takemura – Searching (Roni Size Remix)

Marginal outside review:

A good introduction to the possibilities available to progressive drum n' bass, this Jungle compilation picks up where other compilations have left off, giving direction to a previously misinterpreted genre. With cohesive (smooth blend) mixing by Jun of Umoja HiFi and careful compiling done by Jason Bentley, this CD paints an audible picture of the future of dance music, bringing in soul, jazz and hip- hop influences.

Various - Dream Therapy

Various - Dream Therapy (Quango Records, QMG 5015-2, 2002) (320)

This is a considerably better compilation than the previous Quango comp.  Some good tracks and good remixers.

01 Millenia Nova – Otra Bes (Frequencies Mix)
02 Fila Brazilia – Spill The Beans (Dorfmeister Mix)
03 Professor Oz – Waves And Sun (African Mix By R. Dorfmeister)
04 Howie B – Hey Jack (Afterlife's Mix)
05 Orbient – Boarding (Doubleseat Mix)
06 Cantoma – The Call
07 I:Cube – Adore
08 Starseeds, The – Parallel Life
09 1 Giant Leap – Racing Away (Featuring Grant Lee Phillips & Horace Andy)
10 Basement Jaxx – Urban Haze

No review needed, it's pretty solid.

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Various - Cosmic Funk

Various - Cosmic Funk (Quango Records, QMG 5001-2, 2001) (320)

I'm not sure how much I've listened to this.  Not many I can imagine.  Filling a request.

1 Migs And Jelly – Enter The Soul

2 Funky Lowlives, The – Latazz

3 Neon Phusion – The Future Ain't The Same As It Used 2B

4 Funky Lowlives, The – Notabossa

5 Kaidi Tatham – Armz Arh Deh

6 SK Radicals – Reachin 4 Da Farside (Misa Negra Remix)

7 New Sector Movements – My History Feel The Spirit (Afro History Part II)

8 East Village Headz – Rude Vibez

A couple of Amazon review:

The revived Quango label wants to expose new talent like it did in the mid-'90s, but Cosmic Funk proves that you can't go home again. Back then, Quango's artists dealt in a compelling, mostly underground type of dance music known as electro, which combined funk and early hip-hop culture with the primitive synthesizer sounds of the early '80s, à la Grandmaster Flash. But besides the fact that Cosmic Funk's artists all sound alike, nothing really happens after each song's supposedly funky grooves set the pace. Migs & Jelly and the Funky Lowlives create barren grooves only fit for dancing with a daiquiri, while the ethnocentric Kaidi Tatham and SK Radicals intimate a Brazilian percussion party but ultimately forget to turn the record over. Neon Fusion's sparkling "The Future Ain't..." recalls the Headhunters, and it comes the closest to breaking out. But with New Sector Movements and East Village Headz (even the names sound the same), it's back to Loops 101. As a dancing soundtrack, Cosmic Funk moves some booty, but for provocative armchair travel, it is strictly earthbound. --Ken Micallef 

Sounds like the "Latin Demo" setting on a drum machine played over and over. The title is misleading; there is noting remotely cosmic or even funky about these tunes. The Quango label has had some great releases, but this is not among them. 

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