Life must be pretty sweet for Coldcut: they’re part of a grouping of electronic pioneers alongside artists like Aphex Twin, they play live whenever they feel like it to packed clubs and festivals and they founded uber-hip label Ninja Tune. Normally such things would lead to complacency amongst a lesser artist, but on Sound Mirrors Coldcut have pushed the boundaries once again. As Jon Spencer says in the first track of the album, everything is under control.
Spencer is the first of many on the list of guests for this album, a list that is far too long to fit in this review; suffice to say that Roots Manuva and Soweto Kinch are the highlights. With so many different artistic voices on one album, there’ always the danger that you end up with a mish-mash of styles that just doesn’ work. Taking a lead from European stalwarts like Funkstorung, Coldcut’s voice remains constant throughout in the form of their production style. Even seemingly disparate tracks like True Skool (Roots Manuva meets Baile funk/Moroccan street music) and Man in a Garage (Euro glitch-folk) compliment each other like apple pie and ice cream.
What is perhaps most extraordinary about Sound Mirrors is that the quality you have come to expect from Coldcut is maintained on each track. This album not only cements Coldcut’s already stellar reputation, but also moves them into an entirely new sphere: drastically more people will hear their music as a result of this album, it’s that good. That they have managed to achieve this while still turning out a superb milestone in underground electronic music is all the more impressive.
Released 30th Jan 2006
