Various Artists – Daniel Haaksman presents Funk Mundial (MAN Recordings / Inertia)

Berlin-based DJ / producer Daniel Haaksman has certainly been one of the more visible exponents of the Baile Funk sound, having previously been responsible for compiling two volumes of his ‘Rio Baile Funk’ series for Essay Recordings, which went a long way towards crossing over the Brazilian electro hybrid genre to a considerably wider audience. While the ‘Rio Baile Funk’ series focused exclusively upon South American artists however, this latest unmixed compilation on Haaksman’s own MAN Recordings label offers a considerably different slant, with established European producers including Crookers, Feadz, Jesse Rose and Sinden in this case collaborating with a range of Latin vocalists and MCs. The overall result, rather than really focusing on Baile Funk per se, comes across more as a crossover club compilation in a similar vein perhaps to Palm Pictures’ ‘2 Culture Clash’ dub / reggae-influenced collection of a few years back. Indeed, Italian duo Crookers’ opening ‘Para De Gracinha’ collaboration with MC Leka sits far close to the sort of cut-up, post-French Touch electro-house inhabited by the likes of Boys Noize and the Kitsune label, a trajectory that’s followed up by the more fidget-house fixated efforts of Feadz’s ‘Subiu, Desceu’ collab with MC Wesley and Count & Sinden’s ‘Tamborzuda.’ While the contemporary electro-house leanings frequently threaten to overwhelm proceedings at points here, rendering things indistinguishable from much mainstream club fodder, the presence of genuinely captivating highlights from the always interesting Stereotyp, Jesse Rose and Makossa Megablast make this still worth exploring. That said, those looking for a more representative introduction to the Baile Funk genre might be better off looking elsewhere.