House Is A Feeling

It’s an interesting time for the Prins. These days it seems the weird blend of folk, rock, disco, dub, and house he’s helped to infect the world’s dancefloors with is still growing in popularity. But it was a curiously slow rise to prominence from the Feedelity days, almost 6/7 years ago now.

Back in 2003 or so it wasn’t unusual to see PT or Lindstrom releases languishing in the bargain bins, with battered blue and white covers, at least until “I Feel Space” came out that is. Prins himself has made huge strides since, starting his own label and really standing out as one of Europe’s most original DJs and producers.

It’s that boldness that stands out on “Live at Robert Johnson Volume 2″. In an era when commenting on a DJ’s eclecticism rapidly descends into a wang measuring contest, Thomas shows that it’s not mixing different genres that deserves praise, it’s crossing seemingly uncrossable boundaries and raising unanswerable questions.

For instance, in a mix that’s full of heavy stoned grooves and lost older tracks, you have Mathew Johnson’s “Followed by Angels”, one of 2004’s finest records. It still sits perfectly here, showing a real vision on Prins’ part. The mix is full of great records which come on like some lost alternative path for house and techno. Check Still Going’s remix of Low Motion Disco’s “Rushing to Paradise” for an intensely dramatic track that reminds me of Carl Craig’s “Science Fiction”. (Note to producers, more hand wringing emotional guitar solos please)

Elsewhere Map of Africa’s “Wyatt Urp” seems to tap into the same oddball intensity and distinctive weirdness, while Babytalk’s “Chance” is the sort of percussive deep disco you’d expect to hear on Innervisions. By the time Prins drops Sebastian Tellier’s heroic “Sexual Sportswear”, basically a lost track off Daft Punk’s “Discovery”, it seems clear that this is a zeitgeist defining mix, a fact made all the more interesting by its mix of new and old music.

The obvious reference point for Prins’ style here would be the Glimmer Twins, arguably the greatest compilation DJs of the 00s. That’s a comparison any DJ should be happy with.

The comp is released on May 4th. Tracklist below:

01. A very small Intro
02. Arpadys - Funky Bass (Idjut Boys Version)
03. Cage & Aviary - Giorgio Carpenter
04. Capracara - King of Witches (Rub N Tug Remix)
05. Trans Am - First Words
06. Map of Africa - Wyatt Urp
07. Bjørn Torske - Kokt Kveite
08. Käre & The Cavemen - Gallery Oslo
09. Babytalk - Chance (Babytalk Remix)
10. Frankie Valentine - Zumbi (Isoul8 Remix)
11. Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love (Still Going Remix)
12. James Yuill - This Sweet Love (Prins Thomas Re-Edit)
13. Dogs Of War - Le Stress
14. Cos/Mes - Build The Band
15. Ricardo Villalobos - Waiworinao
16. Anarchic System - Generation (Long Version)
17. Argy & The Mole - Cantstandlovegetaway
18. Martin Circus - Disco Circus
19. Opolopo - I Do (Domu Discotech Mix Ð Intrumental)
20. Acid Test - Test 1
21. Mathew Jonson - Followed By Angels
22. Samos - Alpha Storm (Original)
23. Sébastien Tellier - Sexual Sportswear
24. Closer Musik - Maria
25. Lindstrøm - Contemporary Fix (Bjørn Torske Remix)
26. Steel an’ Skin - Afro Punk Reggae (Dub)
27. A very small Outro