Amon Tobin

Could the Solid Steel train be running out of a little bit of steam? With Kid Koala and Mr. Scruff on deck, it’s not likely, but after a disappointing effort by the Herbaliser and now a small cheat by Amon Tobin, it seems this incredible mix series has taken a slight tumble after an unbelievable start. It’s not that Recorded Live is a bad mix, because it’s actually quite impressive. Amon can make waxless Final Scratch technology seem like a good thing for once, but it doesn’t fit into the Solid Steel vibe like past instalments. Also, this is a live mix that was recorded in Melbourne, Australia last December, which gives it a very impersonal feeling when it’s lifted right off the Brazilian’s set list. Less bitching about unwritten rules and back to the music at hand, Amon viscously dices and blends almost 30 cuts ranging from his own material, to intense breaks of fury, capping it all off with the Velvet Underground. His working of his own "Verbal” into AFX and then the Cherrystones is exceptional, giving way to funk guitar and horns amongst a collage of electronic mayhem. So we have an excellent live album on our hands from Amon Tobin, and you would expect nothing less from the brilliant producer and DJ, but the potential of having him handpick dusty gems from his collection for us specifically is just too great a thought to give up on.