Flagranti Deena Abdelwahed

Forest Swords chops out 27 of his favourite tracks for the latest DJ-Kicks, after having recently signed to Ninja Tune for Compassion, one of our albums of the year in 2017. Like much of his own output, his DJ-Kicks skirts around pristine electronics and embraces more organic textures: 80s post punk (Anna Domino, Dead Can Dance), classic 90s British electronica (Orbital, Mira Calix), and smokey digi-dub (Rhythm & Sound), all rub up alongside some of the most forward-facing producers working today (Demdike Stare, Laurel Halo, Fis). The compilation sifts through rhythms, shifting speeds and emotions: from pop icon Neneh Cherry's primal thudding to the zombified throb of exclusive Forest Swords track 'Crow' via Deena Abdelwaheed's clattering deconstructions to the euphoric two-step of Djrum.

Released in Europe on Castle Communications and distributed in the U.S. on Domino Entertainment, a label founded by producer Rob Fraboni, the album's tracks were all shuffled into a different order except for "A Little Bit of Love," "It Don't Come Easy," and "Use That Power." An oddity, but you could put the CD in your player on the shuffle setting and it would remain one of journeyman Alvin Lee's finest statements. The stellar track here is "Real Life Blues," which hit in spots around the states, notably in Texas and in Massachusetts. It was a Top 30 hit on the Billboard charts in Boston when the regional papers published such tracking.