Highly skilled, sometimes controversial Siberian DJ Nina Kraviz provided the 91st installment of legendary London club Fabric's eponymous mix series (as opposed to their concurrent FabricLive series). The sprawling 41-track mix covers a lot of ground in relatively short time, and it's never less than riveting. Right off the bat, Kraviz reveals herself to be an obsessive, nerdy record collector with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of techno, as she mixes 20-year-old tracks by artists like DJ Slip and Leo Anibaldi, which are well known to veteran DJs but hardly common names to anyone just getting into the genre in 2016. There's also lush early IDM and ambient techno from Bedouin Ascent, shades of trance from Air Liquide, and plenty of hard, driving acid from Beverly Hills 808303 (better known as I-F), Unit Moebius, and the always delightful Frak. Kraviz also gives much exposure to Species of Fishes, a long-running Russian experimental techno unit who are practically unknown outside of their home country (and probably not very well known there, either). Detroit is also given a nod with the inclusion of cuts by the Detroit Escalator Co. and Claude Young. While some tracks are given more shine, Kraviz often just takes a short bit and mixes it into something else for a few seconds. "Murtaja," the B-side of the first-ever release by Finnish duo Pan Sonic (then known as Panasonic), only appears as a brief hum segueing between two other tracks, for example. This rapid style of mixing would seem to indicate that Kraviz is very easily distracted, but she clearly has a definite purpose with her selections, only nicking the parts that provide the biggest impact. While there are a few clear shifts in mood, much of the mixing is seamless, and keeps the listener on edge. Aside from obscure '90s gems, there are also loads of unreleased tracks from Kraviz as well as her friends, whose music she releases on her Trip label. In 2016, the label released three full-lengths and a single by Icelandic producer Bjarki, but he only makes one appearance on this mix, with the rave-flavored "Denise It Ain't Easy 2." This blends into the absolutely bonkers "A Broken Clock Is Right Twice a Day" by Russian duo PTU. Of course, what will probably draw a lot of listeners to this mix CD is its final inclusion, a rare track by a young AFX titled "Fork Rave," which was previously uploaded to Soundcloud (and later deleted). The track blends hardcore breakbeats with lush ambient pads and bubbling acid synths, and it's incredibly fun and energetic, much like Fabric 91 as a whole.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo