James Holden (aka Mainline and Ogenki Clinic, but probably best known for his
Ariane alias) attempted a warm-up of sorts for his imminent full-length debut in this one-hour, 18-track mix LP of old achievements and wearisomely progressive house allies. But since most of these tracks are
Holden's own it's hard to imagine exactly whom this collection is aimed towards. The use of his own moseying sound effects in the middle of established acts like Corvin Dalek and
Ian Wilkie feels wooden and detached. The consistent reappearance of
Holden's work, even the best stuff like the aforementioned Ogenki Clinic, whose crunched, breakdancing "Kirei" was used to great effect on Hooj Choons' Nu-Progressive Era compilation, feels bored stiff. Old fans won't see the point and others won't want to dig deeper, which is a common complaint over young DJ's who have found sudden notoriety, though one not any less irritating. ~ Dean Carlson