- The first time I saw Lee Rous and Andy Gardner together as a DJ duo was in January 2001 at Fabric. At the time, the lads known as the Plump DJ’s, were relatively unknown outside of London. It was glaringly obvious though, that this would not be the case for much longer as they both had the dark and gloomy Room 2 at Fabric in a frenzy. What really impressed me then was their ability to keep the tempo of their performance at epic heights for an extended amount of time, and is no doubt a key to their amazing success they have experienced during their career. 2 years on, Sony Playstation soundtracks, Levi commercials and Sky Sports appearances behind them, I was interested to hear this Fabriclive 08 mix to see if they still have that element of madness they readily possessed on that cold and windy night on Saturday 13th January 2001.
The screechy intro is very indicative of the Plumps live performance as are the baselines of “Nova” by One Up Front. The Plump DJ’s very own “Squeaks and Bleeps” is pretty much self explanatory while “Contact” by the Plumps again is another impressive production by the duo, using a deeper approach then the previously mentioned track. Evil 9’s “Cakehole” is undeniably a highlight, with its effects and deep baseline, of the first half of the mix which has a smooth flow without hitting any real peaks. “Two Men on a Trip” by Lee Coombs & Meat Katie takes the mix into the first peak, a nice piano line mixed with fast and furious beats. “The Rock” by Punx has a killer electro baseline and swirling effects making it a definite climax of the mix. We move to a funky electro heaven with the Plump DJ’s mix of Mr Velcro Fastener’s “Electric Appliances” while the Stab mix of “Hey Mr DJ” by Screen Two has an early 90’s Italian house feel to it, a sure record to bring the smile out in anyone. The mix then ends on an all time high with the very classic Patrick Cowley mix of Donna Summer’s classic “I Feel Love”.
Fans should know what to expect from the Plump DJ’s, and in this instance the latest Fabric Live instalment doesn't disappoint. 20 tracks in fewer than 70 minutes, with the energetic mixing and track selection you have come to expect from the two, this is as close as I can describe this CD in a sentence. Enjoy.
Tracklist01. "Intro Fab1" - Plump DJs
02. "From Home (Hexidecimal Remix)" - Sound Alliance
03. "Nova" - One Upfront
04. "Listen To The Drummer" - Nation 12
05. "Beyond This World (Dub Mix)" - DJ Abstract
06. "Squeaks and Bleeps" - Plump DJs
07. "Dope Freak" - Move Ya
08. "Angelfish" - Plan B vs Plump DJs
09. "Contact 00" - Plump DJs
10. "Cakehole" - Evil 9
11. "Two Men On A Trip (Lee’s Tripped Out Mix)" - Lee Coombs and Meat Katie
12. "Alarm Bells" - Plastic Pervert
13. "The Drum" - Soul Of A Man
14. "The Rock" - Punx
15. "Energise (Casino Kid Remix)" - Chad Jackson
16. "Electrical Appliances (Plump DJ's Mix)" - Mr Velcro Fastener
17. "Hey Mr DJ (Stab Mix)" - Screen 2
18. "Back In The Day" - C83
19. "Punch Drunk" - Plump DJs
20. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer