This morning driving to work i was flicking through my ipod trying to find something i loved that i hadn't listened to for a long while. And sure enough i ended up on Mr JZ's essential mix from 2004. This is a mix i've probably listened to more than anyother mix in my entire collection. So to go back to it after what could be a year of neglect, i can certainly say i wasn't disappointed!

A mix that's 4 years old but sounds timeless. A brilliantly put together selection of songs mixed to perfection, to inspire a full range of emotions throughout. The intelligent and skillful use of effects and samples is a sign of a genius at work. At places it still got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and brought a lump to my throat, even though i knew exactly what was coming.

The Essential mix over it's 14 odd years of running has brought some amazing mixes, and for me, this is one of, if not, the best of all of them! This is a statement i don't make lightly when you consider the likes of Unkle (6th Jan 02), James Holden (20th Jan 02), Sasha & Digweed - Delta Heavy Tour (7th Apr 02), John Digweed - Bedrock's Birthday (6th Oct 02), Craig Richards (20th Jun 04), Scratch Perverts (22nd Aug 04), Desyn Masiello (3rd Oct 04), Soulwax (2nd Jan 05), Sasha - Maida Vale (22nd May 05), Tania Vulcano & Locodice @ Circo Loco (21st Aug 05) and more recently Matthew Dear (15th Mar 08) are all tremendous mixes but all that aside the only way i can describe Zabiela's mix is truely breathtaking! And none of the above for me achieve that.

For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of hearing it, and believe me it is a pleasure. I've found a download link for it

Megaupload

I'll even throw in a tracklisting for good measure

REM - 'Adagio' (Warner)
Filter - 'The 4th (reprise)' (excerpt from mode 101 documentary)
Daleks - 'Rebels of London' (white)
AMB - 'Pure' (Cup of Chi)
Zabiela - 'Zabielik Beats' (white)
120 Dance - 'I.I.F' (Aqua Lemon)
Stripped Inc Chrome - 'New Bass Edition' (Coldtap)
Robag Whrume - 'Zundlattchen' (Polytik)
Maetrik - 'Excursion' (Morris Audio)
Joshua Collins - 'Polymorphoid' (Simple Soul)
Introvert vs Bjork - 'Joga' (white)
Funk Da Void - 'Endless' (Soma)
PJ Davy - 'Truffle Junkie' (white)
Tokyo Intro - 'lost in translation soundtrack' (white)
Luke Vibert - 'YosepH' (Warp)
Tokyo Intro - 'Lost in translation soundtrack' (white)
Brian Reitzell - 'Shibuya' (Lost in translation soundtrack)
Excepts from Vanilla sky - 'Darlek Invasion of the earth' (white)
Tiefschwarz - 'Ghosttrack (Blackstrobe Remix)' (Four Music)
Jamie Anderson - 'Annihilator (artform)' (Age of Love Acapella)
Co-Fusion - 'Seats' (Pro Jex)
Simply Jeff - 'Funk Delux (Elite Force Remix)' (Phonomental Music)
Scam - 'Killer' (Deepcut)
Ficta - 'Eli (Zabiela's Rave Lizard Remix)' (Global Underground)
REM - 'The Great Beyond' (Hybrid Remix)
Syntax - 'Bliss' (Wrecked Angle Mix)
Excerpts from Vanilla Sky - 'Na' (Na)
Jackie Wilson - 'Elevator Song' (NA)
Paul Kalkbrenner - 'The Palisades (Self Soundtrack)' (B*Pitch)

For me this is arguably Zabiela's best work. It's not a full on club mix by any stretch of the imagination but i'd class it purely as a work of art!

XI

Aphex Twin

or

Tony De Vit

*Only joking*

For long distances it's got to be something dark and proggy. Some of Digweeds' best might do the trick. Something you can lose yourself in, that doesn't do too much. Keeps a nice steady tempo to allow you to get yourself in a good rhythm

Well I've got plenty here to download and keep myself occupied at work!

Andy after reading what you have written about JZ - Really looking forward to hearing this one...

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? You've not heard this already? Oh you're in for a treat. It's essential listening from the essential mix. Make sure you listen to it when you can concentrate on it. Don't have other distractions

Especially that crack pipe.

Cheers for this Andy, bringing back some great memories

nice post fella, downloadin now