The DJ Kicks series is very proud to present - 'DJ Kicks - Playgroup'. The stunning mix was produced by London's Trevor Jackson, the mastermind behind the highly acclaimed Playgroup project. For it, Trevor Jackson came up with a selection that reflects many of his musical influences from the past years. You'll find all time heroes like the Human League or KC Flightt as well as current hotsters like Smith 'N' Hack or Metro Area. There's New Yorks no-wave revivalists The Rapture close to original punk funksters The Flying Lizards, Manchester's Jay Walk & the great I Cube Mix of Ana Rago. Trevor Jackson blends music from more than two decades of club & dance culture into a superbly funked up mix. No doubt, the 'DJ-Kicks - Playgroup' will boost Mr. Jackson into orbit. K7. 2002.
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Trevor Jackson, formerly known as hip-hop producer the Underdog, has built up some serious beat credentials over the years--the kind that would make most "underground" artists look like manufactured boy bands. Even his recent Playgroup project--by far his most accessible and "poppy" work to date--retained a keep-it-real feel amid the shiny, feel-good blend of punk, hip-hop, funk, and disco. Here, he presents the next installment of K7's esteemed DJ Kicks series. With over two decades of involvement with music under his belt and no associations to any fixed genre, Jackson must have had a nightmare trying to slim his options down to album length. He's done it, though, and with skill and aplomb, stringing together 23 tracks that range from the '70s-'80s era of Human League ("Do or Die") and Flying Lizards ("House of Jealous Lovers") to more modern offerings like Metro Area's "Caught Up" and I:Cube's reworking of Ana Rago's "You're God." On the whole, the mix feels both retro and contemporary, its subtle asperity fitting in nicely with the current revival in '80s electro. An entertaining and educational mix from one of Britain's longest-serving electronic talents. --Paul Sullivan
