The Aztec Mystic Mix

Albenrezension

Following up the massive global success of "Jaguar," the Underground Resistance camp's top gun, DJ Rolando, selects 23 UR-related records from his crate for The Aztec Mystic Mix, mixing recognized classics such as the Martian's "Firekeeper" with previously unreleased tracks like his own "Z Track." The result is as much a showcase of Rolando's quick-mix turntable skills as it is a showcase of UR's deep, time-tested catalog. The Aztec Mystic, as he is otherwise known as, goes straight into the then-latest UR classic, his own "Jaguar," after a beautiful synth-heavy intro and he doesn't relent from there, respectively dropping "Dreamdancer" and "Codebreaker" next. The several intermittent Martian productions here tend to stand out overall, especially the aforementioned "Firekeeper," as do the occasional turns toward electro-techno such as Drexciya's "Dr. Blowfin's Experiment" and "Bata Pumps" and MIA's "Schoolcraft Bump." Rolando crowns the set with a grand finale, spinning the beat-less ambience of "Metamorphasis" for a little over three minutes before launching into the one-two punch of Mad Mike's "Illuminator" and Suburban Knight's "Midnight Sunshine," two of UR's intense yet melodic anthems that, like "Jaguar," are best saved for special moments. The Aztec Mystic Mix is a wonderful debut mix for Rolando and evidences why he'd been thrust into the coveted position of being UR's top gun, a highly respectable role previously held by none other than Jeff Mills years earlier. More importantly though, the album evidences that "Jaguar" was no fluke; in fact, it was just the opening salvo (albeit a very, very successful one) from an obviously talented Detroiter with a bright future ahead of him, as a DJ if not as a producer as well.