Ed Case Ed's Guest List Review 4494t

For many Ed Case's stunning debut of soul, two step and garage collaboratrions will be THE soundtrack to the summer. For a large proportion of those it will also be the soundtrack to the autumn, winter and xmas as well. Featuring an all star cast of vocalists and MCs Ed's Guest Listwill undoubtedly set a new standard in UK urban music.

Ed Case aka Edwin Makromaillis is something of a rare breed. Aged just 26 he already has fourteen years of dance music under his belt having been initiated on New Year's Eve 1989-90 at the Biology rave in Slough. Having been significantly moved by the likes of Carl Cox it wasn't long before he was blagging DJ slots at the once seminal hardcore club Fun City warming up for the likes of LTJ Bukem and Grooverider and doing radio shows for the pirate jungle station Fantasy FM.

Nowadays he is deemed to be one of the top garage producers and remixers, after all it was Ed who turned the Gorillaz 'Clint Eastwood' in to a killer club track. Credibility intact and in fine 'keeping it real' style he has recently completed a tour of all the garage pirates around the UK to promote this record. Maximum cop-dodging-respect is due.

Eacht rack on the album is skilfully moulded around the vocal style of the collaborator with some interesting and often surprising results. "Deal With The Matter" is a tough, up front, garage cut with Ms Dynamite spitting her lyrics over a curb cracking bass and phat horn stabs. Conversely, "Understand Love" is more reminiscent of MJ Cole's style; cool, street pop with the R&B twist provided by Alexis while Ming Xia's (Spooks) silken delivery on the balearic beauty 'Stir of Echoes' is pure sonic honey.

Playing host to many of the urban glitterati as well as some fantastic up and coming talent, Holly and Tamya from Tymes 4 in particular, we are treated to the skills of UK soul diva Elizabeth Troy, So Solid's Harvey, Shaun Escoffrey and 'once were rockers' Skin and Saffron.

Case has an ear for details that sets him in a league of one and is masterful at executing a track in four minutes yet is clearly on a mission to distort the formula. Although there are sixteen songs (and most are songs!) on the album none are overly long and consequently the record never feels laboured. It would be far too obvious to make a joke about Ed being on the case so we'll leave it there.... Blinding stuff!