Available on: !K7 CD

No studio mix can recreate the disorientating power of a Kode9 DJ set. Many can vouch for the fact that when the Hyperdub boss is allowed control of a good soundsystem (such as at Plastic People, where his extended two and four hour sets from last year are spoken of with total reverence) he manipulates sound in such a way that you leave feeling wide-eyed and deliriously confused – sober or drunk, it doesn’t matter.

So Kode9’s contribution to !K7’s DJ-Kicks mix series isn’t as impressive as seeing him in the flesh – it never could be. What it is, is an accurate and extremely enjoyable snapshot of where one of the world’s premier DJs, producers and label bosses is at right now, with a healthy combination of tested favourites and new, unheard dubs.

In my experience, a typical Kode9 set from the last year starts off with house and UK funky, breaks down with a hip-hop tempo interlude, and then restarts closer to140bpm with synth-led grime and sub-heavy dubstep. This CD follows suit with a UK house selection that features many of the dominant attributes of Kode9 sets: synthetic melodies (Mr. Mageeka’s ‘Different Lekstrix’; DVA’s ‘Jelly Roll’), dancehall vocals (Sticky & Natalie Storm’s ‘Look Pon Me’; Grievous Angel and Rubi Dan’s ‘Move Down Low’) and feverish synths (Kode9’s ‘Blood Orange’; Ikonika’s ‘Heston’; Cooly G’s mental ‘Phat Si’), cumulating in a blend of Mujava’s ‘Mugwanti’ and DVA’s ‘Natty’ that’s the CD’s first peak.

The mid-section breakdown occurs with Morgan Zarate’s ‘M.A.B’ and Rozzi Daime’s ‘Dirty Illusions’, before turning to face the Event Horizon with horror miniatures from Zomby (‘Spiralz’) and Kode9 (‘It’). What’s great about the appearance of those tracks is that when Kode9 returns to the vocals on J*Davey’s ‘Mr. Mister’, their sense of dread still lingers, leading perfectly into Digital Mystikz’ ‘2 Much Chat’. Kode9 recently told Pitchfork that he included the interlude to reduce the tension of the set, but intentionally or not, the way it flows also injects the CD’s second half with thrilling anxiety.

The CD’s second peak follows, with a blend of Mala’s ‘Mountain Dread March’ and Zomby’s ‘Godzilla’ that’s been a highlight of Kode9’s DJ sets throughout 2010. We then get a breathlessly energetic diversion to Addison Groove, Maddslinky and Ramadanman, before the mix returns to grime and dubstep, winding down with Terror Danjah’s forthcoming ‘Bruzin (VIP)’ and The Bug and Flowdan’s ‘Run’.

Kode9 doesn’t take any great risks with this CD: those familiar with his DJ sets will recognise most of the tracks here, and even recognise many of the mixes between them. Three new Kode9 cuts and unreleased Zomby, Cooly G, Ramadanman, Terror Danjah and Lone should be enough freshness to satisfy the spotters though, and there’ll be few more agreeable summaries of a DJ’s current tastes released this year.

Tom Lea