Fabriclive.10

by Kingsley MarshallAs his Creative Source label has remained synonymous with style since the rolling heights of Carlito's "Heaven" was released in 1996, so Fabio's position as one of the leading DJs within drum'n'bass has remained one of few constants in an otherwise fluid movement. Having played a significant part in influential club nights Speed, Tempo, and Swerve, he left the critics floundering by resolutely remaining with what he describes as liquid funk throughout the genre's five-year dalliance with tougher, more mechanical sounds. This tenacity eventually paid off, with the main thrust of the music softening as the sounds of house and techno returned through the efforts of Doc Scott, Marcus Intallex, J Majik, and their contemporaries -- so much so that, despite its mellow leanings, this 15-track anthology succeeds in capturing the spirit of the whole genre perhaps more than the abundance of platinum-plated selections vying for attention in the record stores, with Total Science, Photek, and Influx Datum the toffees to Danny C., High Contrast, and Calibre's soft centers.