One of Great Britain's most respected DJs brings his talents to the States for the latest release in the Essential Mix series. The project stems from Tong's Essential Selection radio show, which has aired on England's Radio 1 for the last eight years. The program reaches the mainstream masses, but Tong isn't one of those sellout DJs looking for movie soundtrack scores and television commercials. He's stayed true to his mixes and is not afraid to revive a 70s soul sound into contemporary jams.
On Essential Mix, Tong flows smoothly between fifteen tracks, mostly underground club favorites. Included are Futureshock's "Sparc," Cass' "Genesis," and Way Out West's "Intensify." Although such tracks are not instantly recognizable radio singles, they are club smashes adored by regulars. The style is mostly an urban blend, rounding out with Planet Funk's "Chase the Sun." Surprisingly, the disc is not as repetitive as others in the genre and proves that a veteran like Tong can still be at the cutting edge of today's scene.
3.5 tocks
