Review: Nocturnal Activity was released by Mark Rae on Manchester's Grand Central Records, an independent record label back in 2002. It is a remix album, composed of alternative mixes of the tracks from the Sleepwalking LP, plus one new track, a cover version of the Parliament track "Flashlight". It contains some of the labels most sought after tracks. For the dancefloor, The Nextmen remix of "It Aint Nothin Like" is considered a classic. Atjazz turns in a magical remix with Kate Rogers on "Not Just Anybody". Groove Armada went on a weekend break to a country house to flip the Pharcyde's Booty Brown on "Let It Go". However the best is left to last with the fully acoustic version of "Get A Life" with soul legend Bobby Womack.
Review: Their first material in over 10 years, Mercury Prize nominated duo Rae & Christian need very little introduction. Adding to the UK beat movement with similar weight to that of Tricky or Massive Attack, their ability to forge big grooves into actual songs is near-on matchless. And it's clear they still haven't lost this touch between them. Ranging from swaggering b-boy guitar drama ("Check The Technique") to the heady, driving folk of the Beta Band/Gruff Rhys-esque "1975" via the soul-jazz breakbeat fusion of "Dancer", they leave no stone unturned. And, crucially, they do it with a strong sense of playfulness and consistency. Let's hope they don't leave it another decade for a follow-up.
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