LNOE100 is a renaissance and a look into the Sasha-led imprint’s future
LNOE100, a landmark release for Sasha‘s iconic label and also its first-ever compilation, has officially landed on digital shelves. While it comes as a bit of a shocker to realize that it took Last Night On Earth 99 prior releases and nearly a decade to get to this point, there are few occasions that feel more fitting for this release format to finally manifest itself. High expectations had been placed on this record, especially with its bold concept. It saw a similar format to the Involver series in which the entirety of its songs are all remixes—but this time, each of the targets are treasured items from the label’s catalog, and a different remixer was assigned to each.
Sasha recruited a wide array of new and established talents for the honors, ranging from the big room techno sounds of Nicole Moudaber, to the moodier touches of Locked Groove and Fur Coat. It’s important to note that this is not in mix format; the tracks are meant to be savored individually, rather than enjoyed as part of a cohesive, big picture. This in no way diminishes LNOE100‘s quality.
The compilation begins with Radio Slave‘s rendition of Sasha’s vocal anthem and one of LNOE’s first releases, “Cut Me Down.” Clocking in at nearly 11 minutes, Radio Slave builds a slow burning groover that simmers in drawn-out synth notes, crisp percussion, and spacey sound effects. There’s no need to listen to the rest of ten remaining tracks to know that this one is already a standout. Similarly intoxicating is John Monkman‘s Modular Dub take on ThermalBear’s “U Love” and Dubspeeka’s mesmerizing transformation of Ejeca’s “HiRollin.” All three of these tracks feel fresh in their design, pointing toward a future for the label that remains on the cutting edge.
Quality lies in many corners of LNOE100. Frankey & Sandrino put forth an impressive interpretation of “PolyRhythmic” by Kate Simko and Tevo, turning into a progressive lane with sensual basslines and clever melodic manipulation. Fur Coat did a notable job in re-working Sasha’s “Singularity” into a darker, tougher number build for a superclub, while Yotto added energy and flow into the twinkling “Smokemonk.” One must not forget Locked Groove’s cerebral reconstruction of Max Cooper’s “Careless,” which takes the original hook and drapes it on top of stripped-down grooves and pungent kicks. It’s not too overpowering, but charged enough to play at peak time.
All in all, LNOE100 is a testament to the quality that Sasha has, and continues to curate as he leads his imprint into its next chapter. Order a copy here.