“Man, it’s really somethin’…” R&S are well aware of their legacy and never afraid to repress a great record. Still, wasn’t expecting this black sheep to come back around in a million years. Some thought the Belgian techno institution signing Wax Doctor was an attempt to cash in on the rising popularity of drum & bass, but Paul Saunders aka Wax Doctor fit like a smooth-hammered horseshoe, foreshadowing the label’s successful resurgence in the 2010s with great records by SW., Slackk, Paul White, Sporting Life and James Blake broadening the label’s scope yet again. “Heat” is a total masterclass; the contrasting A/B section shifts between eyes-down liquid funk and velvety but highly functional rollage. The airy pads, jazz trumpet, suspenseful bassline and deftly-chopped Apache break all culminate in a deadly brew with atmosphere that was simply unmatched in 1996, except maybe by Source Direct. “Offshore Drift” is equally creamy, chucking more Detroit pads, sci-fi elements and jazz needle drops over a rolling 2-step rhythm. Great-sounding heavyweight repress with repro center labels and R&S disco sleeve… Take it from me, I’ve got the original pressing at home and compared side by side, this one is about twice as thick. Recommended.

• official heavyweight vinyl repress
• housed in classic R & S disco sleeve
• music label: R & S Records 2018

reviewed by edward james almost 06/2018