Strictly Mood II Swing CD

Given the upsurge in interest in Mood II Swing's distinctively tough take on 1990s US garage, it was probably only a matter of time before someone put together a proper career retrospective. Fittingly, it is re-born '90s New York house imprint Strictly Rhythm that does the honours. The three-disc, originals-and-remixes format is similar in style and tone to Defected's House Masters series, and the results are similarly enjoyable. What shines through most is the quality of John Ciafone and Lem Springsteen's grooves, which while rooted in the organ-heavy shuffle of US garage were often notably tougher and darker. While there is some repetition (vocal and dub versions of some tracks are included on different discs), there's no denying the quality of the material.

Lil'Mark, Reece Johnson