Barking-born Jane Fitz, and Transmigration label founder David Fogarty, curate a collection of tracks from East London and Essex’s rich but largely overlooked constellation of independent record labels and distributors operating from London’s E16 to the edges of the Thames estuary during the 1990s.
Mysterious Vastness documents a hidden and largely detached scene that only forms into something coherent with hindsight. From a time when record labels could press and hand-distribute 1000 copies locally, the late 80s acid house and outdoor rave scenes were moving from the fields to the clubs of London and DJs such as Colin Dale, Colin Faver and Darren Emerson were dominating the airwaves and parties with a distinct mix of other-worldly techno, trance and out-there house music. Among the seemingly bland post-war housing estates and factories, a scattered handful of producers were experimenting with early versions of music production software to create an exotic, end-of-the-century soundtrack to the suburban-meets-industrial landscape.
The compilation features a selection of finds from East London’s second hand record or charity shops over a period of 15 years. Many of which have featured in Jane’s sets over the years, most notably the “Beyond The A13" Podcast for Furthur Electronix. A mix she described at the time as the soundtrack to an area of London “totally bereft of natural beauty, but to me, somehow always full of mystery and wonder.” (Mint / New)
Tracklist A1 Talisman & Hudson– Warmth Reheated A2 Conscious– Morpheus B1 Treacle People– Rupununi Rhythm B2 Obsession Project– The Dream C1 So-Low– The Hourglass (Time Mix) C2 Interphaze– Aman C3 Jay Trance– Ridiculous D1 Connective Zone– Multiple Sensory Contact D2 CXX– The Comfort of Strangers (Rhythm Doctor Mix) D3 Colin Hudd, Pete Lazonby– The Colours (Mix 2)
