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URBAN VISIONARIES - Jugglin' With Raw Fusion


The third in Creative Vibes’ burgeoning Urban Visionaries series is perhaps the most special. Here we highlight the works of Swedish label Raw Fusion and its hip-hop imprint Jugglin’. Known to DJs for its consistent dancefloor bombs and familiar to suave and jazzy compilations for its ability to recontextualise the sounds of yesteryear’s barrios and jazz clubs for the discerning listener; the Raw Fusion label is synonymous with quality.

So many compilations these days feature overlapping tracks with played out titles; sometimes it seems the packaging is the only redeeming feature. On ‘Jugglin’ With Raw Fusion’ Creative Vibes presents several tracks previously unreleased on CD and a few yet to be released gems like ‘The Art Of Blakey’ by Copenhagen’s Povo. The label debuted in 2002 with A Bossa Eletrica’s ‘Tombo In 7/4’ in which the spirit of Brasiliance was reached, and bettered in their album and subsequent single releases. Here Melbourne’s taste maker Ennio Styles remixes the group’s current single ‘Quem Vai Devolver Meu Dia’. The label’s sample king Beatfantic opens up proceedings with the Latino B-Boy hip twister ‘Cookin’’ which sets things to a fiery start. Following on from the album’s Jazz-samba first third, the label’s super band Damn! Present the most radio friendly track of the entire set with the Tom Jones-esque ‘Got To Go.’ Brand new music is exposed from then on with Jugglin’ artists Melo and Up Hygh (currently on ‘Hygh’ rotation with BBC Radio One jocks Gilles Peterson and Benji B) with their just-released vinyl efforts.

Things don’t let up as the album comes to a close. The label’s club intensity is brought to the fore, with the deep dubby breaks of Freddie Cruger’s ‘The Hustle’ and Southside Connection’s Disco Breakin’ ‘Make No Mistake’ reloading DJs arsenals or just giving them a good chance to go to the loo. After UK Nu-Soul darlings Yam Who and Spiritual South’s mammoth remixes, you’ll want to start all over again, having gone round the world and back. Selected in full cooperation with the Creative Vibes and Raw Fusion teams and with artwork by Melbourne’s in-demand Kano, this is world class stuff, though Australians and New Zealanders will be the only ones who get to sample these tasty cakes.

Urban Visionaries' 'Jugglin' With Raw Fusion' is available now through Raw Fusion/Creative Vibes

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