FABRICLIVE.07: John Peel

Taking over from Grooverider, the man behind the decks for Fabriclive Vol.7 is everyone's favourite steam engine-loving sexagenarian, Mr John Peel. After his memorable set at the Fabric club in February, the veteran DJ obviously relished compiling his relentlessly eclectic first mix album.

Predictably, The Fall get a look in as do the Undertones with "Teenage Kicks" but as the cult vinyl manipulator flicks from techno to blues, then R&B to reggae via folk and funk, it proves to be a rocky ride well worth the fare. Quite how it all fits in to the dance compilation category is a mystery, but in contrast to the dirge of one-dimensional titles available, Fabric 07 shines bright with a free-form bristling energy that many DJs half Mr Peel's age can only dream of.

Where else would you find MC DET's feisty drum & bass fuelled "Hipsteppin" merging with the gorgeous soulful R&B harmonising of The Velvelettes "Needle in a Haystack" before the Bad Livers serve up a manic, banjo-driven, thigh-slappin' rendition of Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life"? With music culled from deep within the archives, Peel effortlessly transcends genres and decades with carefree abandon. Fabric 07 may well confound the feet but it's sure to rock the soul and warm the heart. --Christopher Barrett

Label: Unknown
Studio: Fabric
Released: 2002-12-02
Format: Audio CD