SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND 25 (THE MOVEMENT OF FREE SPIRIT MIXED BY PRINS THOMAS)

I bought this on the strength of Prins’ past compilations, without hesitation. But, this being a label anniversary compilation, doesn’t offer as much diversity as his Paradise Goulash. After a few plays, though, i must say it’s an album worth having in your collection. Starting from it’s packaging, a cardboard box containing 3 slipcases for each disc and a booklet. The aesthetic of it accompanies the music well.All three mixes take their time to develop, even though they seem crammed with material. The first one features ambient, drone but also retro sounding guitar tracks with vocals now and then. It’s the one i couldn’t get much into, mostly because of some noise tracks that aren’t my type. But if you’re in the mood for some home listening, sitting and thinking.. this is the one.The second disc steals the show for me. It’s pure fun to listen to it, going through different styles and mixed nicely. Slowly gaining momentum, and by the sixth track, i can’t help but smile. Featuring one of my favourites too – Another Station by Lindstrom.The third disc starts off pretty boldly, making sure we understand this is the club driven mix. It’s a fun mix but more straightforward than disc 2, meaning there’s not much mood change throughout. It finishes off on a jazzy note and applause.What I’m missing from the physical release is the production info for each song in the booklet, so that i see what year each track was made. But i guess we live in the internet age. Nevertheless, this is the best example of how label anniversary albums should be made: a homage to the label sound and a reimagining/retelling of the story.

This is the slower, more laid-back section of Prins Thomas's mega-mix and makes for an interesting listen. It's not party music, but it's still a worthy record to have in your collection