Darren Emerson: GU36: Bogotá

Darren Emerson
GU36:Bogotá
Global Underground
2009-02-10

Emerson, the one-time Underworld member, heads to the Colombian capital for his third contribution to the Global Underground series. Actually, though, this set could have come from basically any Emerson gig at any locale. Spanning two discs, the mix of techno, tech-, and deep-house is tasteful and as well-executed as you’d expect coming from a veteran like Emerson. Names both big and familiar are represented, as Josh Wink, Peter Heller, and Emerson himself are featured. Despite a few standouts, including Nich Chacona’s urgent “Mariacha” and Recloose’s funky “Dust”, neither a unifying theme nor a dynamic arc develops. That the 1993 classic “Mmm Skyscraper… I Love You” from Emerson’s former band is the best thing here only underscores the fact that this type of dance music is now old enough to harbor its own “good ol’ days”.

RATING 4 / 10