- Let me guess: you didn't see this one coming. All things considered, it's a very clever marketing move. Pete Tong's annual Miami mix CD suddenly feels much more relevant, and former dubstep don Skream gains entry to one of the most established institutions in house music. Oliver Jones was among dubstep's most ruthless and aggressive artists. His taste in house and disco, meanwhile, leans on the flamboyant and the glittery. After a brusque Twitter announcement that he would only be playing house from now on, All Gone Miami 2013 is Skream's manifesto for his new four-to-the-floor career.
It's hard to imagine anything sounding more "Miami" in 2013 than Skream's selection of new-school UK house and Crosstown Rebels tracks. His mix sounds exactly how you'd expect it to, and it's chock full of exclusive tracks like his own "Dark Electronics" remix of Infinity Ink. The problem is that Skream hasn't developed a distinctive style for 4/4 yet, and it shows. Weaving between bubbling underground bangers like SOPHIE's "Nothing More To Say" and cheesy '90s house sounds, it's the kind of mix that'll have you alternately fist-pumping and cringing with each drop. More often than not it's pleasant, but there's little rhyme or reason to the sequencing. He strings it together together like a dubstep mix, focusing on smaller builds and climaxes rather than a longer arc.
Pete Tong's mix is the complete opposite. It takes its time, starting with understated vocal tracks like Maya Jane Coles' "Easier To Hide," before climaxing with full-on anthems. His knockout move manages to include both FCL's "It's You" and Pachanga Boys' epic sunset anthem "Time." Sticking mainly to poppy house, his selections are mixed more leisurely than Skream's, with the lovely melodies of Benoit & Sergio, or CLOSE's "Beam Me Up," instead of glowstick-ready rave-ups. Tong's mix is a fine run-down of the melodic side of big-room house. Skream, however, is still learning his craft, which makes this feel like a test run rather than the arrival he wants it to be.
TracklistCD1 (mixed by Pete Tong)
01. Chris Malinchak - So Good To Me
02. Monkey Safari - Hi Life (Cheeky Bold Cover)
03. Benoit & Sergio - Bridge So Far
04. Rachel Row - Follow The Step (KiNK Mix)
05. Maya Jane Coles - Easier To Hide
06. Jamie Jones - Road To The Studio (Fly Mix)
07. Tong & Rogers - Dance With The Devil
08. Hot Natured - Assimilation (Tong & Spoon Vip)
09. Chicken Lips - He Not In (Eats Everything's Chicken Tits Remix)
10. Ali Love feat. Kali - Emperor (Maceo Plex's Last Disco Remix)
11. Close feat. Charlene Soraia & Scuba - Beam Me Up (George Fitzgerald Remix)
12. Tom Flynn - Under My Control
13. Hot Since 82 - Mr. Drive (Original Mix)
14. Frankie Dep - The Tattoo I Wanted (Danny Serrano Remix)
15. FCL - It's You (San Soda's Panorama Bar Acca Version)
16. Solomun - Something We All Adore
17. Pachanga Boys - Time (Tong & Rogers Edit)
CD2 (mixed by Skream)
01. Phreek Plus One - New York Dolls
02. Maelstrom - Bipolar
03. Ferox - Gargoyle
04. Sui Generis - The Priest
05. Midland - Trace
06. Justin Martin & Ardalan - Wheelgunner (Dub)
07. Duke Dumont - Street Walker
08. Miguel Campbell - Not That Kind Of Girl
09. Oscar Luweez - Get Up And Dance
10. Sui Generis - Interspace
11. J. Phlip - Coefficient
12. Infinity Ink - Infinity (Skreams Dark Remix)
13. Dusky - Nobody Else
14. Route 94 - Fly For Life (Dub)
15. Krystal Klear feat. Jenna G - Addiction
16. Breach & Dark Sky - The Click
17. Last Magpie - Pilau Rice
18. Justin Martin - Don't Go (Dusky Mix)
19. Charles B. - Lack Of Love
20. Route 94 - 21st Century Love (Dub)
21. Sophie - Nothing More To Say (Dub)
22. Skream feat. Sam Frank - Rollercoaster (Dub)
23. Celsius - Thought As Much