A-Z Bestival 2008

Rob da Bank

Sunday Best Recordings

2008-09-01

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The Rob da Bank curated boutique festival Bestival has earned a well-loved reputation in the UK. The annual music event on the Isle of Wight has a diverse range of artists from across the musical spectrum, and this third album gives those who have tickets — and even those who have — to listen to an A to Z of those performing at next month’s event. Seeing Aphex Twin, Roots Manuva, The Human League and Foals on the double CD tracklist is enough to bring a few raised eye brows at their juxtaposition — probably to the approval of Rob da Bank.

Acting like what Rob da Bank describes as mental jukebox in his head, A - Z Bestival, starts with the Saturday headliner Aphex Twin classic and debut release “Analogue Bubblebath” with chilled acid synths, before jumping to indie act Black Kids with their breakrhrough singe “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You.” He moves back to electronica with Carl Craig’s “At Les” and the dark “Angles” from dan le sac Vc Scroobius Pip. Seeing 808 Stats on the same playlist as The Human League could perhaps only happen at Bestival, and so it does here with “Love Action (I Belive in Love)” chosen from the 1980s electro act’s library. Other highlights on the first CD include soul-tronica trailblazer Jamie Lidell, the flk of Lucky Elephant and indie-rockers Foals.

It will be well loved by the Bestival followers, ticketholders and anyone wanting to a insight into the music the Isle of Wight is treated to every year.

The second CD is similarly varied. The Shortwave Set get thigs started with “Now Til ‘69”, a rousing tune with paces along adding layer after layer for a blissful journey inspiredy by The Field. The crude 8-bit sounds of the cocknbullkid’s “On My Own” jar against the Shortwave Set’s subtlties, then Rob da Bank opts for Pete and the Pirates (under the entery for “P” in the A-Z as well as “Q” for “quick, put another record on). S sluttish electro workout comes from Christpher D. Ashley’s “Sugar Coated Lies”, the da Bank drops the truely timeless “Witness (1 Hope)” which will have you speakers rumbling with delight. Dance makes a return with Slagmalsklubben’s bellp-pop “Sponsored by Destiny”, Underworld’s immortal “Cowgirl” and Pendulum’s metal and bass workout “Visions”.

By the time the you reach the end and tracks by Yacht and Zombie Zombie, A-Z Bestival has successfully acted as a warm up for the festival. If there was no theme to this collection, few might pay much attention due to such a diverse range of genre-hopping is going on. But the fact it has been compiled by Rob da Bank and will whet your appetite ahead of this year’s fifth event, it will be well loved by the Bestival followers, ticketholders and anyone wanting to a insight into the music the Isle of Wight is treated to every year.

To all those enviously reading about Bestival without tickets to the event, you’ll be pleased to hear Rob ad Bank has taken inspiration from Willy Wonka and place five golden tickets to the event in the first batch of the album hitting shelves on Monday, September 1.

Five lucky winners will receive a full weekend pass to Bestival’s fancy dress, boutique extravaganza on the Isle of Wight, featuring artists such Amy Winehouse, My Bloody Valentine, Underworld, Black Kids, Aphex Twin and many more. Go to www.bestival.net for details.