Retrospective of Ninja Tune- 5021392313122

Despite a history stretching well over a decade, Ninja has never released a "greatest hits" style compilation. Smart alecs will say that it s cos we ve never had any hits, but if we start off on that footing proceedings will end in a slap to your face with a kid glove, a shivery meeting at dawn and a lead ball lodged firmly in your fathead cranium. A-ight? So, to put it another way, Ninja has always released compilations made up mainly of original tracks. And why change now? Some of the older tracks have been lovingly remastered because, frankly, times change, sonics are meatier and, well, we ve got more money these days. And anyway, it s how John (Lennon) would have wanted it to sound But beyond that, it s just a tub-thumping combination of BIG TOONZ and LOST CLASSIX. In the first category fall such gems as Scruff s "Get A Move On," and the Cinematic Orchestra s "All That You Give" and in the latter, the utterly blinding "Dark Lady" by DJ Food (you ll remember it when you hear it) and 9 Lazy 9 s "Black Jesus". It really is a succession of blinding tunes which (getting all serious, for a mo) shows the breadth of imagination, the humour and the sheer ear for good music that s gone into the label over the last XII years And that s it really no flim flam, no angle just a huge shedload of great music. Which is Ninja, really, when you think about it.