Various Artists Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers Review

Russ Jones (Future World Funk DJ) and Felix Buxton (half of Basement Jaxx), have assembled this unstable blend, both providing some bonus remixes of their own.

When Gilles Peterson levitated the entire 2005 Big Chill gathering with N.O.H.A.'s "Balkan Hot Step", we knew that lolloping gypsy village brass had finally gone overground.As well asfusioneers like DJ Shantel and Balkan Beat Box, the authentic veterans are represented by Romania's Fanfare Ciocarlia and the Macedonian Kocani Orkestar, the latter tussling with novelty electronicist Senor Coconut.

Sometimes, the marching programmed beats can be a touch insistent, but the wild wedding band vitality always remains untamed. A waddling sousaphone can easily deliver the lowest possible bassline, invariably topped by swarming brass hyperactivity.