The Ninja Cuts Are The Deepest - 18 Years Compiled Onto 3 CDs

After seeing the lineup of incredible musicians that will take over 3 floors of the huge Electrowerkz warehouse next month, one would expect that the record being released is a pretty big deal. Well, it is. See, it's not just 3 CDs of Ninja Tune music. The forthcoming You Don't Know: Ninja Cuts has 50 full tracks of music that map the sonic territory Ninja Tune has traveled during it's 18 years in the biz, as well as pointing to where the label is aimed for the future. There are tracks from as early as 1998 reppin for the label's early days (Mike Ladd’s rare classic “Blah Blah”), big hits from every year since, and even 9 tunes that aren't slated for their own releases until later this year! (Yet-to-be-dropped tunes like John Matthias’ fragile, ethereal “Evermore”, The Bug's toxic dancehall slayer "Poison Dart", or Pop Levi’s superb, princely “Dita Dimone”...) But this album will be ready and waiting for you starting March 11th. There are two ways you can get a sneak preview/fix before mid-March however. Right now, you could skip over to UK's The Independent website and listen to 10 tracks from the comp that don't fit the usual Ninja mold. These 10 tracks by the likes of Pop Levi, Bonobo, The Cinematic Orchestra and others is pure luscious indie rock and tranquil experimental sounds akin to Sigur Ros or Coldplay. Best of all, if you like any of those 10 tracks, you can download them individually for free! Wiley's smash hit "50/50" from Big Dada is there too, so don't sleep!And, of course, if you are anywhere near London, or can get to it on 15th February, you can participate in UK rave history at Ninja Tune's triple-decker record release bash. That is definitely not to be missed if you can get there in less than 4 hours travel time.The comp features 50 songs culled from 3 labels that together make the Ninja Tune family (Ninja Tune, Big Dada and Counter), including huge hits by Coldcut, Roots Manuva, Modeselektor, Ghislain Poirier, Kid Koala, The Bug, Spank Rock, Amon Tobin, The Herbaliser, Diplo, Jaga, Wiley, DJ Shadow, TTC and more and more and more!!The complete 3 disc tracklist:Disc 1Ghislain Poirier - Blazin' (Modeselektor Remix)Roots Manuva - Seat Yourself (feat. Ricky Ranking)Bonobo - Nightlite (feat Bajka - zero dB Reconstruction)Daedelus - Fair Weather FriendsMr Scruff + Quantic - Donkey RidePop Levi - Dita DimonéThe Herbaliser - Gadget FunkSpank Rock - Bump (Switch remix)The Heavy - ColeenDiplo - Epistemology Suite 3: Don't FallKing Geedorah - Next LevelsFink - Pretty Little ThingThe Cinematic Orchestra - To Build A Home (Radio Version)Amon Tobin - BloodstoneJohn Matthias - Evermore (demo)Disc 2Roots Manuva - Chin High (Manuvadelics version)Wiley - No Qualms (Re-vox feat Chipmunk, JME & Skepta)Hexstatic - Distorted Minds (feat. Juice Aleem - zero DB remix)The Qemists - Drop Audio (feat. ID)NMS - Brave New WorldMike Ladd - Blah BlahDJ Shadow - Bring Madlib UpThe Cinematic Orchestra - Rites Of Spring (Live at The Barbican)Max & Harvey - ThievescLOUDDEAD - Physics Of A UnicycleThe Bug - Poison DartColdcut - Just For The Kick (Original version)Coldcut - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (Tiga mix edit)Pest - Pat Pong (Solid Groove mix)TTC - Travailler (Orgasmic remix)TheDeathSet - Around the WorldYppah - Again With The SubtitlesDisc 3DJ Kentaro - Enter The NewgroundColdcut - Atomic Moog (The Qemists remix)RJD2 - True ConfessionsKid Koala - Slew Test 2DJ Kentaro - Free (feat. Spank Rock - Armani XXXChange Remix)Ty - Wait a Minute (Dwele Remix)Homelife - SeedpodOne Self - Fear The LabourThe Cinematic Orchestra - Breathe (Susumu Yokota remix)Loka - BeginninglessBonobo - HatoaAmmoncontact - Infinity of Rhythm InstrumentalThe Long Lost - The Art Of KissingFog - Melted CrayonsBlockhead - Sunday SeanceJaga - Swedenborgske RomBigg Jus - Say Goodbye What does Ninja Tune have to say about this heroic achievement?

Where to start? Anyone who thinks they know what to expect from a Ninja Tune compilation is advised to head straight for CD2, track 16, where Baltimore’s The Death Set deliver electro-pop-punk of pure brattish joyfulness. Or the Bug’s “Poison Dart” – harsh dubstep dancehall that’s had FWD bubbling for the last few months. Or check DJ Kentaro’s riotous collaboration with Spank Rock, “Free”. Or the fuzzyfelt-bahia of Long Lost’s “The Art of Kissing”, a folk project by Daedelus. Or the blissful quiescent power of Jaga’s “Swedenborgske Rom”. Or Finks “Pretty Little Thing”. Or…Some other names you will be expecting. Roots Manuva offers up a couple of rarities on the utterly ill “Seat Yourself” and a version of “Chin High” that’s more Joy Division than J Dilla. The Cinematic Orchestra turn up with the radio version of their scintillating “To Build A Home” plus a new track “Rites of Spring” recorded live at the Barbican in London and a fantastic remix from Susumu Yokota. One of the UK's greatest musical mavericks and pioneer of grime Wiley is on board. Ninja founders Coldcut give early versions and re-rubs from 2006’s “Sound Mirrors” album. Kid Koala destroys the music business single-handed (double-handed?) on “Slew Test 2”. Mr Scruff and Quantic go riding and take us on a bumpy “Donkey Ride”, a brand new track. An unavailable track "Epistemology Suite" by Diplo from a very early deleted 12" is present, Then there’s a heap of remixers and contributors that run from Modeselektor, DJ Shadow, Tiga, RJD2 and the mighty Switch. But even that doesn’t get close.

NinjaTune.net pre-order pageUK's The Independent websiteKentaro making magic on the 1s & 2s:The Bug - "Poison Dart"