Those of you who've been following jungle for a little while are probably going to be a bit surprised to find out that this self-titled release is in fact Aphrodite's first full length. 'Aphrodite' follows the '98 release of his Mixmag compilation and a whole truckload of 12"s that have been a mainstay of jungle parties worldwide. While dark brooding jungle is the current darling of jungle insiders, Aphrodite has always been content to create dancefloor shaking "jump-up" jungle, and this album shows his skill in the genre. Now, you'd pretty much have to be superhuman to create a 70+min full length jump-up jungle album which was listenable from start to finish, and Aphrodite is but a mere mortal. It then comes as no surprise that some of the tracks are dogs, repetitive and uninspired ("Cross Channel" and "Cool Flight" not only sound nearly identical, but aren't that good to begin with). However, when things are going his way, all is forgiven. For some of the best that Aphrodite has to offer, try "B.M. Funkster", which lifts a whole bassline from the O'Jays' "Money", adds in some horns and layers on the drums for to create an upbeat jungle gem. "Rinsing Quince" is a bit darker, mixing in some rap samples and an organ and drum loop that you'll recognize from the Pharcyde's "Passing Me By". These two tracks, like the better tracks on the rest of the album, showcase Aphrodite's love for moving butts, as well as his appreciation of jazz, hip-hop, funk, and soul (even re-working the Seals and Croft 70's drug/love tune "Summer Breeze"). Recommended tracks: B.M. Funkster, Rinsing Quince, King of the Beats, Summer Breeze

By Russell Gragg
Jul 24, 2001