Just when it seemed that clubland could no longer produce innovative, challenging music that could hook neatly into the zeitgeist, along comes this wonder of an album that should propel erstwhile DJ / producer Tim Deluxe firmly into the mainstream.

Although he's been around the scene for some eight years, since starting up Ice Cream Records with graphic designer Omar Amidora and hardcore label owner Andy Lysandrou in the mid-90s, this is Tim's long overdue debut album. His pedigree is formidable: there was the RIP Groove single, released under the Double 99 monicker and the associated 7th High album, also in collaboration with Omar Amidora. Then there have been remixes for the likes of Kylie, Black Grape, Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Robert Miles and Ultra Naté.

Anyone who's stepped inside a club during the last couple of years will already be familiar with We All Love Sax, It Just Won't Do and Less Talk More Action!, all of which are included on The Little Ginger Club Kid. And if that isn't enough to convince you to hit the plastic, then check out the heavy tribal vibe of 2 Kool 4 Skool or the spacey, trippy Choose Something Like A Star.

Rather more predictable is the aptly named Heavy Weather, which opens with some rather sluggish, funky vibes before Tim unleashes the four-square breakbeats. In more mellow mood is Story Of You And Me, featuring the silky, sinuous vocals of Terra Deva, who also supplies vocals for the wonderful Less Talk More Action!

It's this variety of textures, moods and styles that makes The Little Ginger Club kid so endearing, running the gamut of everything from hip hop to chill-out and house. Shahin Badar, vocalist on The Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up, features on the bhangra-inflected Mundaya and added flavour is provided by What A Life and Record Shop, aimless "spontaneous" conversations that somehow add to the collage effect of the album.

Old Plastic Ono Band records used to include the exhortation, "Play Loud", on the sleeve. No such advice is included with this album, but it ought to be.

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