Walter Gibbons is one of those 'names' most music fans spend their whole lives hearing but never actually investigating. A legendary producer and practical inventor of the modern 'remix' the man had more of an influence on popular music than many would give him credit for and yet he remains a fringe figure, a footnote in the lives of more famous associates such as Arthur Russell, occasionally mentioned in documentary's and biographies without ever being himself the centre of attention. This collection of rarities and 'hits' goes someway towards redressing that balance.
True to form much of the music here covers the disco-remix template the man created and while certain mixes can sound dated ('Set It Off' by Harlequin Fours) or overlong (the 12 minute plus 'Go Bang' by Dinosaur L) much else here sounds positively revolutionary. '4 Ever My Beat' for example sounds like a DJ Shadow cut created 20 years before the man himself even stepped behind a desk and his remix of Arts & Crafts 'I've Been Searching' sounds like a collision between Funkadelic and Animal Collective. It's in these moments that a spark of genius is evident.
It's a real shame that Gibbons never got his dues in life (he dies of AIDS related illnesses in 1994 after spending nearly a decade as a fanatically religious recluse) but compilations such as this do a great job of exposing forgotten talent to a modern audience. 'Jungle Music' is an impressive reflection of a unique talent ad while it may not be for everyone you'd have to be a fool to deny the man's lasting influence.
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