DJ Icey has been a purveyor of ravey ravery since the early 1990’s.  Coming from the fertile “Florida breaks” scene, Icey’s DJ style and record labels (Zone and Tree Records) has always been about big BIG basslines and electro-acid synth noises.  I’ve always found his music a mixed bag but he shines as a DJ, with impeccable track selection and on-point mixing.

The Essential Mix compilation was released in 2000 at an interesting time for the breaks scene; Florida’s electro-inspired, sample-heavy “acid breaks” sound was being edged out by the UK “nu-school” breaks scene that favored more lush, orchestratal arrangements paired with dark, devastating bass lines drawn from drum ‘n bass scene.  Icey’s track selection reflects this, blending tracks from UK stars Orbital, Plump DJ’s, Freestylers, and Sabres of Paradise with plenty of American tunes (many of them being his own, and thankfully some of his best.)  This mix also includes a DJ Godfather tune, a nod from Icey to the sparse “ghettotech” style that exploded out of Detroit and into the dance music mainstream a year or two later.

This is one of those mixes that stands as a classic of the genre, an excellent snapshot of a sonic aesthetic in transition, and just a helluva lot of fun to listen to.  Track list after the jump.

Listen now:

Download here (right click and “save as”)

time: 72:38 /// 132mb /// 256kbps .mp3