AK1200 At Close Range (4 Stars) URB Magazine An impressive glimpse at the future of drum & bass from America’s own AK1200.(:\run recordings/Lakeshore) Fresh off the success of his debut artist album Shoottokill, America’s own drum & bass don returns to the format that undoubtedly made his name: the mix-CD. While many mourn the demise of what was once the record industry’s darling, AK proves that the mix-CD is still a viable way of reaching the masses. A packaged party-in-a-box, At Close Range is impressive not only because of the number of up-front tunes and seamless mixes, it’s that age-old cliched ‘journey’ at the core that make this an experience worth checking. Accessible to the neophyte and battle-hardened veteran alike, AK kicks things off with his signature hip-hop inspired urban beats before deftly maneuvering into deeper dancefloor territory. After inducing the trance with numerous anthemic vocal bits AK drops straight into the dark and nasty biz before easing up into head-nodding mode for the release. Still not convinced? Huge unreleased tunes from artists like Twisted Individual, Pendulum, D-Kay, Swift, and Dom & Roland make this an essential purchase if only to sneak a peek at what the future holds. Chris Muniz
