Doom & Hoodrat, aka Jamie Doom and Gus Da Hoodrat, have some of the best ears currently hearing things around the country. They're passionate about their music. It shows both in the sets they deliver on the dance floors, as much as the work they put into curating music for their label, Bang Gang 12 Inches. And this, their first compilation, is a testament to that passion and those ears. It's a solid collection of the now, yet I know from talking to the guys that they really throw their producers around, getting the best they can out of each one. And that grit really does shine through in the tracks. "Lion", by ZZZ, is a standout track, a piano jam that has both Jonny Raver and I scratching our heads, sucking out our inner Casiotone for the Painfully Alone/New Order circa Technique tendencies respectively. This coming from a couple of indie die-hards is no mean feat either. Golden Bug, Shazam, Damn Arms, and the lovable Bag Raiders all shine on. And I guess that's where the goodness is: that crossover factor that has a couple of Japandroids-heads enjoying a compilation of bendy electronic tunes that never go over the top, yet still manage to prick the ears and engage the brain.

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