(Funk) VA - Blow Up presents: Exclusive Blend, 4 volumes (1996-2001), MP3 (tracks), 192-320 kbps

Featuring the cream of the KPM Music Library writers including Keith Mansfield, Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Parker and Johnny Pearson, Exclusive Blend Volume 1 takes us on a journey deep into the library's vaults, starting with the pounding uptempo of 'Move, Move, Move' through the Hammond-heavy 'Beat Me 'Til I'm Blue' and 'Rocky Mountain Runabout' (versions of both featuring on the legendary Mohawks 'The Champ' album) to the sitar 6Ts club sound of 'Delhi Discotheque' and 'Come here Calcutta'. Since its original 1996 release Exclusive Blend Volume 1 has continuously been re-pressed and perfectly captures the 'Blow Up' club sound whilst still remaining a ground-breaking introduction to the world of the Music Library and an inspiration to djs, collectors and a million imitators.

This edition of the Exclusive Blend series sees us enter the vaults of De Wolfe, Amphonic and KPM. When Volume 2 was released in September 1997 most of these library tracks, as with Volume 1, were getting their first ever commercial airing. In particular, the album introduced James Clarke's 'Wild Elephants' to the world, which was subsequently picked up by The Gap and used on their 'Khaki A-Go-Go' ad campaign of 1999, consequently being released and retitled 'Blow Up A-Go-Go!' as a single for Summer 1999. It later became the title track for 'Blow Up A-Go-Go! - Dancefloor Classics 'from the legendary Blow Up club' which was released in conjunction with V2.
Once again, the compilation includes tracks from many great music library theme writers including Keith Mansfield, Alan Hawkshaw and Syd Dale, ranging from the Alan Moorhouse Hammond heavy classic 'Soul Skimmer' to the spaced out tribal funk of Nick Ingam's 'Tripwire'.
Volume 2, like the first, has gone on to receive much international recondition with Dj's, collectors and just plain old music lovers alike, introducing many to the twilight world of the unknown session man just doing his thang. Volume 2, like it's predecessor has gained a loyal following vindicated by its continual re-pressing since its initial release.

It was three years since the release of Exclusive Blend Volume 2, but it was worth the wait. If you own both Volumes 1 and 2, you will know they are both on different tips - Volume 1 is a more up-tempo pop flavour of hammond-driven dancefloor jazz, while Volume 2 is a little slower, with a slightly more sophisticated 'soundtrack' edge. Similarly, Volume 3 will try to introduce something a little different again. This sixteen track album, was compiled in Paris from the late 60's and early 70's vaults of France's Telemusic Library, by Blow Up's Paul Tunkin, . The album was preceded by a limited 7" single (as part of the new 'Blow Up 45 Series') taken from the album - Guy Pedersen's smokey sitar haze that is 'Indian Pop Bass.'

Volume 4 of the ever-popular 'Blow Up presents Exclusive Blend' series of music library compilations. Following the success of Volume 3, Blow Up's Paul Tunkin concentrates once more on the French library scene, and takes an expedition through the mighty vaults of the Chappell Music Library. Paul unearths even more dancefloor friendly recordings, this time from Chappell's 'Dance and Mood Music Series' (DMM), featuring writers such as Jack Arel and Pierre Dutour.