| Fila Brazillia have been one of the most consistent and respected underground
‘dance’ acts of the 90s. Releasing six albums on the Pork Recordings label, they
ended the decade by forming their own Tritone label (recently changed to ‘Twentythree’
due to legal reasons) and putting out the album ‘A Touch of Cloth’. This release
also saw them emerging from their self-inflicted hiding and into the glossy pages
of the music press with their first ever interviews and photo shoots. They also
hit the road on a UK tour and made an appearance at the Big Chill’s Enchanted
Garden Festival in August. Alongside their plethora of albums and single releases,
Fila have also been responsible for some rather fine remixes, the best of which
are featured on this compilation. From the earliest remix featured here, DJ Food’s
‘Freedom’, unreleased exclusives and long deleted tracks to the recent Chaser
and Robin Jones mixes, all contain the unique ‘Fila Funk’ sound. Their services
were often requested due to the artists in question being fans of the band rather
than for a record company’s profit interest. This was the case with the remix
of ‘Climbing up the Walls’ from Radiohead’s
‘OK Computer’ album which came about
because of Thom Yorke’s admiration of Fila. A version did appear on the commercially
released single (the b-side of ‘Karma Police’)
although the one included here was omitted. Other rarities include a remix of
Moloko’s ‘Lotus Eaters’ that never saw the light of day and U.N.K.L.E’s
‘Berry Meditation’ which has also never been available before. Many of Fila’s
tracks have been used on various TV programmes and the remix of Black Uhuru included
here was heavily featured in Sky One’s ‘Ibiza Uncovered’ (recently repeated on
Channel 4). |
