Misstress Barbara

Misstress Barbara's debut mix for Moonshine Records features tracks by some of the leadings techno producers of the time: Steve Stoll ("Hustler"), Damon Wild ("Catalyst"), James Ruskin ("Divide, Pt. 2"), Mr. G ("You Bean Hit"), Deetron ("Don't You Know Why," "Silk Cut"), and more, in addition to several of her own productions ("For All There's Left," "After Taste"). Yes, the mix is fairly harsh and abrasive -- this is techno after all -- though it's not quite as banging as the following volume. Either way, this isn't music for the faint of heart and not the sort of album you'll find yourself relaxing to. Barbara lives up to her reputation here for being an unmerciful DJ who's always in the mix, particularly relative to all the other trance-inflected DJs on Moonshine's roster. For example, she drops a total of 24 tracks here and showcases her fine mixing ability, moving through a somewhat disparate array of tracks that may all be techno but definitely have their idiosyncrasies. Yet, despite the diverse track selection, the mix transitions well from one track to the next, proof that Barbara was signed to such a mainstream dance label not because she's a female but because she's an excellent DJ. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide