- Shimon has made quite a name for himself over the years as part of the Ram Records crew, especially being partly responsible for releasing 2002's swingstepping Body Rock with Ram Records' label boss, Andy C. The label has now reached its 50th release and they've enlisted Shimon to select some of the best tunes from the Ram catalogue and mix them up with some of the newer tracks on the label.
Shimon and Sparfunk kick off the mix with Cold Killa which takes a heavy metal guitar riff and a synth bass line with Kimani invited to do vocals. Dropping tempo switches at the drop of a hat, the tune goes from half tempo hip hoppy beats to rapid fire drum'n'bass. Pack Of Wolves by new Ram signing Night Breed brings out even more rock guitars with a harder crunchier distorted guitar riff.
Moving Fusion & Fierce bring out Now's The Time which leaves rock guitars on the back burner and tears out bass heavy drum'n'bass beats. A massive breakdown in the middle introduces sci fi vocal elements before getting back into the bass line madness from before. Ram Trilogy's Titan takes on a more percussive approach with clever use of growling bass. Released on the label 4 years ago, it gives listeners a flavour and contrast of what Ram sounded like during it's earlier days.
A new player in the drum'n'bass scene and exclusively signed to Ram Records and Frequency, Sub Focus provides three tracks for the mix, all this after passing Andy C a demo in a club a few months earlier. Strobe features a frantic drum beat, plenty of rhythm variations, hoovers and razor like bass line effects. Acid Test tests out even the sturdiest of sound systems with it's acid induced basslines with warped and twisted variations and finally Get On Up brings out the funk with a funk and soul vocal sample combined with a funky melodic bass line.
Origin Unknown and Dynamite MC bring out the Hotness, the only tune with vocals in the middle of the mix and appears here remixed by Roni Size. Again it's more of that hard bass line action with a wicked rising bassline build up.
Fresh's Switch does exactly that, switching between rhythms dropping syncopated beats ad nausea. Hush Hush by Shimon lives up to its name as well dropping the mood and vibe to a darker and creepier zone. It's another tune that's been released on the label 4 years ago highlighting the evolution in style the label has undergone throughout the years.
Finally Shimon ends the mix off with Ram Trilogy's (the team comprising of Shimon, Andy C and Ant Miles) Night Vision with Kimani returning to close off the mix with her uplifting vocal styles.
In true Ram Records style, Ram Raiders serves up energetic tear out drum'n'bass tracks laden with furious drum beats and massive bass lines. Tends to sound a little monotonous at times, but there are definitely some stand out tracks which sit alongside the ordinary - as with many compilations nowadays. Regardless of the tunes, Shimon comes out the winner here with his tight mixing and good track selection which perhaps saves the mix from being put on the heap.