XL Recordings will celebrate 25 years of being at the heart of the UK’s independent music scene with a retrospective 2-disc album entitled ‘Pay Close Attention‘, released on August 25th.
“Part 1 of this compilation are the roots of XL; underground music, made for DJs,” label boss Richard Russell explains. “These roots are still growing. Part 2 features some of the singular talents who have taken the label further than we ever envisioned. There is no unifying genre; hopefully the thread of originality is evident though.”
“The rave music XL first became known for was known as ‘hardcore’; that spirit continues. To show our appreciation for your support, thank you DJs. And thank you also to the retailers, writers, and, of course, ravers.”
The first disc features the likes of the Prodigy, Basement Jaxx and Dizzee Rascal, while disc 2 showcases modern classic tracks from the White Stripes, M.I.A, The Horrors, Bobby Womack, Vampire Weekend and more.
‘Pay Close Attention’ tracklists:
Disc 1
SL2 – ‘DJs Take Control’
The Prodigy – ‘Out Of Space’
Awesome 3 – ‘Don’t Go (Kicks Like A Mule Mix)’
Liquid – ‘Sweet Harmony’
Jonny L – ‘Piper’
Roy Davis Jr featuring Peven Everett – ‘Gabriel’ (Live Garage Version)
Dem 2 – ‘Destiny’
Nu-Birth – ‘Anytime’
Basement Jaxx – ‘Jump N’ Shout’
Dizzee Rascal – ‘I Luv U’
Wiley – ‘Igloo’
Various Production – ‘Hater’
Giggs – ‘Talking The Hardest’
SBTRKT – ‘Wildfire’ (featuring Little Dragon)
Jamie xx – ‘All Under One Roof Raving’
Disc 2
The Prodigy – ‘Firestarter’
Peaches – ‘Fuck The Pain Away’
The White Stripes – ‘Seven Nation Army’
Devendra Banhart – ‘I Feel Just Like A Child’
Ratatat – ‘Seventeen Years’
MIA – ‘Paper Planes’
Thom Yorke – ‘The Eraser’
Gil Scott-Heron – ‘New York Is Killing Me’
Radiohead – ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’
Tyler, The Creator – ‘Yonkers’
The Horrors – ‘Sea Within A Sea’
Jai Paul – ‘BTSTU’ (demo)
Bobby Womack – ‘Please Forgive My Heart’
The xx – ‘Angels’
Sampha – ‘Too Much’
Vampire Weekend – ‘Step’
King Krule – ‘Easy Easy’
Adele – ‘Rolling In The Deep’