Review
Spanning three LPs remastered by Bernie Grundman, the 30th-anniversary reissue of Kruder & Dorfmeister’s DJ-Kicks preserves the warm analog tape hiss of the original 1996 session. For some, like John Bush of AllMusic, the set proved the Viennese duo "are better DJs than they are producers," highlighting how effortlessly they "cruise through jazzy drum'n'bass" and downbeats.
Rather than aiming for the dancefloor, the mix slouches comfortably in a smoke-filled room. The Guardian famously described its relaxed mood as a "dubecho-orgy" that captured the feeling of a "shared student house," crystallizing the era’s horizontal after-hours culture. While NME argued that its sleek, "impeccably tasteful" selection lacked the "spark of sonic ambush," time has been incredibly kind to this slow-burn masterclass. By seamlessly blending everything from deep techno to trip-hop, the duo created an unmatched, late-night continuum that still feels completely unhurried.
