Rating:
Genre: Electronica
Release Date: 02/10/2004

More a greatest-hits volume than Ninja Tune's previous multi-disc collection (the rarities-heavy Xen Cuts), the double-disc Zen: A Retrospective barely includes any Top 40 hits (the number 37 Coldcut's "More Beats & Pieces" is the highest peak), but if dance music had a Hit Parade, there'd be at least a dozen number ones here. The first disc buttonholes listeners by spinning through some of the downright hookiest tracks in dance history (Amon Tobin's "Get Your Snack On," Coldcut's "Atomic Moog 2000," Mr. Scruff's "Get a Move On," DJ Food's "Dark Lady"). The second disc hardly lets up, beginning with "More Beats & Pieces" -- a digital-turntablist symphony that qualifies as the label's highlight -- but also including career highlights (or close to it) from the Herbaliser ("Mr. Chombee Has the Flaw"), Kid Koala ("Fender Bender"), DJ Vadim ("The Terrorist"), and Cinematic Orchestra ("All That You Give"). It really does feature the best tracks that have ever been out on Ninja Tune -- who knows better than the label itself? -- and doesn't neglect the addition of a great rarity or two, like a non-LP "Get Your Head Down" by Luke Vibert and a non-CD version of "Check Fraud" by Fog. An accompanying remix CD and fully packed DVD make the Zen experience a fitting postcard to itself from the best breaks label in the business.

~John Bush, All Music Guide

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Coldcut - Producer
Fontella Bass - Vocals
Matt Coleman - Trombone
Micky Moody - Drums
Andrew Ross - Flute
Andrew Ross - Saxophone
Funki Porcini - Producer
Amon Tobin - Producer
DJ Vadim - Producer
DJ Vadim - Cut
The Herbaliser - Producer
Luke Vibert - Producer
Mr. Scruff - Producer
Kid Koala - Producer
Simon Green - Producer
PC - Producer
Chris Bowden - String Arrangements
Tom Middleton - Producer
Phil France - Bass (Electric)
Phil France - Producer
Phil France - Bass (Acoustic)
J Swinscoe - Producer
Easy Access Orchestra - Horn Arrangements
Rhodri Davies - Harp
Hexstatic - Producer
Danny Huckridge - Bass
Ollie Parfitt - Organ
Ollie Parfitt - Harpsichord
Ollie Parfitt - Wurlitzer
Ollie Teeba - Scratching
Ollie Teeba - Producer
Ollie Teeba - Drum Programming
Jake Wherry - Organ
Jake Wherry - Bass
Jake Wherry - Guitar
Jake Wherry - Producer
Luke Flowers - Drums
Andrew Broder - Producer
Malachi - 12-String Bass Guitar
Tom Chant - Piano (Electric)
Jamie Coleman - Trumpet
T. Daniel Howard - Drums
Echo - Strings
Ralph Lamb - Trumpet
Ralph Lamb - Flugelhorn
Sneaky - Bass
Gill Morley - Violin
Andy Kingslow - Percussion
Milo Fell - Percussion
Jeremy Yluisakar - Producer
Stuart Warrenhill - Producer
Senor Rudi - Producer
Seaming - Arranger
Seaming - Vocals
Patrick Carpenter - Electronics

Endtroducing...
    DJ Shadow / CD / 1996
Psyence Fiction
    UNKLE / CD / 1998
You've Come a Long Way, Baby
    Fatboy Slim / CD / 1998

Release Date: 02/10/2004
Genre: elec