various artists - Universal Love: 10 Years of Love Injection compiled by Barbie Bertisch & Paul Raffaele various artists

Universal Love: 10 Years of Love Injection is a triple LP collection of genre crossing, open-eared, open-minded tracks which celebrate not only the ten year existence of Love Injection as a 'zine, record label and radio show but also the New York parties that acted as the inspiration and raison d'être for Love Injection's birth and evolution. Indeed it was at Mancuso's iconic parties at The Loft where Love Injection founders and compilers of this collection, Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele, first came up with Love Injection as the name for their project, literally whilst they were dancing to the NYC classic by Trussel. Furthermore it was the eclectic ethos of The Loft that inspired their own Universal Love parties. It was these events that funded the monthly, printed 'Zine and it is this 'Zine which included interviews and features with and on diverse musical contributors as musclecars, Patti Kane, Jaimie Branch, Isiah Collier, Kamasi Washington and major contributors to the NYC club scenes from the wider arts. This diversity and inclusion that reflects the city of New York is also reflected in the 14 tracks collated for Universal Love: 10 Years of Love Injection, including hidden producers Joe Claussell, John Morales and Maurice Fulton. It is clear from its psychedelic blues opening track , its electro interpretation of a Bossa Nova classic, fusions of Soul and Rumba, a Japanese techno reimagining of a Chicago House classic and a track order that could only have been realised by people who understand how a DJ set is built that this compilation is a must have for DJs, dancers and free thinking music lovers alike. Universal Love: 10 Years of Love Injection is more than a celebration of an anniversary; it is an encapsulation of how a vibrant scene is created and built through the curation and selection of the myriad musical options, selectors, music makers and club goers who all contribute. This really is an amazing compilation.