Note: This is the seventh in a series of Solid Steel mixes - collect them all.

Press Release :
Solid Steel continues its most excellent purveyance of the art of the mixtape by asking Brighton's Bonobo to get his opposable thumbs (and fingers) working those crossfaders like there's no tomorrow. Simon Green brings us the seventh in the series and it's time for the man to step and show us how he rocks it whilst out on DJ manoeuvres across the world. And we are happy to report that the boy has talent in spades.

You and I are may be on our way to a Bluewater style temple of mammon most Saturdays but our man Bonobo will be at 20,000 feet strapped into a cramped airline seat nibbling (mechanically recovered) ham & cress sandwiches on his way to another DJ gig in order to spread his belief in heavy, heavy drums strapped to sweet melody. Whilst Simon is an esteemed recording artist and gifted bass guitarist with his brilliant Bonobo live band, it's his DJing that provides the beat research, instant buzz and down and dirty rump shaking that he loves. Those people expecting a 'chilled' mix please turn back now.

Rising like seaweed strewn Godzuki from outta the English Channel the mix kicks off with the custom built and exclusive 'Solid Steel Intro' before flinging us into the sublime 'Sandcastles' by Diesler on the Brighton based Tru Thoughts label, the people that brought us Bonobo releases early doors. The slept-on gem 'Exploration' follows from the Karminsky boys then we head into a slightly tinkered with version of 'Pick Up' by the man himself before staying at the business end of the M23 with more B-Right-On beats from south coast soldiers Flevans and Black Grass (are you seeing a connection here?). By the way the mix from 'Pick Up' to 'Hey Mr Bundle' deserves a rewind, we are talking about being extremely 'in tune and on time' kids.

Every Solid Steel release hits a licensing wall now and again and we can't get the tracks we wanted. In this case the enigmatic 'Solid Steel Players' fill a gap gouged by a negative email from a heartless business affairs department. Recorded in Simon's home studio these mystery men do a sterling job of 'Les Fingres', better than the track it replaced in fact. By now the mood is well established - expertly chosen dusty breaks combined with funked up loops, syncopated horns and double bass cuts. It's a sound, which has always been popular in London-By-Sea, but rarely put together more expertly than this.

The impossible-to-find and gorgeous 'Hidden' by King Seven precedes a killer new track from Bonobo's forthcoming album. It's always great to have an exclusive but rarely do you get one of the jaw dropping beauty and quality of 'Recurring' - wait for that bass to drop about a third of the way in, oh yes indeed. The next track is another exclusive and consists of a self-made, self-referring Bonobo bootleg mashing together his 'Change Down' with 'The Sugar Rhyme' - prize to the person who can tell us which bit is from where.

The mix continues with the cheekily chopped and re-edited nova of 'Marra Bossa' and the pace doesn't really relent until we reach Nat Adderley's spaced out star signs, bringing some jazz to the table. It's not long before things move off into the deeper stretched out and long legged grooves of 'I Know A Little Cuban' and 'Change Is What We Need' by the highly talented Troubleman (most Solid Steel releases seem to feature a Mark Prichard track).

The mix wraps up with the beautifully mellow end section led out by Amon Tobin and completed by Savath & Savalas' godlike 'Paths In Soft Focus' and Ninja's own Super Numeri, whose sixty year old harpist shows once again why he is the motherfuckin' man. This is the part where you go all quiet and stare out of the window for a bit.

Bonobo has delivered us a stunning mix simply infused with sunshine that is guaranteed to inspire a break out of barbeques on the Brighton pebbles (taking home all our litter, naturally). Book your dirty weekend now.