Various Artists BOUNDARIES: 20 Works From The 64 Bar Challenge

The 64 Bar Challenge was a production project undertaken by the users of the Ninja Tune forum. Each producer made a beat 64 bars in length at an elected tempo, and a DJ put it all together. There were six mix albums spanning 2009-2011, with the concluding mix put together with precision by DJ Food.

Boundaries represents some of the strongest tracks submitted to the 64 Bar Challenge mix album project. It's a showcase of beats by producers from the US, Canada, Chile, Russia, Australia, and all over Europe and the UK. The moods shift from brooding, dark electronica all the way through haunting beauty and then scenes of brilliant, bright light.

Highlights include "All Told" by Echo Park, a slice of sunshine from the LA born producer who recently signed to Skream's Label Disfigured Dubz. The brilliant Proof of Concept lends two tracks to the album. "How to Ruin Everything" is a melodic piece of music that warms the soul. Other stand out tracks include Algo's beat "Dark Fracture", which does what it says in the title. it's a macabre, twisted track with hints of pure evil. And a hip hop inspired slice of synth lead music from DJ Food as he re works Bobby Corridors' "What?" track.

The project has been put together by DJ Kovas, real name Peter Griffin, a DJ and producer based in Cardiff, Wales. He began putting the project together in 2009 after pitching the idea to the Ninja Tune forum. He produces dark and moody beats under the moniker of DJ Kovas. Search Google for Timeframe 2009, his self released debut mix album.

His current residency is at Buffalo in Cardiff, running a night called Feed the DJ, where clubgoers provide 15 of their favourite tunes, and he has to make an on the fly mix for them. He currently has a radio show on seeksmusic.com called The 64 Bar Orchestra.

You can listen to the 64 Bar Mixes here.