It matters not one jot what the star turn on the DJ circuit looks like, because, let’s face it, the modern pastime of DJ-ing and mixing has arisen largely from the back bedrooms of leafy suburbia. Of course, trying hard not to make the up-and-comers look too ‘geeky’, an inevitability of today’s PC-based industry, is the role of the PR specialist, and checking into Jim Rivers’ background, reveals that the professional publicity shot is a whole lot moodier and creative than the man himself, who happens to look about twelve years of age (judging by his Facebook entry) and the sort of kid that might be subjected to playground jibes and jests.

However, place him behind a pair of turntables and a half decent mixing desk and you can understand the excitement displayed by Global Underground and the application of Rivers to the rebirth of its ‘nubreed’ compilations after no less than seven years away from the scene. On the face of it, he is most definitely the new and younger blood that several venues need to build and maintain their local and national statuses.

Yet, delving into the 37-tracks of this latest twin-CD album, I could not help but feel that ‘Young Jim’ needs a shot of something himself. Apparently he has been hitting the headlining spots at clubs as varied as Ministry of Sound, Shindig and Urban Gorilla and he certainly manages the typically repetitive and glitchy electronic sound to perfection. However, I have a problem with it, in that it lacks any creative strain. In fact, the backbeat is simply too samey and the repetitive elements are perhaps a touch too sweet and lacking in the harder edge of several of his rivals.

It is stated that it took three months to complete this album. Well, all I can hope is that Jim enjoyed his holiday, because you would be hard-pushed to tell. Tedious and boring, this is hardly the dazzling debut that either of them needs.