DJ Andy Smith

As the DJ for Portishead, Andy Smith wasn't necessarily one of the better-known mixers in electronic music. After all, most of the music the band made was credited to Geoff Barrow, the mastermind of Portishead's albums. Perhaps that's why Smith went ahead and released The Document, a continuous-mix, various-artists collection that come close to capturing his opening sets for Portishead. It's an unpredictable, surprising disc, one where Jeru the Damaja, the James Gang, Peggy Lee, Barry White, Grandmaster Flash and the Spencer Davis Group all occupy the same space. Surprisingly, the album works, as Smith's juxtapositions are both revealing and entertaining. It's not necessarily an album you'd return to frequently, but The Document is quite enjoyable as it's playing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide