"Panthalassa" revisits a pivotal period in the career of one of the most influential musicians of modern times, Miles Davis. Reconstructed from the original session masters by producer Bill Laswell, this continuous-mix set of Davis' material draws from a trio of albums: "In a Silent Way" (1969), "On the Corner" (1972) and "Get Up With It" (1974).
The music from this experimental era of Davis' career seems to evolve radically from be-bop to hip-hop to untamed psychedelic funk, and this recording makes it clear that modern drum & bass and techno owe as much to Miles Davis as to European electronica acts such as Kraftwerk and '70s funk outfits such as George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic, and Sly and the Family Stone.
It would be a disservice not to recognize some of the supporting cast of musicians on this effort. With a roster that includes Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, bassist Michael Henderson and guitarist Pete Cosey, this ensemble is the modern-day equivalent of an ambient jam band -- liquid in their approach to Davis' sonic vision.
