Pendulum - The Reworks (2018)

One of the most popular drum'n'bass acts of the early 21st century, Pendulum are an Australian group based in the United Kingdom. Formed in Perth in 2002, the group was originally comprised of producers Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, who worked in tandem with a local DJ named Paul "El Hornet" Harding. One of the team's initial releases, "Vault," became a sensation amid the drum'n'bass community in 2003, benefiting greatly from its high-profile placement at the beginning of J Majik's FabricLive mix album. The track was also licensed for placement on several other CDs, including Adam F and DJ Fresh's Breakbeat Kaos mix album for Ministry of Sound. Other early productions such as 2003's "Spiral" and 2004's "Another Planet" -- released by Adam F and DJ Fresh on their Breakbeat Kaos label -- were also well-received in the drum'n'bass community.

In 2005, Pendulum made their full-length album debut, Hold Your Colour, featuring the singles "Tarantula" and "Slam." That same year, the group scored its biggest hit to date with a remix of the Prodigy classic "Voodoo People," which broke into the Top 20 of the U.K. singles chart. All of this success in 2005 culminated with an Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1 that arrived late in the year. Following a couple one-off singles -- "Painkiller" (2006; featuring the Freestylers) and "Blood Sugar" (2007) -- Pendulum signed to Warner Music U.K. and made their major-label debut with 2007's "Granite," a Top 30 hit. "Propane Nightmares" (2008), their second release on Warner, was an even bigger hit, breaking into the Top 20 and setting the stage for their second full-length album, In Silico (2008). Spawning four singles, including the U.K. Top Ten hit "Propane Nightmares," In Silico went on to reach platinum status in the U.K., as well as just missing out on the U.K. number one album chart spot. Returning to the studio, Pendulum set about writing their third album, Immersion. Released in 2010, the album shot straight to the top of the U.K. albums chart, and featured collaborations with the Prodigy's Liam Howlett, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, and Swedish metallers In Flames. In support of the album, Pendulum embarked on a world tour, playing two sold-out shows at London's Wembley Arena and headline slots at some of the U.K.'s largest festivals. At the end of 2011, Pendulum took a break from live performing, with Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen focusing their energy on their side project, Knife Party. In 2018, Pendulum returned from a seven-year hiatus, launching their own label, Earstorm. A career-spanning vinyl box set, The Complete Works, was released along with their first remix album, The Reworks, which saw the group's greatest-hits and personal favorite tracks reworked by a selection of some of the biggest names in drum'n'bass and beyond, including Skrillex, Moby, and even prog-metal maestro Devin Townsend. ~ Jason Birchmeier & Rich Wilson