Reviews (4)

"Stick Oan Some Techno"-Irvine Welsh
Although this disc isn't always available, it's well worth getting as a fine example of mid-90's acid jazz/trip hop. Most of the songs are atmospheric & 'downbeat', but there are a few fast, rump-shaking cuts, such as the brilliant 'Million Town' by Strange Cargo (kind of a cross between David Byrne's 'Catherine Wheel' music & Herbie Hancock's 'Future Shock'-era funk), and I agree with the other reviewer about Alex Reece's groovy, electro-samba cut, 'Jazzmaster', it kicks majorly. Patrick Pulsinger and the infamous Barry Adamson also contribute wonderful tracks.

And I must mention MY favorite, Grantby's 'Timber'. This cut is atmospheric crime-acid-jazz-electronica at it's finest, the beginning will blow you away all by itself, and the cut just gets better from there...birdcalls, scratching, this really DOES sound like some weird crime movie soundtrack.

The only diappointing tracks on 'Pop Fiction' (to me, anyway) are the closing track 'Manna' (way too long and goes nowhere; and who is this guy it's credited to, 'Kevin Bacon', anyway?), and the highly overrated track 'To Kill A Dead Man'. Don't get me wrong, I'm a MAJOR Portishead fan, and I think the title of this track is clever and funny, but the music is just tepid and doesn't live up to the cool title. Some listmaniac said that this was comparable to John Barry's spy soundtrack music, NO WAY! There's just too little going on in the track...not only isn't it as good as John Barry, it's not even as good as any other Portishead song. Sometimes B-sides are B-sides for a reason...

But that's just one or two cuts on what is a very strong techno compilation. Just get it for the Grantby, not the Portishead!

Pulsating Bit of Acid Jazz
There are tracks on this cd that will blow you off your chair....its a great piece of action Bond style acid jazz, from Portishead on down, and I originally bought it because Portishead was on it. Alex Reece is phenomenal as well are all the performers. Get it, you won't be sorry....Im an artist, and its great music to work to.

Great CD to listen to, especially Million Town and Beanfield
This is the type of cd you can leave on and on and on. .... and keep on listening. I played it about 40 times in a week.... Try it, you might like it.

incredible
Possibly one of the coolest records ever. If you like Portishead or James Bond style crime jazz, you MUST have this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first U.S. release from the influential U.K. label/dance-music collective Ministry of Sound, Trance Nation America taps the DJ talents of both U.S. coasts in the form of L.A.'s Taylor and New York's Jimmy Van M, two immensely popular mixologists who make good use of this high-profile, double-CD gig. The first disc is Taylor's show, and he wastes no time showing off the anthemic, Christopher Lawrence-esque trance that West Coast DJ's have come to specialize in. Taylor's particular bent is more elegant than most, though, successfully evoking a gentle vibe early in the set with Rabbit in the Moon's floating remix of Garbage's "Milk," and a patient, teasing version of BT's "Dreaming." He definitely does indulge his more primal rhythmic inclinations elsewhere, throwing down the gauntlet with an expertly transitioned Hyperion remix of Inkfish's "Body and Mind," and later, an incredible rendering of his own cranked-up, dance-floor thrill-ride, "Xenophobe." Jimmy Van M's mix on the second disc hovers even more delicately above the turntables, though with a darker, more minor-key vibe that illuminates the stylistic differences that arise regionally in U.S. electronic music. An overt sense of melodic repetition drives the first part of JVM's mix, exemplified in Revolt's "Dive into the Deep," and while his mix gets heavier as it goes, he never leaves that sense of delicacy completely behind. Both mixes display a mystifying ability to explore a huge amount of electronic territory, moving easily between differing rhythms and smoothingover distracting edges. In fact, Ministry of Sound, Taylor, and Jimmy Van M all succeed not only in showing trance's elastic, diverse nature, they also somehow convey the idea that while the U.S. continues to be fertile ground for DJ talent, its regional musical dialects are all still basically derived from the same beat-driven language. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Ministry of Sound's "Trance Nation" finally gets it right.
As soon as I saw "Jimmy Van M" I thought "Twilo" and "Sasha and John Digweed". I was absolutely right! For those of you that don't know, Jimmy Van M warms up for Sasha and John Digweed at Twilo on the last Friday of every month, and as a result he has a very similar style...underground, dark, and melodic progressive house and trance. (none of the cheese trance you'll hear on a Ferry Corsten or Matt Darey "Trance Nation" CD!) Jimmy's CD (CD2) rocks like the very best of the Global Underground series...that's all you need to know.

Taylor's CD does very little for me, but that's what I expected. He insisted on putting a few of his own tracks on this CD..."Anomaly (Calling Your Name)" is a classic trance track, but it is quite old now. (Besides, I wonder just how much of it was written by BT anyway!...probably most of it!) Pink Bomb's "Indica" is another beauty that could also be retired! BT's "Dreaming" is a beautiful track, but it is SO good that I played it out already! The few tracks that I have not heard don't do too much for me! Long story short, Taylor's CD is a good one if you have just started to get into this type of music. But, if you are a trainspotting trance and progressive house junky, that considers the next great track like one of the essential food groups, (like I do!) then you'll probably just want to pick up the CD for Jimmy Van M's disc.

4 stars...5 for Jimmy Van M...3 for Taylor.

Not your typical Trance Nation CD!
This is not your typical Trance Nation CD! Normally I can't stand any release from Ministry of Sound, DJ Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, etc. It's not my style of electronic music. I like something more subdued, more clever, something a little off kilter, like for example, your typical John Digweed, or Dave Seaman release. I don't enjoy trance music where they beat you over the head with the beat, and try to allure you with an obvious synth line that doesn't attract your attention but instead strangles you for it. This is not what you will find here.

That said, fans of progressive house will find plenty to enjoy here. Taylor takes the middle of the road with his mix, dropping plenty of big name anthems, but when all is said and done he leaves a little to be desired. His mixing is excellent, but his track selection is a little too obvious. BT's "Dreaming", Taylor's own "Anomaly", and Pink Bomb's "Indica" have all been overplayed. These are not bad tracks by any means, but they've certainly lost their edge due to over exposure. Since these are the highlights of the set, the rest of the tracks seem mediocre by comparison. Overall, good but unremarkable. Three stars.

Jimmy Van M's set however, is beyond good. I find comparing albums is the best way to convey the sound of an album through words. In this case, Sasha & Digweed's Northern Exposure: Expeditions to me, is the closest sounding album I've heard (which for those who've heard, know that this is among the greatest progressive CD's yet to be released). Starting off with Cass & Slide's absolutely chilling "Opera", you know your already in for a hell of a ride with this mix. In fact, the opener is so good, the rest of album has a hard time reaching this same pinnacle. The rest of the set bumps and burns with trickles of melody at just the right moments to keep your interest. "Klein Aber Doctor" by Almos is the perfect example of this suspense and release style. Other highlights include Revolt's "Dive Into The Deep", Science Dept's "Repercussion" (as heard on John Digweed's "Hong Kong" mix), and Timo Maas' remix of Kee Mo's "Madness". By the time we reach the album's conclusion in LSG's "Hidden Sun Of Venus", we are less content with pumping our fists and jumping in the air than we are just lying staring at the ceiling heart filled with emotion. I cannot recommend this mix anymore for fans of the Sasha, Digweed, or Dave Seaman style of progressive. Simply amazing. Five stars.

Pass the tylenol
Two stars in respect to the great music Ministry of Sound produces. But this album leaves me dissaponted. Only in small doses did this album get me at all intersted (about the middle of the first cd); but quickly settles back down to the coma-inducing hum drum of pointless, directionless beats and melody that butchers even the most potential tracks. Somewhere in the blue whale ocean scinetific research recordings you can slightly hear the pitter patter of what used to be an artists' work. A shame for electronica fans that like the upbeat melodies and climaxes usually defined by trance. I have not heard previous work by Jimmy van M or Taylor, but it is a slap in the face to a prestigous Ministry of Sound with a Trance label. For trance fans and collectors alike this cd will look good in your collection but leave a depressed feel once you eject it from your player.

Average
I saw Taylor and Van M., and both are excellent artists. This cd is good if you are more into Progressive House. I hate to say this but It not that much trance going on in this cd, perhaps the name is a little bit misleading. Some tracks are good such as Taylor's "Xenophobe" and Namito's "Derooz"; LSG's "Hidden Sun of Venus", and Brancaccio & Aisher's "Darker". After all, it is well done, mixed cd.

Should've researched it more...
After much much excitement and almost 20 bucks layed out I was extremely disappointed. The music was really slow, boring and rather dull. The songs start to seem like they're the same as the lack ones. Maybe I'm just too used to other trance but I couldnt' find any trance in this cd! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

DJ Maintains The Original Feel Of High Energy Disco
Almost every Dj that makes an 80's mix for commercial release ends up adding too many sound effects, turntable scratching, or the length of every song is too short. However, this mix is almost perfect: Good song selection, appropriate song length, and smooth crossfades. Still, the way the DJ mixes the last few tracks is uninspiring and the sound quality is good but not excellent, as it was performed using 12" inch vinyl records. Going back to the song selection, I personally like "My Forbidden Lover" by Tapps, and Lime's "Ypu're My Magician." Overall, the mix will keep everyone dancing through through the end, which is why you should get the second volume.

BACK IN THE DAYS
THIS CD IS THE BOMB!, I ENJOYED THE MIXTURE OF CIRCUS DISCO THE HI-N-RG. I HAVE VOLUME 1 & 2, LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE NEW STUFF FROM THUMP RECORDS.

It was okay
it is alrigh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

memories of the garage
The CD is right up there for those who loved the Saint, The Garage and the white parties on the island. This will keep you jumping and turning the volume higher and higher.

Quite good
Some perky and mellow mixes here. A good compilation, unlike many

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!!!
If you need some music to lift you up and get you in a great mood...this is it! It's difficult for me to find some other CD that has all of the great positive energy that this one does!

I Can't Stop Playing This CD!
These are incredible mixes which make you feel like you're in the middle of all the action at your local dance club! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Disco Sounds
Not really much to say here except that this a great compilation of some great disco music. The liner notes actually include a very thoughtful and focused analysis of the seventies and the disco scene, as well as background on the songs and authors. You'll love having all these hits in one place to sit down and reminisce to. Particularly since many of these artists were victims of flash-in-the-pan careers. (Buying the whole Vicki Sue Robinson CD only for "Turning the Beat Around" just isn't economical.) Overall a good compilation and worthy purchase. Party over here! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Rock Is the Focus, But This Is Actually Pretty Accurate
1982 was a year where MTV was on the rise, rockers from the 1970s were dropping out of the public's limelight faster than flies, and a number of faceless new wave artists were emerging. But mainstream rock still had a fair stronghold in the music industry in 1982, and the BILLBOARD TOP HITS-1982 collection represents that pretty well.

During this year, it was generally pop/rock artists instead of new wavers that were getting the top positions on the Billboard charts. And even though only four of these songs in this collection actually reached #1 on the Hot 100, all of the ten songs here placed very high on the charts. Also, the artists represented here were artists that were receiving pretty good publicity for their hits in 1982. You get to hear the J. Geils Band's breakthrough hit "Centrefold," which went to become one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. Hall & Oates also receives representation with "Maneater"; Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes are shown together in their classic pop duet "Up Where We Belong"; Journey is represented with their biggest hit, the stirring "Open Arms"; and Australian import Men at Work created quite a stir with their first hit, the silly "Who Can It Be Now?" When these five songs are put together with Laura Branigan's "Gloria"; Toto's "Rosanna"; Rick Springfield's "Don't Talk to Strangers"; Alan Parsons Project's "Eye in the Sky"; and Quarterflash's "Harden My Heart"; the set makes up a very good collection representing its year, even if it is still actually missing big hits like Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" and the Stevie Wonder-Paul McCartney duet "Ebony and Ivory", possibly due to licensing reasons. With that in mind, some people will probably find a personal favorite or two missing from BILLBOARD TOP HITS-1982, but this is still a worthy collection to pick up.

1982 was a great mixture
1982 and to a lesser extent '83 were probably the best musical years of the '80s simply because we were now in the MTV era of visual bands, but still retained a tiny bit of the past.

You can't go wrong with the upbeat confident fun of Quarterflash's "Harden My Heart" in it's shorter version. Even though I have it a million places, Daryl Hall & John Oates great, funny but real-life inspired "Maneater" is welcome. I feel the same about the sax-driven "Who Can It Be Now". I love the song, but what '80s compilation DOESN'T include it!? Who can forget the party-on rock of the J. Geils' Playboy tribute "Centerfold?" There's plenty medium rock like Rick Springfield's mildly cautios "Don't Talk to Strangers." I also iove Alan Parson's melodic, slighly synth-laden Pop/Rocker "Eye In the Sky."

With a similar style, Toto's huge "Rosanna" is here, again in its single version. The attractive Laura Branigan's surging dance-pop hit "Gloria" is another favorite, even if it's a little silly. The two ballads are Journey's "Open Arms", (a pretty song and their biggerst hit) and Joe Cocker's "Up Where We Belong." This is a big throwback to the singer-songwriter era, but still is a beautiful song and fits in nicely.

Top 40 radio's last "hurrah".
I consider 1982 to be the last year of real honest to goodness Top 40 radio. Once we began to slink into the middle of the decade, the quality of your average pop single seemed to begin to slip. This is only an opinion but I think if you'll compare 1981 to 1987 you'll see what I mean. Once we got to the point where half the songs played on the radio belonged to the same "superstar" artists over and over and over (Steve Winwood, Lionel Richie, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston) it was just so boring to listen to a top 40 station. The diversity was gone and so was the life that pop music had possessed since the early 1960s. I will admit that I think things started to improve again around 89-90 but since that time, radio station program directors are so strict in their respective formats that you have to keep punching the dial from one station to another to hear any kind of variety. But variety still has its' last gasping breaths on this CD which features some of the more popular singles of 1982. Toto, Alan Parsons, Laura Branigan and Men At Work have the highlights.

'82 Revisited
This is an average collection of songs from '82. "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band is a classic and is welcome on any album. Songs like "Gloria", "Harden My Heart" & "Eye In The Sky" are nice additions as they are good songs and you'd never want to purchase complete Laura Branigan, Quarterflash or Alan Parsons to get them. "Maneater" is not one of Hall & Oates better efforts and "Up Where We Belong" is still sappy as ever. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Real Quality Freestyle, ..............Take Notes
This is the intro CD of one the best freestyle labels ever, period. You can see that hard work and dedication went into this CD because it is real quality freestyle. This is what freestyle is supposed to be like, great production, awesome vocals, clear quality sound. Willie Valentin really saved freestyle for a while with his creation of the Artistik label, and is most likely still working on more great freestyle under that label. If you want to buy a great quality freestyle CD, and for some reason don't have this yet, buy it, along with every other Artistik freestyle CD you can find. Peace, Keep Freestylin'. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is Oakie?!
I hadn't heard of this cd before I saw it in the store, and I got it because it's Oakenfold. But this isn't the same Oakenfold sound as on his Cream Resident cd, or his Global Underground NY cd, and certainly not like his essential mixes. The first three tracks are terrible, though after that it's not as bad, though compared to some of Oakie's stuff, this is trash. The few songs that aren't completely horrible are what stopped me from giving this a 1. Save your money and get Tranceport, or head over to the Sasha section.

A+
This album is just as good ad DJ Burchett's album released....good work!

Yuck
Although I love Oakenfold, this cd is not very good. The music dates itself and it's very simplistic and generally awful..I tried to get into it without success. The worst.

Terrible
I'm a fan of a lot of Oakies' stuff - but this mix absolutely did not do his name any justice - keep surfin', this cd is terrible.

house fans will probably enjoy this recording a lot
its not a bad cd. its a bad trance compilation, as oakies presence strongly entails, but this being more of a house work, comparable to "modern day" recordings such as disc one of club nation miami 2002, i gave it three stars. not bad house. just dont call it "trance" ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I'm very impressed...
I heard this CD yesterday in a stationery shop and was immediately taken with it - I went on a mission and found it at a local shop and have been playing it ever since. I'm pretty much a traditionalist and I'm not a huge chillout fanatic but I have my share of Cafe del Mar CDs and I LOVE this CD. There are enough sample tracks to listen to it if you aren't sure and don't want to take my word for it, so what are you waiting for?

Something new for Christmas
They were playing this in a store where I was Christmas shopping this month. I liked it enough to track down the manager and ask him to find out what it was. Unlike another reviewer, I've played it in both my laptop and in the big PC with the fancy speakers and it played just fine. It's spent more time in my car though and I think it will continue in there once the season is over. It's been a big hit with the teenage crowd in the family and we're tracking down more music like this now.

to survive the Christmas season w/o all the sugar-coating...
Being a fan of the OmLounge series of discs, I was naturally drawn to this sound when I heard it in my local small bakery one morning. If you are, like me, someone who has had it up to 'here' with the gooey Christmas sound that we are generally forced to endure year after year, this is a refreshing slice of the season. While we all might have good memories of some of the tunes from when we were little..they've been recycled a few too many times in the usual format. However, this album gives you many of them, but with a techo or latin-flavored 'lounge'-mellow mix. Can't say I'm thrilled with every single hit: don't much care for their version of 'Silent Night', but I think I'll be able to survive this a few more years of "the holiday season" in the "Reindeer Room".

A Chill-Out Album For The Holidays
You knew this was coming, didn't you...a Christmas chillout selection. You know that it's a brave step when a label steps up to the plate to attempt to meet the challenge.

Well Florida-based label Kriztal steps up to the plate and scores a home run with "The Reindeer Room," a collection of both classic and original holiday tunes put forth from some of the brightest artists in the downtempo scene. These tunes are fresh takes on the classics that we all have had to put up with year-after-year-after-year.

Hide those other Yuletide tiredness (okay, except maybe "A Charlie Brown Christmas") and go for different. "The Reindeer Room" brings out the "chill" in Christmas in a very good way.

Reindeer Room - A Christmas Chillout
I just bought this over the weekend and I was totally blown away by the originality of the music. Finally a fresh approach to holiday music. Also, it played in my PC with no problems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great sampling of ambient tunes
Most of the works in this compilation are of a more leisurely, relaxing pace. Some ambient music is more appropriate for a chill out room at a club, but this seems better suited for relaxing at home with a few friends or alone. The majority of the songs are very soothing and melodic, gradually lulling you in a half-lidded, restful state. The music itself is fairly minimalist, opting for carefully chosen and assembled tones over a wall of noise. Sometimes it almost feels as though you are drifting through space. My favorite tracks are Omicron's Nightfall, Selway's Inside Wasting Time, Human Mesh Dance's Freefall, and Escape Tank's Room 9. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Goo Squirts!
When I'm strapped for cash and stressed out I stroll home, blunted, hearing all sorts of fine music outta my headphones...all because of hed sessions...

Finally!
Finally I have found the perfect Trip-Hop album! This is so nice, so laid-back and groovy without any annoying or off-beat tracks to break the mood. THIS is what that Shadow Masters Trip Hop album should have been. I am in love....... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Rareties Collection
As with the first volume of this set, the songs included here are real rareties. They represent what disco was for dancers in the 70's-- not the radio hits played everywhere, but the songs that pulled us onto the dance floors of the best clubs and pushed us into ecstatic heights. Not all of the tracks here are stand-outs, but there are some real finds from the late 70's and early 80's glory days of disco. "Standing In The Rain" is even better than Don Ray's bigger hit "Got To Have Loving" and his album is sadly no longer available on CD. The ubiquitous Patrick Adams is represented in Cloud One's "Rainbow" and this is a less grating choice of his work than many of his other productions. Cuban violinist Alfredo de la Fe puts in a great dancing number with "Hot To Trot." "Dancin' To The Beat" is a funky disco track, while "Two Hot For Love" and "Making Love" are examples of erotic disco that isn't puerile. In the 70's there were frequent and loud complaints that disco music was repetitious and narrow-- people seem to forget that dance music is constrained by its very nature into certain categories of styling, be it waltzes, Big Band, polkas, techno, or disco. It has to work on the dance floor. Sometimes it ascends to greater listening pleasure. Compiler Joey Negro has assembled here and on the first volume of this series a selection of recordings that reflect the highlights of the genre that perhaps even the naysayers would be forced to acknowledge as good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the first heavily produced notes of "Fault Lines" from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's collaboration with Michael Brook, Bliss dances lightly into a relaxing exercise in musical solitude. Several interesting and notable artists are included in this quilt of choice songs plucked from already-released albums. Among the more interesting of the synthed tunes are Sarmila Roy's "Svetasvatara Upanisad," emitting an eerie, lovely color rooted in Indian classical music; the nocturnal and darkly soothing "Mekong" from Jam Nation; and Sheila Chandra's "Excerpt from ABoneCroneDrone," featuring long, thick synth under her delicate, exotic voice. Holding up the slightly livelier tone of the album's second half is Afro Celt Sound System's "Inion," a melancholy yet punchy little number. With music from Southeast Asia, the Far East, Africa, and Europe, Bliss handsomely meshes the spiritual beyond with the here and now. --Karen Karleski ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Stunning
There are some pieces of music that seem to transcend being itself. One such piece is "Svetasvatara Upanishad" by Sarmila Roy. One of the best pieces of music I have ever heard, maybe even the best. The word "Bliss" does not even begin to describe it. After listening to this piece I hardly feel like living any more, so tempting it is to just forget everything and let go.
A piece like this alone justifies the whole album. But there are two more excellent pieces here: "Orovela" by The Tsinandali Choir and "Abha" by Iarla O Lionaird. Ayub Ogada and U Srinivads& Michael Brook are also very nice. The rest is the usual uneven "World Music" mishmash.
Buying it just for the "Svetasvatara Upanishad" is worth it.

A solid compilation...
"Bliss" is an appropriate introduction into the world music category. For the novice fan of world (such as myself), it serves as a sampler platter of some of the best that is available in this genre. For the seasoned listener, it is a collection of the best musicians in world music. This album is solid. Then again, do you ever expect any less from Peter Gabriel? "Bliss" is a mix of world music that works together to form a euphonious sound experience, despite its' eclectic constitution.

I made the mistake of listening to it in its entirety in the middle of the day as I was finishing up some work and ended up falling asleep before I finished what needed finishing. Unless you are one of those people who solely listen to tribal "sounds of the rainforest"... this c.d. has a sedating effect. However, with the right timing, "Bliss" proved to be an effective salve for the wounds inflicted by everyday life... (i can't believe I just wrote that). It's a great c.d. to wind down to. Because I am not fully acquainted with this genre of music, I cannot begin to describe in adequate terms how wonderful the music is. Just know that it is, indeed, wonderful. Chinese Canon is my personal favorite for its optimistic and almost vocal melody lines. That and it works well with the acoustics in my bathroom, soaring almost and making the 5x10 space seem cavernous.

The melodies transport you and you get a sense of both richly complex mystery and blinding realization. The compilation is an excellent one and thoroughly satisfying. "Bliss" boasts the innovative spirit of ambient and discards the cheesiness of "New Age," making for an excellent world album. If you're just getting into world music, this album is a great one to start off with. If you are, in fact, a longtime listener, "Bliss" may prove to be a bit too jumpy for your taste.

Melodic and Diverse Compilation of Soothing World Music
A budding international music fan, I picked up Bliss at a local used CD store. It has quickly become my favorite disc, and has also exposed me to several artists to whom I would have never listened otherwise--including Ayub Ogada and the Afro Celt Sound System.

Bliss is soothing, eclectic, and makes an excellent gift for anyone with diverse musical tastes. I recommend it, and the entire Real World series, to anyone looking to broaden their musical interests but reluctant to spend money on an international CD that may turn out to be "weird." Weird Bliss is not. Be forewarned: it's also a bit of an aphrodesiac.

dreamy
This is the best new age/space/world/ambient mix I have ever bought, even though you may as well hit stop after the first five tracks where it begins to goes down hill. I have never heard five songs blend so well together as the ones on this CD. The 3rd and 4th tracks rank as two of the best world music songs I have ever heard; they are simply stunning and made this one of my most cherished mix purchases.

Excellent But Not Quite Transcendent
We are the world, etc. Nothing new as far as that goes, of course, but it's great to see such fantastic artists as U Srinivas and Sheila Chandra pushed out a little farther into mainstream awareness. The album's mix is unparallelled and the track selection superb, but unfortunately the collection never rises above the sum of its parts.

It's certainly useful for relaxation and meditation, though I generally prefer the consistent tone provided by a single artist or group. It's also an outstanding introduction to the Real World label and the quiet side (don't say New Age, please) of world music in general. You can't go wrong with Bliss, but make sure to graduate to the full-length albums of the singers and players herein. ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Oakenfold, can there be no other?
Oakenfold at his best. An absolutely wonderful cd to listen too. When it first came out, it just blew me away. 1/2 the songs were white labels and the others... songs from Ibiza 98 eg Greece 2000, Everytime.

First Disc, is mixture of house and garage with trance to end it off. It starts off with not much pace but slowly makes it way to a nice peak time on "Paradise" and ends with "Greece 2000"

Second Disc: a Jungle track to begin, and like the first side, some nice chill out tunes . Everything gets loose on albion "air" and than gets crazy on an Oakenfold regular "Nautical Bodies" , than staying with the trance beat he kicks in another of of his usuals with "Dream Universe" This ends this crazy journey with a nice epic tune at the end.

Now this is a complete mix. Forget Tranceport. And get Global Underground 07. Oaky in his true form, and not that commercial junk. Also, if you want to hear Oakenfold live at the "Courtyard" than get the Resident cd, which is also good.

A gorgeously mixed, fabulous selection of tracks
Paul Oakenfold, recently voted "number one dj" in Great Britain, has gone largely "mainstream" in the last couple of years, spinning a lot of commercial trance/house tracks for the BBC and the like. His recent "Tranceport" cd mix was an anthem-laden effort that was boring to longtime trance fans, but served to make this exciting musical genre accessible to many American listeners who perhaps knew nothing of it previously.

The two Global Underground mixes Oakenfold has crafted show his dj-ing skills at their peak, however. This "New York" set was terrifically exciting when it was released in spring 1998, as many of the tracks were still "white label," and hence fresh and exciting. By now (mid-1999), the material is "old," but the mix still works, particularly certain sequences on disc one, including his ethereal sequencing of Taste Experience's "Summersault," The Fathers of Sound's "Water," and Solar Stone's "Day by Day" (mislabeled on the cd liner notes, by the way).

For anyone the least bit curious as to what all the excitement is about regarding European trance and progressive house, and in particular, fine dj mixes blended from this material, this set is an excellent starting point for further exploration.

Simply excellent!!
This CD is one of my favorites. Is a must have, from Oakenfold. kind of "the black album" of Metallica. I relly really recomend this album. The CD1 is just a piece of art...a delicious thing...I love it.

So-so mixing; superb tracklist
Global Underground 007: New York has the dark and cosmopolitan undertones that parallel the allure and glamour of the Big Apple itself. Oakenfold does a great of capturing the spirit of NYC with this 2-cd mix.

From the serenading vocals of Mystica - Bliss and Jamie Myerson to the subsequent chill vibrations of Solarstone and Taste Experience to the mesmerizing beats of Oakenfold's Touch remixes and 3 Drives - Greece, CD1 takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride of emotion and excitement that doesn't let up throughout the first act.

CD2 starts off with a drum-n-bass remix of Ambrosia's "Inside your arms", which offers a laid-back lounge sound in contrast to the build-up in rhythem and emotion that encompasses CD1. This atmosphere continues for several tracks through the wistful tones of Talisman & Hudson, Junk Project, and the relaxing waves of sound of Albion - Air. Then, just before the end of "Burning Flame", a rapid buildup of energy occurs and we are once again thrust into a dreamlike sequence of melodic trance, starting with "Balla con Ritmo" by Cyclone Tracy (awfully reminiscent of Andry Nalin and Kanes "Beachball") and continuing well towards the end of the CD.

While Paul Oakenfold is no Tiesto or Sasha when it comes to mixing and great transitions, his versatility as a DJ who is able to combine elements of trance, house, psychedelic, drum-n-bass, and bring together unique tunes into an overall euphonic experience is unrivaled, even by the likes of Nick Warren, Deep Dish, and Sasha & Digweed.

sweat the speakers
Some will hail GLOBAL UNDERGROUND:OSLO as Oaky's prolific effort. While it definitely ranks high, GU 007:NY is a bonafide treat for whatever stereo setup you may have. Many styles and moods permeate the selections. Not one to analyze the creative process for this project, I can simply put this on and enjoy a tour-de-force of smartly crafted music. "Summersault", "Inside Your Arms", "Life In Mind", "Air", "Sex Drive" and "Deeper Love" are but just a few masterpieces on display here. Get it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Drum and Bass for Dummies.
For the average consumer, picking the right drum-and-bass compilation is as risk-free as a game of Russian Roulette. Among the CDs that keep crowding record store bins, there are the quality sets and their shoddily-assembled imitators. But for those who want to introduce themselves to the genre should consider "Bass in Your Face," which features remixes of tracks from artists familiar to the average Joe Schmo. Nervous beats and a memorable bassline revamp Missy Elliott's "The Rain," while rubbery bass glides through Busta Rhymes' radically transformed "Dangerous." En Vogue get the drum-and-bass makeover on the Babyface-penned "Whatever," and the disc's best moment is Armand Van Helden's dynamic re-working of Aaliyah's "One in a Million." Those already familiar to the genre may stick with other releases for advanced students in the drum-and-bass school, but this disc is a worthy consideration for those looking for a good introduction that doesn't have that cheesy "Totally Dance" aftertaste.

This is definitely D & B..
Actually Mickey Finn, Aphrodite, Dillinja, Natural Born Chillers, Lemon D, Dream Team (Bizzy B & Pugwash), Breakbeat Science, and 4 Hero are all Drum & Bass artists, so this easily and most definitely qualifies as a D & B CD. Some of the tracks are excellent, such as The Rain and Me or the Papas..

This is Bass, not Drum & Bass
This is a great CD filled with Bass for your subwoofers in your car, but it is not Drum & Bass. It has lots of really great remixes which I love. Lots of drop beats, and low lows for chest shaking sounds... but no Jungle style Drum & Bass. Buy this one for your car if you've got subs in the trunk!

A Cool CD especially those with varied taste
I am a huge drum & bass fan. And most everything else for that matter. I think the cd is awesome, and is a superb blend of 2 cool genres. For those who think that rap and techno can not blend should hear stuff by propperheads, archive, and roni size just so they can know how wrong they are. Dilinja's remix of me or the papes is incredible

saving grace
all right, i'll agree with DMBassfan305 as to the fact that the two genres of bass and hip hop are different from each other in a very definite way, but jeru the damaja's "me or the papes" (dillinja remix) is an incredible song in a strange sense, and so redeems the album somewhat. as a drum n bass fan, though, i have to say that the mix presented here should be kept seperate. this is one of those "could be better, could be worse" kinda things. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Start with Volume 2
The idea of exposing dub to the masses with fresh faces and mixes is a great idea, but Volume 2 of this series is better than this one. Start there, and if you dig it, know that this volume isn't all bad, but doesn't push the envelope anywhere near as much as vol. 2. Mostly for completists of the series or die-hard dub heads. Casual or new listeners? Go see volume 2.

Great Dub Introduction
This is a great album that almost anyone can get into, not just fans of the genre or electronic music. I play it all the time at the store I work at, and it's great for setting a mellow mood. I constantly have people ask me what is playing, and if we sell it. I would definetely check it out.. actually, the whole HI-FI series is pretty incredible. Almost everything Guidance Recordings puts out is worth listening to.

A solid dub album
This album is good for a few kicks, and it will definitely be staying in my collection. I really wish I could give it 3.5 stars, because while it is a nice, tight dub album, there are a few shortcomings here. Notably, the tech influence is a little edgy on the more rootsy tracks, and being a roots fan I couldn't quite dig it as much as I would like. Not only do Augustus Pablo and Lee Perry blow this out of the water, so do King Tubby, Mad Professor and Sly and Robbie.

The one very high note on this album is the final cut. "Free marijuana"....indeed, brotha, indeed.

Best dub in years
W O W ! I've been listening to dub since I was a kid. And I tell you.. This is one of the most serious brainsmashing heavy dub pieces released for years. If you like the samples you will definately like the whole album. Highly Recommended!

Best dub album of the past 20 years
This album is, without a doubt, the best reggae dub album to be released since 1980. The only thing this album can be compared to is the great King Tubby, Lee Perry, or Scientist recordings that have been re-released by Blood and Fire or Pressure Sounds. This is the only dub album that captures the feeling of the early dub masters while sounding completely new and original. The only thing I can really say is that if King Tubby were still alive, this is the kind of album he should be making. Dub reggae with crystal clear sound. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great collection of excellent mixes
Purchased to use for an exercise class I teach (THE BRAINS AND BRAWN WORKOUT), and I've ended up using it for my own workouts as well. I wish each song were actually mixed into the next, but the tempos are consistent for the most part and all are great versions of good, popular hits.

Classic Dance
Flawless classics. These are songs that make people scream when they're played at clubs. Especially Sandy B, and Livin Joy. This cd is a definate must if your looking for songs missing from your dance collection!

da best dance cd
this cd is the best because it has all the songs played at the clubs. i love going to clubs and when i get home i put the cd on and i kept partying all night long!

Buy This!
I can't believe more people haven't bought this! The music is great! It opens with the best song of all "If You Could Read My Mind." If you're familiar with the Ultimate Dance Party compilations, this falls right in line. Go out and grab a copy! You won't regret it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

real Nintendo music
exelent record i have the vinil ver
one of the best electronic record i have ever heard ... Read more