Amazon.com

Moby is back on dance floor turf after the full-body assault of the hardcore Animal Rights. Here he rounds up his existing soundtrack work (for The Saint and Scream, among others), debuts his funky retro take on the James Bond theme (rejected by the producers of Tomorrow Never Dies), and reprises his towering guitar assault on Joy Division's "New Dawn Fades." Fans of his classic Everything Is Wrong disc should check "Go," a house track fueled by a Twin Peaks sound bite. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Good stuff
I am one of the many people whose first Moby album was Play. I liked that album so much that I decided to check out some of his previous stuff. Of all the other albums he has put out, I think I Like to Score is the best. I was surprised how many of these songs I had already heard before and never knew it was Moby. New Dawn Fades and God Moving Over...were two songs that I remember hearing on the movie Heat and I always wondered who did them cause I liked the songs so much. Those are two of my favs cause I had heard them before, but the other songs are all good too. The album is similar to Play in that it features a mix of dance songs, bluesy songs, and some that sound kinda like classical music. Love Theme is one of the better soulful songs, while Go and James Bond Theme are good high-paced, dance songs. An excellent album and I think Moby should think about doing a volume II because he has had more songs used in movies, including some excellent work on Any Given Sunday.

I like this score
Many Moby's fans often treat this album as his weakest effort collecting rare,unreleased and re-recorded tracks used in movies.actually thees songs are not that bad as some say.
Of course it is not a Regular album but it is not lacking any chronology and it is very good as you listen to it from begining to the end.

1."Novio" - Typical slow moby track with ambient piano and some gregorian choirs.very poetic and relaxing. 5/5
2."james bond theme" - energetic,agressive and dancable theme with kiler guitar.horns are outstanding.i really like that track,it is really dynamic and fun 5/5
3."go" - Moby's classic,his first hit.Contains theme from David Lynch's Twin Peaks theme.dark,full of electronic beats,amazing.this version is refreshed a bit but still very fine. 5/5
4."Ah-ah" - very psychedelic acid-techno song.wierd but good,this songs was on his debut album,here it is remixed and it sounds more agressive 4/5
5."I like to score" - quite short song driven by funky guitar.it is only interlude for me,nice but nothing special 3/5
6."oil 1" - this was on "the saint" movie,fast dance track,musically it is moby at his best techno years but the woman moaning here can make it sound boring after some time. if not the woman's voice i wuold give it five stars. 3/5
7."new dawn faces" - amazing Joy division cover,Moby songs here and whole songs has havy guitar arrange.different than the rest of album but i just love that songs in both versions.Hard rocking track. 5/5
8."god moving over..." - great ambeint piece,one of the best from "everything is wrong" album,here is in shorter edited mix,100 times weaker than long album cut. you must hear it in 8 minutes version to feel it. 3/5
9."first cool hive" - relaxing track from "everything is wrong" - here in longer version.driven by great vocals and interesting bass riff.one of my favourites 5/5
10."Nash" - short spanish styled piece. 3/5
11."love theme" - guitar sounds like Mike Oldfield himself recorded it.the songs sounds sadly quite standard and too sweet,but hey,it's love theme. 3/5
12."grace" - sit down and relax to this 5 minutes minimalistic piece of music.simmilar to some "play" tracks. 4/5

In conclusion it is a must-have for any moby fan. I got this album after "play","18" and "everything is wrong" and i like really this cd,it reminds of more earlier moby style represented by his mid-nineties records. Do not expect a masterpiece,it is a collection,but tracks like "go","new dawn fades","novio" or "james bond theme" are making it a really good buy

A good listen.
The good thing about this release is that...well, pretty much all of the tracks are good. The bad thing about this release is that the tracks are waterd-down, shortened ones from the originals. Such as the track "God Moving Over the Face of Water", the original is much longer and more heartfelt. I do however like the little extras in the version featured on this release. I recommend it to a Moby fan, but nothing else. I am a Moby fan, therefore I enjoyed this release. But it's not my favorite by Moby. But it still manages to get a 4/5 from me.

I like to score
I don't know why "I Like to Score" gets a lot of heat from other reviewers. I always thought "I Like to Score" (and still do) was a solid Moby album. Yes "Play" was my first Moby cd that I bought but at the time when I bought "Play" (in '99), I lived with a guy who was a big Moby fan and he owned "I Like to Score" and would play it quite a bit. I thought Moby's cover of the James Bond theme was/is tight. That song should have been used for the last James Bond movie, not Madonna's watered electro-clash "Die Another Day". "I Like to Score" kicks off with the hauntingly beautiful "Novio" which can also be found on "Everything is Wrong" (an essential Moby album to own). In fact quite a few songs off "I Like to Score" can be found on "Everything is Wrong" like "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" and "First Cool Hive" but they also can be found on various soundtracks hence the purpose of this collection, Moby's music from soundtracks. "I Like to Score" may not be the sonic masterpiece that "Play" is but it is not the POS that some people make it out to be. It is a good solid album. People to need to listen to it with open ears and open minds, and not expect "Play pt.2".

Some Good Stuff
This release is not the most particularly strong mix of music that Moby has ever created. Many of the songs are from Moby's earlier releases (such as First Cool Hive, God Moving Over the Face of the Waters, Go, etc), and are almost all remixed to better fit the needs for the movies they were in. While this CD has some neat gems like the James Bond Theme (which is funky, fast paced, and energetic), this album definately drags at times with some of the super down tempo instrumentals that does not give the world a great idea about what Moby is truly about. A better repository of early Moby work can be found on MobySongs 93-98, which includes most of the work off this CD. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Don't listen to the delusional pessimists!
This is probably the best two-disc album I've ever heard (only behind Oakenfold's Resident: Two Years at Cream). In a 160 minute album of course you are going to have some songs that you don't like ("Electronic Malfunction" comes to mind). But overall, this is definitely one of Tiesto's best works. I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about. The mixing is probably the best I've heard from Tiesto (almost as good as the first half of In Search of Sunrise 3). There is no way this CD deserves anything less than 4.5 stars. Just look at the track listings on CD 2. I'm sure you've heard the world's best DJs play them (Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, etc.). CD 1 isn't as "trancey" as CD 2. It is more "housey." The first few tracks might surprise an avid Tiesto fan and cause him or her to instantly rate Nyana as "nowhere near as good as his Magik 6 or ISS 3." If you're looking for something more than just cheese trance this is for you. If you're looking for the old Tiesto, this is also for you (just start on track 5 of CD 1).

Disc 1: 4 stars Favorite song: "Mistral"
Disc 2: 5 stars Favorite song: "Beautiful Things"
Overall: 4.5 stars

Not a Magik Journey, but Magical nonetheless
What happens when you combine many of today's bangin trance anthems and tunes with DJ Mag's #1 ranked DJ? This is the question that you shall answer yourself because if you want to experience the Majik that is Tiesto you WILL want to get this cd.

First off, I will state that this is NOT my favorite trance album, or Tiesto album for that matter. The Magik series, Summerbreeze mix, and In My Memory (consisting of Tiesto's finest productions) have definitely made it hard to determine what I consider to be Tiesto's finest work. However, as far as this mix goes relative to what has been produced by other DJs I would have to rate this as one of the best mixes of it's time. And that is not easy considering the works of other heavy hitters such as Paul Van Dyk, George Acosta, Armin Van Buuren, etc..

For anyone new to the Trance genre, this album will give you an idea of what is like to swim amongst a sea of glow-stick waving tranceaddicts in the most cosmopolitan cities of the globe. For those who have been loyal to the genre for years, you will not be disappointed. This cd is the next best thing to having the opportunity to appear at one of Tiesto's live performances.

This is not one of those mixes that takes several play-throughs to develope an appreciation for. From the first track (M. Mayer), the beat immediately picks up, thrusting you into tribal rhythms (Acapulco, Planisphere). The beat dies down a little, only to be replaced by dreamy melodies (Darren Tate, Midway, Tiesto) and then soaring vocals (Jan Johnston, Sinead O'Conner). The only letdown of the entire cd imo were the cheesy vocals of "Electronic Malfunction", but that is immediately compensated for by Gareth Emery's "Mistral".

The second cd starts off rather subdued with Catcher's Destiny Sunrise, but blossoms into quite a melody and a euphonic transition into Black Hole Production's Filterheadz "In Your Eyes". From then it keeps getting better with another Black Hole production (Andain's "Beautiful Things"), two tracks from superb remixers Solar Stone and the pychedelic '93 returning mix of James Holden's "Nothing" made famous by AvB's ASOT radio broadcast. After the excitement dies down with two tracks of melodic trance, "Forever Waiting" and "As the Rush Comes" , the mix kind of drags on with some more cheesy vocals from Tina arena. Fortunately, Tiesto manages to recover with P.O.S. "Remember" and one my personal favorites Solid Globes "North Pole".

While not an impressive mix by the standards of a hardcore Tiesto fan, this certainly deserves a place in the collection of anyone who is a proclaimed tranceaddict.

Blah - Not an Attention Grabber
Well, I have been an electronic music lover for over 15 years now. I guess I have a habit of buying cd's by their hype sometimes. This cd is one of those cd's. I don't think there's anything in particular about this cd that makes it stand out from a crowd.

There's very few songs that really make this album stick in my head for more thana few seconds. Not only that but the progression from the beginning to the end of the cd is non existant. If you like transe that you can put on and ignore in the background...this is ok. But if you want something to hold your attention from beginning to end...this isn't it.

It may just be I am not a fan of Tiesto, but the cd isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Beautiful sounds, good beat
I am a big fan of Andy Hunter, and in an article I was reading about him in DJ Times magazine, it mentioned that Andy Hunter's sound is in the same camp with DJ Tiesto. So, since I like Andy Hunter, I decided to check out DJ Tiesto! And I'm glad I did because I really like this album, although Andy Hunter's Exodus still tops it in my book. (I haven't heard any other DJ Tiesto albums.)

The lush electronics and driving dance beat that Andy Hunter and DJ Tiesto create, in my book is the most beautiful and at the same time most exciting type of dance music being made today. These sounds take me way back to the days of Giorgio Moroder, including his work with Donna Summer ("Our Love" and "Lucky," for example). I'm not in any way saying that this music sounds dated or even that it sounds like that music; I'm saying I've liked the use of electronics in dance music for 25 years now, and when it's made as beautifully as it is by Andy Hunter and made, collected, and mixed by DJ Tiesto on this album, it touches my musical soul in a deep way that goes way back.

While the beat is strong enough that it makes me want to get up and dance, this music never becomes low-brow party music, but is always top of the class in sophistication and beauty; the rich electronics and the occasional vocals are pretty and elegant.

This is a 2-CD album; disc 1 is labeled "Outdoor" and disc 2 is labeled "Indoor." Actually, there is not much difference in the sound between the two, but the title "Outdoor" gives me some mental pictures during my favorite sequence on the album, which begins with the instrumental tracks "Totem" and continues through "Inca" and "Nyana" and winds down with the vocal tracks "Venus" and "Tears From The Moon." In some portions of this set, I can picture dancing in some picturesque, majestic place on a sunny day among the red rocks in Utah or New Mexico, or somewhere in the Andes Mountains under a starlit sky. It's amazing what a title can do for you! "Let The Light Shine In" and "Venus" have the most beautiful electronics sounds on the album...so rich, so lush...oh how they reach down into my musical soul and touch me with enchanting emotions. They are every bit as good as "Amazing" by Andy Hunter. This 36-minute, 6-song sequence is the climax of this 2 1/2 hour album.

I have three versions of "Tears For The Moon" by Conjure One featuring Sinead O'Connor. This one is definitely my favorite. I have two versions of "Never" by The Roc Project featuring Tina Arena. The other one I have is found on DJ Louie Devito's Dance Factory Level 2 album. The difference between these two versions is a perfect example of the difference DJ Tiesto makes. DJ Tiesto's version is far more sophisticated sounding. The version on Louie Devito's album sounds almost like pop-dance, but DJ Tiesto takes the vocals into the background a bit and adds his rich electronics, giving the song infinitely more class.

Beautiful to listen to, great to dance to...this is the ultimate style of dance music, delivered with sophistication and skill.

Good but not great
I am a big fan of DJ Tiesto, but this was not one of his best works. Tracks that I really enjoy are Venus w Jan Johnston, Tears from the Moon w Snead O'Connor, Beautiful Things on Disc 2 and Never w Tina Arena on Disc 2. I always have enjoyed the upbeat tempo and feel of Tiesto CD's, but the groove gets lost in parts, and only a handful of the tracks are "danceable". With most sets that Tiesto has released, one can get swept up in the music and tempos, but that just didn't really happen here. It is however a good set to just sit back and relax. Some good vocal pieces and some good tempos, but Tiesto has done better. I was particularly annoyed by Electronic Malfunction. This tune just doesn't seem like his style and completely out of place in the set. So I would give Tiesto 3.5 to 4 stars on this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Goldie meets a caffeine-fueled Portishead on the full-length debut from a much-buzzed Manchester duo. Louise Rhodes provides the Bjork-like vocals, Andrew Barlow the complex drum & bass underpinnings. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (84)

The music is engaging, but the vocals are strictly average.
I found this album to be a great disappointment. Several critics awarded it with great review and I thought, like many others, "Hey. This might be worth buying." The trip-hop genre has much to offer, and many exceptional artists have emerged from it's core. Portishead, Massive Attack and Tricky come to mind immediately. They each show wonderful talent in this new and engaging genre. Lamb, however, falls short with their debut. The music is compelling and it keeps the artist interested, yet when Rhode's voice flows in, it loses much of the impact. Her vocals are strictly average and aren't really anything to drool over. There are a few worthy tracks, however, that shine through the rest of the blandness here. Songs like "Lusty," "Zero," and "Gorecki" are somewhat worthy, yet songs like "Cotton Wool," which was an supposedly an incredible song is nothing but annoying, boring and the consistent change of beats throws the listener off track - and he changes the track number. It is the background music here that is to love, yet it is smothered by the "not-so-tender" voice of Rhodes. Songs like "Gold," "God Bless," and "Trans-Fatty Acid" come to mind right away. The beats and the music are something to admire for they are complex and the melodies are very catchy, but the lyrics brought about by Rhodes degrade the music and make it strictly average.

Lamb does offer some good songs, however, just not here. "B-Line" off their new album features a new and refined Rhodes and her lyrics are more sensual and grasping. Her voice also shines through and is not scratchy and "annoying" as it is here. The music, as before, is still captivating as well. For true entertainment from Lamb, indulge in "Fear of Fours." Their debut will only disappoint.

Grade: C

Breathtaking
Let me start off by saying that Lamb is the best band EVER. Out of the 2,000+ cd's that I own, this one is STILL the most frequently played, and I have had it for three years. Lamb is a complete anomaly. This band offers the interesting combination of Louise Rhodes deeply introspective and tangible vocals, with the choppy percussion and innovative programming of Andy Barlow. You might think that this combination would yield complete sonic chaos, but it does quite the opposite. The marriage of Lou's dreamy vocals to Andy's complex compositions takes the listener on a spiritual journey. The cd opens with "Lusty", which is a very intriguing track. "Lusty" features sparse melodic stabs, a hard percussive backing, and Louise cooing "only you can soothe me, come cool me down..." With that, Louise perfectly conveys the heart and soul of a person in love. And love really IS the theme of this album. "God Bless" features jazzy basslines, seductive beats, and orchestral instruments. It is quite beautiful. "Cottonwool" is perhaps the most breathtaking song I have ever heard. The song is made up of various loops and breakbeats combined with dreamy atmospheric sounds. The effect is eerily beautiful. This coupled with Louise's incredibly profound and soulful lyrics makes "Cottonwool" one of Lamb's best songs. "Transfatty Acid" features weird distortion (it sounds like Lou is singing through a can) and a strange buzzing/electricity type aura. This song makes you feel like you are in another world. "Transfatty Acid" is extremely innovative and the musical effect is mindnumbing. "Zero" is sweet and mellow. It features acoustic guitar and strings and the effect is very powerful. Lou's singing is especially good on this track. "Merge" is strange in that it does not feature Louise's vocals. But it is not a weak track by any means. This track feels like an interlude of sorts, but it is a very refreshing one. This track has a surging bass line which is overlayed with sharp, brassy horns. Then the beats come in fast and feverish, and this song builds into one hell of a climax. This song is exhilerating, to say the least. "Gold" is rather jazzy. It features, what sounds like, an upright bass, combined with sweeping drums, and a marimba(?). It is mellow and soothing, especially following "Merge". "Closer" is the only track that I would deem to be filler, but it is still quite good. It is jazzy, like "Gold" but this has the hard percussive beats that some of the earlier tracks had. "Gorecki" is the heart and soul of this album. This is the best song ever written! In fact, a sliver of it was sung in the new movie "Moulin Rouge" by Nicole Kidman's character Satine. "Gorecki" has the most heartfelt, emotional, honest, passionate lyrics ever written. Louise sings this song so endearingly, that it honestly brings tears to my eyes. This song is a delight musically, as well. It is subdued at first, with soft percussion, and a dreamy, relaxed aura. As the lyrics grow more intense, so does the melody, and the very end of this song absolutely soars. It takes the listener to another plane of existence. It is nothing short of breathtaking, and if you listen to no other song on this album...listen to "Gorecki"! "Feela" is kind of like an experimental, musical trip to a confessional booth. It's as if Louise is singing this song to herself, and the music is very minimal. I equate this song to Madonna's wonderful (but comparatively less inspired) "Mer Girl" on Ray of Light. Now for a word of caution: Do NOT turn off the cd once it goes quiet, or else you will miss the hidden track, which is a remix of "Cottonwool". It is a great remix, too. Definitely worth waiting for! So, basically I recommend that you BUY THIS CD IMMEDIATELY! I think it is the best cd ever recorded, and this is coming from a girl who also happens to be a musician, and the proud owner of over 2,000 cd's. This cd is gold. Trust me.

amazing..........sike!
Look, this is not what people make it out to be. Unfortunately I was duped into buying this waste of space on a cd shelf. It is not even close to Portishead, and is light years from Massive Attack. The Bjork-like comparisons could not be further from the truth. This act, like many others, is completely irrelevant in the world of music. Listen to your Portishead, Massive Attack, and Bjork albums...and stay far away from this.

you'll fall in love with this cd
there is a lot of emotion with the lyrics. there arent any songs youll have to skip over once this has been in your cd player for a while either. my favoritez were cotton wool and gold, but they are all great.

Probably the best Trip-hop cd in history!
I first heard about Lamb from my ex... Anyways this cd is so good, it drove me to start djing myself.
Recommended with a capital R! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Arguably one of the best releases of 2002 and unquestionably one of the most original, the filmic, dreamy and mostly instrumental Melody A.M.--from Norwegian duo Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, or Röyksopp--finds uncommon beauty in the study of contrasts. At once frosty and lush, austere and joyful, ambient and wildly detailed, Melody A.M. is equal parts classical, electronica and film score, but with way better optics. Yes, optics--or at least that's how it feels. Opening track "So Easy" lulls with a gently whispered chant casually draped over what sounds like plucked harp strings while technicolor gurgles and bloopy keyboards sputter in the background. The sweeping, beatbox-damaged "Eple"--its cascading piano notes exploding into tiny white flashes of light--is as panoramic as the Nordic vistas that inspired it. Cinematic strings flood through "In Space," creating a real sense of velocity. Like Philip Glass or Boards of Canada, Röyksopp are minimalists who wring every bit of juice out each note without ever losing sight of the emotional core. Melody A.M. is music as painting, in watercolor, and destined to be a sleeper classic for the ages. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (58)

A breathtaking debut album
I was first exposed to Royksopp on the first two "Ultra Chilled" compilations last year. Their songs was some of my favorite songs on the predictable chillout series. Awhile back, I caught the video for Royksopp's "Poor Leno" and then on the latest CMJ compilation, the same song was one of the songs of artists and bands to check out. I totally dug what I heard based on "Poor Leno" alone. Thankfully I was able to find a copy of "Melody A.M" after looking at three different record stores. But before I bought this album, I checked out samples of "Melody A.M" at one of the store's listening stations. I loved the delicate melodies of "So Easy" and the laid back grooves of "Eple". This entire cd definitely is an excellent example of chillout music. Laid-back and relaxing yet still danceable. "Poor Leno" is a good example to that statement. On a cold winter night like tonight, "Melody A.M" makes for a perfect cd to pop in and snuggle in under the blanket. Royksopp definitely is one of the best electronic acts around, let alone put out one of the best albums in 2002. I look forward to hearing more music from the duo.

...this is right for you.
Röyksopp are from Norway, which really doesn't matter. Their music doesn't sound like icebergs, mountains, snow or whatever you might assume when you think of the country with the northern-most university in the world. Instead, "Melody A.M." is the hottest, most emotional CD based on electronic music that the world has ever experienced.

Every single song on this album is brilliant. Together, it's a masterpiece. There are a 12 good reasons why every single review by listeners on the German amazon site has been 5 stars. 10 are the great songs, one is the additional remix CD. Another one are the guys, Svein and Torbjörn, who are probably the coolest most down-to-earth people in the record industry.

3 nominations for MTV Europe Awards (best new act, best video, best dance act), a lot of excellent reviews by acclaimed critics and normal people should make you do just one thing: Buy this CD. It will truly add something to your life.

The best CD I've ever bought.
This CD is simply the best CD I've EVER bought at any CD store anytime in my life. Each song has a distinct feel, and each song engrosses you even more. If you listen to the first CD, you may think their just good, but if you watch the video and listen to the second CD of the song REMIND ME (SOMEONE ELSE'S MIX), you will be blown away and will clutch the CD to your heart for the rest of your life. It will never leave your CD player. The lyrics are just fantastic, and so is the background music. If there's such thing as heaven on earth, this is definitely it.

A Winner
Melody A.M. is one of the best albums I own - and that is saying a lot. From the moment you press you're enveloped in a dreamy electronic state. The first track is my favorite which made me know the album was a winner upon first listen. The second disc contains remixes of Remind Me and Poor Leno which are decent. Unlike anything you've heard before, this is a must have.

Great Album
Aparantly Norway knows how to groove! I listen to alot of electronic music, and am generally a tuff sell, but its hard not to like Roksopp's melodic and unique sound. Recomended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Call it an aggregation of some of the best contemporary percussionists: Trilok Gurtu, Zakir Hussain, and Asian Underground star Talvin Singh combine under the sonic washes of producer Bill Laswell to show the possibilities of Indian percussion. It's definitely a beatfest, but one of subtlety, where what is being said isn't as important as the way it's being stated, and the dialogue between hands includes a lot of silences. Gurtu comes from a more jazz tradition, Hussein a classical background, and Singh represents the brash young things of the dance floor. Mostly Laswell leaves it to them to provide the sonic entertainment, which is as it should be with delicate swathes of sound barely intruding, just coloring the proceedings. While it's not for everyone, those who love Indian percussion in all its forms will find this album a complete joy. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Tabla Beat is the Science!
This CD is a MUST! Bill Laswell has done it again. He's rounded up the top Indian based percussionists together to create the best record yet of the whole "Indian Breakbeat" cuture. Zakir Hussain is regarded as one of, if not the best Tabla player or percusionists in the world. He's one of the creators of "East meets West" sound. Here he is featured as the main Scientist along side the other "Who's Who" of the Indian fusion scene; Talvin Singh: The Asian Underground Original, "Tablatronics" pioneer; Trilok Gurtu: another longtime Jazz/Fusion percussionist who's drum set style is totally unique and mind blowing; Karsh Kale: NYC's Tabla Breakbeak Kingpin and special guest Sultan Khan: who's one of the only masters of the Sarangi (a bowed instrument) as well as a beautiful vocalist too. These guys all shine together. Laswell with the help of Singh and Kale over see the production of this futuristic release, so think "Drum and Bhaya"(Bass). Exellent fingerwork and TAPistry woven in with exellent programming. If you liked Talvin's Anounka or OK records this is the next step right here. Think incredible rhythms and filtered Tablas. Organic vs. Electronic. All stand out tracks, but aspecially "Dont Worry", "Big Brother", "Audiomaze" and "Alla" a fitting tribute to Zakir's late father and teacher Alla Rakha, Who was the man who brought the Tabla to new heights and made it a household name with longtime partner Ravi Shankar. Buy this now! I need it on Vinyl too!

And the Tabla thumped on!
Zakir Hussein and Talvin Singh have given us the DnB crazy but tired of typical three layerd cheesy DnB loops a great album. This album is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! (For those who love the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!) Music is the bread, electonica/techno/DnB is jelly and Indian Tabla the peanut butter. Listening to the album is like enjoying peanut butter sandwich with a cold glass of milk! Having disaapointed by Talvin Singhs recent offerings I was not much optimistic about this particular collaboration. However, I was rather pleasantly surprised right from the beginning of the first track (Secret Channel) till the very last track of the album. Surprisingly, I did not feel the urge of skipping a single track. This album can indeed be listened all the way through. No filler tracks what so ever. My current favorites are track #4 titled "Don't Worry.Com", a wicked mix of Tabla along the thumping DnB lines, and track #6 titled "Devotional" a nice mix of traditional Indian and the techno sounds. I was glad to have bought the album.

oh,that Billy-boy!
mr laswell has done many things,but this was quite a suprise!it consists of both chilled and upbeat tala(a middle eastern hand drum)drumming mixed with laz's trademark electronica that gradually fades in and out of the songs.it's a real trip-an-a-half for anyone not ignorant enough to dismiss it as "boring".

out of control
listing to this right now, so good i just had to right a review on it. This cd is freaking insane. Best way to lose you mind

Ecstasy.
This is a great CD. Although the music is fusion, percussions dominate. Completely. Tracks 2, 7 and 11 are just superb. The others are great. TBS proves there are no limits.

If you like "live at stern grove", you should like this one too. The difference is that this is a studio album and so the music has been mixed (well) in comparison to "live at stern grove" where you get to listen to the music as is. Also, this one is percussion-dominated.

The tabla sequences are long and amazing. Its a complete delight. Nothing less. Your will see your fingers tapping. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The latest in the Northern Exposure series of trance-techno journeys undertaken by two of the most respected DJs in the world, Expeditions finds Sasha and John Digweed fashioning a set from some fine underground cuts. The disc carries the atmosphere of Jean Michel Jarre while maintaining the pace and energy of Orbital. Using Breeder's "Tyrantanic" as their warm-up, the dynamic duo seamlessly utilize simple techno beats with the likes of Jayn Hanna's "The Light," pumping after-hours house such as Mono Culture's "Free," and deliciously simple trance as in Red Devil's "Gamelan." Maintaining the traditions of previous Northern Exposure sets, there are two different discs for slightly different moods--the first more of a late-night soundtrack, the latter a blue-sky marathon--but both work equally well sequentially or separately. Expeditions is a dynamically balanced dance journey that takes you through many of the vistas electronica and DJ culture has to offer. No phrasebook is necessary. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Excellent... subtract a star because its mixed on computer
After being blown away by GU009 - San Francisco (especially CD1 - simply perfect), Sasha has become my GOD, so I bought this CD to get my next 'fix'.

On the first listen, I was slightly dissappointed with both discs, but that usually is a result of my flicking through to hear the tracks I know (I was busting to hear Silence again!). Since then, most of the tracks have become must-haves for my Dj sets (especially 'Belfunk' for it's unbelievable build, 'Silence' for its ability to make me cry, 'Gamelan' for another kick-butt build, and 'Rock Stone' because it's from the Breeder stable!), so I ran out and got a copy on vinyl too.

Disc 1 is a perfect example of what a mix CD should be - starting slowly and peacefully, gradually gaining momentum before taking you to an energetic (or in this case - emotional) peak, and then oozing into a relaxing end to put your mind back where it started. Sasha begins with the ambient-like 'Tyrantanic', a breakbeat offering from Breeder, in which he spends about 3 minutes beautifully tieing in the soothing 'Space Manoeuvres'. He then gradually picks up the pace, before reaching an astonishingly emotional peak with Delerium's 'Silence'. From there, Sasha eases things to end the set and put you back in a normal state of mind. Disc 2 is more your dance-floor type affair - less emotional and thought-out than Disc 1, yet more energetic and spontaneous. Despite being rather ambient (and to my tastes, slightly boring) for the first 3 tracks, things pick up with Der Dritte Raum's 'Polarstern'. Digweed really begins to rock when the purely wicked 'Gamelan' kicks in, which he strongly follows up on with 'Mess With Da Bull', 'Love Stimulation' and 'Rock Stone'. Digweed then changes the pace by introducing a vocal track - with the help of Delta Lady's 'Anything You Want', and finally caps off the set with Mike Koglin's 'The Silence', which very appropriately commands the listener to "enjoy the silence" that awaits him/her when the CD spins down into inaudibility.

I strongly believe that Sasha blows Digweed out of the water on this occassion (especially in terms of touching the listener and 'blending' his tracks harmonically), but I make this judgement with a bias towards preferring emotional journeys over dance-floor assaults on mix CDs (this explains my unpopular opinion that the spine-tingling CD1 of GU009 is slightly better than the more banging CD2)

It's the first time I've heard Digweed, and I must say that although his track selection on this album is very good and the mixing is flawless (although as a DJ, I must say that the style and perfection of the mixing on both discs indicates the help of a computer), his set lacks the variation, emotion and all out creativity of the 'man-like' Sasha's offering.

"Northern Exposure: Expeditions" is a wonderful offering from what are probably the two best DJ's on the planet (Sasha by an absolute mile!). Although it failed to have the mind-blowing effect of Sasha's recent Global Underground offering, it is a superb listen and well worth any passionate dance fan's dollars.

the masters of emotion
I simply cannot say enough good things about Sasha and John Digweed. Anyone who has listened to their music extensively will probably testify that alone they are fantastic DJ's, but together they are magical. S & D are masters of their craft who know exactly how to weave patterns of sound that elicit powerful emotional responses. More than once have I been driving in my car, listening to S&D,and been completely moved to tears. The way in which they subtly blend the sounds together is amazing. Their attention to detail is unequaled. Anyone who can truly appreciate fabulous mixing, combined with a track selection that is very well planned out, absolutely cannot ignore anything by these artists. This CD in particular is a good example of the skills of Sasha and Digweed. The first disc begins with a rush of sound that cascades into the melodic and beautiful rhythms of Space Manouevers. Some gentle vocals whisper at you in I Know You Love Me Too. The pristine simplicity of Sasha's own Belfunk adds a nice touch of personality. Absent from the US release is the excellent Sarah McClachlan remix. The second CD is very different. The ambient Seaside Atmosphere beginsthe CD, with the downbeat mood carrying over subtly into tracks 3 and 4. Here the pace which was only beginning to show itself starts to pick up. The synth rhythms here layer themselves in such a way as to give you many different layers to pick out. The upward spiral of Pure Frictions Groove carries over perfectly into Gamelan from Red Devil. Track 7, Mess With Da Bull, brings about a highly energetic climax which blends the beat with the melody fantastically. The crescendo from 7 falls beautifully into the melodic Love Stimulation from Paul Van Dyk and crew. Breeder (a favorite of S&D) brings a tune written exclusively for this mix in next. The combination of a tune by Breeder fitted into the mix perfectly by S&D makes this track a great standout. The mood then changes to the vocal track Anything You Want. The way the breakbeats just creep themselves in there always makes my spine tingle. What can I say about "The Silence?" This track is a complete miracle. It is one of the best songs I have ever heard, period. Anyone who can appreciate well done music will like this track, regardless of what style they like. A great end to a FABULOUS mix. These artists are the absoulte best at what they do, and this is one of their best works. Find out why so many people have made these two their Alpha and Omega of music. Try it !

The more you listen, the better it gets.
When I first listened to this cd, I waas kinda dissapionted, thre weren't any cool trance tracks with awesome melodies or anything. But the more I listened, the more I liked it. I grew to like a lot of tracks, some are kind of hard and annoying, but thre a many great tracks that a very catchy. If you don't mind some hard tecnho, get this cd.

Progressive's Blueprint.
Imho Sasha & Digweed's glorious 2-disc set "Expeditions" is THE original progressive mix. Or whatever we now consider "Progressive" music, a genre that is I guess an off-shoot of the Progressive Trance or Progressive House genres. I get confused all the time with genres, since there are so many. But who cares as long as it kicks ass. And this unequivocally does. S&D have what seems to be an innate sense of what different musical styles will mesh and how to color them with trippy effects spinning the results into a collage that never bores its listeners. This is required listening for anyone interested in the Electronic genre. Coming out in 1998 I'd like to answer critics who argue Expeditions hasn't aged well. I can only respond to that by saying I recently gave this another listen and it's just as invigorating today as it was 6 years ago. Come on S&D, get some new product out to your fans. We love your solo stuff but your collaborative efforts are at another level altogether. You guys are meant to make great music together, and are sorely missed as a unit.

this is real trance
No, this is no paul van dyk, no tiesto, no armin van buuren. This is trance. Real trance. Not pop. No cookie cutter breakdowns, buildups, and hit-me-over-the head anthems here. Thank you S&D. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"the story, characters and the score ~ CSI:Miami"
Every Monday week night the last regular show before the late news is "CSI:MIAMI", featuring the characters dreamed up by producer Jerry Bruckheimer ~ this review is about the music that brings everything together on the Emmy Award winning CBS Broadcasting Network new hot series "CSI:Miami", with an outstanding cast of actors and their characters ~ but the music is the topping we've come to hear.

To start this collections is the opening theme to the series "WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN", performed by The Who, an extended version of eight minutes and thirty two seconds of pure energy that grabs you right from the start ~ "GABRIEL", performed by Lamb is a 2001 hit with all the ingredients for a drifting soul experience ~ "THE MASTERPLAN", with Oasis from 1995 gives the listener the same thrill it had in the late '90s ~ "HAYLING", performed by FC Kahuna in 2002 gives the pulse sating beat that gets completely in your head and stays there ~ "INVISIBLE PEDESTRIAN", performed by Bent from 1999 lays all the evidence before you ~ "SATELLITES", performed by Doves from 2002 is a haunting theme with arrangements of pure delight ~ "FOREVER AND A DAY", with Ian Brown from 2001 mixed with a group from the U.K. ~ "GONNA MAKE IT THERE", performed by Baxter from 2002 on a Warner Music Sweden label, flows very well with electronic mixes that give it more flavor to the listener.

So there you have it, the score that gives the fan just what they wanted and more ~ this is a must have for all "film-score-buffs" to sink their teeth into ~ good to see Pete Townsend had a hand in this project ~ sit back close your eyes and spin this CD, you're in for some special entertainment...gotta love it!

Total Time: 74:46 on 14 Tracks ~ Hip-O Records 14277 ~ (6/29/2004) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great!
The first album I bought from Björk that I bought was "Post," and I have to say I loved it. Next, I saw the movie "Dancer In The Dark." I loved her quirky take on musicals! I think that "Gling-Gló" was a great next step in my Björk collection. I bought "Vespertine" at the same time, but listened to "Gling-Gló" first and loved it! It's simple music: piano, bass, percussion, and that's about it. Thought it sounds plain, her voice spices it up and makes it her own! Each song, though I have NO idea what she's saying, is enjoyable to me. There are two English songs at the end, thank goodness! =) I would reccomend this for any Björk fan.

i gave 5, but amazon made me give 3
as far as the rating i gave, it shoulda been 5 yo! thats it.

:) :D :P :O ;) v :l
ahhhhhhhhhh.... 'bout all that needs to be said about gling-glo. happy little guants on the keys to tickle the earbone. whisping melodys nicely kept in tact with smooth walking bass. lay down some of the sweet sweet brush work jazz man. the piano tickles, the bass flows, the drums bob the head without restraint, the vocals....well, it's bjork. what every little boy dreams of how their mom should whisp them to dreamland every night the thunder scares them out of slumber. grins and giggles abound from play to stop. if you cant enjoy this, then you are not nice.

Bjork works her magic into the jazz scene perfectly
Whether or not you're a Bjork fan, this is a most interesting album to look into. Out of all of Bjork's published recordings, this has by far been the most well received in her native country of Iceland, and for good reason; though lacking the electronic and avant garde twists that her solo career has come to embody, Gling Glo represents Bjork's role in the Icelandic music scene, her uniqueness and power as a singer, and her ability to slide flawlessly from genre to genre. On the album, Bjork and Trio record Icelandic versions of classic and not-so-classic jazz standards, as well as jazzed up versions of traditional Icelandic songs. For Bjork fans, this cd will only be slightly surprising, as the familiar wails and yelps are just as present as they have always been...including the scat-like gibberish always at hand in her more recent solo work. Most importantly, the music is great, featuring impressive piano, percussion, and bass playing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though they've been compared to everyone from Air to Radiohead, Nottingham, England's Bent are mostly defined by their determination to sound like everyone. With that goal in mind, they've stuffed Programmed to Love with an array of samples from vocalists and snippets from jazz, rock, hip-hop, and God knows what else. Stylistically they flirt with downtempo, but just as often the music winds up further afield, embracing trip-hop, ambient, and post-club anthems. "Private Road" mixes a chilly female vocal with cracked samples and a swaying rhythm, but later the album falls into sillier, Lemon Jelly-like territory with "I Remember Johnny." It all works, making for a record that stays fresh with repeated listenings. Besides, Bent have received the ultimate 21st-century compliment already, as the vaguely big-beat thump of "Invisible Pedestrian" has shown up in a car commercial. With that sort of cachet, can mainstream success be far behind? If not, so be it, as Love finds room for more imaginative fun while being more accessible than anything in recent memory. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Lovely, but do yourself a favor and get the IMPORT version
I was recently introduced into Bent by a friend at work who knows of my appreciation for material such as Everything But The Girl, Air, Zero 7, Tosca and Thievery Corporation. He wasn't wrong. This debut album by DJs Simon Mills and Nail Tolliday totally blew me off my feet! They make extensive use of loops and samples, as well as some robotic-sounding vocoders here and there, but still retain a very unique sound to them, thanks to the atmospheres they successfully create with the synthesizers in the backgound.

Most likely you have heard the two hits, "Swollen" and 19-minute-long "Always" with samples of Norrie Paramor in the first third of the song ("Always in my heart"). However the rest of the album is every bit as good. In particular the first half of it is my favorite: "Exercise 1," "Private Road," "Cylons in Love" (uhhh! Battlestar Gallactica times... they were, oh so good!) and "Chocolate Wings."

As a last comment, you might want to dig into the UK release from 2000, as it contains a couple of tracks not present on this, the US version, or the "combined" version which contains a total of 18 tracks, which attempts to sum up the US and UK versions. All in all, an excellent choice to drive, read, write or program to, or if nothing else, simply to chill out to.

Perfect
This CD is perfect. The music these guys have made is so unique and imaginative. Don't listen to Diaz who gave it only 3 stars, he gave deep dish 4. So Richard, go listen to your euro/global trance music and stay out of any downbeat/sampled criticism. The UK verison of this album has extra songs this verison doesn't have. So if there are any rela fans of Bent, cruz excluded I recommend getting it, and also the import single of Swollen which has a great remix of this song, very Goldfrappesque. Looking forward to the Always single which has more music from them.

Bent: programmed to love
This CD was brutal to the extent that I can only consider it obscene. I can only help in aiding the people of the world by encouraging them to live their lives free of ever having to have suffered it.

Bent And Wigged
Okay, so they're not terribly original. Okay, so listening to Bent can devolve into playing a game of Spot The Sample (they seem to like Nana Mouskouri a lot). They're no less enjoyable for all that, though; that they sound like a lot of other similarly-inclined outfits shouldn't stop anyone from checking them out (they seem to like Yello a lot). They have a knack for combining lovely musical passages with absurdist humor, and they don't sound like they are trying incredibly hard, which is good (they seem to like Telex a lot). My Major Gripe Department admonishes, however, that even the most absurd ideas are subject to overkill (they seem to like 'Gilligan's Island' a lot). Hence, as enjoyable as tracks like 'I Remember Johnny', 'Invisible Passenger', and especially 'New Wig For Me' are, they'd be twice as good at around half their length- -which is about where the songs' punchlines begin to lose their impact and the absurdity factor- -Bent's manifest raison d'etre- -becomes cloying (they seem to like Hawkwind a lot). But what the heck, a good joke is always worth hearing again. And check out that hidden track (they seem to like bathos a lot).

Sublime Electronica Music.....with a humorous slant
If the whole "Electronica" genre reminds you too much of meandering un-involving Chill-out music, then this demands closer investigation. Not strictly Dance music, but far removed from deary "Late night Chill out albums", endlessly inventive, gracefully melodic, and a real sense of diversity and musical soundscape creation.....It's hard to classify this album in any one particular genre, particularly because the music is incredibly textured & layered, and yet feels like these a bizarre underlying Coherence linking all the individual tracks, but if other artist comparisons had to be made...then filing this next to artists such as: "Plaid / Black Dog / Mouse on Mars" would be a fair approximation to make. But irrespective of lazy labelling, this is electronic music at it finest, and a relatively undiscovered album by most people, that forgoes "mainstream accessibility" of something far more worthwhile. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A 23-year-old singer of mixed heritage--he's part Scottish, part Ghanaian--Quaye can bust a smooth groove like Al Green or offer a straight reading of roots reggae (listen to his jaunty arrangement of "Your Love Gets Sweeter"). "It's Great When We're Together" skirts too close to Green in sentiment and sound, but the blues guitar and deep bass rumble of "Ultra Stimulation" goose an otherwise conventional reggae number. Still, Quaye isn't afraid to explode convention completely. Despite its hippy-dippy title, "Ride on and Turn the People On" is a thrilling duel between Quaye's elastic wordplay and a hyperactive bassist (who goes uncredited in the CD booklet but deserves star billing throughout). Quaye is best when he takes all the music he's heard and fashions a new pastiche that doesn't sound like one. His take on Marley's "Sunday Shining" is one such marvel, a glorious smear of slide guitar, Rastaman imagery, '60s soul horns, and a rhythm track that belongs squarely to the '90s. It may be the brightest light on Maverick a Strike, but this 13-track album never really dims much. --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (19)

If you're looking to Try Finley Quaye...this by far his best
Having liked this album the first time around, it was interesting to see if returning to it years later would prove a worthwhile listen. Surprisingly my appreciation has substantially grown for this album (admittedly due to my significantly wider range in music), but the fact remains that "Sunday Shining's" languish horns or keyboards is the musical equivalent of spending a memorable sunny afternoon outdoors. "Your Love gets Sweeter" is the acoustic strum exploring the romanticised side of Finley's music. Title Track "Maverick A Strike" leans strongest to his reggae roots taking a reggae ideal, and fusing it was popular music to make something, although not authentic reggae, is largely accessible to those normally intimidated regional reggae. But a track that largely goes unmentioned by deserves equal recognition is the instrumental "Red Rolled and Seen" which has a tribal moody rhythmic presence, not a million miles away from something that 'Tricky' would create. Finley successive albums may have been a case of playing to diminishing returns, but this debut confirmed his potential to make a largely coherent album by swiping sensibilities from other genres resulting in an immensely enjoyable album.

Finlay Quaye +(mum?) MaxinQuaye = Tricky Maxinquaye??
Enough politics. This album extends the role of reggea and R'n'B in the pop area. Finlayes amazing grace in singing has broken though, calmed by mellow dub and sarcastic lyrics.

This album is, and may remain one of the best this decade. Irrespective of the relation between Tricky and Finlaye, you can not help but notice hot related their music is. Finlaye mixes the traditional reggae sounds filters them with r'n'b vibe and adds some interesting dub, that sounds very much like Jah Shaka or Mad Professor.

It's Great when we are Togethor track is amazing in it self demonstrating Quaye's lyric prowess. But there are some tracks which are purely experimental that have turned out brilliantly.

One of my favourite tracks is Maverick a Strike.. Another excellant sound is Falling. The single Sunday shining really doesn't describe the album. This album is a meting pot of numerous types of music fused togethor by Quaye's sarcastic thoughts and funky dub beats.

Quaye has done the same to reggae as Tricky did to "Trip hop".

In a word. Amazing.

yeah, that's all well and good, but...
they AREN'T RELATED!!! that's coming from tricky's mouth himself. mr. quaye CLAIMED he was tricky's uncle, but tricky quickly retorted in the form of song with "can't freestyle" in which he states that finley is trying to "take my mother's name in vain" and that "you're not my blood". not only do i not have any interest in hearing this man's music, but i absolutely will go out of my way not to, seeing as how he is trying to further his career by name-dropping. i find this sickening. make your own name, mr. quaye.

What Tunes
This Guy has talent, i have listened to many 'modern' reggae albums, but this man has taken the biscuit. I man think that this is the closest that any artist has gotten to the 'true reggae' with a modern twist. Worth your money, my Favourites are*** IN NO PATICULAR ORDER***** 1) Sunday Shining 2) Supreme I Preme (one for the perties) 3) Falling 4) Ultra Stimulation 5) Even After All 6) The Way of the Maverick

SUBLIME!
Let me just say this is the most sound musical investment I have ever made. An absolutely sublime debut, a completely solid album. I honestly don't think it does the album justice to pick out just a few tracks for special mention. Just listen, without shuffling or skipping, and enjoy the musical journey with your tour guide, Finley Quaye. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Embracing neither the rampant guest appearances favored by the Chemical Brothers, nor the blatant, pop-flavored pandering of recent work from Paul Oakenfold and BT, Sasha's first studio full-length mimics the up-down-up pattern of a classic trance mix. As closely associated as he is with John Digweed, Airdrawndagger illustrates their different tendencies: Digweed is most comfortable with sinister, subterranean grooves, while Sasha is always threatening to float over the dance floor. Accordingly, Airdrawndagger's head is firmly in the clouds, but it's also a clever mish-mash, convincingly melding electro and ambient sounds with occasional four-on-the-floors, like "Bloodlock" and "Golden Arm." Tracks like "Mr. Tiddles" have a warm facility with machines worthy of a Depeche Mode, as Sasha transforms the grandiose, operatic pretensions of trance into a quick and potent chunk of dance pop. The brooding "Cloud Cuckoo" starts off in a similar vein before building itself up into a wash of overlapping beats and sweeping melody that recalls Sasha's Xpander EP. Throughout the record, Sasha stretches himself in the right directions, pulling off the trick of sticking to what he does best while summoning up the creative juice to make Airdrawndagger just new enough to be fascinating. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (140)

Not the usual, but great nonetheless
like the others before me, i must stress this album bears very little resemblence to sasha's DJ mixes, or even his previous production efforts (club anthems such as XPander). This however, is not a bad thing. It is an album to be listened to on headphones or your home system. if you dont listen to it closely, it sounds very interestingly like old video game music. that said, this album is wonderful as you listen to it more, particularly with your headphones cranked up. the depth and detail with which sasha tweaked his synths and sequenced melodies is incredible....and some songs are just, for lack of a better word, sweet. Cloud Cuckoo, bloodlock, and Wavy Gravy come to mind. the album opens with some fluttering synths, panning back and forth, which then slide into the next track with a somewhat menacing bassline. a perfect intro for the album, setting the general mood for whats to come. cloud cuckoo has a nice ambient synth build up along with a nice beat, and just before the 4:00 minute mark erupts in a synthesized ecstasy....play it loud on your headphones and you know what i mean. bloodlock is an interesting track, very "trippy", with a thumping beat and a hypnotically repeating synth line with lots of reverb. the track slowly builds up with wispy hi hats and more subtle synth lines..requiem is a very pleasnant, almost entirely ambient track...the last minute or so has a beautiful syncopated synth arperggio which is very mesmerizing. wavy gravy is a very happy sounding song...soothing and relaxing, and a great way to close the album. not every track is a gem, though the album does make a logical progression and no song seems out of place. give it a try with an open mind, and dont expect a floor-rocking anthem packed party disc. dance music this is not.

Heavy Rotation
After about the second listen or so, you really begin to understand what makes Sasha so great. If you've followed his music and really appreciated his dj work and all that, then this cd will make perfect sense to you. Just don't expect this to be like a Global Underground release. There is still a journey here, even if the tracks aren't seamlessly stitched together. It's very heavy on the electronica, but it goes well beyond that (like his GU sessions, and his Northern Exposure work w/Diggers).

There are all kinds of sweet and tasty groves in here, varying in musical styles while still keeping with the solid electronic theme. You can hear Junkie XL's influence in terms of this broad range of sounds. As well as hearing some of his own Xpander and Scorchio influences, I was also reminded of early Depeche Mode, some Freaky Chakra, and a little Jondi & Spesh.

The experience begins early (at exactly one minute into the first track), continuing slowly along with gems like "Magnetic North", and "Cloud Cuckoo". It goes through a slightly 'harder' stretch, with "Immortal" and "Fundamental", and then reaches a spiritual plateau in the last five tracks. And somewhere in there is when you finally come face to face with it...Sasha's soul. Incredible.

Call it trance, electronica, ambient, techno...whatever. I really don't want to categorise this at all. It's the spirit of the music that comes through, which is evident in everything Sasha's ever had a hand in. It is what it is. Amazing.

Most captivating electronic release in recent years
Sasha unleashed this debut artist album out of what seemed like the blue. Fans snatched it up immediately and ran to their cars to hear this "trance master"'s debut CD. Most had heard his Xpander E.P. which featured the mind melding trance track of the same name. They eagerly dropped in Airdrawndagger only to find a CD reaking of subtle melodies and moods. Punishing breakbeats shattered their hopes of a trance release and pulsating, hypnotic beats just didn't slam like they should.

Sasha had just released a subtle masterpiece ahead of its time that flew over almost everyone's head.

This is Airdrawndagger.

Actually 3.5 Stars
To rate this album 3.5 stars does not mean it is not an awesome album, on th contrary, it is one of the most inovative pieces of work that electronica music has ever witnessed. However, it is not a dance album per say, and the statement "the most awaited dance album of the year" does not really fit the Airdrawndagger release. Sasha's artis album is a studio 'listening to' not 'dancing to'CD. It is good in that the tracks give you a strong indication of who Sasha really is artistically. Airdrwndagger is a pieace of his soul, a window to his imagination, thoughts and emotions.

As for the tracks, well Sasha is a genius in his field when it comes to remix, compile and mix tracks. But the tracks here in Airdrwndagger is written completely by Sasha with the collaboration of few of his friends, that is a huge task to say the least. So don't expect every track to be good, it is not easy to write so many tracks all by one person.

If you are a Sasha fan just like I am, then it is worth getting this album. And if you think you would like to get this album because you own Sasha's GU IBIZA (the Bible of trance house)and think it is another one like it, well think again.

Um, what am I listening to? 'Cause I like it.
Sasha's debut studio album is about as explainable as its title, Airdrawndagger. It's not the high-energy trance akin to Xpander that made the British DJ's name immortal in the dance world. Instead, it's something of a mix of some really old-school electronica with an ambient touch and a kick of breaks.

The album starts on a decidedly trippy note with Drempels, before moving into Mr Tiddles (yeah, that's the title), a funky little tune inspired by Sasha's cat that starts off slow and slowly soars into an almost epic, yet highly controlled, climax. The album picks up speed (speed being relative, as these are both chilled tracks) with Magnetic North and Cloud Cuckoo, probably my two favorite numbers on the CD. Electro beats and dreamy melodies don't take over, however, as the dark and leaden Immortal and Fundamental follow. The album continues in this wave-esque build-up-and-slow-down pattern right up until its conclusion (the melodic Wavy Gravy), with the seemingly Vangelis inspired Requiem and Bloodlock, the closest thing to a true club track.

Sasha's touch is an odd one. The album is suprisingly minimalistic sounding at first, but further scrutiny reveals a fair amount going on. Samples played backwards, subtle "skipping" progressions, and carefully timed synth pads all come together to create the retro, yet surprisingly fresh sound that dominates the album.

Sasha's Airdrawndagger is not a dance album. Those looking for high-energy dance cuts had best check out his Global Underground mix CD Ibiza. Those looking for a new and experimental style of electronic album, however, will be quite comfortable holding air drawn daggers. Dark, dreamy, Sasha's first is a strange and surreal one, and for those willing to give it a listen, its possibly a very satisfying aural expedition. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it comes to popular music, a proven formula is a safer bet than chancing something new. Apparently, such is the wisdom behind Conjure One, the new project spearheaded by Delerium and Front Line Assembly architect Rhys Fulber. As he did with Delerium, Fulber pairs guest vocalists of the mostly ethereal variety with gauzy ambient-tribal pop full of Eastern shadings and just enough chanting to maintain the spooky quotient. And when Fulber nails a vibe--as he does twice with singer Poe on the dreamy, goose-fleshy "Center of the Sun" and the downright chilling "Make a Wish," and with Tea Party belter Jeff Martin on the widescreen "Premonition"--he nails it, creating a haunted landscape best described as New Age-worldbeat. There are some clunkers here, too. Sinead O'Connor is thwarted by the leaden clichés littering "Tears from the Moon," and Israeli vocalist Chemda shamelessly borrows from the late, great Ofra Haza to negligible effect. But anyone who dug the Delerium project--or kindred spirits such as Dead Can Dance--will declare Conjure One a success. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A stunning masterpiece from the king of ambient music
Being a big fan of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, I have been eagerly anticipating the release of ex-FLA/Delerium member Rhys Fulber's new project Conjure One's self-titled album. Over the weekend, while scanning the used cd bins at my favorite record store I stumbled upon a promo copy of the new Conjure One cd. I automatically snatched it up. I couldn't wait another minute for the album's official release. I haven't stopped listening to "Conjure One" since Saturday. It has surpassed all my expectations I have ever had. It was definitely well worth the long wait. Thank heavens that Rhys was able to get the samples cleared for use on the album. "Conjure One" is nothing short of a masterpiece. Delerium fans (post-"Semantic Spaces" era) would love this I think. Rhys uses some of the most stunning vocals around in pop music. Poe and Sinead O'Connor are the two most well-known singers he uses, the other artist I forgot her name at the moment but I believe she is an artist from the Middle Easat. If there were one track on this album that really stands out for me it would have to be "Tears From the Moon". Sinead O'Connor sings on this track and it is absolutely breathtaking. I find myself listening to this particular song over and over. All thet songs on the album are similiar to Rhys' previous work with Delerium but with a tinge of world influences in the music. If I was to compare Conjure One's debut album to a Delerium album, I would say that "Poem" would be in the same vein as "Conjure One". I definitely recommend this cd for fans of Delerium.

Different name, same sound
When I heard about Rhys Fulber of Delerium coming up with a side project, Conjure One, I was happily anticipating a original and cutting-edge album. Instead, what I got is Delerium again. This album features the same beats, the same sounds and the same chants. One track was so annoying I couldn't even finish it.

The only difference is that three tracks feature artists that are bigger than the ones Delerium uses, namely Poe and Sinead O'Connor. Sinead's featured moment is just as uninspired as the rest of the album, but Poe's songs, "Center of the Sun" and "Make A Wish" are the only two tracks worth listening to. In fact, "Center of the Sun" has to be one of the best songs I've ever heard, however Solarstone's chilled out remix is infinitely better (see the CD single, or the compilation titled Chillout 04).

If you are a big Delerium fan, then this album should make you really happy. If you're looking for fresh original ambient music, try something different. May I suggest Enigma's brilliant Voyageur album.

just go out and buy it
A friend gave me a remixed version of 'Tears from the Moon' last year, it is / was so fantastic I still play it at least once a day. On the strength of that track I read the online reviews for this album and immediately bought it.
Everyone that has given this CD 4 or 5 stars is SO right. If you love Delerium at their very very best then this is the album for you. There is no point in describing each track just believe what you read and go out and buy it and give your ears a awesome aural treat. The only downside is the remix of 'Tears from the Moon' isn't on the CD, get it if you can.

Looks like Delerium, sounds like Delerium...
For starters, I am an unabashed fan of Delerium from "Karma" onwards. As stated in the Amazon review, they've got a good thing going and seem to adhere to the "it ain't broke, so don't fix it" method of operation. "Conjure One" is no different. Same solid rhythm tracks, a slew of guest female vocalists, sometimes wailing, sometimes breathing ethereal. As with Delerium, colors and textures draw heavily on Middle Eastern influences. As with Delerium, it will be tough to classify this one; is it dance? Is it electronica? Is it World Beat? Is it New Age?

Yes to all the above. Pretty easy recommendation here... if you like Delerium, grab this. It sounds just like them, and you should love it. My only question - if it LOOKS like Delerium and SOUNDS like Delerium, if the m.o. is the exact same as Delerium, and if it was done by the same personnel that drive Delerium... why isn't it a new Delerium album?

Awesome CD
This is definitely one of my favorite CDs. There's not a single song on this CD that I don't like, and that is EXTREMELY rare for me. Everything on here is very well produced, very atmospheric, and very catchy. This is absolutely awesome for a good stereo. (The apartment neighbors love me.)

My favorite songs:

Track 1 Damascus: Heavy Middle Eastern flavor (many songs on here have a touch of middle eastern). This song is pretty much all vocals. Very passionate... almost in a sexy way. It always makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Track 2 Center of the Sun: Here we get some vocals by Poe. Very good stuff. This is actually why I bought the CD and the reason my father liked it so much as well. Very catchy. Good lyrics.

But the rest are all very good as well. I'm to the point now where I don't keep songs that I don't consider to be at least 8's on a 10 scale simply because I have more music than the average person could listen to in a life time and I've kept all the songs on this CD. Great stuff. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A self-confessed movieholic who often spends afternoons before sets in movie theaters the world over, international DJ-celebrity Paul Oakenfold has gone about capturing the sinister, malevolent mood of Dominic Sena's action-crime thriller with careful attention to both art and audience. His weave of cuts such as the Dope Smugglaz' dark and tense "The Word (PMTRemix)," Lemon Jelly's sunrise chill-out "Kneel Before Your God," and his own retro-electro collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, "Planet Rock (Swordfish Mix)," is smart and evocative, a glistening picture of L.A.'s high-tech underbelly in 2001. Indeed, it's hard not to hear beautiful, wealthy people at gorgeous raves in bathroom stalls somewhere off the Sunset Strip as Oakenfold segues the sleazy "Stanley's Tune" into the neon techno of "Password."

Headphones could well be the way to go on initial spins, simply becauseOakenfold's mix is spiced with the sort of celluloid nuances and attentions that are big enough to make this different from, say, Perfecto Presents Another World, but smooth enough to be enjoyable once properly processed. It's stealthy, imaginative, and more varied than a single listen might suggest. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Another Oakenfold hit.
I bought this cd a while back. I just started getting into Oakenfold about 2 years ago and I saw this CD, and was my 2nd Oakey that I bought. It was a little different at first being a trance soundtrack from a movie, but now I love it. I have about 5 or 6 Paul Oakenfold albums, and this one is great.
If you watch the Swordfish movie, you'll FEEL the music even better. My favorite tracks are 3 & 4, they're both very melodic, very moving. There are a lot more good tracks on the album, they're ALL NOT good, but they're great.
I recommend it if you're an Oakenfold fan.

A bit of classic Oakey
One recording that has defined Paul Oakenfold's career, the Goa Mix, recorded back in 1994, is repeatedly cited by his hardcore fans as the main evidence that Oakey just isn't who he "used to be". It seems like his recent release Perfecto Presents Another World was an attempt to reconnect with the elements that made the Goa Mix a classic--goa trance, eclectic song selection, and movie sampling a la Bladerunner. With Swordfish, Paul once again digs into those Goa Mix elements, but takes them in a more eclectic direction, reminiscent of his "Goa Mix '97". The song selection, hand picked by Oakenfold and largely produced by him, incorporates rap, breakbeat and goa. He even remixes Afrika Bambaata's classic track "Planet Rock", even though that song should have stayed in the early 90's era where it belongs. The tracks aren't overtly mixed with Oakey's trademark imperceptibility, but are blended nicely in most places. So the album isn't so much a DJ mix but rather a showcase of Oakenfold's production skills.

My main complaint with this disc are the samples from the movie. Its John Travolta and the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack meeting Battelfield Earth, and the results are pretty lame.

If you want to hear something different than a standard Oakey trance mix, and are a fan of his phenomenal early work, give this album a listen.

His Best
Oakenfold may be a little overrated, but this along with Another World, Travelling, and his remix of When the World Ends from Dave Matthews Band on the Matrix 2 soundtrack are amazing stuff. That's the only Oakenfold to really get. Everything else he just let his ego carry. Which I don't blame the guy. If I was called the best DJ in the world, I would want to take it easy sometimes too. This album is evidence of why he's the best. Most of his albums don't give him justice.

AIGHT
This is a aight cd I don't listen to it much but if you are a fan of Oakenfold I think you should own it. It has some good tracks , don't think that you would listen to it as much as his other works but I still like it for some of the tracks on it.
Pretty Good!

One word... wow
I was relatively new to Paul Oakenfold, but becomming a rabid fan, when I picked up this soundtrack, interested more in what appeared to be an interesting movie rather than the soundtrack, which still lookd interesting all the same. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Oakenfold had created this himself. Imagine my greater surprise when I plugged the album in and found myself jamming to such tracks as Jan Johnston's "Unafraid", "Stanley's Theme", and Dope Smugglaz' "The Word".

For a movie soundtrack, this album was just pure dynamite. No two ways about it. Oakenfold demonstrates why he is one of the best in the business today--seamlessly mixing tracks and bringing in music that does the movie more than justice. With Jan Johnston's seductive voice on "Unafraid", the Patient Saints interesting beats and lyrics in "On Your Mind", as well as the several movie quotes intersperced through the soundtrack, it becomes plain to see... or, rather, hear... that this is no ordinary soundtrack filled with lovely classical musical score meant to be played when you have nothing better to listen to (no offense to movie scores, mind you).

Oakenfold's album is a hit from start to finish--from Gabriel's first words to the last words of Planet Perfecto--and one worthy of listening to over and over. This is a classic that one should not refuse in adding to any musical collection, even if electronica is not necessarily your style. ... Read more

Album Details

Leftfield: Along with Sigur Ros, Fellow Icelanders Mum Form the Tip of a Fresh Ambient Music Wave. A Truly Beautiful Album, Rhythm, Great Melodies, Electronic Bleeps and Beats, Accordions, Glockenspiels, Synths and Lots Lots More! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Something wonderful in a sea of mundane...
There is a lot of music out there that is really good. Unfortunately, it is surrounded by all sorts of filler. Like anyone that heads out in to the hills with a tin pan and a dream, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time searching for musical gold. This is one album that qualifies. It is the type of album that I will put on when I am in the mood for chilling out with a nice glass of scotch and a book. It is mostly instrumental, and takes a couple listens to get the feel for the flittering beauty it lays out. A lot of people have compared this band to Sigur Ros but, other than being from Iceland, it is not a fair comparison. Having said that, if you are the type of person that likes Sigur Ros, you will probably like this album (don't expect it to sound like them, though).

It's cotton candy for your ears
It's rare that a musician creates a masterpiece that manages to weave originality, beauty and emotion into such a fine tapestry. But that's exatly what Mum has done with this, easily their best album to date.

It's the atmospherics that make this album. Lyrics only comprise a small (but stirring) portion of one song, but they really aren't missed. The atmospherics are so masterfully done that they wrap you within a spell: the almost giddy motif immediately calls to mind the fuzzy, positive memories of childhood: listening to it for the first time is like experiencing the joys of childhood again, with the excitement of a child.

Light-hearted, beautiful, seamless, this album is a must-have; trust me. And here's a little hint: if you buy it directly from amazon.co.uk and have it shipped, you can save yourself money and time. (Or at least that was the case before the dollar collapsed.)

soothing sounds for adults
while in iceland in 2000, some friends introduced me to this band, and prefaced the introduction by saying that Mum had been greatly inspired by the american composer Raymond Scott, who had embarked upon an attempt to make electronic music for babies and young children. from what i understand, Mum built their debut album around Raymond Scott's Soothing Sounds for Baby.

I was greatly charmed by the album's playful yet reclusive presence. Yes, it is like Sigur Ros - though much more introspective on one hand, and not as ambitious on the other. It is childlike music - curious and at times impatient. Later on, I told my young niece and nephews that this music was created by trolls - which seemed to fit perfectly into their imagination.

NOT a slam, just a sense of realism
Okay, so these guys are the focus of some intense critical acclaim right now, being touted as ethereal, melodic, quirky and super original, and I was intensely interested in hearing their sound. This is not their critically acclaimed album, but rather their debut. In spite of the endorsements for their uncanny originality, this is not that unique. I don't mean that as an insult for a second, it's just that this is pretty similar to what guys like Console and Dntel have done better. (Console is the main bleep-maker in the Notwist and Dntel is the other half of the Postal Service, but these guys have also been making their own solo stuff since the mid 90's.) All that being said, this record is very good. I wouldn't be able to criticize it if I didn't already like this kind of music and I think originality is an overrated commodity anyway. This album is almost entirely instrumental, featuring only one song with vocals. It's very slow and melodic and ethereal and quirky, but it sure as hell isn't that catchy. I don't think it's fair of me to rate this because i haven't listened to it enough times, but it's a required field. It should be 3 1/2, by the way. If you REALLY like ambient electronics and post-rock experiments or if your REALLY like Mum, then I highly recommend it. If you REALLY like this record, then I recommend picking up Dntel's Life is Full of Possibilities. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Tiesto the "Merlin" of the Trance
Wonderful melodies.
Rock trance, perfection at the compilation.
Tiesto diserve respect for all his productions.
This CD must to have for any trance lover.
I have it and I recomend.
Go for this. From the Magik series I only recomend the Magik 3,4,5 and 6 the anothers Magik's series dont waste your time these that I recomend are the goodies.
Go for these ;)

The True Meaning of TRANCE!
DJ Tiesto keeps on topping himself. Not only do I enjoy his own music, but I almost enjoy his remixing even more. This album is a fantastic example of his thouroughly perfect mixing. I heard the original version of most of these songs quite a while ago. Then I picked up Magik Vol. 3: Far From Earth and was completely blown away! All I did was pop in the cd and listened to the whole thing non-stop. Absolutely fabulous! Very shortly after the first song began, I turned the lights off, laid on the floor, and let my eyes roll back into my head; that is what good trance is supposed to do to you. I have nothing bad to say about this album. I recommend anyone and everyone to pick up this cd. Whether you're a trance-lover or not, I guarantee you'll love this cd!!!

fast trance, great selection!
Magik 3 is my favorite of all the Magik series [although #6 is a close second].

But Magik 3's selection of tracks, and the order they're in is fabulous. "Ice Rain" has great vocals, and comes in a good place of the track order. The best parts of the CD are at the end, however. Everything from Lucy Cotter's "Breath in You" to Pob's "The Awaking" is awesome! some of the fastest beats i've ever heard, and DJ Tiesto mixes them flawlessly. and what better than to have Gouryella's very own "Gouryella" just before the final climax of the CD. just great!

The #1 DJ in the WORLD!!
Any album Tiesto makes or remixed song he does, you can guarantee it will put you in a TRANCE through a musical journey! I have most of his albums from all his MAGIK series and In Search of Sunrise 1,2, and 3. Including his double CD "Nyana".
I also recommend getting "Tiesto In Concert" DVD, he puts on a GREAT show!

Epic trance~tiesto
Rich, soothing, energetic, and empowering with killer melodies and mind blowing breakdowns, this album is totaly organic and 100% awesome from the first track strait to the end. But who could expect less from tiesto? The man is a genious. Are there any cds by him that dont have at least 4 stars? I dont think so. My favorites are magik 3,5,6, insearch of sunrise 3&1, nyana, and forbiddon paradice 7 - deep forest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As Caia, Japanese producer Maiku Takahashi comes up with a solid debut filled with ambient space and druggy downtempo. Produced by Groove Armada's Andy Cato, The Magic Dragon has some of that band’s soulful warmth, but Caia's sound is even smoother, layered with rich chill tunes and hypnotic effects. Wordless choruses float like little fluffy clouds into extended bridges, mixing up the structure of songs like "Summer Lighting" and "La Telecabine." The atmospherics gain momentum from traces of hip-hop and dub, like a Tangerine Dream movie soundtrack with a beat. Some songs end up in completely different places from where they started; "Heavy Weather" develops from a brooding acid-house bass line, but eventually dissolves into a wash of keyboards and chanted melodies. By keeping us off balance, Takahashi gets to surprise us and takes advantage of our disorientation to establish a dreamy and wonderful weightlessness. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Enter a magical world via the Magic Dragon
Maiku Takahashi aka Caia (pronounced ch EYE ah) has created a wonderful CD of smooth grooves, jazzy licks and a very nice relaxing flow while maintaing a mesmerizing bass groove.

I personally found the drum beats to be very cool. They're up front but don't detract at all from the rest of the piece. In addition, I like the different types of drums he uses. One song he seems to use industrial type drums and in the next he's using african bongos =).

What others have said about this is true: every track is top quality and forbids you to skip over them =).

I recommend this CD to anyone without reservation =).

Erotic music for the 21st Century
When listening to Caias' beautiful "Magic Dragon" album be prepared to be blown away. Each song on this record transports you to a different world on each different song. Its downtempo meets new age meets electronica meets acid jazz. But more than
anything its music that meets the soul and decides to become best friends. Let me tell you my 5 favorites off of "Magic Dragon": 1) "Remembrance" A song to help you with those reflective moods of lost loves, full moons, and snuggling with a current lover. 2) "La Telecabine" This has some nice surprises in the arrangements. Be prepared for the unexpected on this great dance and soulful feeling song. 3) "Summer Lightning" Just simply a breathtakingly beautiful song. Get your jogging shoes ready for this one, it will be a great pace setter. 4) "Subway Freedom" This is a great one for all those DJ's out there. Great Dubbing is already included. 5) "Afterwards @ the Bar" This one has a little smooth jazz feel with some nice break beats in it. Except for some wordless singing, this is an instrumental album for the ages. This is a great record for any kind of mood. I highly recommend this breakthough album.

A Little Strange
This is a good CD, however two of the songs on here are taken from the Weekend Players CD. (A much better CD.) I had to listen to both to confirm it, I almost thought someone had changed the CD on me.

While I liked this music, it seemed a bit hard to follow and didn't keep my interest the way Armada Groove, Zero 7, and other artists do.

"Magic" from the magic dragon
Having listened to album a few times now I am amazed at the different levels of music that flow from it. It is a wonderful collection of downbeat chords and strings.
Listen and you will certainly LIKE!

uh . . . no
There was something a bit corny and cheesy about caia that just didn't appeal to me. There's a warm, all engulfing fuzzy feel to this disc but it left a bad taste in my mouth. It seemed a bit too over produced and the music came across as murky and muddled. I tried selling my copy at three different used music stores and no one wanted to buy it. If you like your downtempo a bit cheesy and forgetable, the magic dragon is for you. Not a single track reached out and grabbed me and the disc kind flowed in such a manner that eventually every track started to sound a like. I was finally able to unload my copy. Not a bad disc but there is SO much better out there. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Should be a part of your U2 collection.
Passengers real and imagined film soundtracks expands on the musical concepts brought forth in Zooropa. Its good to hear U2 wandering into experimental territory with Eno at the helm. Who better to bring the lads into the ambient realm than the man who invented the gerne? The album works! This is an interesting listen with moments of subtle moodiness and rocking, get your booty up beats. Listen to after a long night of clubbing or use as your late night insomnia-net surfing soundtrack. A worthy addition to all electronica fans collections.

...And Time Is A String of Pearls
"Very, very bad self-indulgent music." This is not the judgment of an unimpressed critic. This is the band's own drummer speaking. Guess I'm a little more impressed by the whole endeavour than Larry Mullen Jr., because I find this collection of fictitious film soundtracks fabulous. Including the drumming.

Mega-stars like U2 usually put an album out about twice a decade, but with 'Original Soundtracks,' producer Brian Eno coaxed the band back into the studio for the third time in a roughly four-year span. He may have been on to something: it is as if, through sheer, prolonged immersion in music-making, the celebrity has been sweated out of them. Eno and the band relax into a very un-U2 experimentalism that would have you believe the guys had spent their whole lives playing ambient. Some tracks, like "One Minute Warning" and "Let's Go Native," sound as if chunks of 'Achtung Baby' or 'The Joshua Tree' had broken off from their planets and gone into wholly new orbits. Others, like ""Miss Sarajevo" and "Your Blue Room," are fully worked out songs -- and are as strong as anything this band has done.

At its best this album makes me long for what U2 *could* have been: all their prodigious skills and talent intact but freed for once from the band's exasperating ambition to be all things to all people. What they might sound like if they lived on a desert island. No audience to conquer. Only guitars and blank tape. And coconuts.

I`ll Pass
This U2 side project may be innovative and even cutting-edge for some people, but frankly it doesn`t seem like such a strong and challenging record to me. The first songs are interesting, providing some techno-oriented soundscapes with intriguing electronic dance elements. Those certainly create a moody and mildly enticing atmosphere, and Bono`s vocals are dark and mysterious enough for the tunes. However, as the record unfolds, it soon becomes repetitive and tiresome, turning into the hit-and-miss kind of album. This material is fine as hip background music, as it certainly helps to create a cool mood, but it doesn`t stand out as an unique and essential listening experience. It`s a decent effort, yet it never rises above average, mildly pleasant music with a couple of worthwile moments. "Passengers: Original Soundtracks Vol 1", like "Pop", is an interesting failure for U2, carrying some good ideas but lacking in development. For a somewhat similar though better effort, stick with "Zooropa", where experimentation delivered an overall solid result.
Subpar and uneven.

I'd like to see these movies
Works for me. U2 tries to be creative but I didn't think they could go any more after Zooropa. I was wrong. But first, the story of U2 1987-1995

Joshua Tree turned U2 into the biggest rock band in the world. Who want's to argue? After Rattle and Hum's success U2 found themselves exposed. Reports put gossip about them in the papers. Stuff like "U2 want's to be America's house band" or "Sucking up to America" so they tried to confuse reporters, distract fans, and this was their best work. Eventually the band stops putting out music and kept a low profile with Passengers. It's a good thing they did or they'd be booed off stage. The dreamy "Miss Sarajevo" and the incrediblely haunting and sensual "Your Blue Room" are my favorite. I burned a CD with my favorite 90's songs, and these 2 songs are on there. Check B-Sides or 1990-2000 Best of. If you are a beginning U2 fan DON NOT BUY or you will ruin the experience. Only experienced fans like me (check my reviews) should buy. Which reminds me I got to put this on my Christmas list.

The biggest group in the world veture into alien territory..
I grew up listening to U2, like bands like The Cure & Depeche Mode, they were the gateway to many bands- though by the time of rootsfest Rattle&Hum, I'd already tuned out...Then suddenly the 1990s occurred and U2 became interesting- the ZOO-TV era that produced Achtung Baby! & Zooropa showed the world's biggest band develop an experimental style, which can be seen analogous to Bowie's 70s Trilogy of StationtoStation,Low&"Heroes" (forget Lodger) & a precursor of the territory Radiohead would explore from songs like Lucky onwards to albums like KidA.

Passengers Original Soundtracks VolI is their most Eno of releases, released under this moniker no doubt to protect the brand-name, it seems undervalued (just one review in the UK) & overlooked: I mean, Kid A is much more conventional. Perhaps it's me, having a taste for perverse artrock- but following this, U2 would deliver the compromised Pop (which flitted between great forward thinking tracks like Mofo&Miami and dull anthems like If God Will Send His Angels & Please) & return to the 80s with the boring All That You Can't Leave Behind (a huge compromise, like REM's Reveal). Only the soundtrack to The Ground Beneath Her Feet would be as interesting as this...

Elvis Ate America tells you everything you need to know about the King of Rock&Roll, assisted by HowieB(Tricky's co-writer on Ponderosa), it advances on 93's Numb and predicts 97's Miami. Love the way it almost cuts up elements of Presley's life and then contrasts him with those who had participated in their own destruction (Christ, Hitler, Mishima,Nixon ). Many of the tracks find Eno & co heavily using synths- tracks like One Minute Warning, United Colours & Plot180 deserving a place alongside early Aphex Twin and the critically feted My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Theme from Let's Go Native shows that U2 progressed from b-side Alex/Korova (from The Fly) and songs like Lemon to a very interesting place indeed (this appears to have been heavily influenced by My Bloody Valentine- if Primal Scream did this now, music critics would get very excited...)

The Edge takes lead vocals for the minimal Corpse(These Chains Are Way Too Long)- some ghostly industrial beats, a whirring synth, a lone guitar...that's it! Slug does feel very cut up, not quite a song- while Beach Sequence (from the dire Beyond the Clouds: senile soft porn from a once great director) just doesn't last long enough (a blissed out joy). Always Forever Now is a great electronic track, which was perfectly complemented by several Moby tracks when used for the sountrack of brilliant cop thriller Heat (Michael Mann). Theme from The Swan, alternately, finds the Passengers voyage towards the territory of avant-garde composer Michael Nyman- this album cannot be accused of being unimaginative!

Eno takes lead vocals for A Different Kind of Blue, while Luciano Pavarotti guests on single (and most perfect song) Miss Sarajevo, which touchingly wonders "Is there a time for East17?". Love the idea of contrasting a decadent Western lifestyle and celeb bands with the horrors in Eastern Europe- half an hour watching Fox-TV will tell you all you need to know here...Ito Okashi is up there with Tricky's Pumpkin, while another fave Your Blue Room has fantastic bass and harmonics- a real lost U2 classic.

Passengers Original Soundtracks Vol1 is a diverse diversion, an album that those with open minds and eclectic tastes should adore- not necessarily U2 fans. It must get boring having to sing Where the Streets Have No Name and being one thing though- a key release of the 1990s, which makes more sense with the passage of time- ... Read more

Reviews (19)

BUY IT!
An endless journey of the best drum&base has to offer! Know when you buy a new CD and maybe a couple of pieces are really good and the rest is just kind of OK?...This is NOT the case with the DJ Bukem's mixed masterpiece "Logical Progressions, Level 1". My review could be short and just leave it with "BUY IT!", but it deserves far more than that. Just 4 pieces are produced by LTJ Bukem, but the entire album (it is a double CD!) is coherent enough that you will not even notice when the pieces changes from one to another. It is (like Annika from stockholm put it) music to do anything to! It is the profound drum&base sound with a fast rythm, moderate by a smooth and floating base, spaced (spiced) with floating synthesizers and voices that brings your mind either to the city pulse and warm summer night or ice-climbing in the twilight in Kiruna, Sweden, or the night when you meet your love under the light of the midnight sun in Tromsoe, Norway.....you choose....and it will fit.

Ambience + musical versatility = L.T.J. Bukem
One of my all time favorite D'N'B cd's. Track after track is smoothly mixed without blemish on disc B. Just when the ragga and jump up mania was at it's peak, L.T.J. Bukem came with a new feel, a new vibe, and a new flava for the massive. A revolutionary figure in the evolution of drum'n'bass, LTJ Bukem decided to go against the grain and do his own thing. He proves that versatility is vital for musical growth especially in the realm of drum'n'bass. You should enjoy the legendary "Music" which made him famous and if you like the vocal side of d'n'b then the song "One and Only" by PFM is sure to have you pressing "repeat one" on your CD player. This is aaaaaambient, chill out jungle but you can also have a go on the dancefloor with tracks like "Western" with MC Conrad. How can you call yourself a drum'n'bass head and not have this CD???

LOVE IT
This is one of my first CDs to Drum and Base, and I love it!!! Not very hardcore drum&base, it's just really cool to listen to.

Absolutely Fabulous!!!!!!!
Now I'm a BIG fan of LTJ and have 4 of his CDs, but NONE of them come anywhere near this one. Hands down, this is the best CD he's EVER done!!!!!! On the other CDs of his that I have I have only a select few that I'm willing to play over and over again. Just to clarify, I consider a song good if I'm want to hear it over and over again and/or I bob my head to it. Another criteria I have in considering a song good is if it plays in my head a lot. This CD has me bobbing my head to EACH AND EVERY song on it so I KNOW it's fabulous. I like the fact that it has a lot of songs written LTJ himself. What's even better is they are the best of the best he's ever done. I've heard a lot of LTJ's songs and (unfortunately) theres quite a few that I don't like but on Logical Progression he definitely picked the creme de la creme. He has definitely put on wax music of caliber to rival his PHENOMENAL live sets. I pray one day he will return to play a set at my fave club, Necto, and play these songs as part as part of it!!!!

correction
In my review I incorrectly compared 'so long' on disc b to an Aphex Twin piece. It is 'dannys song' on disc a I meant. Sorry about that. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Everything about crypt crawler Lara Croft is fake: her boobs, her archaeological background, her identity. The ass-kickin' chick is a game boy's dream come to life, so it's fitting that the video hottie should get an equally synthetic soundtrack in time for her big-screen debut. U2 reel out the album's strongest track, a glossy remix of "Elevation" that skids all over glam-rock terrain and is just sexy enough to make it work as a single (as well as a scene-stealing video featuring Tomb Raider star Angelina Jolie). Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor works himself into a fit on the grinding "Deep," but his tirade sounds outdated with its dumb lyrics and clunky, hookless programming. Speaking of computer blues, Groove Armada's wordless snoozer "Edge Hill" is about as far from shakin' that ass as a dance act can get. Thankfully, club reliables like the Chemical Brothers and Moby can still get it done; the former brings out the funk with a writhing dance tune that's as tireless as the film's heroine, while the latter's fuzzed-out big beats explode into a giddy freak-out that helps tighten up the album's blah midsection. Oddly, the only ladies in the house, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot and young 'un Nelly Furtado, are the ones who get Lara Croft's modus operandi right; no matter how perfect she may be, she still needs to get her freak on. --Kristy Martin ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Good
Overall, the soundtrack to Tombraider is awesome, but Satellite by Bosco and Devil's Nightmare by Oxide and Neutrino get boring after a while. My favorite track is Elevation(Tomb Raider mix) by U2. Other great sounding songs are Deep by Nine Inch Nails, Get Your Freak On by Missy Elliot featuring Nelly Furtado, Ain't Never Learned by Moby, and The Revolution by BT. It's a very cool cd with uptempo beats. I would recommend this cd because it's filled with powerful energy.

Great mix of artists
I ran out to see the movie as soon as it was released, and afterwards, couldn't wait to get the soundtrack. The majority of the music has strong techno influences, but there are some slower, more recognizable songs and artists. This CD features the likes of U2 ("Elevation" remix), Fatboy Slim, Nine Inch Nails, Groove Armada, Bosco, Outkast, Delerium, The Chemical Brothers, and Missy Elliot (featuring fledgling artist Nelly Furtado). A fun CD- if you're a big fan of soundtracks (like myself), you won't waste your $ on this one.

I like it
This is a good soundtrack. Its not as "cool" as say the matrix soundtrack, but there are some really good tracks on it, and I cant think of one that annoys me. And I love the songs without words in them, so I disagree with the amazon review. Soundtracks often have songs with no words, because those are easy songs to put in a movie. Its definitly worth the price I paid.

Worth the Raid
Having bought this album off the shelf without listening to any of it at first, I was pleased by the intense techno and the chaotic rap that this CD contains. Most of it is techno, hip-hop, and rap, but most of it is worth listening to:

-"Elevation" by U2. Unlike the rest of the album, this is a rock song. It's melody and lyrics makes it memorable, and is probably one of the best tracks here.

-"Deep" by N.I.N. Heavily synthesized instruments and loud drums, followed by loud singing. It's somewhat intense, but not too much. It's quite good.

-"Galaxy Bounce" by the Chemical Brothers. Rapid-pace techno track with repeating lyrics. Unlike other Chemical Brothers songs, it's not wholly irritating, and is actually cool.

-"Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliot. Others may enjoy this track for some reason, but to me, it sounds like some annoying music from the streets of Bangladesh.

-"Speedballin'" by Outkast. High-paced chaotic rap song. It's pretty phat.

-"Ain't Never Learned" by Moby. A dreary techno song that's not too fast or too slow. The lyrics may be irritating to some, but I like it.

-"The Revolution" by BT. Synthesized vocals dominate this rock song. It's really cool.

-"Terra Firma" by Delerium. Techno with choral singing. Gives the feel of being in a Cambodian jungle or something.

-"Where's Your Head At" by Basement Jaxx. One of the most chaotic songs on the album. Still a cool song.

-"Illuminati" by Fatboy Slim. Cut-up techno beats with cut-up vocals. It may be annoying in some ways, but unlike other Fatboy Slim songs, I found this one all right.

-"Absurd" by Fluke. Fast-beat techno. It's absurdly good.

-"Song of Life" by Leftfield. Downbeat techno track with some choral vocals. Not as fast as the other tracks, but still cool.

-"Edge Hill" by Groove Armada. Slow chill-out track that may not fit in with the tempo of the rest of the album. But for its beautiful strings, it's an awesome track.

-"Satellite" by Bosco. Sounds like an alien singing. Cool!

-"Devil's Nightmare" by Oxide & Neutrino. Synthesized rap song with dramatic choral vocals and some background noises. It's gloomy but still good.

Worth the Money but Somewhat Dissapointing
This soundtrack boasts some excellent songs and is a perfect compliment to the movie. "Deep" by Nine Inch Nails, "Terra Firma" by Delerium, and "Song of Life" by Leftfield were my three favorites and all the other songs were fair to great as well, excepting the two which I will mention next. "Devil's Nightmare" by Oxide and Neutrino is a horrid sounding mix which I don't even recognize from the movie. It just didn't seem to fit in and it in no possible form could have passed as decent on its own. "Satellite" by Bosco is also horrible. They have this high-pitched squeaky voice that sounds like its been helium induced which makes it revolting and, again, I can't find the connection from within the movie. These two tracks change the feel of the album and forced me to lower the rating to 4 stars, but other than those atrocities, the tracks are all decent. I was dissapointed that four of the tracks had lyrics when in the movie versions they didn't. I fell in love with the music from "Deep", "Galaxy Bounce", "Illuminati", and "Absurd" when I heard them played in the movie, but they all sport either lyrics or voice effects which messed with them. I was able to accept the lyrics in "Deep" and "Absurd" because the talent was good in combination with the music, but "Illuminati" (in this version) sports a line or two of speech which I found disturbing. It's not too bad, but I think the track's quality would have improved without it. Also, "Galaxy Bounce" has these sporadic additions of a singing-type noise which I absolutely hate and I therefore gave up listening to that track for more than the thirty seconds or so it takes to reach that point. Sad, but true. Overall, this album is worth the money if you noticed the music from the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it, just be prepared for a setback or two as you listen. ... Read more