Album Description

Producer, remixer, and DJ extraordinaire Rauhofer releases his fourth volume of the wildly popular "Live @ Roxy" series straight from his residency at NYC's club Roxy. This specially priced double CD contains rare new exclusive remixes as well as Peter's own signature mixes of Madonna, David Morales, and others. ... Read more

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Even as dancehall further installs itself as a sellable pop/R&B sound in the U.S., St. Vincent native Kevin Lyttle arrives with a sexy, party-ready variant on soca (soul-calypso). "Turn Me On," the single that ensured this album's release in the States, is a three-years-in-the-making hit that pushes the singer's lithesome voice into an irresistible organic-electronic track (the CD also offers a remix with reggae hard man Spragga Benz and a video for the song). The rest of the album keeps the groove up, making for one of the most likeable, boundary-breaking successes in recent memory; a cover of Terence Trent D'Arby's "Sign Your Name" is a timely reminder of that singer's late-'80s heyday. An even more likely follow-up smash, though, is the bumping "My Lady." Don't be surprised if Lyttle has kicked off a welcome new sound-fad in America, with more soca stars arriving quickly. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

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Haunting, evocative, mysterious, and magnificent, Enigma's Cross of Changes offers nine musical explorations of sound and sensation that dazzle and amaze. The songs unfold in rolling waves, each more complex and richly layered than the last, yet each fully capable of standing alone as a musically satisfying experience. The standout track on this disc is "Return to Innocence," which combines Native American chanting, Celtic harmonies, and a deceptively simple lyric to devastating effect. At once esoteric and elemental, Cross of Changes is a fine example of the best the genre has to offer. --L.A. Smith ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Enigma- Chaper 2
"Cross of Changes" is my favorite Enigma album, it's a great mix of beautiful ambient music. Michael Cretu had dropped the "Trademark" Gregorian chants and concentrading on other things instead. There is more variety here though, Native American chants on "Return to Innocence", Piano playing on "Dream of the dolphin" and horns on "Silent Warrior". On "Age of Loneliness" we'll hear a wonderful female voice and backround drums and some horns. But Cretu also sings ofcourse, we'll hear his lyrics on "Return to innocence" and on "Out from the deep". The album closes with a perfect song,the title track "Cross of Changes". There is no song that is bad here actually. I enjoyed them all. This album was also one of the absolute top albums of 1994. Flawless.

Enigmatic
There is nothing to puzzle over for the second installment from Enigma, "The Cross of Changes". It is simply a great album. This is an album that flows from beginning to end without a single dead spot, or a single wrong note. The music is airy with, at times, a bit of an edge. The lyrics are perfect and the voice is used as an instrument whether it is just singing notes, Gregorian or Native American chants. This is a perfect album to turn off all the lights, turn up the stereo and just get lost in the music.

There are many great songs on this album. "Return to Innocence" has a strong Native American feel to it with the chant that is interspersed with soft lyrics. The music is so good that it has been pieces of it have been used in movies. Most notable is the ending portion of "The Eyes of Truth" in the file "The Matrix". The guitar screams through a solo in "I Love You...I'll Kill You" giving the song one of the more heavier edges on the album. "Silent Warrior" uses chants throughout in the background. In the middle of the song, tribal drums come forward providing support to the lyrics.

Enigma's songs are almost like stories. The song may grow and change as it progresses and many have several different movements to them. There is a beautiful blend of the different types of instruments in perfect proportions making the sum more than its parts. This is one band where you'll want to collect all their albums, and "The Cross of Changes" is a must have to any collection.

Cross Purposes
Enigma mesmerized everyone in 1990 when his/their debut became (we're all adults here, right?) a bedroom classic. He also took the music world by storm, and soon everyone from Deep Forrest to the Benedictine Monks were marking their territory with similar forays into new age and ambient music. Which meant that Michael Cretu was left with either trying to make "Sadeness-ness" or pushing his sounds in different directions.

To that end, he certainly did try! There's very little of the Gregorian sampling from the first album here, and in its place are explorations of Native American music and electric guitars. Not all of it works as well as the debut (those guitar solos in particular), but "Return To Innocence" is probably the best song he's ever come up with. Much like a modern day Alan Parsons Project, Michael Cretu builds songs like a sonic architect, layering images for effect, and on the opposite side, effects to evoke imagery.

In "I Love You...I'll Kill You," the sounds come off as dangerous and slinky. Considering the song was originally used in a stinker of a stalker movie called "Sliver," it fits. But the catcher is the song's final verse, where the voice whispers, "I love you, I'll kill you, but I'll love you forever." Now THAT'S the kind of freakiness that got the first album noticed, and it's the closest "Cross Of Changes" gets to the brilliance of "MCMXC A.D." (Though I could have lived without the rock guitar.)

While a pretty good album overall, I'd still recommend the debut first, and then "Cross Of Changes." If you're looking for more of the bombastic songs from Enigma's career, I'd then suggest going with the "L.S.D." hits collection, which skips the ambiance and concentrates more on popular selections.

Radiant!
This CD was awesome! Michael Cretu has done it again. With his first release of Enigma, I was shocked at the originality. It was just awesome how he incorporated different (enigmatic) sounds in his music and made it like one whole song. His first album was awesome with the revival of the Gregorian Chants and marvelous lyrics; now he has broght a different, powerful work with the same essence. The Cross of Changes concentrates in a Native American style instead of the Gregorain Chants. It is beautifully done! I love how Michael Cretu has thought of different cultures and times: Middle Ages of Gregorian Chants, ancient acoustic sounds mixed with modern synthtic sound, and in the song "Silent Warrior," the lyrics explain the Spanish takeover of Mayan culture. "They took their land/ They took their lives..../ White men won in the name of God." Very interesting lyrics throughout the music many involving ethical values. It begins with "The Second Chapter" describing that "we came out from the deep to help and understand and not to kill" and follows with different believes, but finally concludes: "If you understand or if you don't/ If you believe or if you doubt/ There's a universal justice/ And the eyes of the truth/ Are always watching you."

It sets a pure mood.
Even though to the new fan I'd recommend the "Greatest Hits", this is still a great disc for anyone. It does include "Return To Innocence", which may be their biggest hit ever, and though the rest isn't as catchy, it's very good. "Out From The Deep" is another stand-out, and "Age Of Loneliness" and "Eyes Of Truth" are both wonderful as well. This does remind me a bit of "Deep Forest", and of some things from "Peter Gabriel" too. It's a great mix of new age, pop, and world music. ... Read more

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Reissuing old dance records can be dicey, because so many of them don't age well. There are exceptions, of course, like this digitally spiffed up and beautifully packaged, 3-disc Renaissance collection from Sasha and John Digweed. Released originally in 1994, it's become a milestone representing not only the celebrated duo's first recorded mix but also a snapshot of British dance at its raving, glorious peak. Disc 1 opens with a triplet of Leftfield's "Song for Life" and moves through still-potent tracks from Disco Evangelists ("De Niro") and F. Machine ("Child Bride"). The run continues on discs 2 and 3, as it lightly glides through Fluke's "Slide" and EMF's "They're Here." And what would a trip down amnesia lane be without a stop at Moby's "Go"? Nostalgia only goes so far, and some songs that sounded great at the time are a little soft now (see "Not Over Yet"). But that innocence gets at the heart of the collection's appeal, reminding us of when dance music seemed primed to take over the planet. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

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It's an enchanted world that Múm inhabit. Conceived in a remote Icelandic lighthouse, Finally We Are No One is an electronica album that conjures up hazy, half-remembered memories of childhood, both magical and eerie. The obvious comparisons are with Boards of Canada and Múm's compatriot, Björk. But as with their superb 2000 debut, Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK, Múm make a music that's far too original to be easily compartmentalized. So analog keyboards hum alongside muted digital glitches, and "proper" instruments--accordions, cellos, melodicas--flutter in and out of the mix. The overall effect is of a modern kind of folk music. It's gentle, almost-fey stuff, but the quartet (including twin sisters who appeared on the cover of Belle & Sebastian's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant) never slips into anything like polite ambience. Instead, the 11 pieces are like extracts from a particularly vivid dream journal, especially when the Valtýsdóttir sisters sing in their peculiar gurgling, infantilized way in the epically unfurling lullaby, "The Land Between Solar Systems." This is an album that leaves you longing for shady childhood experiences you never knew you'd even had. --John Mulvey ... Read more

Reviews (48)

lovely night-time record
I wasn't too sure about mum, but I thought I'd give it a go, thanks to the numerous comparisons with Boards of Canada, Minotaur shock and DNTEL. I wasn't dissapointed. I could tell you all how it evokes memories of childhood and all that, but I won't, even though it's the only record in my whole collection that has actually done that. If you're looking for a late night or very early in the morning album, full of melancholic and reflective songs then this would be a perfect buy. I will say, if you're not used to singing with your electronic music this album may be a bit shocking, I certainly didn't warm to it right away, but after a couple of listens I managed to get the feeling that I was listening to St Etienne out of my mind and began to really enjoy the vocals too.

and it's about a million times better than all those 'chill out' albums too.

the land between solar systems
The closing track on this astounding effort sums up the feeling of the album accurately as the listener is taken to "the land between solar systems" before being brought crashing through the clouds to the solid sufrace of the Earth.

Dreamy, atmospheric, surreal, enchanting. These are all words you're likely to hear describing the sophmore album from this Icelandic quartet. Yet, none of them will do justice in describing the sheer beauty of this album.

If you liked the first single, "the ballad of the broken birdie records" from "Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK", you'll soon fall in love with the lush vocals on the lead song "green grass of tunnel" and "we have a map of piano", a hypotic melody that follows "green grass of tunnel" on the disc. Solid beats are provided by "don't be afraid, you have just got your eyes closed", "k half noise", "i can't feel my hand anymore, it's alright, sleep still", and "now there's that fear again", all of which are augmented by the dreamy soundscapes of "behind two hills,,,,a swimming pool", "finally we are no one", "faraway swimmingpool", and the stunning closer "the land between solar systems."

It's difficult to create a follow-up album to a solid first effort, but mum has outdone themselves by creating an album that fits together as a whole, instead of being seperate pieces glued together as it was on "Yesterday Was Dramatic."

If you have yet to hear the latest Icelandic export, do yourself a favour. Insert disc, lay back, relax, and enjoy.

Jason

not bad, but no boards of canada
ok, so this cd is pretty good. but it doesn't hold a candle to anything by Boards of Canada. i actually found it quite boring. there are a couple good tracks. but this cd is not in my rotation. Music has the right to children is.

Absolutely Stunning
"Inexplicably beautiful" is the best I can do to describe the amazing sophomore release from Iceland's Mum. Scattered with simplistic melodies and enchanting vocals, Finally We Are No One grasps the listener from the first track and spins them through a completely different musical universe. Unlike anything I've ever heard, Mum perfectly blends synthesizers and pianos. It's amazing to see the amount of growth from their debut album (Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK). Highly recommended for anyone interested in beautiful, entrancing Icelandic music.

he grabbed my thumb and led me away from the accident...
While expanding my IDM/electronic collection, I always overlooked Mum because I was never really big on Sigur Ros and the samples here on amazon didn't really do anything for me. When I had every Aphex, BoC, Four Tet, Autechre, Prefuse, Squarepusher (etc...) album, I hesitantly decided to pick up a copy of 'Finally We Are No One'.

When I got home and listened to it, I was blown away. There are few albums ("Music Has the Right..." for instance) that leave me speechless after just the first time hearing it and make me excited to uncover new aspects with each further listen. To start, the samples on this page do no justice to any song on the album. This CD is meant to put on with headphones to get the full effect and just relax and feel the music. The best way that I can explain the music on this album is what you'd get if Four Tet joined forces with Boards of Canada. It has both the dreamy, psychedelic feel of BoC, and the more down-to-earth traditional musical sounds of Four Tet. To me this is great, because with Four Tet's music I always liked the way it was going but it never quite got the job done for me.

Each song is unique and beautiful in it's own way. My favorite would have to be "Green Grass of Tunnel". This song has so many different aspects of beauty, not to mention if you close your eyes you can perfectly visualize every word. The music on this album is just unbeleivable... and combined with the soft, trippy lyrics make for an incredible listening experience.

I recommend this album to anyone who loves Boards of Canada, and especially to Four Tet fans. ... Read more

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The fifth installment in Stéphane Pompougnac's wildly popular series, Hôtel Costes 5 dishes up more of the impeccably classy, impossibly cool lounge beats that Pompougnac regularly spins for Jean-Louis Costes and his guests at the famous hotel in Paris. As on all the others in this series, Pompougnac's lithe, fun mix features the good taste, smooth textures, and chic musique that his clientele demands. Pompougnac's DJ ears catch perfect segues others might miss, like the little pieces of Vision's dramatic "Ponger Star" that can be found in the preceding track, "Cocaine Is a Sin" from the Strike Boys. The usual clever touches are present as well, like Fantastic Plastic Machine's wonderfully fey cover of Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out." For those of us not fortunate enough to spend our nights soaking up Parisian luxury after a long day of sashaying down the runway, Pompougnac's records allow for a certain vicarious thrill, though more blue-collar ears will yearn for some dirt. After all, dance music at its core is supposed to be dirty, soaked to the bone with sex and sweat. But while Pompougnac's style may lack blood and guts, it's an awfully pretty skeleton just the same. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Nice and groovy chic - but not that funky
This 5th installment of the Costes series is all based on the music supposedly played at Hotel Costes near the Place de La concorde. the music is eclectic and lounge based. Some of the French vocals are nice. But I really like the Jazz and Funk electro instrumentals and deep house tracks like St Germain's albums tourist and boulevard. these tracks are absent here. Costes 5 is not a jazz electro and funk electronica album.

I just bought this new release with all French artists called Paris Under A Groove. It is full of rich, Jazz and Funk french electronica groove tracks. And it includes a rare unreleased track from the father of all french electronica ST GERMAIN himself. this album truely reflects the underground and overground spirit of Paris. Check it out.

Cool chillout
This is the first album out of the series that I came across. I purchased it over in Europe as something to listen to at home. Wow! I am going to buy the rest of them. It is a great lounge/chillout music for home. Can be used for cocktail parties or as a background music during a dinner with friends. I love listening to it in my car (good stereo is a must). I am a fan of De Phazz, Tosca and Buddha Bar. Oh yeah, Cream for dancing, of course! I have bought a lot of albums produced by Mole Listening Pearls. Hotel Costes is definitely a great addition to any lounge/chillout music library.

Refreshing
I decided to branch out after the Buddha Bar series introduced me to the world/chillout/lounge music scene, and the Costes 5 album was the first one I bought outside of it. It's quite refreshing and chic, good for day or night time, versatile, fun and even a little cheeky (One night in Rio :) )definitely, DEFINITELY worth a listen!

Best of the series
This is the king of chill out compilations and vol. 5 is the best of the series. Excellent mood music for parties, long car rides or special evenings : )
If you have never bought any in this series, I highly recommend this one as a starting point.
If you dig chillin' tracks, mr.deviant has a killer track on his CD "Techno Obsession" called "Manic Depression" that is one of the best chillin' tracks I've ever heard. Unfortunately, it's the only track like that on the disc, but worth picking up any way.

Another great one to buy
Another must haves for the Hotel Costes Series. This is more lounge music than others, but I love it. Real Chic, like fashion music? ... Read more

Album Description

Full length from Dutch trance group who have proved theirsuccess with two U.S. radio singles, 'Take Me Away (IntoThe Night)' & 'Diving' (both included here). Enhancedportion includes a bonus CD-ROM video for 'Take Me Away(Into The Night)'. Ultra Records. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

I Only Listen to This CD!!
I live in Seattle and listen to the popular high school owned dance radio station C-89 FM. I loved the songs "Take Me Away" and "Let it Rain" from the radio, but never knew who performed them. Last week I was researching some dance albums on Amazon before ordering them. I think I was ordering a Paul Van Dyk album when Amazon also suggested this CD. I looked at it and listened to some of the sample songs and was so excited that I had finally found some of the songs I had been looking for! I bought this CD along with a few other dance CDs and this is the one I keep coming back to. I keep craving the first 9 tracks of this album when I am listening to another new CD, so I go back to this CD again and I'm satisfied! It sounds SO good in my car as I'm driving in the sun with the windows down. I can't help but sort of dance in my seat. The vocals are so beautiful and the music is perfect! If you enjoy female vocals, you will LOVE this album.

Great EuroTrance/Dance/Pop from Nehterlands
Oh Man, the Gods of Great Music and Melody have smiled upon us again. This is an AMAZING Vocal EuroTrance album, produced and written by a Dutch DJ/Songwriter Carlos Resoort. What a talented Man!!!!! ALL, and I Repeat ALL Songs are Great. There are 1 or 2 Instrumental tracks, and those are Great too. Albums like this truly give a meaning to the phrase "Euro Quality".

So Who would enjoy this? Many Many people probably would. I think everyone who Likes a Song with a VERY BEAUTIFUL MELODY should enjoy this album. This is NOT JUST a Trance or Techno CD. NO, It is so Much More. Every Song has a Beautiful POP MELODY, and Enchanting Female Vocals.

If you are a fan of such groups as SYLVER, DJ ENCORE, LASGO, MILK INC, ALICE DEEJAY, IAN VAN DAHL, FRAGMA than you should definitely Buy this album. All these are in the same Beautiful Vocal EuroTrance style as 4 Strings. Also fans of ACE OF BASE shoul enjoy it (especially if you liked AOB's "Bridge" album).

Also people who like music by such artists as CELINE DION, DIDO, JEWEL, CRANBERRIES, MADONNA, SARAH MCLACHLAN, SIX PENCE NON THE RICHER, ALANIS MORISETTE, NATALIE IMBRUGLIA, CHER should also give 4 Strings a try. I personally think that 4 Strings is actually MUCH MUCH BETTER than any of these artists that I just mentioned. That's my Opinion.

A Best way to Describe 4 Strings is DIDO, but with some Trance/Dance touch. The melodies of ALL 4 Strings' songs are as Beautiful as DIDO's hits "Here With Me" or "Thank You". If you liked "Thank You" than just add a touch of Powerful Trance, and you'll have any of the 4 Strings songs featured on this album. It is Simply MAGNIFICENT.

There just is NOT a single bad song on this album. It is TOTAL QUALITY of the SOUND and the MELODY. There are MANY potential HITS on this album. All songs are Simply BREATHTAKING, from the Intro that leads into "You Take Me Away" to the "Believe" and the Outro. The album is PACKED with GREAT songs. "Diving" is just a Spectacular Song. "Forever Young" is a Remarkable BALLAD. "High On Life" is just HEAVENLY. I could go On and On about songs on this album, but the bottom line is that they are all Amazing.

So, Support this Amazing Act. Give this album a try, and It will make you "Believe" in the Power of Great Music.

I hope you enjoy this album as much as I did.
Thank You

Very Good CD
This is a very good album from 4 Strings. I first heard 4 Strings - Take Me Away in Armin van Buuren's Transparance CD and just love it even though it was instrumental. I prefer the instrumental one better but the vocal one just gives more meanings to the song. The album Believe has a lots of vocals and which is good for vocal trance lovers out there. Overall this is a very good cd.

A plethora of great songs
I listen to a lot of trance. Songs with heavenly female
vocals are my favorite. I have heard bits of 4 Strings
songs in some mixes I have from Paul Van Dyk and others.

If you like this type of music, you will not be disappointed.

Must Have
This album is one of the best in my collection. It's one you can listen to a 1000 times and still want more. Absolutely fantastic! ... Read more

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After laying down a memorable vocal on Artful Dodger's "Re-Wind," the biggest hit to date of the latest U.K.-spawned dance craze known as two-step, Craig David's debut record carries lofty expectations. Born out of the R&B/hip-hop and U.K. garage styles of artists like Romanthony, MJ Cole, and Timbaland, with dashes of spastic drum & bass-style rhythms and DJ scratches, two-step is waiting for its first major breakthrough. On his debut full-length, Born to Do It, it's immediately obvious that this breakthrough won't be supplied by David, only because his style isn't really proper two-step at all. His smooth tenor and hip-hop-oriented, verse-chorus-verse song structures are much more in line with the urban soul and new jack swing sound of artists like R. Kelly, Sisqo, and D'Angelo. Still, for an artist who just turned 20, this is an incredibly assured record with a sweet, romantic core that only a cold cynic could deride as youthful naiveté. In addition, while only occasionally hinting at the darker passions of true two-step, the record drips with an advanced rhythmic sense that manifests itself everywhere, from the clever wordplay in the lyrics of songs like "Fill Me In" and "7 Days" to the bells-and-whistles production on the giddy "Time to Party." For those after a true introduction to two-step, there are better choices (start with MJ Cole's Sincere, the Vital 2Step collection, or just jump a plane to London and go club-hopping), but still enjoy this record for its boyish pleasures, teasing sexuality, and irresistible grooves. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (217)

Fine voice,but a few weak tracks
Craig David's debut CD is a good showcase for his undoubtedly fine voice,but I think his best is still to come yet. The singles Fill Me In ,Seven Days, Walking Away,and the Artful Dodger collaboration Rewind are definitely the strongest songs on this CD. This CD doesn't contain all that many garage tracks,instead posessing more of a light R&B feel to it,which I thought was a bit of a disappointment.I hope he includes some more garage-pop anthems on his next offering. Some tracks like Once In A Lifetime and You Know What can get a tad bit boring for my liking,but the brilliant Walking Away and the latin-tinged Seven Days display David's vocal dexterity at his best.Fill Me In is a catchy song with clever wordplay about how Mr.David gets it on with the girl next door. Rendezvouz is also a decent enough song showing the flexibility in David's voice. Bootyman is also a gentle track where David impresses with his vocal speed. Overall,a good album.I would actually give it 3.5 stars instead of 3.Its not hardcore R&B ,instead being an amalgam of various styles,which is just as well for me as I generally dont like R&B music that much.Not all the tracks are solid but nevertheless Craig David shows he has talent in abundance and hopefully should move on to bigger and better things.

Born To Do It..yeah!
Craig David is probably one of the finest artists they have in U.K...Born To Do It, his first album, won't certainly disappoint r&b fans..His music tackles more on relationships, parties,sex and uh, himself..(I read an article about Mel B commenting on his "Born To Do It"..She said that he always mentioned "Craig David, Craig David" on the album..He was self-centered alright, but his music counts)

So here are my fave tracks

1) Fill Me In- This is one of his nicest hits..It starts with a cool guitar playing and moves to a groovy beat.

3) Rendezvous- Sort of a slow jam..I love the chorus! Really cool track

4) Seven Days- The guitar playing is awesome..Great tune, interesting lyrics

5) Follow me- This is my fave love tune on the album

7) Walking Away- Wow, his vocal chords was impressive here.. Nice song about not minding the past and have to go on.. The track was kind of short though. (Barely 4 minutes!)

8) Time To Party- Good arrangement of the keyboards and the beat

12) Rewind- My fave track! Although at first, I can't understand the chorus, like, Ree-wind when the crowd say bo, selecta(?)...The Artful Dodger- Craig David team is a masterpiece.

UK Pride
Born to Do It is a cd you can just put on and not skip any track. His UK Garage style is finally putting that twist on R&B and the beats/melodies/instruments used in his music are SO refreshing to the usual cliche songs that are marketed in the US. I'm a huge fan and only because his style is original and unique, unlike other crooners out there. Born to Do It is definately a keeper. Check out Rendevouz, 7 Days, and Last Night-these songs will keep you wanting for more.

An R&B breath of fresh air...
I loved this album from the first spin. The is the fresh sound I have been looking for in R&B music. Too bad that his follow up CD "Slicker than your Average" isn't that great. "Born To Do It" is well worth a pick up!

Simply Excellent
It's so sad when an artist puts out an excellent cd like this one and the follow up falls short. I think Craig has the talent to go far in the music business but maybe his production is where the downfall is.You should get this cd but don't waste your money on slicker than your average. ... Read more

Album Description

Following a series of highly sought after singles andremixes under his Petalpusher alias, Naked Music artistMiguel Migs kicks off the new year with a DJ mix set thatfurther illustrates why the Naked Music name has becomesynonymous with good taste, good times and consistentsales. This collection of rare mixes and A-list favoritesfeatures emerging talents, Blue Six, Andy Caldwell, sceneveterans, Kerri Chandler and the seductive voice of fellowlabel mate Lisa Shaw. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Oh it's fun! It's hella fun!
It's such a joy to see Migs in action like this. Forget about his own album, this is really Miguel Migs at work. Mixing some great house tracks to the backdrop of a feel-good environment this cd puts you in....let's highlight some really good tracks:

the dream
happiness is free
endless bow
soul 2 let go
love yourself (best remix of this fab Blue 6 track I've ever heard)
ultimate high - the wonderful lisa shaw does it again!
release

Can't mix? Don't worry about it, this cd honestly will get that party of house-music dancers hopping on their feet for well over and hour to some great beats....don't be scared, give it a try!

Nude Tempo Vol. 1 - No Clothing Necessary
I'm duly impressed with Miguel Migs' latest spin on house, though I would have expected no less. Overall, I found this CD to be far more cohesive than his Nite: Life collection, though it clearly displays a more upbeat and gooey kind of vibe. These are in no way bad qualities in and of themselves, but be forewarned lest you've been immersing yourself in garage (that's U.K., not N.Y.), progressive, and other garbage that passes for house music these days. Miguel Migs brings it back to the basics on this album and finds "nuthin' but net," in my opinion. Suffice it to say that I'm in love with the 4-4 complete with super-deep bass kicks, the unstoppable divas, the serene jazz touch, and most importantly - the superior production values. If I had to pick a favorite track, I'd be torn between Dream(4), Show You My Love(5), I Can't Wait(13), and Ultimate (*cough*) High(5)...smooth, smooth, SMOOOWOOOTH. My only gripe? Naked Music needs to find a new spin on the whole "nude" theme...I felt such a great musical work deserved a more creative appellation. Hmmm, let's see. Exposed Groove? Er, Uncovered Soul? Stripped Beats? But less mediocre (and more naked) than that. I'm having trouble keeping my clothes on just thinking about volume two....

Mixing is an art ...mastered by Miguel Migs !!
This album is incredible !! Naked Music has a reputation for good taste, quality mixing and soulful rhythm. And Miguel Migs got a huge part in this ! This CD contains a selection of top singles from many house artists, some remixed to perfection. The Blue Six remix has to be one of the best soulful house track I've ever heard !! The CD will put you in a groovy mood from the beginning to the end ! It's so fresh, the sound so clear and the transitions are so perfect, you can't help but listen in amazement while the funky house beats bring you into a place of pure joy and freedom. In fact, the second track set the tone for that ambiance ! If you want a quality House CD that has more depth than the usual baseline and anoying keyboard, get this CD now !! Not only it's good at the first listening, but it grows on you ...and that's how I divide the good CD's from the great CD's !!

Dressing it up with Spice!
These are some of Miguel "Migs'" best remixes! My personal favorites being "Happiness is free", "Love yourself", "Endless Bow" and "Ultimate High". 'Migs' does an amazing job with this mix, as he does with all his mixes! do not let this one go, especially if you are a Naked Music fan!!

Wow.
Wow wow wow wow. Migs is king.

Wow. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Danish group Aqua arrived on the international pop scene in 1997 withtheir multimillion-selling smash single "Barbie Girl." Developing a formula pioneered by their successful Swedish rivals Ace of Base and Whigfield, the banddemonstrated on this album that they were more than just one-hit wonders (atleast in markets outside America). Skillfully crafted for instant, easilydigestible consumption, Aquarium is equally entertaining at the club orat home. It's jammed full of bubblegum pop classics, ranging from the Eurodiscoopening track "Happy Girls & Boys" to the Madonna-esque ballad "Turn Back Time." A treat for all pop lovers, it is an album that will both entertain and surprise. --John Galilee ... Read more

Reviews (190)

Fantastic
A fantastically trashy collection of cartoonish Europop, often so cheerful and upbeat that it's almost depressing ('Happy Boys and Girls' for example). The haunting vocal interplay of squeaky Lene and gruff Rene is something that you don't forget in a hurry, and the artfully-mangled English (almost the first line on the album is 'I've got a feeling you could use a little smile') adds to the goofy charm. It's actually quite hard to not like them - they don't seem to have any pretentions to being 'art' (unlike, say, 'Ace of Base').

The stand-out tracks here are the singles 'Barbie Girl', 'My Oh My', 'Dr Jones', and 'Turn Back Time' (which sounds extraordinarily Madonna-esque), with 'Happy Boys and Girls' and 'Calling Me' acting as solid reserves. Most of the other songs are fairly anonymous - 'In the Heat of the Night' is fun, but you'll probably skip the rest.

Given the band's inventive visual style, it would have been nice if the album had included the amusing videos, but you can't have everything.

Not my style anymore, but still catchy and funny!
Aqua used to be one of my favourite bands when I was younger. But for no reason, I just went off them. I don't listen to this album anymore, but I decided to review it for a laugh.
This album is brilliant stuff. It's one of those happy albums that everyone laughs at. Aqua are one of those bands that you either love or hate. Stand out tracks are:

3. Barbie Girl - Of course! The classic Aqua track, with the funny lyrics and catchy chorus. How could it not be a stand out track?
4. Doctor Jones - Another definite stand out. It's funny with an addictive chorus.
6. Heat Of The Night - A cool party track, with a great chorus and catchy verses.
8. Lollipop (Candyman) - My personal favourite off this CD. It's just so damn cute! It has an awesome chorus and adorable verses "I wish I was a bubblegum!" was my catchphrase for ages!
9. Roses Are Red - This track's music always reminded me of a computer game. A computer game I used to have has music like in this song. This has cool vocals too with 'Roses are red' being said backwards.

Overall, a cute, dancy happy little CD that a lot of kids probably still like. A good effort.

Annoying CD
I wouldnt buy this cd, my sister got it when it first came out, she got it cause she liked that annoying barbie girl cd. I listened to this cd, sadely enough, and I got to say, You will not be able to stand that one girls annoying voice, you will want to pull your hair out.

Great CD
I love this CD, even though it's considered really old now. I used to listen to that stuff when i was only4 yrs old, and me and my friends made a dance routine. Brings back memories.

Aqua pure gold
Aquarium might sadly be a one-hit wonder for Aqua, but what a hit it is! It has a variety of good music, although I must say it is great for getting started into the dance-electronica scene. Lene's beautiful voice and Rene Dif's deep interjections really contribute a lot to their songs. If you pick your ear up, you can also hear a nice blend of sounds that make their music complex, or polyphonic. A lot of music of this genre falls into the trap of simplicity wrapped around a repeating drum loop, but not Aqua! Even their slow stuff is good. Very upbeat, happy, and cheerful. ... Read more

Album Description

Relive the ultimate time of your life! The ultimate edition of one of the best-selling movie soundtracks of all-time!

For the first time, every song from the hit movie sequenced in the order it appears in the film – 26 songs on one CD!

Includes the # 1 Grammy award-winning single "(I’ve had) the time of my life" performed by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

You've got the Ultimate DVD - now get this to go with it!
For ages, I've put off getting the second soundtrack to Dirty Dancing, purely because most of the good tracks on the original. And then with the Ultimate Dirty Dancing DVD, PACKED with extras, they go and release this. Well, obviously, a big Dirty Dancing fan is going to get both. We're not stupid - well, maybe. But this is a must-have for any Dirty Dancing fan.

This has all the tracks on one CD, better than switching back and forth between CDs just to hear a particular track. They are all on one CD now, and in the order they appeared in the movie. Well, according to some reviews, they may not be, but who cares?

Some of the best tracks are on this CD, from "Hungry Eyes" to "Love Is Strange" to "She's Like The Wind" (who says actors can't sing?) and of course, who could forget, the song that practically made this movie - "I've Had The Time Of My Life".

You will not regret getting this album. It's a collector's item, along with the DVD, has some great behind the scenes photos in the insert.

Worth owning!
Finally they have released this soundtrack all on one CD! They have claimed that all of the songs are in order to which they appear in the movie- when really, if you watch the movie while following the list, you will notice that #6 "The Time of My Life (Instrumental Version)" should really be #4 because they are playing that song when Baby leaves her cabin and she sees Johnny for the first time with the rest of the management, which is right after she is dancing to the "Merengue".

But other than that it is pretty well in order. There are a few of the same songs that come up in movie more than once, so I don't expect them to have the same song numerous times in there just because it's in the movie more than once.

One really nice thing - they have the full original version of the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" which they didn't have in the original soundtrack.

Regardless of that error on the order of songs, I still give this soundtrack 5 stars because it is still deffinetly worth owning! This IS one of the best soundtracks of all-time!

Ultimate Dirty Dancing is awesome!!!
This is one of the best soundtracks ever!!! There's just something about the music in Dirty Dancing, especially "Love Is Strange" (remember the part of the movie where Johnny and Baby were in the studio and that snakey guy walks in on them). The music is so timeless. I swear, when I hear a song from that movie, I have no problem picturing the scene it came from; the song/scene relationships of the movie were so perfect!!! This is a definite must-have for everyone!!!

Love it.
I love the movie and now I love this CD. The songs are in the same order as in the movie so I can remember the movie when I can't watch it. Some of the songs are different versions than in the movie which is why I gave it a 4 instead of 5 but overall it is very good. I played it while on the treadmill and got a great workout!

ULTIMATE DIRTY DANCING
WHAT A GREAT IDEA TO RE_RELEASE THIS ALBUM! this album is the soundtrack of the 80's and i cannot wait to hear it again! dirty dancing was certainly the best movie of the 80's which puts it up for best all time! ... Read more

Album Description

This fourth installment of the now highly acclaimed BuddhaBar series is presented to you by resident #1 DJ DavidVisan. After studying music at the Los Angeles MusicInstitute, Parisian born Visan returned home to Francewhere he was educated in the ways of deejaying by ClaudeChalle himself (Buddha Bar & Buddha Bar II) His mentor went on to train him in the spirit of the Buddha Bar. Buddha Bar 4 is a new sound adventure and the perfect follow up to its previous volumes. The series grows stronger with eachrelease and IV is no exception. Visan injects new life into this double CD set and unlike the many that have tried toemulate the style of the Buddha Bar he carries you awaywith as much power, if not more, than those who havepreviously created the perfect sound in a perfect Bar.Housed in a slipcase. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Delightful background music
This CD is a wonderful blend of music from several countries, mostly Asian or with an Asian flavor (hence Buddha bar), yielding my favorite background music. Many of the tracks feature familiar beats or songs in a form likely new to the listener. The flow of each CD, Dinner and Drink, captures a delightfully relaxed atmosphere and happy vibe rarely found with compilations of such variety. They truly make a meal in music form.
I fell in love with the album when previewing (pre-listening?) it at a local record store, and it remains high on my list of preferred music. I very rarely purchase CD's, preferring other forms of distribution, so this album holds a coveted space in my collection.
Nearly every friend who has heard even part of a song from this album had a copy within a few days. Comments such as "... ooh, who is that?" and "Wow, where did you get this?" coupled with wide smiles and sudden quiet attentiveness are frequent when playing this album.
Open your mind and take a step outside, you will enjoy.

A serindipitous album
This CD is a wonderful blend of music from several countries, mostly Asian or with an Asian flavor (hence Buddha bar), yielding my favorite background music. Many of the tracks feature familiar beats or songs in a form likely new to the listener. The flow of each CD, Dinner and Drink, captures a delightfully relaxed atmosphere and happy vibe rarely found with compilations of such variety. They truly make a meal in music form.
I fell in love with the album when previewing (pre-listening?) it at a local record store, and it remains high on my list of preferred music. I very rarely purchase CD's, preferring other forms of distribution, so this album holds a coveted space in my collection.
Nearly every friend who has heard even part of a song from this album had a copy within a few days. Comments such as "... ooh, who is that?" and "Wow, where did you get this?" coupled with wide smiles and sudden quiet attentiveness are frequent when playing this album.
Open your mind and take a step outside, you will enjoy.

Disappointment
I first bought the Buddha Bar VI album in NYC, and got so hooked on it I immediately placed an order for IV and V. Unfortunately, the earlier two are quite disappointing when compared to VI. These two don't have the same blend, the same smooth transition between songs, and lack the cool groove of VI. Most of the songs sound more like tortured wailing than anything else, with painful string movements and zero transition, whereas the songs on VI have a groove, a cool beat that soothes and relaxes. There is a constant beat on VI, and the transition between songs is seemless, unlike V and IV where each song ends abruptly with obvious change to a song of completely different feel. Case in point: Disc 2 on VI: songs 5 to 6 to 7 are a perfect blend of percussion, bass, and blend so well together you hardly know where the change is. Plus the music itself is less intrusive, not so harsh on the ears. Its cool and groovy and flowing. The vocals are not strong, but mellow and harmonious. Its ubercool, the kind you'd expect to feel walking into the VIP lounge of a swank LA club under the stars. I was expecting more songs like on disc 1 of VI #s 3, 10, and 14. Lots of spanish guitar work, cool electronica, and subtle beats. Instead V and IV are more asian and indian wailing, strange Yoko Ono type vocals, lots of strained guitar work, and uneven bass currents. It may have lots to do with the DJ, as DJ Ravin did VI and David Visan did V and IV. With that in mind, I think I will explore more of Ravin's albums, like Siddharta, before buying anymore Buddha Bar. But otherwise, I feel cheated!

another excellent buddha bar compilation
my favorite (or, perhaps, second favorite, after #1) in the buddha bar series. upbeat, uplifting positive and never boring. nice multi-ethnic flavor, excellent transitions; overall a great compilation

A Must Have!
It is only thanks to THIS CD that I got into to the chill out/ambient scene. Once you own this one, I promise you'll want the rest of them, too.

Not only is this sensuous record very relaxing to the ear and the body, but it is also very thoughtfully put together. Pop this into your CD player, dim the lights, close your eyes, and you're in a quiet place completely apart from the rest of the world - which is very believable when sexy rhumba beats meet eastern exotica. Overall, a very very beautiful CD that is my favorite of the whole collection! ... Read more

Amazon.com

At best, Boy George and his band Culture Club were a dizzy mix of camp, drag, dub, disco, reggae, and new wave. The androgynous George rhumba-ed his way through hits like "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and crooned with white boy soul through their reggae classic "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as well as the Delta-inspired "Karma Chameleon." At worst, the band had trouble finding direction and the proper vehicles for his smooth voice, producing clunkers like "Church of the Poison Mind." "Move Away" and "Miss Me Blind"--which actually took its chorus from a Japanese whiskey commercial--were Culture Club at their most brilliant. The band knew it wasn't making fine art and rose to the task of crafting flawless pop gems. George's later work didn't have the sense of fun and abandon as his stint with Culture Club, but his remake of "The Crying Game" again demonstrated those soulful pipes. Also worthy of note from his later career is the Krishna-inspired club hit "Bow Dow Mister." --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The best of both worlds.
Since I once had the "Church Of The Poison Mind" 45, I guess that means I've been a fan for awhile. This is pretty much what it says it is, half "Culture Club", and half "Boy George". And though it's split between the two, it's all great. This really has every "Culture Club" track that's essential, like "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me", "Karma Chameleon", and "I'll Tumble 4 Ya", among other's. But what shocked me the most is how good "Boy George's" solo stuff was. Obviously not as 80's as the old songs, but very good. His better songs here are "Love Is Love", "Everything I Own", and the excellent "Crying Game". Another catchy track is "Bow Down Mister (a small portion 2B polite mix)". His voice is still in top form too. Overall this is a really fun collection, and will go great with your "Cyndi Lauper" and "George Michael" cd's.

Putting It All in Perspective
I'm not sure whose idea this album was (maybe Mr George's, maybe not), but its end result is to set up Boy George's career with Culture Club against his solo career. And Culture Club wins handily. I'm not a big fan of every Culture Club song ("Karma Chameleon" always irked me for some reason), but the sheer listenability and memorability of their songs easily overshadow the last half of this disk. Most of the BG solo stuff is serviceable (and quite unmemorable) generic dance music. The few standouts are all due to other people's involvement (the Pet Shop Boys' "Crying Game", PM Dawn's lovely "More Than Likely"). "After the Love" even managed to make me miss the Earth Wind & Fire ballad. Only "Bow Down Mister" (with its odd "Hare Krishna" refrain) moves anywhere beyond the facelessness of the other tracks. All my faves (excepting "More Than Likely") happen early on - "Miss Me Blind" (probably my favorite CC track), "Victims", "Time" and "Church of the Poison Mind". Pick up one of the cheap Culture Club Best-Of's instead.

It's a Miracle
I am definitely a product of the '80s when MTV first came out and was actually good, and new wave music had just exploded on to the scene thanks to MTV. Culture Club is my first pop band I got into as a pre-adolescent girl. Culture Club and Cyndi Lauper ruled my radio. I still enjoy listening to both Culture Club and Cyndi Lauper to this very day. Despite my obvious change in musical tastes, I will still always have a soft spot for Culture Club (and other '80s acts). "Colour By Numbers" was the first tape I got (or maybe it was Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), well it was one of my first pop albums I got as a child. I just flipped over the infectious melodies of "Karma Chameleon". No matter how many times I have heard that song over the years, I still love the song and think back fondly of listening to my copy of "Colour By Numbers" on my tape player. My other favorite Culture Club song definitely is "Church of the Poison Mind". I think it is that harmonica that makes the song so great. Although cheesy as velveeta, I love "It's a Miracle". How appropriate coming from a man who survived an heroin addiction. Aside from the Culture Club favorites on this cd, I actually enjoyed Boy George's solo material especially "Sweet Toxic Love" which has such a gritty sound to it (gritty for Boy George). "The Crying Game" is great too. Up until this cd, I hadn't heard any of Boy George's solo music which I thought was completely different from his days in Culture Club. Overall a great compilation. It definitely brings back a lot of memories for me.

Controversy Aside, The Music Is Pure Pop
On one occasion an interviewer asked Culture Club frontman Boy George the secret of the band's success in the United States. His response? Americans know a good drag queen when they see one. And even now, some twenty years after the band broke into the charts, it is best remembered for the controversy its lead singer caused with his ultra-feminine make-up and oddly pastel-punk unisex attire. But strange to say, there is absolutely nothing controversial about the music the band produced: it is pop pure and simple, and not even the fastidious Karen Carpenter would have been given pause by either the arrangements or lyrical content. Everything the band did was smooth, glossy, slick, and extremely typical of the mainstream pop that dominated the charts during the 1980s.

This compilation offers a collection of both Culture Club's best known hits and a number of recordings Boy George released in the wake of the band's inevitable self-destruction. In both cases, the main attraction is Boy George's voice, which is remarkably soulful and playful and extremely appealing. At its best, and particularly when set against an arrangement that mixes slick pop with tropical flourishes, Boy George's voice shines like a diamond on velvet. Unfortunately, the material itself is very hit or miss. Such songs as "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Time," and Boy George's covers of "Everything I Own" and "The Crying Game," are truly memorable pop gems--but while Boy George's voice is quite memorable, most of the songs themselves are not. And that is a pity, for the weakness of the material tends to undermine Boy George's obvious vocal gifts.

In the final analysis, this collection is most likely to appeal to listeners who liked Culture Club to begin with; others will likely find it completely inoffensive. I waver between giving this CD three or four stars--but I'll err on the side of generosity; the music is very well done for what it is. Trouble is, too often what it is isn't much...

Now, this was the original THE BOY band!
More than just a "flash in the pan", Culture Club was one of the 80's more memorable and influential groups. With albums and singles charting internationally, the English quartet (Boy George, Mikey Craig, Jon Moss and Roy Hay, ruled the airwaves during the middle years of the decade. The group's best, or worst as the tongue-in-cheek title suggests, as well as George's solo efforts, are found on this great compilation.

The only downside is the omission of two top-selling cuts: "Mistake No. 3" from "Waking Up with the House on Fire" and "Sexuality", found on "From Luxury to Heartache". The former is a beautiful ballad that charted high on Billboard's adult contemporary and hot R & B charts in 1985 and the latter was part of a popular dance remix in 1986. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Norman Cook's bubble-gum techno songs--put out under a variety of guises over the years, including Pizzaman and Freak Power--are essential staples on any international dance floor. Fatboy Slim, however, is the former Housemartin's most successful incarnation, launching a Top 40 crossover hit and popular advertising jingle with last year's "Going out of My Head." You've Come a Long Way, Baby picks up where the smash single left off, cheekily pairing acidic synthesizers and drum machines with big, dumb vocal samples. It takes considerable effort sitting through an entire album of these energized tunes, but taken in small doses, songs like "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Soul Surfing" are like rays of sunshine. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (281)

*I* am the funk soul brother!
Holy macroni. 253 people before me have reviewed this in-every-way-pleasing work. What on earth can I say that has not already been said? Probably nothing, but I'll be on top of the list for a couple of weeks maybe, so it worth saying this:

This album makes you feel cool.

Ok, if I had gotten it three years ago when if first came out, I would have felt a great deal cooler, but when you are into the music you know what? Those three years just don't matter. ....

The rhythms, the grooves, the timing. Yeah, it's mostly about the timing on this thing. He has it right. He'll push a loud electronic whine just to the point where it holds your attention and you'll say, hmm, that's a bit loud I wonder if I am pissing off my neighbors, but then he breaks it down, and screw the neighbors, that was perfectly done! That was just right! It's not like they don't play their Hawaii Five Oh soundtrack a little too loud, after all.

I buy a lot of electronica these days, and some of it grows a bit stale a bit fast. I have regretted some high-star reviews I have given in the past. Not this one. I waited. I listened to it a hundred times -- no, not in a row, I may like the stuff, but I am not a psycho -- and here's the conclusion:

This stuff makes you feel happy. It makes you feel hip. It's got great energy, great texture, and absolutely perfect timing. Over and over again.

Are you on the fence? Go on, hit the button. I promise: you won't regret it.

Here, tell you what, if you buy it, and you think it's lame, you can blame it on me.

HE's THE ONE...FATBOY SLIM IS THE MAN!
This review is for the newcomers to electronica like myself: I am a hip hop/pop/R&B cat, but lately, songs by Sonique, Alice Deejay, Paul Van Dyk, ATB, Groove Armada (shall I go on?) as well as my first rave in LA have turned me on to the more electronic side of things...and while this universe is huge with many underground DJs, no other DJ/artist has impressed me more than Mr. Norman Cook, aka Scanty Sandwhich, most commonly known as the one and only, Fatboy Slim.

There are three major cuts on this album. The "Rockafeller Skank" is probably the most popular (check it out now...) and it's impossible not to dance when you hear this song. I like the way it updates the 'surfer' sound to the year 2000. Then there's my favorite, "Gangster Tripping" - it sounds a lot like Fatboy Slim's remix of the Beastie Boys' "Body Movin". Both "Body Movin" and "Ganster Tripping" will have you bobbing your head and shaking your rump. Then, there's the very MTV friendly "Praise You". I actually like this song a lot...it's a relaxing, mellow song that's great for driving, especially on long road trips. The rest of the album is good too, but the three songs I just mentioned are indeed, true sonic gems.

But wait...you say 'three songs isn't enough to be sold on Fatboy Slim'...well, you're right. But do you like Groove Armada's "I See You Baby" (shakin that...)? Well, it was mixed by Fatboy Slim. How about "Because of You" by Scanty Sandwhich? That was Fatboy Slim too. Basically, FB Slim's trademark is making music that is truly FUNKY, with frantic, playful drum beats...and I think that's so cool. He's not afraid to appeal to headz like myself who appreciate hearing a familiar tune every now and then. I loved the way he played with young Michael Jackson's voice on "Because Of You".

This particular genre of techno/electronica is called 'Big Beat'. If you liked "Block Rockin Beats" by the Chemical Brothers (too phat...), or songs by Prodigy (remember "Breathe?) your ears will be Fatboy Slim-compatible. Music can be WAY TOO EXPENSIVE these days...so you've got to be extra choosy when buying whole albums. Be sure the album (or artist) that you invest into is worth your hard earned currency. I think Fatboy Slim is great, and he's definitely not a one hit wonder. I'm impressed enough to buy his music, and as an emerging journalist in the music industry, I'd have to say that along with Paul Okenfold, Fatboy Slim is a true pioneer of electronica, making him an instant legend in the genre of techno/electronica. Newcomers...(i.e. 'I like Alice Deejay' - which is actually trance) start with this one. Then proceed with some more dance compilations to find out who else you're into...otherwise you might get stuck with a CD with one good song, and by then you can't get your money back - but there's no chance of that with this album...

Knyte (Trust Me)

The big beat classic!
This is one of my favorite techno CDs, along with mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession".
Here it is, the big beat classic by which all others are judged. Fatboy's signature style of building up a song, tearing it down and quickly exploding it in the listeners face is present on serval of these tracks. "Praise You" and "T.R.S." will get the casual listeners attention, but tracks like "Acid 8000", "Soul Surfing" and "Gangster Tripping" will make them fans for life.
This CD came out in 98, so if it's not in your dance collection by now...you need to pick it up today!!!

PRAISE HIM LIKE YOU SHOULD!!!
Six years after it's initial release, I've finally gotten around to getting Fatboy Slim's "You've Come Along Way, Baby!"--although I'm ashamed to say from one of those used CD bins. HEY! One man's trash is another man's treasure! The reason for my tardiness is I'm usually turned off by artists, groups, CDs or songs that get too much attention or airplay! In fact, I usually stray away from them! Fatboy Slim was/is definitely one of those artists. All that said, I was thouroughly impressed with this guy's skills as a DJ/mixer, although at times some of FBS' music becomes repetitive, nerve-racking and down right noisy. That notwithstanding, songs like "Right Here, Right Now", "You're Not From Brighton" and "Acid 8000" are winners (IMO)! Is "You've Come A Long Way, Baby!" a classic?...depends on who you ask...but without a doubt it should be in every club heads's CD collection.

A Solid Party Album
When I first heard this, I thought it was a masterpiece and a classic dance record. It truly impresses at first, given that it has a lot of catchy and appealing tunes. However, the more I listened to it the more repetitive and boring it became. Yes, Fatboy Slim (or Norman Cook if you prefer) realy knows what he`s doing, and he certainly is one of the best in the big beat genre, but most of these songs are way too formulaic to deserve classic status, even if they truly impress at first. Sure, this is an enjoyable record with some stunning moments ("Right Here, Right Now", "Love Island", "You`re Not From Brighton") and it`s a great choice for a party, still for a home listening it`s a bit too much, becoming annoying and irritating at parts. For a mainstream electronica album it`s quite a strong effort, containing plenty of impressive and addictive samples, but it`s not as great as some claim it to be.
Fun and entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Part showtunes, part classical, and part folk music, RonanHardiman's score to Lord of the Dance, the musical starringdancer Michael Flatley, successfully avoids all the inherent pitfallsof such an enterprise. Hardiman has emerged as Ireland's finestinterpreter of traditional music for films, TV, and the theater, andunder his guidance the 19 lush orchestral tunes, augmented with manytraditional instruments, are rife with the spirit of the Emerald Isle.Two of the tracks feature the taps of Flatley and Co, while the resthighlight the score as composed by Hardiman with all its subtletextures intact and not masked by the live sound of tap dancing.Lord of the Dance is a perfect and very listenable fusion ofBroadway and the indigenous heritage of Irish music making. --DerekRath ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Hey, I like this music even without all the dancing
Well, I saw "Riverdance" this week and without comparing the dancing in the two shows (since I could never do any of it), I really like Ronan Hardiman's music for "Lord of the Dance" a lot better. From the opening track "Cry of the Celts" you get the feel of listening to an Irish band cooking in a pub someplace. Hardiman offers up a rich diversity of tunes, from the ephemeral "Celtic Dream" (that reminds me of the Nutcracker for some reason) to the pounding rhythms of "Warriors." I wish "Gypsy" were longer, because that is probably my favorite track. Hardiman himself provides the keyboard/programming for this wonderful mix of ancient sounds with modern technology. After all, who thinks of Irish music with a saxophone like you have on "Fiery Nights?" It is usually Uilleann Pipes and serious fiddle playing, both of which abound on this album. The two bonus tracks featuring the solo taps of Michael Flatley with the Lord of the Dance troupe are enough for the CD; you can always put on the video to hear more of the same, but I would think that after a while you can really just hear the tapping in your mind all the time anyway. Yes, you will enjoy this music more having seen the show, but I actually enjoyed listening to this CD for months before I bothered to check out the tape.

Pure Irish Heartbeat !
This CD is a sensational piece of pure Irish music. It is full of great songs with a common style in all of them. It is , in fact, the soundtrack of one of the most impressive musical plays with dancing. There are deep, beautiful songs, uplifting ones, that offer you a rich diversity of tunes. It is usually Uilleann Pipes and serious fiddle playing, both of which abound on this album. The rhythm becomes progressively faster by playing the same melody more and more quickly. You may think that listening to the same melody repeated times is boring, but it's not. After listening to the 1st minute you'll blame yourself for having thought such a wrong thing before.
Besides being a great actor, Michael Flatley is one of the best dancers in the contemporary scene.
As a dancer, I envy his ability to show his true feelings while he is moving his body. If you have the chance, watch the video and you'll get the impression you're in the audience.

*****Absolutely, it is the best compilation of Irish music*****

Michae Flatley's Lord Of The Dance Soundtrack
This is a great cd for anyone who is an irish dancer. I am an irish dancer and the music id fabulas a would recomend this cd to anyone. it is also fabulas to listen to if you are not an irish dancer its brill!!!!

Un poco pretencioso, no?
Un poco pretencioso el título que se ha "auto-asignado" este hombre con eso de "El señor de la danza"... Espéctaculo bastante lamentable y que poco tiene que ver con la tradición. En cuanto a la música, creo que hay recopilaciones de música celta mucho mejores, incluso trabajos como Riverdance. Aunque sigo prefiriendo los discos de Planxty, Silly Wizard o los de los Cunningham, por poner unos pocos ejemplos.

non-irish celtic fan!
Ok, out of the three irish shows (Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, and Feet of Flames) This is my absolute favorite! The music is beautiful and uplifting!
here's a breakdown by song:
Cry of the celts:one of the best, but lacks the tap and thus the right energy
Suila Ruin:female vocal with some interesting lyrics, but not really the best delivery (a usual skip)
Celtic Dream: good, but suffers from a problem that most of the other songs don't-it's VERY repetative, and thus to long (longest on the CD)
Warriors: one of my favs! Perfect in almost every way!
Gypsy:one of the best songs on the CD, but yet suffers from the usual disease of these songs: too short!
Breakout: fair, and falls somewhere in the middle, also too short
The Lord of the Dance:one of the best on the CD, but again, lacks the energy from the tap
Spirit in the New World:why bother to take up space with this? It's not even worth a a mintue and a half!
Fiery Nights:poor beginning, but makes up for it as the song progresses
Lament:How many irish songs are called this? The song itself is fair, but could use a better title
Siamsa:one of my favs! Perfect in every way!
Our Wedding Day:another vocal, another skip
Stolen Kiss:very beautiful, but somewhat odd that it includes part of cry of the celts for over half the song
Nightmare:a perfect song for the title, and somewhat creepy
Victory:another poor intro, but a great song once you get into it! But yet, too short!
Bonus tracks: cry of the celts and The Lord of the Dance:
These two are the same songs...but with the tap in them! They are SO much better then the others, and have so much more energy to them! This redeems the CD and adds alot, as well as gives the perfect end to the perfect CD! ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Decent Listen...
I'm a person who prefers the now sort of dormant trip hop genre of music... That music style has always had a bit of tough time getting into mainstream which is fine, but it's also a shame with so many talented groups going unrecognized. Having said that, Esthero is a good amalgamation of trip hop, chill music, a pinch of rap, which I'm very picky about, and even a little hard rock. I particularly love the songs Breath From Another, Heaven Sent, and Country Livin. I think if anyone could get this style of music revived again it's Esthero.

She has an almost Bjork like voice at times, or a Lisa Stansfield feel, and there's a jazzy undercurrent which is cool and unique mixed with all the other sounds.

The first several songs or so (except for Anywayz) are great, good beats, definately worthy of playing in the car.. I'm disappointed in the 2nd half of the CD where the song quality seems to trail off except for a fairly decent Indigo Boy.

Overall though, it's hard to find a CD with more than one song worth playing so I don't regret buying it.

I'M SPEECHLESS....
I don't know what to say.
I'm awed.I'm out of words.

I always was curious about Esthero based on thier impressionable
Dali-inspired video for their debut single "Heaven Sent",a soaring song mixing hip hop Jeat beats,etheral strings,indie rock angst,and Esthero's lovely Ming Xia-meets-Nelly Furtado voice.It was a beautiful thing.Esthero fell out of my mind until
an affilate reminded me of them.I picked up the album pronto and
I'm speechless...

The album is just,OFF THE HOOK! Esthero's heavenly,etheral vocals and Doc's airy hip hop-inspired grooves.It's just awe-inducing."Breath From Another" opens with the title track,a hypnotic,trip hop groove that drifts,featuring a rugged rhyme,
and an intoxicating flow,the song just floats into beauty.
Of course there's "Heaven Sent" as well as "That Girl",which features some well-placed trumpet parts."That Girl" was featured
in the 1998 slasher flick "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer".It was the only good thing in that movie.:) "Country
Livin'(The World I Know)","Shallow Me","Half A World Away",and
"Superheroes",and "Indigo Boy" all keep the otherwordly flow going.Aw man,I can't even explain to you how much I love this album.I haven't owned it in at least two weeks and it's already
a gem to me.Esthero is a BAADD woman!

If you ever are to get your hands on Esthero's debut,PLEASE do
YOURSELF a favor and pick it up.It's that good.
(P.S.Thanks so much Paula Jefferson!!)

Ageless Music
Sounds as fresh today as it did when i bought it in 1998. I recommend it to everyone i know that loves music and it has yet to dissappoint. Its great for driving at night or making love with mellow grooves that soothe but don't lull and lyrics that make you think and draw responses from deep in your subconscious. Every time i listened to it i would have a new favorite song, each one will grow on you a little bit more with every listen until the whole album embedded in your soul. One of the best tracks and probably the last one to grab me is "Superheroes" with a laid back bass line that'll move your pelvis and Esthero's singing at its most sultry, a line like :

I could be sweet
I could be young, and fresh
If I weren't so old and used
and wet and wet, I am wet

can still turn me on everytime i hear it.

aEsthetically faboo
Mellow, calming. You can sing along or just sit back. Indigo boy...is a song about...I still have no idea, even after listening to it over 2 dz. times. That's the beauty, pleasing music and you don't really understand what they're talking about. Enjoy

Stirring, yet relaxing at the same time
This disk does a wonderful job of blending hip-hop, rock-ish, and latin rhythms and sounds into a pallet of very smooth music that seems to get better with repeated listening.
The singer has a gorgeous voice that sort of reminds me of Björk's or Emiliana Torrini's, and she can sing out, as well, like both of said singers.
The opening song is sort of Nelly Furtado-ish but a lovely listening experience, and "Heaven Sent" is a great rocking, stirring song with perceptive lyrics. Other songs such as "That Girl", "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" and "Swallow Me" retain a sort of jazzy sound, while the breezy "Half A World Away" really shows Latin influence.
Well done, and I know I'm sure to love it even more over time :) ... Read more

Album Description

U.S. edition of downtempo/trip hop duo's 1996 debut with 5bonus tracks added, 'Transcendence', 'Scene At The Open Air Market', 'Encounter In Bahia', 'Assault On Babylon' &'One'. Note - some import editions contained some but notall of these bonus tracks. ESL Records. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Not as good as THE MIRROR CONSPIRACY, but solid
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, a.k.a. Thievery Corporation, released SOUNDS FROM THE THIEVERY HI-FI, their debut LP, on their Eighteenth Street Lounge label. Picked up for international distribution by the influential British label 4AD, SOUNDS gained world attention. And it deserved it, this album is an impressive survey of Jamaican dub rhythms, chill-out ambience, and breaks.

Coming from Washington D.C., which has the largest Rastafarian community in the United States, Garza and Hilton are quite influenced by Jamaican traditional music and belief. Several tracks, most notably the tellingly titled "2001 Spliff Odyssey" and "Walking Through Babylon", use vocal samples from RASTAFARI ELDERS, a spoken-word CD that presents Rastafari that was issued in conjuction with the trip of seven Nyabinghi sect elders to the Smithsonian in 1991.

"Shaolin Satellite" is reminiscent of Massive Attack's PROTECTION-era work. Other tracks like "Universal Highness" and "Incident At Gate Seven" are chill-out tracks, with soothing female vocal samples relaxing the listener.

While I'm partial to the upper-class lounge of Thievery Corporation's second LP, THE MIRROR CONSPIRACY, I'd recommend SOUNDS FROM THE THIEVERY HI-FI to anyone who enjoys Jamaican-inspired dub or chill-out.

Definately A Crime
As a DC resident, I have avoided the Eighteenth Street Lounge like the plague. I like downbeat, trip-hop, and acid jazz music just fine. But it is the home of Garza and Hilton, the duo that has largely soured my taste for downbeat with this release and its many undeserved praises. I reluctantly purchased the album, as I am not one to keep a closed mind regading former opinions. I was a victim of thievery, indeed..."Sounds..." is lackluster and all hype.

Poorly programmed drum machines tinker on behind sparse samples and pseudo-reggae banter. Further adding insult to injury, the album borders on a rather immature approach to the studio, best left to the masters: Kosma, Tobin, Irresistable Force, STC and K&D. Thievery's attempt to engage the listener in so-called-ecclectic rhythms cashes in with more of a late-80's MC Hammeresque feel to it around the time that he filed for bancrupcy) while trying to go gangstah.

Downtempo fans beware! While some tracks are tolerable replicas of cool jazz, most of the CD bites the corporate dustbowl and ends up with blacklung. No originality or thought went into this piece. DC is not known for its ambient music scene, however; if this aids as an excuse for Garza and Hilton.

If you enjoy the "Band-of-the minute" or trendy music that will disappear under the passenger side of your car after two weeks, then this is the album for you. These guy should stick to what they know best...owning a lounge, not writing the music to be played in it...Thievery, indeed.

Chillout staples offer a near-masterpiece
For anyone new to chillout, World lounge or Brazilectro, "Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi" is as good a place to start as any. Still low-key while maintaining a driving sense of rhythm, Thievery Corporation prove themselves an essential electronica act on their first collection of original material (the band is also well-known for their remix and compilation work).

Tracks like "2001 A Spliff Odyssey" and "The Oscillator" beg for a sofa and a shaker of martinis at 2 a.m., and more insistent groovers like "Shaolin Satellite" and "Univeral Highness" are sure to breathe some life into any social gathering. Other cuts aren't so easy to peg; "The Glass Bead Game" spends almost four minutes as a mystical Bossa Nova before introducing a head-bobber of a drum loop, and "Incident at Gate 7" casts an ethereal spell that almost puts a sustaining effect on its funky rhythms.

The only thing that could have been shaken up a bit is the disc's range of tempo...sometimes the tracks are better appreciated when played in a changer rather than taking on all sixteen at once. But either way, "Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi" is solid proof that between their own fantastic work and their forward-thinking Eighteenth Street Music label, Thievery Corporation are clearly here for the long haul.

The Beginning of a Legacy
This is the first Thievery Corporation CD, and a monumental one at that. A groovy blend of Dub, Jazz, and Drums is the only way I can describe this CD. Thievery Corp nowadays has added more instruments and progressed their sound more but still; any Thievery Corporation fan should pickup this classic. Lay back and enjoy this amazing CD.

You'll be hooked...
...on Thievery. It is rare to find an album where every single track is equally AWESOME. There are few tracks in the whole of the chillout genre that are of the same quality as Thievery Corp's, and this album shows their very best work. If you liked "Mirror Conspiracy", this is a must-have. I cannot say enough good things about this album! ... Read more

Reviews (61)

the innervoice says, BUY THIS!
So you're probably wondering what compelled me to buy this, right? Well it would definitely be because of their amazing sophmore release, BLUE WONDER POWER MILK. That CD is one of the best albums in my very vast and very eclectic collection. It's one CD that hardly ever leaves the player. Now while their debut album, A NEW STEREOPHONIC SOUND SPECTACULAR may not be as good as their second recording it is still quite tasty for a first-time offering. This talented Belgian group definitely has the potential to make it big-time in the underground arena for their hypnotic blend of trip-hop and lounge-pop are quite arresting atop the soft, airy vocals of female singer Liesje Sadonius along with Raymond Geerts (guitar & breaths), Frank Duchene (engineering, keyboards), and Alex Callier (programming & keyboards). Some might actually compare Hooverphonic with Portishead (probably because of the vocals) but I think that that's preposterous. If anything they resemble Morcheeba the best for the culled sound textures that are absolutely dreamy.

Now I do recommend this album but I honestly feel that their sophmore release is a much better album to start with.

By the way, my favorite songs include the more electronic based Inhaler and Wardrobe along with Barabas (which sounds more like something you'd find on their second album just because of the instrumentation), Someone and Innervoice (which both remind me of Joydrop...)

Hope my review was somehow helpful... Bye!

So soothing...
It seems like this band is forever destined to be compared with Portishead, so I hope the reader will forgive this brief indulgence. To me, compared to Portishead, this album isn't nearly as dark, haunting, or (unfortunately) emotional. What we end up with is something in a similar vein to Portishead that's a lot more accessible in the sense that you really need to be in the right mood to listen to Portishead, but also isn't nearly as powerful - its good music but it doesn't (nor, do I beleive, was it intended) to really hit home or strike a powerful emotional chord. Also, the instrumentation here is more traditional drums, bass, synths etc, whereas with Portishead there's more variety to the sound - record scratches, Theramins etc. Even compared to other Trip Hop acts, like Lamb and Morcheeba, things seem more subdued and have more synth melodies.

In any case, I'll try to briefly discuss the songs...the best song on the disc in my opinion is the single 2Wicky - the lyrics don't make particular sense but the song is downright hypnotic. Another great song is Nr 9 - very melodic trip hop - and also Barbaras with its repeating chant of the song's title interspersed between lovely verses.

I should also mention that the singer's voice is brilliant - it fits in perfectly and there is a nice balance between the voice and the music - they accept one another - Portishead's approach seems to almost have the music and the vocals try and overpower one another - definetly not here. This is the trip hop album I listen to when I want to relax and don't want to be depressed.

Excellent...
Wow...this album is exceptional...

The production values are very high, all the tracks sound like they were recorded in the time ahead of us. Rather, it's incredible. This is another must-have for fans of (very) sophisticated trip-hop and intensely futuristic music.

My Favorite Tracks Are; Inhaler, 2 Wicky, Revolver, Someone, Innervoice.

I like the way these guys end their songs, every song has a really unusual but yet excellent ending.

I'm glad I bought this CD, it really made my week more interesting with having some cool music to chill-out with...for a change.

GREAT STUFF HERE!!.

Oh It's Green
It was green, the trees. I was driving down the road and I knew it was. Hooverphonic is phonically hooverondulous.

Don't have the whole history, but...
I don't have all the personal history of this band, and with all the many interests I have in music, I don't have time to really delve into it. If Hooverphonic switched singers I wouldn't know it.

I can tell you what I do know, which is this: I have this album, Blue Wonder and The Magnificant...and by far this is the best of the three. BWPM has one of the male band members sing on some of the tracks, which splits the album ala Waldeck and simply detracts from what you want to listen to Hooverphonic for in the first place (which is airy, sweeping soundscapes that take you on an inner trip). TMT is a little underdeveloped and sounds almost poppish.

But this album nails it, hands down. The whole thing, from the very first track to the last soaring chorus is perfect trip-hop/electronica listening. It is hard to find new stuff to listen to in this vein of music, being as there are few (if any) venues to be able to listen to new stuff(for those of us on a budget) but this one belongs up there with the best (Estheros 'breath from another', PH's 'Dummy', Morcheeba's 'Big Calm') of the genre. The only other compliment that I can think to give to this album is this: there is no song worth skipping on this cd. You will want to hear it from one end to the other without touching the player once.

If you love new music, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Working with Blur on their Think Tank album clearly made an impact on Norman Cook. Palookaville, his fourth outing as cartoon dance hero Fatboy Slim, has a distinctly beatnik theme running through it. It also relies more on real instruments and proper songs, rather than Cook's laptop and fun floor fillers, swapping instant thrills for something longer lasting. That said it's unmistakably a Fatboy Slim record, and a pretty phenomenal one at that.

The trademark beach party anthems are still there. The Latino shake of "Wonderful Night," "El Bebe Masoquista"'s electro-funk, and single "Slash Dot Dash" with its snarling surf guitar all prove that there's life in Bigbeat yet. But it's the mellower tracks that stand-up to constant rewinds. "North West Three," a dreamy twilight tune dedicated to wife Zoe Ball, is a gorgeously romantic swayer and plinky hobo ditty "Put It Back Together" delivers a ramshackle shot of optimism in the Think Tank style, complete with a drowsy Damon Albarn. Meanwhile, the moody sub-bass rumble of "Long Way From Home" and road movie rocker "Push and Shove" find the middle ground and demonstrate that Cook's imagination is as active as ever.

All the usual cut'n'paste musical bric-a-brac's there. All the wackiness and cool grooves remain. It's just that this time they sound just as good in the living room as they do on the dance-floor. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bristol's Massive Attack released a classic with their first album, Blue Lines, but only those who were paying careful attention noticed; soon, they were overshadowed by the likes of Tricky and Portishead, who were colleagues. But not so after the release of Protection, which sported a massive hit and was just as critically acclaimed as their first album. (The hit was the title track, for which Everything but the Girl's Tracy Thorn lent her divine pipes--a move that made the act's name, and also presaged EBTG's move to the dance floor.) Eschewing the showmanship of their scene mates, Massive prefer subtler soundscapes and using a diverse range of vocalists (including Horace Andy, Nicolette, and Tricky) who give them a number of flavors and moods with which to work. Protection is an understated album with a rich palette; it reveals more of itself on repeated listens, growing better--and deeper--each time. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (73)

"Protection" left vulnerable by high expectations
When you release one of the most influential and unique releases of the past 20 years, what do you do for an encore? This is the no-win situation that Massive Attack had to face with their follow-up to 1991's seminal Blue Lines debut. Whereas that album simultaneously combined smoky hip-hop, inspired soul, and laces of "rasta", this album eschews many of those hip-hop and reggae elements in favour of soft jazz ('Weather Storm', 'Better Things', 'Heat Miser') and electronic-pop (such as the title track and 'Spying Glass'). Soundwise, it's a slightly uneasy mid-point between the raw urban flavour of Blue Lines and the unsettling bleakness of Mezzanine. Overall, Protection is another high-quality release, but it falls well short of these two benchmark albums. Musically and creatively, it is solid as expected (with the exception of their grating cover of 'Light My Fire' - but I didn't like the original either so there you go). However the combined danger and sensuality that marks Blue Lines and Mezzanine is conspicuously absent on Protection. Even Nicolette's raspy voice on 'Three' and 'Sly' rings somehow hollow. The album also fails to set a consistent groove: of the 10 songs, there are 2 jazzy instrumentals (both of them superb), 2 poppier tunes sung by Tracey Thorn, 2 eclectic cuts rapped by 3D and Tricky, 2 loungy rhythm-based grooves by Nicolette and 2 disappointingly un-reggae tracks by Horace Andy. This grab bag of vocalists and styles overall simulates the disjointed feel of a compilation disc. It not only lacks the cohesive flow of Blue Lines and Mezzanine, but is a bit bumpy in terms of quality as well. The cuts by 3D/Tricky, Tracey Thorn and the instrumentals are absolutely ace, while Horace Andy's usually amazing voice grates on both 'Spying Glass' and 'Light My Fire'. Nicolette's tracks are kind of in the middle, highly listenable but not the CD's bread and butter. Overall this is not the Massive's strongest release, but mediocre Massive Attack is better than 90% of other bands at the top of their game. It's a very good album that, however unfair it may be, is forced into comparison with their near-untouchable debut. If taken on its own merits, Protection will not disappoint.

Hits and Misses
Well, Protection has its hits and misses. I think the female vocals and lyrics are more impressive than the male vocals (except for Horace Andy, he's always good) in this one. Tracey Thorn shines in "protection" (bold lyrics) and "better things" and Nicolette, sounding like a modern day Billie Holiday, twinkles in "three" and "sly". Craig Armstrong's piano over the rubbery, slip and drag instrumental in "weather storm" is awesome. Tricky and 3D in "karmacoma" and "eurochild" are ok but lacks something that I just can't put my finger on. Martina sings a better version of "karmacoma" on Tricky's first awesome album, Maxinquaye, but under the title of "overcome".

I think more could have been done with "light my fire (live)" or it should have been left out completely. It just sounds like a space filler. Still, this CD should not be over looked by any trip hop enthusiast. Check out Massive Attack: Blue Lines and Mezzanine, Portishead: Dummy and Tricky: Maxinquaye for a better time.

Music to take a bullet to
The only thing I got out of listening to the title track, Protection, is fleeting remembrances of the movie The Bodyguard. This was not a good film. I am a great admirer of Tracey Thorne's voice and, as I said elsewhere, would listen to her sing the phone book; but this is not the phone book. This is teenage emotionalizing. Though I resonate with the idea of self-sacrifice, the whole point of self-sacrifice is to actually DO it, not to talk about how you would or should or might do it should the situation arise. The track is basically like listening to somebody saying, "You know, I'd like totally run in front of a bus to save somebody, knowwhamsain?" The whole point of self-sacrifice is that it is difficult to do. It certainly is not difficult to talk about doing, though. I don't know Tracey Thorne, but I am not really uplifted by the thought of her hypothetically jumping in front of someone to take a bullet for them.

Underrated 90's trip hop
While "Protection" might not be as good as their first album "Blue lines" and a bit overshadowed by other albums it's far from a bad apple in any way, actually one of my favorites with a distance. It's a bit unever though, some songs are close to perfection but some feels forgettable by now. The first song, the title track "Protection" is sang by Tracy Thorn from "Everything But the Girl" it's this albums best song and was a hit back them aswell. Tracy's haunting lyrics and voice fits the hip hop beats and samples perfect. The hook is also memorably good. "Karmacoma" is the normal Horacy Andy trip hop with rapping. "Three" is rather odd, decent song sang by Nicolette but could have been better. "Weather Storm" is a song to remember since it's slow jazz, completely diffrent from the rest of the songs here, it really showed the many influents Massive got. "Spying Glass" is reggae. "Better Things" is another Tracy Thorn song, it sound like a train, it has good beats and beautiful sound. Defenitely one of the highlight to not miss out. "Eurochild" is yet another rap song. "Sly" is with Nicolette, beautiful sound. "Heat Miser" is another highlight, it starts with fast piano playing and the sound of someone breathing deep. It got this mysterious feeling, great for a horror movie. Those kind of song is partly what makes Massive so pleasant. The album closes with a live remake of the Doors "Light My Fire" quite allright actually. Overall this is a very good album, forgotten by many but it has many highlight's worth taking a look at. A very good variety of sound and genre's and many songs with the great mysterious Massive sound. Recommended for anyone that likes something diffrent.

ANOTHER M.A. CLASSIC!!!
"Protection" is another classic Massive Attack album that breaks the mold in what trip-hop/dub music is. Not as strong as their debut "Blue Lines" or the phenomenal "Mezzanine", "Protection" still impresses with its sinsiter grooves, nigh-disturbing lyrics and poignant vocals. ... Read more