Amazon.com

To remain relevant after a decade in the music industry is rare indeed; for a dance act, it's virtually unique. Singles 93-03 ably demonstrates how the Chemical Brothers have managed it. Having first carved a reputation as DJs the Dust Brothers in the early 1990s, the two history graduates narrowly avoided calling themselves the London Dust Explosion before spearheading big beat, becoming a huge live draw, collaborating with Noel Gallagher and having Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis play "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" at his wedding. It's been 10 years of fun, frolics, and gigantean left-field beats for Ed Simmons and Tom Rowland and, as this faultless singles collection testifies, continual reinvention.

From the seething siren, pounding breaks, breathy vocals and spellbinding post-acid electronica of album opener "Song to the Siren" to the ingenious collaboration with the Flaming Lips, "The Golden Path," Tom 'n' Ed have somehow managed to carve tracks that appeal equally to radio, clubs, and the live arena. Alongside the cement-cracking bass of "Leave Home" and "Block Rockin' Beats" comes the high-inducing sonic debauchery of "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and dancefloor filler "Star Guitar," to name but a few of the many highlights. Ingenious, boundary-baffling stuff, this compilation offers a hypnotic historical tour of one of the most creative careers in dance music. --Christopher Barrett ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great CD that's missing a few tracks....
I agree with a lot of the other reviewers of this CD, it's lacking some key tracks. "Music Response" & "Under the Influence" are CB classics!!! Yet, they aren't here. I only recommend this collection for new listeners and die hard fans (like myself) that want to hear the new tracks included. Don't get me wrong by the 3 star rating, this is killer music! But, my score would have been higher if the track selection would have been better. I guess they didn't want to give away ALL their best stuff on one collection.
If you're looking for new techno and this collection doesn't offer enough new material for you, then I HIGHLY recommend mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". Any fan of the Chemical Brothers will dig his music!

Excellent sounds from on high!
This CD collection is one of the best electronica albums out right now, it ranks right up there with Air's "Talkie Walkie" and mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". With this collection, you'll see why the Chemical Brothers rule electronica with an iron fist. All the best tracks are here, sure some greats are missing, but you can't please everyone. Plus, the new tracks are worth the purchase price alone. The Golden Path, for example, is one of the best Chemical Brother tracks I've ever heard!!!!
If you're a new fan of electronica or dance music, this is the holy grail that you've been searching for!!!!!!! A must buy!

Best tracks are missing, but...
A lot of people have said in other reviews of this collection, that the Brothers have left the best tracks off of this collection. This is true. Also, there really aren't enough new tracks or remixes to get longtime fans interested in this collection. With that said, I think this is an excellent CD set for new listeners to hear what the Chemical Brothers are all about. This collection serves as nothing more, in my opinion, then as a way to get new listeners hooked on the Brothers and convince them to buy some of the old CDs.
The only thing I think longtime fans would dig about this collection is the very detailed history of the band in the CD's liner notes. The CD booklet is loaded with rare photos and info about this reclusive group.
The only track I haven't found on another Chemical Brothers disc is the Mix 2 of Under the Influence which is really cool. For this track, the Brothers combined some of the sounds from Out of Control and used them in a creative way during Under the Influence, not bad.
New fans will love this and will get an education on the greatest innovators of dance/techno music. However, longtime fans will find the collection lacking and will just keep playing the Chemical Brothers CDs they already have, but may find the CD booklet very interesting.
PS - I also agree with another reviewer here that recommended mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession", that's a killer disc and Chem' fans should dig his material too.

The brothers work it out.
I absolutely LOVE the chemical brothers. So I'm a little bit biased, but oh well. Even though this is a singles collection, it doesn't feel like it. I'd say it's a great introduction to the chems, and for the fans it's a great disc to have, especially for the 2nd disc, which contains "The Duke" which is wicked, and the excellent "Delik." The thing that I love about the chemical brothers is how passionate they are about music. They love what they do, and it shows. To me they are just on another level all together, making other similar dance artists seem as if they are just churning out mediocre tracks, just blending in with the rest of them. But when you listen to the chems...you immediately sense something different. The music stands out, the tracks carry a certain strength. "The Golden Path" is easily a contender for track of the year, representing everything they are about in one psychedelic house track. Just how do they get some of the sounds they use??? Brilliant. As far as the chosen tracks for the collection, I would've added "It Began In Afrika." To me that is one of the most forward thinking dance tracks ever. Sounds absolutely HUGE in a club. I find myself listening to the chemical brothers more after purchasing this, going back to "dig your own hole" and "surrender" quite a bit as well. I highly recommend this collection, Plaid "Parts In The Post" as well as Sean Fry "For The Good Of All Concerned" if you're more adventurous and looking for other great electronic music. Cheers

My drug diary
Listening to the singles of the Chemical Brothers is like trying to remember a party years ago when you were on drugs and you lost your mind. The is like a soundtrack to all my drug abuse in the past. "Leave Home" reminds me of staying up all night many times. "Block Rocking Beats" reminds me of hanging out at a roof party in Williamsburg in 1996. "Hey Girl Hey Boy" reminds me of the time I went to Cyberfest 1999 in San Jose. "Star Guitar" reminds me of the last time I went to London. All these songs catch a moment in time: you always are thinking where were you when you first heard it. They have a few new songs here with K-OS and Wayne Coyne. They are famous for their collaborations with Schooly D, Noel Gallagher, Jonathan Donahue, Bernard Sumner, Richard Ashcroft and others. In one way, the Chemical Brothers were a singles band. These are the songs that had the impact. As a full-length album band they are great too. It's all about remembering good times and good nights out. Just get yourself high. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is delicious bubble-gum dance music from one of Miami's biggest male artists. A Florida native, Stevie B became one of the early leaders of freestyle music with the breakout hit "Party Your Body" in 1988, followed by increasingly successful songs such as "I Wanna Be the One" and "Love Me for Life." Stevie also set himself apart from the pack by writing and producing his own music, which was very rare for an '80s dance star. The hits stopped coming in the '90s, though Stevie B continues to record and, as this collection shows, has already left a swooningly romantic--and infinitely danceable--legacy. --John Sanchez ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Best of Stevie B's Greatest Hits
You may see this album and another album called "Stevie B - The Greatest Hits" and wonder what the difference is.

Well, "The Best of Stevie B" contains many of Stevie's early and most well known songs: Spring Love, I Wanna Be the One, In My Eyes, Because I Love You, Dreamin of Love, and a few others. Because it only is a complation of the earliest hits, it contains some filler stuff from his earlier albums that might not as well known.

However, this is still worth it. The other greatest hits album contains REMIXES of hits like Spring Love, etc and thus this album is the only one where you can get the original mixes.

I recommend this album as well as the other album as good complements to each other. This one give you the older material in it's original form. The other album gives you remixed older songs, but some of Stevie's newer and less known material.

An Album to Rembember, great artist Missed.
Hi all i recommend this cd to buy. My favorite songs are dreamin of love, spring love, broken hearted, love me for life, and beacuse i love you the postman song. this is a good freestyle cd.

THIS IS THE BEST
HIS SONGS ON HERE SOUNDS GOOD. AND IT IS GREAT! THE BEATS AND EVERYTHING THE MUSIC. HE IS VERY TALENTED. A WONDERFUL GIFT TO THIS WORLD. I RECCOMMEND THIS ONE. FREESTYLE MUSIC OF HIS SOUNDS REALLY COOL!<><

GOOD STUFF!
This album is really old, but the music is still young and fresh. I finally got a copy of the cd from my cousin a few days ago and I've been listening to it everyday. It's great to create moments with your lover, the beats and his powerful voice will get you dancing! Everytime I hear track number 8 my adrenaline always run high, I sometimes have to control myself in the car whenever I'm listening to it in the car, every morning I play it I just want to wake up and dirty dance with my babe... STEVIE B YOUR THE MAN! GREAT GIFT FOR LOVERS!

Stevie B.
I love Stevie B's music and freestyle music. Stevie B was the biggest of the freestyle ear with the exception of Expose. He had many top twenty hits but his biggest song was "Because I Love You" which was 1 for 4 weeks. This album of his greatest hits is great and should be owned by freestyle fans. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is a story about a musician named Amon Tobin
Once upon a time, the only video games that had soundtracks worth buying separately were Japanese RPGs.Occasionally, a Western game would come along with a great compilation soundtrack (see the Grand Theft Auto series), but for the most part, music composed specifically for games was unable to stand alone as an artistic work.

Fast forward to the end of 2004.UbiSoft was making the third installment of their popular Splinter Cell series, and the need for some creepy, paranoid music naturally arose.Some inspired soul (whose name is lost to history) suggested that the job be offered to electronic artist Amon Tobin, perhaps thinking that his bass-heavy groovalicious style would adapt well to stealth based gameplay.The Powers That Be agreed, and gave Amon a lot of money with which to score their still-developing game.

When Amon returned after completing the soundtrack, the results were better than anyone expected.CHAOS THEORY struck a perfect balance between spooky ambience and jackhammer beats, often shifting rapidly between the two, but throughout it all there was an undeniable sense of beauty which did not exist in spite of the chaos but rather arose from it.Indeed, this chaotic beauty led many who listened to make comparisons to another artist, Aphex Twin.

But CHAOS THEORY was much more than an Aphex knock-off.Amon had put UbiSoft's money to good use, hiring an all-star lineup of studio players to make the soundtrack the best it could be.These studio session gave CHAOS THEORY a very organic feel that is usually missing from video game soundtracks, and was definitely absent from Aphex Twin's 2001 album, DRUQKS.

The album started off with "The Lighthouse," and while it wasn't necessarily the best track off the album, it was still pretty darn close, with a jerky bass riff that immediately created a sense of paranoia in the listener.It was the perfect setup to an album which cultivated a wide range of emotions, most of them disturbing.CHAOS THEORY never really let up on these emotions, instead, Amon simply switched from one emotion to another, from paranoia to panic to uneasiness and back to paranoia, often within a single track.

All involved with the project were so pleased that it was decided that Amon's soundtrack would be released several months ahead of the actual game.The reason for this was simple: where most consumers hear music in a game and then would desire to purchase the soundtrack, hearing this soundtrack actually made people want to play the game.Reviewers across the land encouraged everyone they met, even those with no interest in video games, to purchase the album, and all who heard the free MP3 of "The Lighthouse" provided on amazon.com were more than willing to fork over the cash to hear the rest of CHAOS THEORY, with the result that Amon Tobin became obscenely wealthy, and nobody payed any attention to the drivel that MTV played anymore.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Let Down
Amon Tobin, in the course of five months last year, became my favorite musician on the planet. Discovering his albums one by one (in a disjointed order) was such a delight that they were the only albums I listened to for weeks on end. I eagerly waited for word to come from Ninja Tune about when his next album would be released, and had a countdown when I finally had its January release date.
Months later, I am still somewhat disappointed. I was highly intrigued with the concept (especially seeing as how he would be the perfect candidate to score a futuristic sci-fi world-from-hell movie), but once I listened to it several times, the gimmick still stunk: a score for a computer game just does not translate into a full-lenght album. Granted, I haven't played the game itself, so I can't comment about how the music fits into playing it (though I imagine it would work rather well). You can still count on Amon to create an amazing soundscape with only samples (and here, live samples), but whereas his first four masterpieces took you on a real musical journey, this one is more monotonous, and arguably better fitted for a video game than the others would be. Here's hoping his next album is much better - what am I saying, of course it will be!

In 1 word Awesome!
Having always been a fan of the Splinter Cell games, I never really noticed until last night playing Chaos Theory, how good the actual music from the game was. I listened to the soundtrack and could not believe how awesome it sounded. Music for video games has evolved so much. I am a huge fan of this kind of music as well so kudos to Amon Tobin!
This soundtrack is put together very well. It does not sound corny or anything it sounds really great!

very well done
this sound track is very well done especilly like the little guiter riff in the Lighthouse

BRILLIANT
This CD is incredibly immersive.I listened to some of Tobin's earlier stuff and thought, yeah it's cool, but it's missing something.It's all here.He put an amazing group of international musicians together, and it shines amazingly.Tobin mixed, conducted, and produced it.Amazing talent.The drummer is amazing, especially on Ruthless.My favourite track is Kokubo Sosho Stealth.It's dark, has nice drum and bass, and harmonics.This is just like HALO 2.Not as good without the music.Now we just wait for the game. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Greatest Tiesto mix - aptly named release
This CD is a must have for all Tiesto followers, and should be the first CD to buy if you are new to this wonderful DJ. I like all types of Trance and appreciate the variety that exists within the genre--from Diggers to Oakey. I would have to say if you are looking for a CD that you can dance to and that takes you on an uplifting journey, then Heaven Beyond is a must have. "No More Tears," the 2nd track on this CD, by itself is worth the money.

One of the best Trance CDs ever !
This CD shows Tiesto as he was prior to year 2000. At the time, though not yet recognized as a top DJ, he was in fact at his prime. If you are are into Trance and are looking for melodic and possibly melancholic music, then this CD is for you. The choice of tracks is absolutely perfect, there are no fillers - everything is just quality Trance.

one of a kind
When I first listened to this CD about a year or so ago I was blown away. I have yet to encounter another cd that more fully embodies emotional trance. Having listened to many other tiesto albums, I can say without a doubt that this cd is like no other. Tiesto's Magik 5 is simply masterful.

Super-terrific (after magik 6)
One thing that's been made obvious, it's difficult to get tired of listening to DJ Tiesto's stuff. It's bummmpin sound all the way around. Not every song on this thing was a smash hit, but nothing was disappointing either. Track 2, Allure "No more Tears" is the best of 'em and it defines the title of this album "Heaven Beyond" cuz it is heavenly.
Another one to add to ur collection.....but it's money well-spent!!

Waoooooo.......!!!
Perfect Just Awesome my second favorite Dj at his best.
DJ Tiesto the true master of Trance out of this world.
Highly recomended CD!
Good Luck,
Hildely ... Read more

Album Description

This 2 CD set features a mix from both Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. Neil Tennant’s idea when compiling the CD was to create a sequence of music late-night listening, Sequencing electronic, ambient, classical and pop music. Chris Lowe on the other hand has chosen songs about love, friendship, sex, religion, hope and despair., starting with early 80’s electro through Italian disco, rock, gospel and ending of course with classic Dusty. DMC. 2005. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With dark shades of dub and songs that stretch with patient grace, 100th Window finds trip-hop legends Massive Attack seeping through your speakers with the same eerie intensity they mined on 1998's revelatory Mezzanine. The burden of high expectations has been a constant for this band since they released the classic Blue Lines in 1991. Under pressure to produce yet another record that changes the playing field of dance music, the collective has turned in a brooding, orchestral work that profits greatly from collaboration. The breathy, distinctive voice of Sinead O'Connor elevates a song like "What Your Soul Sings" into a deeply affecting, candlelit nocturne, while Horace Andy's stylized vocal washes through the string-laden "Name Taken." O'Connor also shines on "A Prayer for England," a remake of "Safe from Harm" off Lines, as her barely contained emotions artfully collide with Window's stark, distorted production. It may not turn the world upside down again, but Massive Attack retains the power to keep you transfixed and blissfully off-balance. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Brokenhearted
As I sit writing this review of Valentine's Day, I am brokenhearted for various reasons. One reason is the brand new Massive Attack album, which I bought three days ago mere minutes after it was officially released. I've been waiting excitedly for this album for five years, but sadly, nothing lasts forever. I won't argue with those fans who claim Blue Lines as the best Massive Attack album, but I am a ridiculous fanatic for Mezzanine which is certainly one of my favorite albums of all time, in any genre. But the group tension that made that album so mindboggling and gutwrenching are gone. The true musical mastermind of the group, Mushroom, quit due to creative differences, and Daddy G announced a "vacation." So now Massive Attack is made up of the last original man standing, Robert Del Naja (3D), plus new songwriting collaborator Neil Davidge. Del Naja is certainly a good songwriter and is qualified to keep Massive alive, but this album is probably the beginning of the end.

The big guest vocal star this time is Sinead O'Connor who sings three songs, reminding us that once upon a time she was known as the incredible singer that she really is. Sinead also gets to unload some of her politicized lyrics in "A Prayer for England." Reliable Massive friend Horace Andy lends his always breathtaking and crystal-clear voice to two songs this time, but not even he can save the bland material he's working with. And "bland" is the key word here. Four songs are dragged down by the atrociously poor singing (a better word is vocalizing) by Del Naja. You already knew he has a flat voice, though on previous albums he actually functioned well as a counterpoint to Tricky or Daddy G. But here he just can't carry a song on his own. Musically, the super-advanced Massive trip-hop is still in effect, though without the punishing grooves and creeping dread of Mezzanine. Especially missing are the dope basslines, which are only present in the album's two best songs - "Special Cases" and "Butterfly Caught." Otherwise the music is still innovative, but heartbreakingly bland and featureless. Also, the album closes annoyingly with a basic synthesizer loop that repeats ad nauseam for eleven minutes (after "Antistar"). This can be ignored. The Massive magic still peaks out occasionally on this album, but we're seriously headed for light ambient territory here. Oh well, they've had a good run.

A brand new Massive
I've just recently became a huge fan of Massive Attack, and I nearly died when I heard they were releasing a new album. I was anticipating this CD and it delivered all the goods. This is a new Massive and it's an amazing one.

The songs are completely modernized. Massive Attack started from the roots of Hip-Hop, and Hip-Hop has influenced almost every song they've released. But with one member gone, the remaining two Massive members have to struggle through to get a good image of Massive Attack out to the new age, and they do it well. With sounds from Radiohead and Portishead influences, Massive Attack changes their image completely.

"What Your Soul Sings" is delivered well by Sinead, mixing with the synth sounds of 3D and Daddy G. The song has a very mellow, calm sound, which Massive is known for. "Everywhen" is another amazing accomplishment, with smooth sounds, hard beats and a very serene sound from Massive native Horace Andy. "Prayer for England" is a modernized, beautiful remake of "Safe From Harm" from their Blue Lines CD. And "Antistar" shines with a huge Radiohead influence.

This is Massive Attack for the new generation. Their wisdom and knowledge in the music business has brought together an amazing CD. Any Massive Attack fan must check this CD out, along with fans of Portishead and Radiohead. And being a Massive Attack fan, it's sad to say that there are no vocals from Daddy G in this CD, as well as no Hip-Hop influence from the great Mushroom. Let's hope this is not a farewell CD to the great Massive Attack.

OK at Best.
The fact that fans of Massive Attack are comparing their latest work (favourably) with Madonna's wretched music sums up very nicely everything that is wrong with this album. It adds absolutely nothing to their catalogue and Sinead O'Conner was a singularly uninspired choice for a guest vocalist. Finally, this is a "Massive Attack" album in name only, as two of the three absolutely essential bandmates left, leaving 3-D to his own devices to inflict this turgid dross upon us.

I'm a long-time fan of Massive Attack and have given this album many chances. I was a bit on the fence regarding it, but seeing so many desperate 5-star reviews from people with such obviously low expectations reinforces how far this band has sunk. My copy is already residing in the trash-bin.

Simply beautiful
Massive Attack does not fail on their fourth release with an album very similar to their third release Mezzanine. The songs flow very well from beginning to end and has a very haunting feeling to it. If you are a fan of Massive Attack and loved their previous release this CD is definately for you. Do not be fooled by bad reviews, this album is grossly underrated!

A Unique Vision of Electronica
"100th Window" is Massive Attack's forth album release to date, released in 2003. Though they've been well-known for a decade in the UK, this album gave them their biggest US success to date though still lowkey. This often overlooked group is one of the leaders in electronica/ techno music. Their unique style gives listeners an unforgettable experience through every listen. Whether their music is through deejaying and/or live instruments, they've always stayed on top. Though they've always been an incredible act, "100th Window" may be their best to date. They prove that they've wonderfully evolved as artists.

The dark and eerie theme displayed in these tracks give new meaning to electronica music. All of the sounds and instruments combined wonderfully give listeners the intended sensation. The variety of haunting styles keep listeners interested in every song, starting with "Future Proof". The intimacy is always present through the darkness. As the theme becomes deeper, the heartpounding effect becomes stronger. The strong and personal lyrics blend wonderfully with the background. The only other artist to accomplish such emotional words with electronica music is Madonna on her "Ray of Light" album. Their performances wonderfully express them soulfully, including guest vocalist Sinead O'Connor ("Nothing Compares 2 U", 1989) in "Prayer For England", "When Your Soul Sings", and the hit single "Special Cases". Despite the songs clocking in at over five minutes, Massive Attack never lose contact with their talents.

"100th Window" is great for several occasions, especially great during sex. Such tremendous music quality will surely continue pleasing listeners for a long time. If their musical evolution continues in the future at their past rate, their next album should have exciting expectations. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

A debut with power!
Ace of Base's debut effort, The Sign, is probably the best of the nineties. Aside from selling 21 million copies around the globe, and from being the #1 album of 1994, it is truly creative. From the opening track "All That She Wants" that includes the feel of Jamaican beaches and features their signature reggae-pop beats, it is a non-stop tour of Euro-dance and reggae-pop! "Don't Turn Around" is a powerful lost-love song that echoes with Linn's dramatic vocals and Jenny's heartbreaking back-ups. "Wheel of Fortune", "Living In Danger", "Dancer in a Daydream", "Happy Nation"- these are the album's best tracks. The Bangrha version of "ATSW" could have done better off of the CD, maybe replaced with one of their European tracks, like "Hear Me Calling", and the 7" Remix of "Waiting for Magic" totally kills the original version of the song that is on the European album (The original version of "WFM" is very good). The standout song is the title track, "The Sign", which is a fun, poppy song that, aside from being their biggest hit, is a meaningful track that brings life to to the whole record. This is the best album of the decade, so GET IT!

OUT OF CONTROL-GOOD-This is the ABSOLUTE truth!
I can NOT SAY ENOUGH good things about this album! I bought it when I was 10 or 11 when it first came out, and I STILL listen to it, it is still relavent! This cd ranks on my top 10 cds of all time, hands down...it is THAT GOOD! Here, I will rate the songs....

1. All That She Wants-definitely a classic, surprisingly not one of my favorite cuts though, but nothing on this album gets below an 8! The only reason I rate this an 8 is b/c I am into the more uptempo songs on here.. 8/10
2. Don't Turn Around-classic Ace of Base...9/10
3. Young and Proud-very good, excellent even. Nothing on this cd will dissapoint in my opinion 8/10
4. Sign-NOT one of my fav cuts on the album. I may sound negative, but I am trying to show that there are even better cuts than the radio classics!!! The Sign is great of course! :)

5. Living in Danger-one of the best cuts on the album! Dark, mysterious, should've done better in the US 9/10
6. Dancer in a Daydream-Unbelievably good! One of my favorite cuts on this cd, just a totally unreal great dance song, Jenny/Linn's vocals are so perfect for this song! 10/10
7. Wheel of Fortune-ANOTHER perfect 10 song IMO...this song is also haunting and strange, and magical which leads me to...10/10
8. Waiting for Magic [Total Remix 7"]-Waiting for magic, sounds..magical!! 10/10 HANDS DOWN! It is hard to explain these songs, but it sounds icy, and princess-y...
9. Happy Nation-midtempo song, very good, one of the best midtempo songs!~ 9/10
10. Voulez-Vous Danser-great, fun 10!
11. My Mind [Mindless Mix]-ONE OF THE BEST mixes ever!~ 10/10
12. All That She Wants [Banghra Version]-great version of ATSW!! 10/10

Please, just pick up this album it is worth every penny!

ARe you kidding me?
This CD is hands down the worst CD since, well, ever. I'm disappointed in our country as a whole for rating this CD with as many stars as The Beatles. The fact that one even has to ask oneself about the gender of the singer makes me want to throw up in my mouth. This CD sucks. My ears have put me on music probation for a month for forcing them to listen to such an abomination of tones and rhythms. Such crimes have not been comitted with electronic instruments since this album or before it. Quit listening to crap.

The Sign
The Sign~ Ace of Base is on of the best debut record maybe since speak and spell by Depeche Mode. The songs are fun and the lyrics are stupid and inane like they should be.

I still love this album to this day!
I didn't know about this group as much when "All That She Wants" was a hit in the US. But I liked them more when their album "The Sign" came out! Very fun, catchy and funky songs with a lot of melody and rhythm! Their clashing of pop and reggae was so unique. Love the title song, All, Don't Turn Around, Young and Proud, My Mind, Wheel of Fortune, the adventurous Happy Nation and others. Joker's producing of many of the songs were the album's highlight. And the two women and the other fellow in the group were also superb. 10 1/2 years later, this is such a fun pop album from this group from Sweden! I hope they make a new album soon! ... Read more

Album Details

The Premiere Collection that Launched the Popular Series of Compilations of Music Heard at the Famed Paris Bar/Restaurant. DJ Stephane Pompougnac Serves Up a Sweet Mix of Downtempo Electronica and Old Favorites from the Likes of Grace Jones, Nitin Sawhney, Rinocerose, Yves Montand, Ballistic Brothers, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Dephazz and More. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

WOW! Sophisticated and relaxing!
I was at a music store in, of all places, Dubai in the UAE. This very cool music came on and I HAD to find out what it was...Hotel Costes vol. 1 !!! Can't wait to get the rest of the series, including the DJ's new solo effort!

Not worth listening unless you're collecting
I purchased Hotel Costes backwards from 6,5,4 and then 2. I don't know why I skipped 3 and bought 2 first. But 3 and 1 isn't worth listening to, unless you want the whole collection of the Hotel Costes series.

FOUR YEARS LATER..............
I finally bought the very first Hotel Costes thanks to a friend (Hey, J.C.!) of mine, who I guess got tired of me sampling it everytime we visited Borders on our lunch break. And let me tell you honestly after listening to the incredible Volumes 2, 4 and 5, I am left slightly disappointed with volume 1. I guess I should have started with "Costes" and went in order, because after hearing the other seamless and beautifully mixed CDs from French DJ Stephane Pompougnac, I am left a little more critical of the CD that catipulted this phenomenally successful series. I realize now that there really isn't anything new or ground-breaking about Pompougnac's style of mixing other than the unique selection of most of his tracks and the way he's able to blend them all together so flawlessly. The addition of Grace Jones' 1981 (whoa, how old was I then--11?) classic "Libertango" and Nitin Sawhney's "Migration" were added nicely to this set without disrupting the flow of things. A+ for Pompougnac! He also manages this form of "cross-genre-mixing" successfully on Costes Volume 2 with Pink Martini's Parisian, Sympatique, and on volume 5 with Gabin's "Doo Uap, Doo Uap...". I think a lot of hype has contributed to the success of this series...Hey! Guilty as charged...after reading the reviews from you guys, what can I say? I did in fact go out and purchase the Costes series myself...except for volume 3 which is still unavailable in record stores...so, stand-by, Amazon. com...I'll be ordering it from you guys soon no doubt. Anyway, Volume 1 is still a gem and in my part of the US a rare find. It opens with my all time favorite vocal song, "My Funny Valentine" very nicely done by Big Muff with sultry female vocals from some chick named Ital Shur (???). Other songs of note, and worthy of repeat plays are Baffa featuring Paganni, Rinocerose, Flying Pop's, New Phunk Theory, Almeidinha Do El Gringo and a few others that have yet to grow on me, but I'm sure will in time. Don't know when this series will end and I somewhat feel complete after purchasing Costes Volume 1, but after investing in these babies, it has left a brother seriously in the hole, financially. One thing I can say is at least you're compelled to listen to the Costes series over and over again and that in itself makes all the money I spent (or you'll spend) acquiring these CDs well worth it.

One of the Coolest CDs I own
This is definitely one of the best chill out (but not exactly relaxing) music I bought. It's even so much better than Buddha Bar IV, which was my favorite before this one. It's perfect for dining with friends at home, aromatic candles burning, wine & chat.

Paris Under A Groove is a better compilation
I own all these fancy prancy Hotel Costes comps. But the series is almost too chic and for the fashion crowd. So loses it edge a bit. I found this new series that looks like it is going to be a hot new thing. The Stylistique series from Newhouse Records incorporates true grooves and cool funk electronica straight from the Paris underground. I just got Paris Under A Groove and it simply pumps. It gets much more funky and deep from tracks 9-16. I love it. Paris Under A Groove on Amazon has all these new artistes from France that are dope underground DJs and live players. ... Read more

Album Description

Since Pschent started the Costes series any old half-trendy restaurant has started releasing its 'downtempo' compilation. The covers all show someone on a sofa, the tracklistings all look the same, and the music is just plain boring. With Costes however we try to make sure that they are always fresh, interesting, the packaging is great (check out the inside of Etage 3). Not just another lounge compilation, we hope you'll agree. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Chic, Cool, Smooth, Sensual, Exotic, and a Diva Delight
I adore this CD. It is a remarkable mix of mellow, funky, over the edge, in the groove, diverse ear treasures. The blend and transitions delight and surprise. Shirley Bassey's remix of Love Story-- so over the top and powerful. Funky Lowlives! Cleopatra in New York - makes you need to bellydance, no matter what your belly looks like. Every Time by Lustral-- sends you to mellow heaven. Put this music on and you'll imagine guys in tuxes, women in Capri pants, the crowd in the bar at the Paramount, and the "Forget Domani" gang.

I've played this CD for friends of every ilk and of every age, and everyone loves it. The perfect background music for every occasion-- I've use it at a range of affairs, from intimate gatherings to corporate events-- and it flies every time. Thanks to Todd's "What CD's I'm listening to" list for turning me on to this spectacular music.

And what a brilliant idea on the part of the Hotel Costes-- you can bet I'm spending time there on my visit to Paris in a few weeks!

an ambient cinematic lust groove
If you're that man, under 25 years old, who loves to drink a vodka martini with a stylistic girl while listening some sweet beats and vocals as background music, that's the album of the year. a great compilation mixing those underground lounge, bossa, jazzy artists around the world, also contains some remixes and covers of songs like "love story" with shirley bassey and last tango in paris, both with a upbeat modern feeling, i felt so good while listening those songs :). and all the tracks are mixed by the stephane pompougnac. enjoy!

A Collision of Soul, Jazz, Dance and culture beats.
I highly recommend Vol. 1 and Vol.3. The beats, harmonies and lyrics are upbeat one minute, soothing and mellow the next. It's a collision of Soul, Jazz, Dance and culture beats. Perfect for a Sunday drive or the office. Any music lover will not be disappointed of this collection.

One of the Best of the Series
Most has already been stated about this cd. The Hotel Costes series is based on Wagram, a label that specializes in downtempo/lounge/chill cd's. Other successful series in their cataloge include Saint Germain Des Pres Cafe (1-4), Paris Lounge (1-3), Hotel Costes (1-6 and Stephane's feature release)and even Nueva Bossa Nova and other cd's.

I for one enjoyed this Costes a bit more than the others. From the kickin' Shirley Bassey cut to now classic lounge cuts like "Cruisin" by Can 7 or "Yachts" by Coco-Steel. You have a bit of a global experience with the tunes and some diverse musicians. A splash of Brazil, a touch of Tango... you name it! The Costes series prided itself on not being just any old lounge compilation with the same redundant tracks and atmosphere. It was hip, cutting edge, for the swanky and the people in the "know". Stephane Pompougnac always has at least one of his own tunes on the cd's and this isn't an exception. Good bachelor tune - every lady I know digs this when I put it on.

I recommend this one. You'll always get a quality unique cut with Pompougnac. IMO, Etage 3 is one of the better cd's of the franchise. However it's not without a few missteps - this particular rendition of Lustral's "Everytime" hardly seemed to fit in, even for an ender. And the Boyz from Brazil Remix of Hi-Fi Trumpet isn't my favorite version of the song either. Also you'll want to be careful of serious overlap if you pick up French compilations - in otherwords, some cd's may have the same cuts on one another. And if you like this series... check out Boss-A-Troniq, Break & Bossa 4 and 5 and Paris Lounge 1.

Not as good as 6,5,4,2
I started buying Hotel Costes backwards starting from 6,5,4,then 2. Then I bought 3 and 1 and those two just wasn't as good as the others. Some what disappointed. At least know I know his newer ones are getting better and not worst, right? ... Read more

Album Description

After 20 years in Everything But The Girl and 5 years in Lazy Dog, Ben Watt presents a new generation of deep and soulful house music on his hot new label Buzzin' Fly. The natural successor to the highly revered "Lazy Dog" series, this 11-track mixset features four unreleased Buzzin' Fly gems, a brand new exclusive Watt remix and six rare handpicked tracks. Highlights include Ben Watt's own new upcoming single "A Stronger Man" featuring Sananda Maitreya (Terence Trent D'Arby), Charles Webster's exclusive new remix of Justin Martin's 2003 hit for Buzzin' Fly "The Sad Piano," Sandy Rivera's searing original mix of Cue's overlooked diamond "Dreaming Of You" and Martin Solveig's absorbing re-work of the Soldiers Of Twilight classic, "Believe." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Buzzing around
I have few heroes. Ben Watt is one of them. This man could survive any disaster. He was Everything But The Girl for a while. Lately he's been doing lazy Dog. You have heard the tracks. Buzzin' Fly is a nightclub where they throw down so deep house with a Brazilian touch. This CD starts out with Rodamaal "Musica Feliz" which uptempo bossanova. There is a lot of dub and remixes on here. There are some cool tracks by Ben Watt and Automagic and Soldiers of Twilight. Even Maitreya makes an appearance (that is what Terence Trent D'arby calls himself these days). Probably the most interesting song here is a remix by Ben Watt of the Minneapolis band Low. Their song "Tonight" is the epitome of slowcore and has a gospel feel. On this jamming remix it sounds like am Ibiza anthem. You couldn't even think it was the same band. I was thinking when I saw this, could this be Low? That is what great dance music does sometimes: it makes strange connections and even stranger affinities.

almost as good as NYC
I saw Ben spin in NYC at the Bowery Ballroom on Thanksgiving Night 03. This CD reminds of that awesome night and keeps me moving form beginning to end.

Great Deep House
This is a great deep house collection. It is loungey enough to play late in the evening but still has enough of a beat to keep you movin'. It's as good as Miguel Migs and in my opinion actually a bit better. Kudos, to Ben Watt for making a house CD everyone can love.

Different than Lazy Dog
Lazy Dog fans will better appreciate this mix if they approach it with fresh ears, independent of their Lazy Dog experiences. This is a bit more thoughtful and will not instantly have you dancing in the way that the Lazy Dog sounds do. The Buzzin' Fly mix will more likely make you groove than sweat. These are not the typical deep house tracks with painstaking builds and predicitable climaxes, rather these songs are a bit more subtle and warm, getting their energy from smooth production and lyrics. Not every track is memorable but standouts include Musica Feliz, Believe, and Stronger Man. Stronger Man may well be on its way to deep house classic status, with the most incredibly sexy piano and saxaphone. Give these discs a few listens and try to appreciate this for what it is, which is not Lazy Dog 3, but Buzzin Fly 1.

Dissapointed
As a deep house lover and a great fan of Ben Watt's former outfit Lazy Dog, I approached this new project and album with great enthusiasm and expectation. I was very dissapointed to finally receive these discs and hear only a semblance of the jazzy soulful house music that Ben previously mixed. The first disc is primarily lounge/downtempo styled music with lyrics and vocals that leave much to be desired. The second disc which contains several singles is a step up but it still fails to provide those deep tracks that just move your body and your spirit. The first mix of Musica Feliz is the only track that really gets me moving.
Ben is clearly trying some new things with this music and moving in a new direction, perhaps away from the Lazy Dog style sounds. I failed to hear the originality and inspiration in these new songs that previously drew me into his older work. Although I am dissapointed, I will continue to keep an eye on the Buzzin' fly releases and hope for a return to some of that true deep house magic. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Spikenvixen
I'll have to agree with "Disappointed" and "Buyer Beware" - this is NOT the "Fired Up" advertised on TV. Nor have I seen this compilation in ANY store as one disk! I don't believe it should be marketed as "Fired Up". It's false advertising! The music is good, but I am extremely disappointed...I could have paid the same amount in a store and received BOTH CDs!

Disappointed :(
This is not the 2 cd set I though I was getting. Is is 1 cd. The CD case says AS SEEN ON TV but the one on musicspace.com has 2 cd's. Im angry!! Now I have to sell this CD to get the right one! 1st expierance on Amazon and my last. I'll go back to Ebay.

Title Says It All!
This is a near perfect dance album. It's a sort of follow-up to the smash 2001 hit "Pulse." But while "Pulse" consisted of mainly early/mid 90's dance hits, "Fired Up" continues on ranging from the mid-90's into 2000. Although this compilation consists of club music, some were actually pretty big hits at pop radio too namely the songs by Deborah Cox, ATC, Amber, Gina G, Alice Deejay and Eiffel 65.

It's a very good listen overall, but there are definite stand-outs. Melanie C.'s #1 dance/club smash "I Turn To You" is an awesome track and it's too bad that it never crossed over to American radio. ATC's "Around the World" was an irresistible club and radio smash back in the spring of 2001. Alice Deejay had a huge dance hit with the instantly recognizable hit "Better Off Alone" the summer of 2000. "Barbie Girl" by Aqua was a worldwide dance sensation nack in late 97 and is a novelty song if ever there was one. "Do You Miss Me" and "Just A little Bit" are definitely hot dance tracks as are "One More Try" and "Call Me." Eiffel 65's top 5 Hot 100 hit "Blue" was inescapable around the turn of the century. However, the undisputed champ is Amber's 1996 dance smash "This Is Your Night" that managed to rule the clubs and radio both but never became old. It's catchy as heck.

For fans of dance music, this is a must have! It will be sure to get you just as the title says. Dance music really is not as good and as mainstream as it was in the 90's. It really needs to make a comeback. Long live dance music!!!!

Buyer Beware: Only Half the Songs
I've wanted this collection for a long time, but was put off by the prospect of paying full price. When I saw it on sale at Target, I gladly plunked down $14, only to find out later that this version has only one CD and therefore only half the songs advertised on TV. More specifically, most of the songs I wanted were on the second CD which isn't available separately yet. I don't know if Music Space intends to release the second CD soon.

I Obviously Like It, I'm Not Surprised That I Like It
You've seen the TV commercial for it, have you? I knew this is something I wanted, and naturally I bought it and I like it. I like it because it has dance songs of the late 90s and because I'm a huge freak of techno music. If they released "Pulse" five years after it's release date in 2001, these would be the songs on "Pulse".
"Fired Up" has songs like "Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay. I loved "Better Off Alone". It was my number one song in 2001. I wonder what happened to Alice Deejay. They should've released another new album. Where's Alice Deejay now? Jocelyn Enriquez's "Do You Miss Me" is in it. There's a part in the song where the drums and synthesizers change which sounds like it's in a mixed compilation. Remember that this isn't a mixed compilation. I still like it. There's also Ultra Nate's "Free" her biggest hit. Ultra Nate is her real name, (Really, it is) did you know? And there's the Bucketheads' "The Bomb", possibly the most cartoonish house song in the mid 90s and I love it. "This Is Your Night" by Amber is in it. She's one of the very first Euro divas to make an impact in the US. This was the song that got me into European dance music. "Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation's in "Fired Up". That recognizable composition, I've heard it over in Ireland a number of times and I couldn't get enough of it. There's also "Around The World" by ATC, "I Turn To You" by Melanie C, "Barbie Girl" by Aqua, "In A Dream" by Rockell, "One More Try" by Kristine W, and more. It doesn't have the song "Fired Up" by The Funky Green Dogs even though this is the name of the album, but that's okay.
I must be that predictable about house and techno. I just simply love it. Do I make the rest of the music industry sound amish? Am I that ahead of time? Anyway, this is a great album. What's next? ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Still Forever Your Girl after all these years

After her success as a choreographer to the mega pop dance stars of the 80s, Paula Abdul breaks out on her own with her debut release of Forever Your Girl. This was a smash hit in the late 80s, and many of the hits off this release are still being played today on top 40 stations. To show that kind of staying power after over 10 years, this release obviously has something special to offer its listeners. If you love that style of pop dance music with fun lyrics and awesome beats and orchestration, this is a must have release.

We start off with one of many smash hit singles "The Way That You Love Me," which is a great dance and attitude song that still stands true today. I still see that sexy gold video every time I hear it... mmm MMM! "Knocked Out" was a moderate success as a single (I saw the video more on BET than MTV) but is really a great dance tune with some great lyrical and orchestration hooks. "Opposites Attract" is pretty good and has gotten a recent resurgence thanks to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I still remember how groundbreaking the video was with Paula dancing with the animated cat. "State of Attraction" wasn't released but could have easily been a hit with great dance beat and orchestration hooks. "I Need You" isn't as trite as it sounds and is a strong pop dance tune with an R&B groove. "Forever Your Girl" was a pretty big hit with its happy, bouncy, upbeat message and orchestration. We finally get to Paula's first huge single, "Straight Up." I must admit, I'm not exactly fond of this tune for some reason - something about the orchestration. But this was a phenomenal success and is a classic late 80s dance favorite. For you trivia buffs, the video featured Arsenio Hall. "Next to You" is the only ballad on this predominantly danceable release; very smooth and relaxing. "Cold Hearted" is an awesome attitude dance song with fantastic lyrics and a killer beat; it was a pretty big hit with a great concept dance video. The bridge features an almost rapped chant that really hooks you and was pretty innovative at the time. The release concludes with the somewhat cheesy and shallow "One or the Other," but it is still fun and danceable.

I'm personally torn between giving this release 4 or 5 stars. I like most of the songs, and I remember watching, dancing to and loving the videos for many of these songs (which were visual and dance masterpieces). However, the release never really made that perfect connection with me. While this release holds a special place in my history, it just didn't have that something special to become part of my soul. Therefore, I give it a very strong 4 star rating.

As a recommendation, if you are a fan of late 80s/early 90s dance pop, you should have this release. It's not earth shattering or mind altering, but the release is a strong representation of the era, and it really does make you want to get out onto the dance floor. It's a shame if you missed the videos, because they were all quality pieces that enhanced the songs and, at the time, broke a lot of new ground. As a bonus recommendation, if you like this release, I strongly suggest you also get the remix album Shut Up and Dance, which features songs from Forever Your Girl.

It's "Straight Up" her best album.
There was a time when "Paula Abdul" was a cheerleader for the "L.A. Lakers". There was also a time when she was as popular as "Madonna" and "Janet Jackson", and that was because of "Forever Your Girl". The album was huge when it came out, and seemed to produce an endless supply of singles. Included is probably her biggest hit "Straight Up", plus "Opposites Attract", "Cold Hearted", and "Forever Your Girl". All the other tracks are almost as good, and a favorite of mine is "Next To You". She does actually have a "Greatest Hits" out as well, and six of these songs are on that, plus "Rush Rush", "Promise Of A New Day", and others. It's too bad that now she's mostly known for judging "American Idol". Some people will never know she used to make videos with animated cats.

WHAT A GREAT ALBUM
This is definetly the best for that late 80's music that eveyone loves to remember. If you want a cd that you don't have to skip a single song, this is your album. The best songs (all are great) are Cold Hearted Snake, Forever Your Girl, Strait Up, The Way That You Love Me, and Kocked Out. I wish artists were still like Paula. She was sexy but not a WHORE! Even though her vocals suck, the music was still GREAT! If I could I would marry Paula because she is hot and her music kicks A--!!! Buy this Cd it sounds EVEN BETTER today than it did when my mom bought the cd for me and my sis in the 80's.

Why does everyone hate on Next To You?
The majority of reviewers say that Next To You was a bad and boring song on the album(I think it's because it's the only ballad in an otherwise fast-paced pop song.) But I like it. It is a soft, nice, relaxing song. I like every song on this.

I STILL play this album just about every year!!!!!
I still like "Forever Your Girl!" I still play it every year, namely during the summer! I finally bought the CD in Atlanta in 2002 after 13 years of having the cassette. This album set the tone for the dancing and choreography that dominated the next decade in videos and live performances. It doesn't sound dated like some '80s albums--the music is heavy on the rhythms and the beats! Very fun, danceable, escapist and so very funky!!!! I still love "Knocked Out", "Cold Hearted", "Straight Up", "The Way That You Love Me" and "I Need You". I like the other songs too like the ballad "Next To You"--it sounds very Atlanta-like in its landscapes. I believe that it was the benchmark to what Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez are doing now. Paula's voice is girlish and a little squeaky on some songs, but she did sound good on all of them. Janet Jackson was already hot too in '89-'90 (though Paula's album came out in June 1988), but Paula really gave Janet some stiff competition. Paula's recent judging on American Idol makes this album far more respectable now! Her recent visibility will make more people and newer listeners to buy this album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Those who don't understand going out for the Friday night happy hour, imbibing liberally, and then heading out for the 4 a.m. butt-shifter should avoid this mix at all costs. It's an ode to the bridge-and-tunnel clubbers, a tribute to the Gap dancers of our world, a wink at gym-goers nationwide and a general nod to modern K-tel disco lovers. No-brainer floor-thumpers such as Kim English's "Everyday" and Etta James's "Miss You (Illicit Remix Edit)" are groovers and shakers, while Satoshi Tomiie's "Sneaky One (featuring Deanna)" andMandalay's "Beautiful (Calderone After Hour Mix)" are sweaty 3.30 a.m. grinders. For Kings (and Queens!) everywhere, Second Season is simple, straight-up, disco-house sugar. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Will surprise and satisfy
From the strange, haunting beat that introduces Kosheen's song "Hide U," to the frantic mixture of vocals and synths at the beginning of Mandalay's "Beautiful" (the final song), this soundtrack will please and surprise dance fans. While the viewers of the hit Showtime series might think of favorite scenes in relation to the songs, any dance fans should enjoy this techno-heavy continuous mix.

The only part that shouldn't surprise anyone (especially not the gay men who were the original target audience for Queer As Folk) is the focus on female singers. Deborah Cox, Kim English, Sara McLachlan, and several other top-notch vocalists give strong, impassioned performances.

While the first soundtrack included a remake of the already danceable "Let's Hear it for the Boy," this one includes Etta James belting out a thumping dance remake from a more unlikely source; "Miss You," started as a laid-back, blues-flavored hit by the Rolling Stones.

As with the first season soundtrack, I love this one all the way through. While there isn't a particular song that I like above all the others (like Full Frontal's "You Think You're a Man" on the first soundtrack), it's a nonstop dance collection that offers nonstop satisfaction. Club DJ's can go take a break while this one plays in its entirety. Better yet, they can go dance with the crowd!

Best "QAF" soundtrack you could ask for...
With the 1st Queer as Folk soundtrack, I was a bit disappointed. While the music was great, and I enjoyed every song, it didn't really represent the show well enough. This soundtrack, however, works wonderfully.
Every song on this CD is tied together without a break between the tracks. This helps it be a great CD to play in the car or at a party because once the music starts, it doesn't end until the last beat of the last track.
Even though I love every song on this CD, it does have its stand out tracks........my personal favorites are:
#2. Absolutely Not (by Deborah Cox)--This is an AWESOME song.....
fast beats and perfect music laced with thought provoking lyrics.
#7. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Daft Punk)--This song is pure dance.......heavy hitting beats over 80's styled music. The lyrics in this song are fun and a bit sexual...
#10. Plenty (Sarah McLachlan)-- How could a dance soundtrack be good if it didn't feature a Sarah M. remix? This is a very beautiful song, and its still dancable.
If possible, I would give this CD 7 out of 5 stars, but since 5 is the highest it goes, that all I can give. I recommend this CD to anyone who likes dance music, or anyone who likes the show. And if you're like me, and you love dance music, and watch QaF religiously, then this soundtrack is a MUST HAVE!!

Non-Stop Beats for your Non-Stop Work-Out
This CD is unique in the way that one track blends smoothly into the next, without ever breaking. The beats are constantly going. I take this CD to the gym all the time and it keeps me going to i get my maximum work-out. Not to mention the music is addictive. People are always staring at me because i'm usually singing along while lifting weights or on the tredmil. This is the perfect CD for anyone who loves to walk, run, jog, lift weights, or dance as the constant beat always keeps you going!

WOW!
This CD definitely got my attention! Though there was a particular Song that I wanted and not necessarily heard, this CD kicked it! I haven't been able to put it away since the second I opened the package. Very Dance-party and club-like! Brings you straight to Babylon and the nightlife itself!

Although the first season was good, two thumbs up for this album. If your into heavy beats and dance party music, this album is it. Watching QAF second season may help, but if your a die-hard fan like I am with Queer as Folk, You'll love this album, just like the Series!

I also recommend third season sound track! Complete your collection and buy all three!

Better than the first!
I thought this album was a better selection of music than what was on the first season's soundtrack, and I enjoyed the fact that they mixed the songs together instead of just having twelve individual tracks. The music evoked some of the hotter moments of the series, and listening to it one can just imagine standing on the packed dance floor of Babylon. It's great! ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Good...but could be better
Richard Dorfmeister takes a short hiatus from K&D to collaborate with Rupert Huber on their second effort, "Suzuki." I have not listened to their first("Opera")so I cannot compare the two. What I CAN do is compare it to Dorfmeister's collaboration with Peter Kruder. In this respect it falls short.

Unlike reviewers before me, I think Pearl In (track 1) is entirely appropriate. It pearls in (pun intended) to the rest of the disc and at the end (Pearl Off) is the perfect backdrop to the music, creating a well-rounded sound.

The Disc itself showcases the innovative and mixing talents of the two artists (now I know who contributes the dubbing/echoing sounds on K&D's music). The tracks are mostly average with a few standouts: Suzuki, Honey, Boss on the Boat, and Ocean Beat. Others fall short of the completely mellow sound that we, or rather, I, have come to expect from talents of Dorfmeister's caliber.

I like the CD, but I was expecting more, hence the 4 star rating. Still, if you want the complete collection of the artists' work, go ahead and buy it. In retrospect, you will come to enjoy the entire experience.
:-)

More like 4.5 stars...
A great downtempo album, full of minimalistic bass and beats that have grown on me as I continue to listen. Thoughtful pinches of jazz and bossa flavor the album throughout.

I first heard of Tosca off a compilation album with the track "Honey", a very pretty song. When I read that Richard Dorfmeister (of K&D Sessions fame) was behind this music, I knew I had to check it out.

The tracks are nice and consistent, but sometimes too similar; you won't find yourself always able to easily distinguish tracks from one another. You may not easily remember the names to too many songs.

Tosca's first work, Opera, seems a lot more jumbled and much less smooth than this music.

SUZUKI
The best relaxing music journey that will take you to another world like the white sands of the tranquil beach where the ocean's whispers embrace your soul.

Tosca's best work
The smoothest treble, the funkiest bass, and all manner of silky, sliding beats and noises in between give this Tosca album a style and quality yet to be reproduced by the duo.

After hearing tracks from this album and "Opera," on the internet radio station Monkey Radio, I felt it was my duty to find out who this mysterious 'Tosca' was. Turned out it was made up of Richard Huber and the latter half of Kruder & Dorfmeister, a duo for which I already had much respect. The choice of Opera and Tosca was a tough one, but after listening to both, I can say Tosca is the more solid effort.

Though not as gritty as Opera, Suzuki effortlessly moves through many worlds of sound, keeping a consistently funky beat going for each song. Each song on this album has a beat that will creep into your head without knowing it, and before long you'll know which beat, rhythm, and theme goes with each song on the album.

Even though Dehli 9, Tosca's next original album after this, contains two CDs, don't let twice the CDs fool you. With a second disc containing what sounds like Huber hungover, stammering on the piano for an amazing beat similar to what opens and closes Suzuki, Dehli 9 boils down to one CD with some good highlights, but overall a drag for the latter half.

If you're picking and choosing for the Tosca album to be happiest with, and don't mind missing out on Opera's Chocolate Elvis, Suzuki will keep you in a very happy place for a very long time.

New to me and Great.
I had never heard of Tosca before Amazon recommended this to me. I was happily surprised. The first half of the CD is highly textured trance using layers of original vocal percussive sounds and wordless spoken syllables on top of solid, balanced harmonies. The music gets progressively more jazzy as the CD goes on moving into a unique acid jazz/bossanova/trance mix. It has great character and rhythm, and importantly excellent dancibility. If you enjoy Underworld, Orbital, and/or acid jazz then try this out. ... Read more

Album Description

Pole Folder debuted on Bedrock Records in 2001 with a track conceived around space echoes and a strange collaboration of sounds called ‘Apollo Vibes’.The massive underground response to this song, used by John Digweed to open his ‘Global Underground – Los Angeles’ album was the beginning of Pole Folder’s career and his close collaboration with Bedrock. A worthy follow up to ‘Apollo Vibes’ came with the fantastic AA, ‘Enter the Rhythm’ / ‘Waxxx’ and "Dust" in particular confirmed to the electronic scene that this was a new musician to watch with interest.

It took Pole Folder almost 2 years to produce "Zero Gold", a timeframe necessary to develop the complete idea of the concept and his musical translation of the ideas into an album. Drawing on inspiration from artists like Pink Floyd, Pole Folder has fought to find a common idea behind the tracks and reflect this in the development of one track into the next. Rather than following established conventions of structuring the album or even worse, giving it no thought, the development of each individual track and each track into the next is governed by a strict desire to by driven by artistic motives and not the fears that lead to the easy options.

From ‘Abrasion’ to ‘Before it all changes’ Pole Folder shares his analysis of the fears and doubts which afflict the human condition and that despite the palpable presence of melancholy made evident through the lyrics, and the atmospheric tone, a delicate optimism rises from the album.

"Zero Gold" is not simply a dance album. It is a carefully crafted work, grounded in timeless musical concepts, stellar production and genuinely felt artistic presence. It acknowledges its influences without parodying them and is ultimately an expression of the artist’s endeavor played out through the use of modern technologies and musical techniques. ... Read more

Album Description

Limited & numbered edition digipak features 4 tracks'Moments In Love', 'Beatbox Diversion 10'(AnotherMoment...Do This And Don't Do That...), 'Moments In Love'(Beaten) & 'Moments In Love' (Original video). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice Collectors Addition
I am a huge Art of Noise fan. This is a nice addition to add to your collection. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because a couple of the songs was mastered from a record, but still sounds good. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Best Tiesto album out there

I somewhat like Tiesto, with his collaborations with Ferry Corsten in Gouryella, his independent productions, and of course, his records and remixes, but not to the point of exuberance. Not until I managed to pick up this album.

This is easily the best album that Tiesto has ever done. I was a bit underestimated, considering what I've heard on his "in search of sunrise" mixes. Though, I never thought this type of pure hard trance would be fashioned in a way where it could be transitioned effortlessly, and that's what Tiesto has done.

Overall, an incredible mix by one of the Netherland's best. This reminded me of Paul Van Dyk's "politics of dancing" or Ferry Corsten's "mixed live in spundae". Two very excellent albums that feature hard beats, big bass, and emotional downpoints. The cover's great too. It's probably the best looking cover in my collection. A great example of how fun and dark a club scene appears in an eye of a dj.

This disc is ACE!!!
WOW! This amazing CD was released over 2 years ago, and still runs circles around basically everyone else in Trance! This is the most amazing Live album I have heard to date as well. Anyone who has had the pleasure to see or hear Tiesto, knows that he is definitely on the top of the Trance DJ's, right up there with Paul Van Dyk. Amazing.... just get it... i HIGHLY recommend this outstanding Trance set Live from Amsterdam. It is ACE!!!

The One Hit Wonder Tiesto
I am so tired of tiesto playing the same happy go lucky songs that every other else plays. Tiesto had one good CD, summerbreeze, thats it! All of his other CD's are just the same old crappy club hits everyone else plays. I've seen him live (Ultra Music Festival 2004,wish you were there Gerald) and he plays his one or two signature songs and the rest sucks. This live in Amsterdam is one CD,and we all know he didn't spin for 74 mins. How about putting out a double disc for a change. On top of that, half the songs are 3 and 4 mins long. That "Just Be", he put out blows, really blows. Plane and simple in DJ terms, Tiesto couldn't hold a needle to Oakenfold or Acosta. If I could say one thing to Tiesto, it would be "Please stop putting out crap, please!!!"

frozen in time
This cd is well ahead of its time. In my opinion, this has got to be Tiesto's harder get your ass on the floor type mix...no doubt thats exactly the reason he recoded it live at a club in Amsterdam. Slightly different than the rest of his mixed Cd's. Favorite tracks in order...Viola, forever young, gothic dream, afterburn, cloudwalking and of course silence. These tracks are nothing less than amazing! Beautiful progressive flow with all sorts of melodies, riffs, and cutbacks. A masterpiece. Perhaps the best Live mixed Cd ever made along with Ferry Corsten's live at Spundae....No doubt most trance fans know or have heard about this CD..if you havent check it out, you have everything to gain!

The man
What can i say to the god of trance? He has been the man and continues to dominate over everyone. Taking his cue from long time friend and mentor Ferry Corsten, Tiesto repeatedly soars to new heights time and time again. Being someone who actually saw Tiesto live (Nocturnal Wonderland Sept, 2001 ; Lake Havasu, Ca) I can tell you he is nothing less than amazing. This CD brings alive what so many wish to accomplish. A sense of wonder and being. Nothing else can describe the talent of the man: Awesome. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pure, weightless elegance, Involver is true to its title, as Sasha comes up with a mesmerizing stunner. Two years after the lukewarmly received artist record Airdrawndagger, the Welsh waxman and frequent John Digweed co-collaborator has retreated into remix territory, but with a twist. In an effort to meld songwriting ambition with his feather-light touch behind the decks, 10 stellar tracks were totally remade in-studio, not just blended together. The result sounds livelier than dagger, putting Sasha's superb instinct for dance flow to work. Still, despite the presence of Felix Da Housecat's "Watching Cars Go By" stomper, it's a very even record; themes patiently recede and resurface from the bubbly bottom of the mix. The warm, warbling melody from Petter's "These Days," for example, reappears long after you think it's vanished for good, lifting U.N.K.L.E.'s "What Are You to Me?" into hypno-dance orbit. Songs like Spooky's "Belong" and Lostep's "In a State" breathe the same air, rising and falling with interlocking rhythmic poetry. It's a daze of a record, ideal company for moody afternoons spent staring up at wispy clouds and vapor trails. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A Fresh and Creative Platform for Electro
Beacause Sasha's latest release 'involver' interferes with such a variety of exclusive tracks, and it is mixed/crafted in such a 77-minute way, it is probably one the most IMPORTANT electronic music releases in a long time. Here is an album that may require further listening in order to fully understand its gravity. Much like 'Airdrawndagger', it is in a sense somewhat timeless. The art of creative writing, djing, and producing is being transcended once again with Sasha. Although 'Airdrawndagger' remains as one of the greatest electronic track collections of the turn of the millenium, 'Involver' should and will attract a wider spectum of people: those who wish to dance, some who chose to chill, a few who are in search of oblivion.

As an amateur prog/tech music critic I feel it is my duty to evaluate and think of a compilation in a both domestic AND live environment. In reference to the 20 minute section between DJ Spooky's 'Belong' and Lostep's 'Burma', one must acknowledge the pure beauty and energy this would create in a dark, crowded club. Unlike some of today's underground music genres, this new kind of presence Sasha has created is everthing but boring, traditional, generic, or insignificant. 'Involver' promotes the idea of personal signature in the ubiquitous digital world we live in, sasha: a true and important artist.

A New Refresment for my ears. Sasha Hits to the fences
Sasha has put here a mix that you have never experienced before yet it sound so familiar cause it has that new, fresh sound to it that you have been awaiting to hear again. To me it reminds me of the new sounds that came out of the earlier electronica days. This time they are mixed from song to song and come into a new trend or style of techno music. This is good as it seem a lot of DJ's are spinning the other guys anthem mixes and house beats to death and now before its too late, someone (be it Sasha or someone else who wants this music to evolve) needed to take this music a step into the future before it burns out rather than fades away (Some Def Leppard words of wisdom).

Involver is crafted so well that I agree with one reviewer that there isn't a bad song down the list. It's different from what everyone else is doing, a very innovative, creative mix. I too will make a airdrawndagger reference here. If airdrawndagger was a 5 star fresh new style/ prelude of what Sasha was up to, then that would make Involver a 6+ Star complete package mix! I'm not saying this is the greatest DJ mix album of all time but it is truly the best thing in its time (June 2004) to come out this year! I just love the new/old feel of the music and the new direction it goes in. If your looking for a dance CD you'll wait till the last third of this album to get your fix, sorry.

This is a great album to kill time, chill out to and listen to while you wait for the next Mastermind (Sasha or whoever) to come out with the next breathtaking, house style, old school electronica, 1 - 3 Trance anthem beat thing to come into existence and get sold off to you in CD form! Enjoy this one! I'm sure Involver will become known as a "classic" by the fans!

On the brink of. . . berzerk
I was in NYC the week that Sasha Released this album and spun at Crobar. I did not make it to the event that night.

Then I happened to learn that he was doing an in store appearance at Virgin in Union Square. I was only able to hear the last 11 minutes of his set--which I was told was an hour. There were only about 100 some people there.

Basically---if he had spun for a half hour more the place would have turned into a full on all nighter. He blew the first floor off the building------

And it was with tunes from INVOLVER. This is worth noting as I have read people who think he needs to return to his GU:Ibiza ways. At one point, I too wished that INVOLVER--was a floor stomping mad hatter party. But Sasha is really pushing himself as a producer/artist as much as he is already the Man Like who can mix with his right toe alone.

No, you probably won't blow your windows out with this one. But I guarantee, Beyond any reasonable doubt, that this album should entice you to want to hear him spin live even more. He has never been, but cannot, now more than ever, be given the label as simply a great mixer, but an artist as well.

And AIRDRAWNDAGGER is still amazing.

Absolutely Fabulous!!!
Where do I start...Sasha is a God! I have never written a review before because I really never had a need. I have never felt strongly enough about a CD to comment on it, until now. I did not know what I was getting into when I bought this, as I have been mildly impressed with Sasha's previous work. Yes, his mixing is always impressive, but except for Commmunicate and Northern Exposure, I have not been blown away, until Involver.
This CD has taken me places I have not been in a long, long time and I was sober too!!! This is music I have been waiting for: a little bit different, a lot interesting and absolute candy for the ears!
I cannot stop listening, I don't want to stop listening! Involver gives me goosebumps, makes me smile and I find myself talking to myself: "This is amazing", "Wow", "Incredible"
Just when you don't think it can get any better, it does, over and over.
This is a rockin and "rollin'" CD (if you know what I mean :-)
The only downside is track 9, "watching cars go by", it is a buzzkill, just doesn't fit, but track 10, "on my own" makes up for it, and then some, it is incredible, with a fabulous driving bassline that drags you out of your trance, begging you to dance.

I have NEVER heard anything like this and I wish there was more of this out there. If anyone knows of another CD that is similar PLEASE e-mail me: missyL3@hotmail.com, I would be forever grateful.
This is the type of music to listen to really loud, lying down next to a beautiful person. You both will be smiling, and the music will take to some quite magical places.
Thank you Sasha for creating something that I knew was capable but have not been able to find. Oh, I almost forgot, the mixing is, of course, flawless!!

Apology Accepted! ... "Involver" is tremendous
After "Airdrawndagger" I was wary in buying "Involver" but ... after one listen I am accepting "Involver" as a more than adequate apology. Full of complex, driving, rich sounds and very cool beats, he hit it with this one. The first track utterly rawks, with some very 80s Tangerine Dream-like voicings and bluesy-sexy patterns, and it goes from there. A great one to plug in your headphones with, turn up and get lost with. A must have for chillout or afterburns. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Not truly "disco"
This disc is too spotty as a disco comp for me to consider truly representative of the best music of the disco ball and platform shoes era. While the best material("Le Freak", "Disco Inferno","Love Machine","In the Navy","Heart of Glass") exemplify what this SHOULD be, other songs are either mediocre ("Could it Be Magic?","Get Up and Boogie"), or else not really representative of the disco era/sound. ("Ladies Night" is NOT disco...even if it is a nice 'club' song. Neither is a REMIXED version of "You're the One that I want"..which wasn't disco to begin with regardless of vintage.)

There are better disco collections out there. Keep looking...

NOT SO PURE!
What on earth makes the compilers think that Lay All Your Love On Me (Abba) and You're The One That I Want (Travolta etc) are disco? Sure they were big hits during the disco heyday but that doesn't make them part of the genre. Apart from that, the selection is great, with the Three Degrees at their dreamy best, Chic & Sister Sledge still sounding fresh, excellent faceless Eurodisco from Silver Convention (Where's the Andrea True Connection?), a good sprinkling of classics: In The Navy, Disco Inferno, You Make Me Feel ... and my favourite, Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing which remained No. 1 on the Billboard charts for 8 weeks in 1978.

Funked Out
I own all three of the Pure Disco CDs. There were only two songs that really caught my attention and made me glad that I purchased it. I was pretty much funked out by the other two. They have most of the good songs on them. I wouldn't say not to buy it, I would just suggest finding the best bargain for it.

Good.... but the first is the best
Yep... it's a good CD but in my opinion, the first one in the trilogy is the best. Any way you will enjoy the tracks if you are a disco music fan. If you just are familiar with that kind of music, and about 30 years old, maybe you can find some unknown songs. It's a good selection.

some of the songs were great, but others..........
There were a few non disco songs on this CD, for example, "Forget Me Nots". ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Madonna's First Time
This was the album that introduced the Material Girl to the world. How could one predict that from this modest dance/new wave album, that one of biggest artists in music history would be born. Of course Madonna's videos and image have alot to do with her success, but image can only carry you so far. In the end, the music has to stand on its own and her self-titled album does just that. "Lucky Star" is a dance classic while "Borderline" is a classic pop tune with its plucky synth and Madonna's plaintive vocals. It is the successor to the girl group hits from the 60's. "Burning Up" falls under the new wave banner with it's searing guitar and synth action while "I Know It" foreshadows futures songs like "True Blue" and "Cherish" with it's bouncy sound. The albums closer is "Everybody" and is a hypnotic, syncopathic number that begs you to get up and move. Madonna started off slowly when it was released in 1983, in fact it took 58 weeks to crack the top ten, but it laid the groundwork and foundation for her next release Like A Virgin that would take her from rising star to mega-star. This is a newly remastered recording that includes a couple bonus tracks and the remastering adds a new clarity to the songs.

the before and after review
Madonna's self-titled debut was released in July 1983

BEFORE:
Madonna Ciccone was a NY club sensation. Moving to NYC from Bay City MI with less than $50 to her name, Madonna slowly made her way up. Before the release of this album, she had already scored one huge dance single with Everybody, and was climbing the dance chart with Burning Up at the time of release.

AFTER:
While not an overnight success (when the album peaked, it had been out 15 months), Madonna's debut proved to be "the little album that could". Lambasted by critics at first, and at first resisted by a disco-backlashed radio environment. Madonna quietly crept into the nations conscience in 1984. Borderline, Holiday and Lucky Star have all become radio standards.

Madonna's debut is one of the greatest dance records ever. Released not too long after Flashdance began to make dance music accepted again, every single track off this album was played in clubs around the world in 83/84. There is no "substance" song on this that Madonna has added as she got older and wiser, but in the terms of this album, it was amazing. Like A Virgin was the blockbuster, but "Madonna" was a stronger album in my book, and it also lasted on the Billboard album chart for FOUR YEARS.

Every song is a classic on this. Still one of her best.

The very first time
Madonna's self-titled debut came out on July 27, 1983. Madonna wasn't very well known then, and that's an understatement. The album entered the top 200 in early September and debuted at number #190. From there it took over a year for it to reach it's peak. It hit #8 (it's peak) only a couple of weeks before the release of her second album, Like A Virgin. From there it was YEARS before it fell off the chart. At first the album wasn't succesful much, but then Madonna constantly started to perform in clubs in the US and UK making this album very successful. In the UK this album peaked at #6. The album has 8 songs on it and 2 more tracks were added for the remastered re-release in 2001.

I. Lucky Star

A remake of the classic childrens rhyme. This song is remembered for the video which first showed the world the famous look that is remembered to this very day and began the stuff about her bellybutton, as well as starting the trend of "Madonna wannabees". The song however isn't that good. This was the 5th single off the album and hit #4 in the US and #14 in the UK 5/10

II. Borderline

A good song. It's mainly the same as the video version but she also sings some other lyrics that aren't in the video. This was the 4th single off the album and it hit #10 in the US and #56 in the UK. Borderline and Lucky Star were so successful that Madonna moved back the release date of Like A Virgin. 9/10

III. Burining Up

The best song on the whole album. It has a great beat and it never gets boring. The lyrics here also forshadowed all those controversies that were to come "I'm not the same I have no shame I'm on fire". This was the 2nd single. 10/10

IV. I Know It

Out of the 3 songs that weren't singles this is the only good one. The refrain is good in this song. 7/10

V. Holiday

A truly immortal song. Holiday is the only song that Madonna has performed on every single one of her tours and it's still played on the radio a lot. This was Madonna's 1st big hit. It was the 3rd single from the album and hit #16 in the US and #6 in the UK. The IC version is better, but this is also very good. A fun and joyful song that will live forever. 10/10

VI. Think Of Me

The worst song on the whole album. The music just doesn't attract at all. And the lyrics are bad too. You should skip this song 2/10

VII. Physical Attracion

Another bad song. The only good part here is a tiny instrumental part that appears twice in the song. 4/10

VIII. Everybody

The song that started it all. This song got the ear of Sire boss who signed Madonna in while he was in the hospital. This was Madonna's very first single. Sounds a bit dated, but still a great song. 10/10

IX. Burning Up (12"Version)

Burning Up is the best song on the album and this version males it better. There are more synths in this and it's also extended. You'll probably listen to this one a lot. 10/10

X. Lucky Star (New Mix)

This is mainly just extended with minor changes. A bit uselessm they should have put in a mix of Holiday instead. 4/10

Overall this has good songs, and as time went on Madonna made better music. 9/10

1983 classic !!!!!!
Madonna's Debut is the BLUE PRINT for women in music today. Britany,Christina,Jennifer lopez,Beyonce, even Janet Jackson and other divas wannabes owe it to Madonna. This debut has it all. What can theses divas do that the Queen Diva hasnt done. this is a must own cd for all madonna fans, and non fan's.

Though it broke through quietly still manadge to sale more than 5 million copies in the U.S ...................................

excellent start
this album is a great dance-pop album and it was madonna's first album. With carefree tunes full of soul, the queen of pop was getting started and here to stay. She's still excellent today with her American Life project. She's evolved beautifully through her music over the years. This was a feel good album that came out before she struck it big with like a virgin. Kind of like how michael jackson released off the wall but the best was yet to come and then BAM it was thrillermania! get it today, your madonna collection is incomplete without this CD, I bought it despite having the 3 big hits on immaculate collection, but it was worth it since they're extended and the flow of the album is so smooth ... Read more