Album Details

Here's the Famed Album from USA'S Premier Trance Producer...and Album Not to Be Missed! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of BT's best, Import version is superior...
I own both the Import and US versions of MISL, and I must say that this version (Import, yellow cover) is by far the superior of the two. I have written a review of the US version hoping to point people to get this version instead :) You can see what I think about it there. But overall, this is probably BT's best album so far. Emotional Technology is real good and I love it, but I have a weak spot for his trancey beats, which is used in full effect on this album. It's a great mix of breakbeat, full-on trance, dream house, and chillout tracks, and BT in his classic fashion sequences and mixes the track seamlessly, beautifully even. The version of Godspeed in this album is the best I've heard so far.

I heard that there is a 2-CD version of this album which includes bonus tracks and remixes, would love to get my hands of them if I can find it.

I just want to close off by saying that many people (including so-called 'dance music experts') call BT a DJ. While it's easy to think that way given BT's choice of music, BT as far as I know is the God of all electronic music producers, but he is NOT a DJ. Maybe by the time you read this he is learning to spin the wheelz of steel, but for now, I hope people give him the respect he deserves as a top-rate producer and not label him as a DJ simply because of the type of music he makes :) (No disrecpect to DJs cos I'm an aspiring DJ myself :P)

Enjoy!

"Movement" stole my life.
This cover is yellow. I have a full orange cover on mine and i think there are a few different traxx -- it also says Version 1.01.

However i honestly reccomend this general album to ANYONE!!! BT begins to take you on a journey first from a phone call:"Uh i got your number right, dude told me you do some traxx right - i wanna be like you and make some beats" to stutters, samples, hi and lo BPMs, high-spirited vocals, booming bass and beats to bring you down from elation with the slow-dance "satellite". Here is the gold bit - the end of satellite begins his latest album "Emotional Technology". ;0)

I've been loving this album since stumbling upon it. this is an album worth having. :o)

Transcendent version
As this is written there are 117 Amazon listener reviews of the American release of "Movement In Still Life". For this European release there are 5. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that this is clearly the superior of the two by a wide measure, if quality is measured by the ability of the music to transcend it's various clear genres to communicate an intense, personal, deeply reflective, and intelligent set of ideas and emotions about life. Despite having many of the same songs, the American mix fails to accomplish this in any way. Naturally the European release is the less popular of the two. And isn't it sad that the public and the recording industry have this intimate symbiosis towards the insubstantial? Even the cover of the European release is transcendent with its elegant imagery, while the American cover is banal and superficial.

Again, this is a recording that transcends the limited aims of its various dance sub genres. In doing so it becomes a unified, cohesive statement, not the least because, unlike the American version, it contains a continuous mix of songs that flow as an organic, carefully modulated whole. The value of this accomplishment shouldn't be underestimated, because the listener is immersed and absorbed in this encompassing environment for the entire length of the recording, rather than bounced discontinuously from song to consecutive song. This is an immaculately engineered and produced recording. Often this can be a surface veneer that simply confines the product, but again this version rises to transcendence. There's an intense personal commitment that surges with compelling energy behind every second of this music. This is obviously not the rule, or the expectation, for most dance music, which has different, more limited goals for the emotional involvement of its listeners. There's no judgment here, just the observation that BT has risen high above that level of engagement to craft a unified statement that says something more for those who are fashioned to hear. The craft in these songs is unending, and the control of means, from the beats, to the instrumentation, to the orchestrations and arrangements, rides a perfect edge between control and expression. There's an emotional journey here, and the ride ebbs and flows with passion and conviction and endless satisfaction. Thus is this version a very high water mark of this genre, and a lofty recording by any measure.

Superior Version of MISL
This is the UK/European version of BT's Movement in Still Life. I have been a huge fan of BT since 98, and randomly stumbled upon this cd in a record store's import section... i was very happily surprised, considering the fact that i didn't even know one of my favorite artists had a new cd coming out.

In typical BT fashion, he explored new territory on this cd. During the first listen i was really surprised by some of the songs... the first 4 tracks didn't feel like BT at all. The progressive house of IMA and the new age posturing of ESCM seemed to have been thrown out the window, only to be replaced by harder-hitting beats in a techno-hip-hip hybrid. But as soon as track #5 came around, Mercury and Solace (easily one of my all-time fave BT tracks now), i knew BT had retained some of those early roots. The rest of the album will not disappoint fans of BT's first two albums at all. 'Dreaming' is amazing, and 'Running Down the Way Up' is also one of his best songs, in my opinion.

Overall, i would say this CD is right up there with his earlier works. The opening of the cd is refreshing, funky, and you can dance your ass off to it. The latter half is gorgeous, familiar, but also new and exciting. It is obvious that BT's producing skills are getting sharper and sharper with this album.

A few months later, i saw that the US version had been released... i was surprised to see that the tracklisting had been completely changed, with 4 songs completely replaced by 4 new ones. After hearing this version (one of my friends got it) i didn't even buy it. The new songs (smartbomb, shame, etc.) were alright, but not worth buying a whole new cd for. The cd had a totally new feel to it. Its a lot more mainstream / radio friendly. The songs are broken up, and no longer flow into one another, like on this version. Not that this is a bad thing, I'm very happy BT is breaking into the mainstream hear in the US, and this is definitely the way to do it. 'Never Gonna Come Back Down' is an great song, and a great single for the US (its still gettin played regularly in LA), but if you're gonna by this cd, i recommend you download that song and buy this version of the cd... it's better.

Great music but two CDs with same name?
I bought "Movement in Still Life" about a year ago. It has BT on the cover. Then I discover this CD with the same name but different covers. I then checked the song list and noticed they have MOSTLY the same songs but they're not identical CDs. What gives?...

I also notice the label for the one I bought is BT's usual Nettwerk but this is some label called Zyx? Is this release an excuse to get more money? Did BT even give his "blessing" for this release?

All that aside, the songs that are on this CD that are ALSO on the one I bought are FANTASTIC. The range of BT's repertoire is amazing. Buy all of his CDs!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

old scoll break beat album
This is one of florida's best old school break beat cd's ever made.If you like funky breaks, then you'll go crazy if if you buy this cd!It has all the best artists ever:FRICTION AND SPICE, TONY FALINE, FUNKLAB A.K. MIKE AND CHARLIE. just listen to the samples and you'll be hooked! ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Evolution of a Sound...
Trance in general is designed to be more of an experience than a sound bite. Trance is the Pink Floyd of my generation. With artists like Robert Miles, Brian Torseau (BT), and Moby creating experiences more than simple pieces of music.

It's inevitable that 23 AM will be compared to Dreamland, Mile's previous work. To do so is both foolish and unfair to the artist. Dreamland was a brilliant piece of work when it was released. It was never intended to be a Rave album. Robert so much as said so. And 23 AM is a continuation of the evolution of music. With one track blending seamlessly into another this CD should be considered as a whole, not as parts.

A new flower is a journey through sound with various pieces merging to form a cohesive whole, setting the scene for Everyday Life. Everyday life contains one of my favorite lines from any Trance song, "Maybe this world isn't broken. Reality in reverse. Maybe it's just a shadow, of a parallel universe."

If you are looking for an experience, I highly suggest you grab this CD. If you're looking for something to rock your next block party, you're already in the wrong genre. Anyone who's into the Trance scene knows Robert's reputation. Find out how he earned it.

Different from Dreamland, but excellent.
This CD is very different from Dreamland, but it does give an in depth look at the more mellow and creative side of Robert Miles. He uses an excellent array of horn and guitar solos that just wouldn't be expected from him. He mixes them is such a way that it sounds awesome. I'm not a real big fan of mellow trance music, which 23AM is, but this album is excellent. There is one track, Full Moon, that is killer. I feel that Robert Miles should make all of his music like this track, but it's his diversity that makes him such a unique artist. I highly recommend this album to all Robert Miles fans who are open to change.

23 AM - Time to dance!
After the success of "Dreamland", Robert Miles was big but this album didn't work out as well as his debut, but it's still a pretty good album even if it isn't as artistic and unique as "Dreamland".The best song is probably "Freedom" which remind me of his best moments, a great dream-dance song with nice melody. "Textures" is simular but with heavier drums in the backround. "Maresias" is another great song with paino sound and saxophone(?)."23 AM" is pleasant and it will grove on, the songs are beautiful and well made, a deja vu feeling though. If you liked his previous album, you like this too but there is nothing revolutionary about 23 AM either, just a hell of a dance record.

Weaver of Profound Sensations
One thing I really love about Robert Miles is how one album never sounds similar to another he's done. He's constantly reinventing himself and trying new things, fully aware of the fact that not everyone is going to like it. He's a risk taker and I've always appreciated that in a musician.

Many consider 'Dreamland' to be his masterpiece thus far but '23 AM' has grown on me considerably since I first got it over a year ago and I personally feel that this is his best and most diverse work yet. The songs take a while to get going sometimes but it's recommended that you lay back and simply immerse yourself in the music, and without any distractions to effectively increase your enjoyment. Of course it's completely safe to drive with this blaring in your car stereo as well for it will hardly put you to sleep... Albeit many of the melodies start out melodically slow with soft female cooing, the pace is very well-balanced between trancy upbeat tempos and lulling rhythms that flow like the gentle lapping of waves against the shore.

I myself prefer the hypnotic beats of "Everyday Life" and "Full Moon" with the ethereal vocals of Nancy Danino, however a lot of people seem to think the two songs "Freedom" and "Enjoy" to have cheesy lyrics when I in fact find them spiritually uplifting with positive messages, both beautifully sung with edgy soul by the emotive Kathy Sledge. As for the instrumentals I thoroughly enjoy "A New Flower" with the strange baby samples and the lush, dreamy "Textures" but, IMO, every track is beyond incredible.

I doubt '23 AM' will ever garner the kind of praise it truly deserves but I highly recommend this to fans of chillout and trance.

No disappointments here...
After Dreamland, Robert Miles was only set-up to disappoint with album #2 (but I would have to disagree). The songs are different than those on Dreamland but it's still great music. Just like everyone else, I was expecting Dreamland part 2 when I bought this CD but as it turns out, I am glad that it wasn't the same. It took me a few listens to really like the album (and since then it's become of my favorite CD's). ... Read more

Amazon.com

American trance-techno DJ Christopher Lawrence (he of "Shredder" fame) is the ideal steward of the Exposure IV compilation--his momentum behind the decks is legendary, and the 13 rave-ready cuts assembled here scream past so quickly they leave contrails. As with his own recordings, Lawrence understands that the sameness inherent in trance music isn't necessarily a debit; the trick is to highlight the quirks within the grooves without upsetting the flow. And man, can Lawrence mix. That these tracks are obscure even by techno standards heightens the transcendental quotient. The midsection of Illuminati's "Bohemian Groove" is quite possibly the sound of a lunar landing, and the exploding beats carbonating Marc Dawn's "Expander" are wildly intense. Chug that Red Bull and get going. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (17)

trance king tops himself again
When I first heard that Christopher Lawrence was mixing the fourth CD in the Hook Recordings series, I was glad to hear that he was selected to helm the next installment, but I was also expecting just a group of tracks taken from the Hook label.

Fortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, Lawrence's latest is his most personal mix yet, a powerful, driving fusion of epic, banging trance and techno. Those who thought he went too progressive on Around the World( a CD I still think is brilliant), can rejoice. Exposure IV is about as close to his live sound as you can get without actually being at the venue.

I don't know how he keeps topping himself, but he always manages to do so. Buy this. It's Christopher Lawrence having fun on the turntables, and taking the listener along for the ride.

This is what C. Lawrence sounds like live!!
This CD is absolutely amazing. Christopher definetely came back strong from his around the world CD which might have put some doubts in his fans minds about what his style is shifting to. When I put this CD in my home stereo it sounds like he is actually spinning a set in my living room! He has that "rave" sound to the cd rather than that "made for CD" sound. It's a shame when you see a great DJ live and when you go to buy their CD is sounds like some watered down version of their true style. I just hate that. Don't you? Anyway, this is a great CD not only for fans of the trance genre but is also one of the best bangin' trance cd's period. *WARNING* If you like the type of trance that should have a "do not operate heavy machinery while under the influence"/"elderly nursing home" trance then this is probably not for you.

Lawrences best album-Must have for electronica fans
Whatever your favorite subgenre is (trance, house, progressive, etc.), you should check out this album. Christopher Lawrence consistently puts out albums that have one goal in mind: to make you want to get up and dance. Darker, driving beats power through the whole album.
Sometimes you want a nice, slower progressive sound to chill with, but when you want to get a little nuts, this is one of the albums you should turn to. Tracks 1, 2 and MxM Overdrive are insane.
This, along with Around the World and Trilogy Part One: Empire, are his best, in that order (in my opinion).
I had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Lawrence at a show in Philly (@ Deco) and he was a genuinely cool guy who was excited and happy to meet people. He also said Exposure IV was his personal favorite of his albums, so you can take that to the bank.

Enough banging trance energy for 2 cds.
I bought this album (my first of C.L.'s) out of curiousity since I saw he was voted the #1 U.S. DJ by Dancestar in 2002. Needless to say, I was not dissapointed. This cd is high energy from start to finish (excluding the nice chillout track at the end). The mixing is seemless, and the quick beats hit so hard that it almost sounds like it was recorded in a club. A little more variety in tempo might have been nice, but the totally original, slightly "dark" mix is consistently solid from start to finish. It's one of those cd's where you just play it all the way through without skipping. Lawrence is labelled as a "trance DJ", however this album is all-out hard trance. You won't confuse this with Tiesto, or Corsten (which may be what I was halfway expecting), but it definitley ROCKS.

The Best Since Temptation & Hook Recordings...
This CD is ROCK solid. How often does a DJ take a few tracks to get his groove on? Not in this case... Christopher Lawrence is kickiN' it hard right out of the gates on Exposure 4.

By far his most powerful work since the Hook Recordings and Temptation. This album is a MUST for any trance/continuous mix fan. BUY it. ... Read more

Album Description

Sophomore album from one of the UK's hottest dance imprints and winner of 'Club Of The Year' award at the prestigious Muzik Dance Awards in 1998. Tracks include, ATB-'9PM (Til I Come)' (Signum remix), Garbage-'When I Grow Up', Fatboy Slim-''Praise You', Robert Miles-'Children' (Tilt's Courtyard mix) and Gouryella-'Gouryella'. 1999 release. Deluxe packaging with a double digipak, slipcase with a 20 page booklet. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Gatecrasher UK Rocks!
This was an impulse buy Period. Listened to it a few times but then it got to me. First set started with Garbage's When I Grow Up and it just blew me away. Track 5 - Orkidea's Unity is especially cool - the synthesiser tunes! Dang! Aurora's Hear You Calling on CD2 was way cool too. Gatecrasher was the FIRST Dance Trance Compilation I've bouught and I've not regretted it! I've already Got DISKO TECH and it's a great CD too. Starts with some Classical (music) tunes. Wow.!

Need I say more?

!
This is the Porsche 911 of the genre, period. The set is a little bit pricey but if you're into techno/house/trance at all, you'll be more into it after having listened to Gatecrasher Red.

The Gatecrasher DJ's somehow pack more energy into this set than in any mix compilation I've found anywhere. Apart from the manic energy level of the set, the mix is also excellent in that there is always at least one minute or so of the original vocals and bass line; with too many mixes, there's only a 15- or 20-second long sample of the original song before the foray into the DJ's particular mix rendition, or the opposite, not much mix at all. The segues between tracks are also brilliant, and the CD tracks are put together as one continuous mix, rather than tracks being separated. I guess I would call the music "trance", but it's definitely not the American flavor of trance, highly commercialized, overpriced, mediocre on quality. Oh, make sure you buy the Sony International Import Gatecrasher Red, not the US version; the tracks are different, I've heard.

Anyway, the energy in both CD's is PHENOMENAL. I suggest JBL or Bang & Olafsen speakers to go along with it. Cheers!

Is there anything better?
Driving beats, soaring synthesizers, and a soothing rhythm is the only honest description of Gatecrasher Red. A friend gave me Red in early 2002 and since then I have gone on a mad buying spree with the hope that I'll find an album that parallels Red. An album that inspires and uplifts you each time you pop it into your CD player. An album where you continually hear new and exciting parts even though you have previously listened to it innumerable times. An album that stands the test of time and remains today one of my favorite albums. I have found many albums that try, and are close, to paralleling Red, yet my efforts have been in vain. Gatecrasher Red is entirely unique and original, as far as trance goes, and will pay you back in the full with the many joyous moments that you will have from listening to this album. Do yourself a favor and buy this album... you won't regret it.

The start for me
This album started me into trance music, and serves as a constant reminder of what all music mixes should be. I started out liking "plasma," but as my tastes evolved, I liked "future" more and more. I still listen to this set endlessly, as it really gets at your emotions like good music should.

I believe what I was told about Red!
Okay first off Red is a great album! That said now let's cover the whys and hows.
Red has remixes of some of my favorite artists: Robert Miles, Garbage, ATB, PVD, Fatboy Slim, DJ Tiesto, LoveChild, and Basic Avalon. WOW!
Miles is ambient and his songs are awesome, having them remixed really brings out his talents. Garbage, well her voice says it all! I'll be seeing Garbage in concert May 17th. Should be a blast!!
ATB, PVD, and Fatboy Slim: I love all three for different reasons. Paul Van Dyk was introduced to me right beside Paul Oakenfold. Between the two, I'd have to say I enjoy Oakenfold more than PVD's style. These artists were good before the remixes. Now that they've been remixed at Gatecrasher, they sound even more awesome than I thought they could be!
I would have to say that Red and Digital are perfect for parties.

Wet is great for chilling out and working on projects with it playing in the background. If you do artwork or write, listen to Wet in the background. I've found it very relaxing.

The Red CD is only for those who love collecting trance. It's definitely a highly ranked album. But the songs are faded and mixed together & into each other, only buy this album if you like Gatecrasher and their styles, or if you want something to play during trance parties/DJing for a weekend. ... Read more

Album Description

Bureaucracy is one of Washington's greatest exports.Deep Dish is another, two young men who cut through the red tape and mediocrity of the underground with the sharpest of knives.Before Deep Dish became world-wide dance music sensations, before the main stream recognition that has garnered them a Grammy Award and more, and even before they gave birth to their world renowned record label Yoshitoshi, Deep Dish were working hard to stake their claim in the world of dance music.

Penetrate Deeper represents the early days of Deep Dish and the then fledgling Deep Dish Records.The now classic compilation features the first four original Deep Dish Records releases ("A Feeling", "The Moment of Truth", "Relativity", and "Lonely Winter") along side the pivotal Quench and Special remix of Naomi Daniel's "Feel the Fire," produced for their long-time mate, Detroit's Carl Craig.

Two additional compositions complete the picture – the lush, orchestrated Elastic Reality, and "The Dream" by Prana – the apex of Deep Dish's career at that point.

After listening to these works, it becomes clear that, even at that early stage in their career, Dubfire and Sharam had tapped into a chemistry and bond that is greater than the sum of its parts. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Old school
Note--this is a re-release of an OLD Deep Dish cd, but it is excellent! Definitely lets you see the beginnings of what they sounded like when they started. Quite different than now, IMHO. But, some great house tracks, and BT is on here also. I picked up the first issue in 1995 when I kept hearing 'Lonely Winter' at the club and was loving it. Also, desperately wanted to find Chocolate City but had to wait all the way until the "Junk Science" album to get it on cd. Sigh-brings me back to the good old days.

Not quite what I expected
I normally buy any Deep Dish release without reading the reveiws or listening to it first. This definitley sounds older and I was expecting a little more. Maybe a good one for serious DD fans but I prefer their newer stuff (Global Underground).

PURE BLISS
LOVE IT SHOWS THEY WERE MILES AHEAD !

Glad this is available again!!
I remember buying this CD in 1995 solely because it was on the old TRIBAL AMERICA label (Remember them?). I had never heard of Deep Dish and I just started to learn how to DJ. I was into house music for a few years and decided to give it a shot because I recognized Carl Craig and I heard the "Cassa de X" track when I used to go clubbing.
I have to say that this CD changed how I felt about house music. I liked it before Penetrate Deeper but LOVED it after. I'd listen to this over and over, mesmerized by the slow building and hypnotic nature of the tracks. When TRIBAL went under, I was saddened to realize that this CD may not get the opportunity to touch others like it did me. It is a relief to see that it has been rereleased.
Tracks like "Cassa de X", "Lonely Winter, "Feel The Fire", and "The Dream" were my personal favorites. At the time, I never heard house music like this. I was used to the NYC/NJ garage influenced style. (MAW, Todd Terry,MK,JohNick, etc.)
Please listen to it with an open mind. It is only a single CD, and remember that this originally came out in 1995! Many of the tracks are 10 years old. I'd still listen to my old copy often and reflect with a smile on my face.

deep dish rocks
sure this cd isnt out yet... but deep dish never fails to amaze. little thing to note is that brian transeau is BT. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two of the most revered producers and remixers of the French Invasion, Phillipe Zdar and Hubert Blanc-Francard more than have the skills to toss off crates of jiggy dance product if they so desired. But on their debut as Cassius, they've created something very different, a seamlessly postironic piece of abstract hip-house that's so off-kilter and fun, it feels subversive. Subtle gospel samples and a bluesy '30s trumpet bring on the opener, "Cassius 1999," then flip it into a flashy Latin electro super-digitale, and it's a good clue to where this whole thing wants to go. Thus we find plus-sized freestyle bass lines blithely slung under the vit-vit of old-school acid or a hard-house shuffle invaded both by toony synth arpeggios and liquid cobalt washes à la Richard James. Somehow, Cassius make it all cook. 1999 more than lives up to its unreasonable advance hype--a gorgeous and surprisingly restrained showcase for two visionaires. --Steve Lafreniere ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Surprisingly Consistent, with a Couple Dynamite Tracks
The French have a thing for getting together in pairs and creating fun and innovative techno albums. And for having funny names. There was Daft Punk (Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo), who broke in 1997 with their ubiquitous "Da Funk." Then in 1998 we had Air (Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel; not quite so funny) who were acclaimed as electronica wunderkind even though their debut album Moon Safari prominently featured strings, acoustic guitars, tubas, and nary a dancy club beat. Among the latest batch to emerge from the thriving Paris dance scene are Phillipe Zdar and Hubert "Boom Bass" Blanc-Francart, collectively known as Cassius. A pure-pop house album very much in the vein of Basement Jaxx's synchronous Remedy, Cassius' 1999 gets things cooking right from the start with the title tune, which has a prominent, bouncy bassline, a complex, quasi-Latin percussion track and repeated (and undeniable) declarations that this is "funky music." Feeling for You, which was released as a single, has a more conventional underlying groove - the four-on-the-floor bass drum rhythm that's straight out of the seventies. Cassius is not about to let us forget that house is the nineties' version of disco. That same basic groove reoccurs numerous times throughout the album, but it never gets overly tiresome. Thus we have "La Mouche", in which it becomes the constant element while they have some fun playing bait-and-switch volume games with a piano figure; "Nulife", in which it's augmented by handclaps, some James Brown-esque guitar, and a bit of conga drumming; and the down-tempo "Club Soixante Quinze", which has a kind of shuffly, new-jack thing going on. Probably the album's best cut, however, is the radio remix of "Cassius 1999," which has almost nothing to do with the original version except for the periodic proclamation (in a cute little Gallic accent): "Cassius in the House." The problem with electronica records, in particular those which are specifically geared towards dance, is that producers often get caught up in experimenting and decline (for understandable reasons) to fill the album with nothing but head-bobbing basslines, butt-shaking grooves and catchy hooks - which results in two or three killer dance tracks and a hefty load of interesting but ultimately useless doodling. By the same token, it's difficult to listen straight through to an album that was designed primarily for dancing. Thankfully, the first problem is pretty much avoided here. While not every song is prime dance-floor fodder, there is relatively little bum material, and at least it all sounds different. As for the second, that's easily solved: don't just sit there; get up and dance. With Cassius behind the decks, you hardly need an invitation.

Not nearly as good as Air or Daft Punk
When it comes to electronica music, France really has breathed new air into one of my favorite genres of music. I love Air, Dimitri From Paris, Rinocerose (well their first album anyways), and Daft Punk (of course). Unfortunately I could not get into Cassius. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get into Cassius's "1999". The songs lacked the funkiness of Daft Punk or the intricate melodies of Air. The group's choice of samples were interesting to say the very least. I don't see very often an artist who would sample from '70s blaxploitation flick "Foxy Brown" like Cassius did on "Foxxy". Unfortunately what didn't really groove with me was the fact that the beats in most of the songs sounded too repetitive. I liked "Feeling For You", "La Mouche", "Foxxy" and "Cassius Remix '99" but otherwise this album didn't leave much of an impression on me, neither bad nor good. And when an album doesn't leave much an impression on me you know that isn't a good sign.

All Hype, No Substance
Since some french dance acts started appearing in the late nineties, a new dance scene began to emmerge as well, mixing disco beats with electronica and generating a retro-futuristic sound. Daft Punk were one of the more challenging and inventive bands, even if their albums are flawed and uneven. Air offered laid-back, dreamy and smooth atmospheres. Cassius, however, failed to engage, as one can prove with "1999".
Yes, this record has a couple of interesting dance songs like "Crazy Legs" or "Interlude", still as a whole it`s a repetitive, uninspired, endless and at parts irritating album. Some of this material is ok for a nightclub, but as a record it doesn't really get off the ground. It brings nothing new, it`s basically a waste of time, and ends up being another flat, monotonous and overrated record.
A collection of fillers.

Allright, but not exellent
Cassius is another french dance group, they surely make some nice dance music. Feeling For You, Crazy Legs and
LaMouche are all suberb dance tunes, the best song of the Cd is defenitely "Cassius 99" but actually it was the remix that was the one released on single. Cassius produces Funky-dance music at it's best, unfortunately many songs are fillers and almost sound the same. I think 16 songs are way too much, ok Cd anyway. For the good tunes i mentioned it's defenitely worth buying the Cd.

Not Dissapointed
I mainly picked this one out because I grew into loving House and Disco through the music of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-manuel de Homem-Christo, (aka Daft Punk) and I wanted to see what else there was. Good stuff, standouts are Feeling For You (my fave), Planetz, Mister Eveready, and both versions of Cassius 1999. Sounds like something midway between Discovery and Homework, heavy beats, but they are also driven on by vocals. Pick it up! ... Read more

Amazon.com

With some great track titles ("Drums of Navarone," "One of OurDholaks Is Missing"), TGU are back again, heavy on the beats, and withthe spicy Indian influence stronger than ever in the sound, the bassbumping as heavy as any hip-hop release. Of course, it's not allrelentless rhythm--"Spellbound" shows a surprising R&B tinge, while"Pomegranate" takes a side trip to the North African desert, and"Secrets & Distant Dreams" offers exotic Middle Eastern promise. Thefunk quotient is higher than ever, and all the elements that haveconstituted the Transglobal sound come together more effortlessly thanever before, making a band that's finally grown into its own skin andreputation, shedding the ethno-techno tag that dogged them for so manyyears. Like such fellow travelers as Banco de Gaia andTalvin Singh, TGUmake music for a utopian one world, where all races, creeds, and colorsare represented on the dance floor. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

World grooves and raves
Honestly, the only way I can describe their sound is like a mix of the Canadian rapper Snow, the 70's funk outfit Kool and the Gang, and current rap-soul sweethearts The Black Eyed Peas. Whew!
It gets 4 stars 'cause only 8 songs of 10 are good. The silly love song "Spellbound" is soooo dated. Best cut is the raver "One of Our Dholaks Is Missing."

Scorching hot!
Wow! I bought this cd 12/01 and I must state that it is the best CD I bought in 2001 (and I bought hundreds!). It is tha IT! Nothing beats this, seriously. It rocks from start to finish. TGU assimilated so many styles/types of music in every song, middle eastern and blues on Pomegranate, afro-indian techno funk with some rap on Scorch...Set the spirit free, set the spirit free, set the spirit free funky people, feel the heat...scorch! I am totally blown away! Looking fwd to their next show in CA.

TGU Still Boss!
I can't believe some of the other reviewers here are talking about the same album as me! I always assumed that fans of their music would be musically open minded, but here we have a load of people expecting to hear what came before.

It's a progression, but still sounds recognisably TransGlobal. There's a slightly stronger bhangra influence on some tracks (due to new member Gurjit Sihra?), and some lovely African vocals from Doreen Thobekile Webster, but largely it remains the usual dubby world dance explorations you love 'em for!

I think people overestimate the contribution of The Singer That Shall Not Be Named. She actually only appeared on a handful of tracks on each of the 4 previous "proper" TGU albums. Go and buy her album too if that's what you want!

This release maintains the invention, wit and joy associated with all TGU line ups of the last 10 years. Buy it and listen with an open mind.

The Underground Funk
I'm consistently amazed that people rate a band poorly when an album doesn't sound like what they expect it to. None of the reviews posted thus far clearly state how TGU have worked around the absence of Natacha Atlas (sigh -- I do miss her voice on this CD, but there are other pleasures here). The use of sitar is alluring, and the percussion is really first-rate. Vocals -- rather than the Arabic flair we're used to -- have a more African influence shining through. And I love that; I was never under the impression that TGU were supposed to be locked into a particular 'sound' at all, but they were to draw freely around the world. The production on this CD is incredible; the sound is just booming. TGU are still killer to dance to, and I found this to be a worthy addition to their already legendary influence on worldbeat/ethnotrance/ -- ah, screw the labels, you know what I mean.

TGU lose their edge
I got an advanced copy of this CD two months ago, and I have been trying to like it since. My conclusion: This is just mediocre!

Being an avid TGU fan since I first listened to 'Psychic Karaoke'in 1997, it seems to me like they just lost their edge over years. 'Psychic Karaoke' was their masterpiece ('International Times' is pretty good too), 'Rejoice Rejoice' was generally good, with a few bad songs like 'Shining Iron Face' and 'Son of Thingdrum'. 'Yes Boss Food Corner' even gets worse, with only a few standout tracks, including 'Pomegranate' and 'Steps Across The Edge'. Their distinct Middle Eastern sound and vocals are almost gone with Natacha Atlas (except 'Pomegranate'), the vocals are not good at all(simply there is nobody to replace Natacha Atlas), and musically they take less risks (may be attributed to the fact that Count Dubulah left the band), they stick to a generic funky ethno-dance sound without the nuances we are used to seeing in TGU music.And the lyrics of 'Spellbound' just made me laugh so hard. TGU have always had very interesting album covers, and this album is no exception.

I still hope they come up with something with more original next time. At the meantime, I guess I will stick to Natacha Atlas ('Ayeshteni' eagerly awaited)and Talvin Singh ('Ha' is perfect). ... Read more

Album Description

Roger Sanchez is set to be at the forefront of dance music once again with the third compilation in the CD series Release Yourself. The latest new album Presents: Release Yourself Volume 3. The anticipated compilation compiled and mixed by Roger himself showcases Roger’s current and forthcoming favorites. With tracks from such artist such as Basment Jaxx, Ben Watt, Sub Rosa and several others. The double CD set runs the gamut from deep and soulful, chilled out numbers to peak time Roger mayhem!Are you ready for a release?

Roger Sanchez is the founder and A&R for Stealth Recordings.Stealth has made a name for itself since it’s inception in 2002 with releases such as Pure Orange, Alive and Major Boys featuring Kathy Brown, Voodoo Magic, Boca Grande, Push and of course Roger’s own project with DJ Oliver which is currently doing the rounds throughout Europe Transatlatins Mysteriosa. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The history of house legend Junior Vasquez and Manhattan superclub Twilo are closely entwined. Back in 1989, Vasquez was a cofounder of the Sound Factory--a haven for New York's coolest original house aficionados. The Factory closed in 1995, after complaints from the local community, but it didn't stay shut for long. In the wake of huge public demand, it reopened as Twilo in 1997, with Vasquez triumphantly returning to the wheels of steel for Juniorverse, his Saturday night residency. These pneumatic house sets are faithfully recreated on Twilo, Vol. One, a double CD collection that puts you right in the middle of the club's gyrating dance floor. Vasquez rummages through progressive house plates, uplifting four-to-the-floor, boundary-skirting tribal electro, and, on the second CD, a box full of his own inimitable remixes. There you can find the sultry R&B of Kelis's Kelis's "Good Stuff" recast as a triumphant podium-stormer and the uplifting soul of Zelma Davis's "The Power" stretched into a 10-minute funk marathon. Over two CDs, it feels nearly as long as Vasquez's legendary Saturday night sets--but for true house obsessives, Twilo, Vol. 1 should be a revelation. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Junior Turns it Out
If you are a fan of Junior or progressive house, you will certainly enjoy this title. "Twilo vol. 1" is far superior to Junior's two previous self-titled mixed-CD compilations. Listening to Twilo Vol. 1 actually gives you a feeling of hearing Junior live on a Sunday morning. The production on this title is MUCH better than that of his other efforts on Pagoda, no doubt due to the Virgin label. Junior selects stirring modern-JR classics from his vocal house library such as With You, Afraid of the Dark, Hear you Calling, Let the Music Play, Higher, and Nothingness. On the first CD, Junior mixes in a few harder progressive house titles like Swallow it Down, Shake, and Hypnotism. As always, Junior's mixing is flawless. Especially if you cannot get down to Twilo on a sunday morning, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Synthesis: post-industrial (New York) "House"
Twilo- a stronghold against a five year decline in the New York City club scene, Giuliani-ism, and the onset of "electronica", has morphed itself into not only one the most extravagantly engineered rooms on the international scene, but has continued to foster, and re-invent the New York "House" sound.

A new era has emerged. Twilo Volume 1: Junior Vasquez demonstrates an emergence of a sound which blends old-school fundamentals of House with the ambient energy of trance; reshaped with a driving post-industrial hint (echoing electronic groups like Front 242, 808 state, and The Art of Noise).

I.I "Cry" by System F is particularly noted for it's smooth transitions, and clean buildup -amidst a harping, airy bass. "Watching You" by DJ Darkzone begins like a playful child full of marshmallows and disco energy, then changes personalities to become the frightful schizophrenic annihilator of "bubble-gum pop," assuring the listener that we have truly "peaked" into the future. CD 1 ends on a tribal note with the last three tracks including the funky and rollicking, drum-filled "Equitorial" by Dubtribe Sound System.

I.2 "Let the Music Play" Junior Remix, by Shannon is a sophisticated and edgy resurrection of a familiar pop song. Junior remains true to signature sounds such as a sample from Aphrohead's "In the Dark We Live (Thee Lite)" found in his remix of Charlotte's "Don't be Afraid of the Dark." "Believe" by Ministers de-la-funk featuring Jocelyn Brown is as raw as it is inspiring and "injected with a poison" that only Junior possesses.

Although CD 1 is a more accurate representation of Junior's post-industrial "house" sound, Junior has emerged at the forefront of music innovation with Twilo Volume 1: Junior Vasquez. And the Europeans (and some in LA-LA land) wonder why New York hasn't been a part of the raging international Trance scene...Answer: We've been working on something better!

Cheeseball music
Okay, I read several reviews of this album and I can't believe so many like it. I had never heard Junior Vasquez before, but I had heard from others that he was a talented DJ of progressive trance. I don't care what anyone says, you are only as good as the music you select, even if you mix like a ninja. Almost every song I have listened to defines cheese. From the lyrics (dear god are they bad) to the overall sound. I don't claim to be anything more than a music lover, but this music I have to hate. Stick to the true musicians, like Sander Kleinenberg and Sasha, and leave this clown on the shelves.

Alright....
Being familure with Junior Vasquez, I was a little surprised and dissappointed with the overkill of vocals used. The first cd has some good moments, expecially the first 3 tracks but the quality in the latter part of the cd falls considerably. As for the second cd, I listened to it once, and haven't since. I would recommend any Junior Vasquez cd but this one.

twilo
I found that while junior keeps me jamin' at twilo weekly, the cd did not keep my attention at all.There is no doubt about junior's talents when it comes to inventing new beats,however the vocals part of the cd set was lacking as his vocals usually are.The vocals should be left to victor c. and peter r.Junior should stick to what he does best.Twilo saturday nights.That is where i find him to be successful.I did not enjoy his last attempt at a cd either. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a French DJ, Alex Gopher faces inevitable comparisons to Daft Punk, France's principal exporter of urbane electronic disco. While the comparison is not unjust, YouMyBaby&I is more inclined toward organic, sweaty funk than the robotic metronome beats of France's other prodigal sons. Though he is too mannered to indulge in the raucous hip-hop inflections of American electronica icons such as Fatboy Slim, Gopher is nonetheless in hot pursuit of your booty and your libido. This is most obvious on "Party People," a full-on international funk rave-up that is already a dance-floor staple in European clubs. Most of the album, however, is post-rave material. For those that left the rave with a new friend and are looking for seduction aids, there is "The Child," with its insistent bass line and sultry, suggestive vocal sample from jazz great Bessie Smith; for those that left still buzzing and are looking to ease reentry, there is the spacey, hypnotic "Ralph and Kathy," in which a vocoder-voiced astronaut laments, "I have lost control of the shuttle, all the stars are the same," only to be comforted by a soothing female computer. This album is for those who party like Francophones: it's suave, hip, and restrained, but still a slave to the funk. --David Roberts ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Taking the French disco-funk sound one step further
It seems the shock waves from Daft Punk's scene-changing sound, and their "Homework" release in 1997, continue to spread to these shores. To the long list of quality imports like Cassius, I:cube, Stardust, and so on now add Alex Gopher. Perhaps put him at the top of the list, because by adding a good dose of P-funk to the Parisian disco sound (courtesy of Bootsy Collins and others) , he's released the strongest album of the bunch through 1999.

The combination of sounds is immediately apparent on the opening track "Time," announcing their broadcast to listeners from "WEFUNK" radio. With a smooth flow and catchy little keyboard blip, it's the tone setter for the album. "Tryin" is another hit, working a simmering disco beat before a subdued, filtered hook bursts free. "The Child" features a Billie Holiday sample at the forefront and gives it proper respect, while leading to the excellent, "Ralph & Kathy." His friends from Air lend a hand (and vocodered vocals) to compose an electronic ballad between a spaceship and his female computer. Treated poignantly enough to outweigh the possible corn factor, this is the oddest yet most compelling track on the album.

After that brief hiatus, it's back to the funk, on "With U," adding electro voices for a Tron-meets-George Clinton sound. Following the mellow, "06 10 98," comes the track released as a video here in the States, "Party People." Frankly, this is too obvious and generic a party song to be listenable (much less memorable). The disc finishes out with two respectable tracks.

Everything old is new again; take the sound of the '70's, give it a modern rub and a sprinkle of Daft Punk, and you end up with a diverse collection of singles and one of the better albums of the year. If you don't support artists like this, don't complain about the increased manufactured club drivel you'll get in the future.

Let It Flow
If you plan on having a party or are going to a party, it ain't a party if you don't have this CD. Alex Gopher is a genius and these grooves will put any party into high gear. The tracks flow into each other perfectly and the sounds they create are simply "ear candy", it's so, so good to listen to. Every track is excellent and the import also contains a 2nd CD of remixes of some select tracks, which is a MUST have as well. Even chilling out a home with your SO, this CD and others in the same genre, are the unobtrusive backdrop to any activity. I highly recommend Alex Gopher "Youmybaby&I" to enhance your life in general. Buy it.

Cool Jazz, and Funk Trappings = French House Fun!
The laid back BPM of Acid Jazz is usually a big snoozer for me - and much the current French house tends to wear with attitude. However this I certainly did not mind. Any composer that can borrow Billie Holiday's vocals to create a haunting musical soundscape amid an urban hip-hop beat is taking risks that such genre DJ's simply won't. If you buy this, you certainly won't be disappointed.

Suave French House
I would have given this album another star if the album as a whole had a faster pace, with more songs like "Party People" and "Tryin'". I found that this was more of a relaxing revival of the late 70' French house scene, more of a smooth listening album than a dance album, but still very good. I'd compare the style of this DJ as a cross between Daft Punk and Dj Dimtri.

French House I love it
This is great, Party People it's a delicius funky sound, you won't stop your body. I love french house and i recomend Daft Punk, Cassius, Bob Sinclair, Stardust, Powerhouse and any remix from Olav Basoski. Creeme por que a mi me gusta la musica feliz! Un abrazo desde chile, al sur del Mundo! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

the best in music
For nearly 7 years have I been an Peter Rauhofer fan. His mixes are almost always very good and hot to dance to. Not only that he is also one of the hottest DJs around after Junior Vasquez of course. This cd is superb and you should buy it if you like music or have seen or heard him before. So go and buy this wonderful album now. Peter is the man with a BIG M. Thank you for your time folks.

Rauhofer is Beyond Brilliant
Probably the most talented and unique DJ's out there today, Peter Rauhofer is truly gifted. This is probably the ultimate dance compilation for any house music fan. Rauhofer is also open to vocal house, which only makes this collection even more listen-worthy and a must for any dance music enthusiast.

High Energy CD
I love this cd. I am a 40+ person and remember the old disco days. Even though this cd is not disco, it has the same energy and passion as the mucic I danced to when I was 18. It is an excellent work out cd.

Live at Roxy 2
Definitely captures the mood of the Roxy. Typical Peter Rauhofer -- who is probably my favorite DJ. So if you are a Rauhofer fan, you wont be disappointed.

Just finishing the first listen-through of the CD's. A bit disappointed when comparing it to Live at Roxy 1. Roxy 1 included several huge club hits that were already out. There are a couple of songs on Roxy 2 that are/were sort of hits -- but not on the same level of Roxy 1's hits. The Moby track, the Amuka track and the Ono track on Roxy 2 have already hit the clubs and are quite good -- but not spectacular compared to some of Roxy 1's. Or maybe it is that on Roxy 2, Peter is including some very new songs that are yet to be hits. Anyway, the CD is still very enjoyable.

An unrivaled talent
Peter Rauhofer has done it again by offering his fans a compilation of dance tracks that exhilarate and inspire! Only Peter Rauhofer consisently writes, mixes, and chooses tracks which have it all: energy, humor, yet other times the sense of danger, attitude, a constant sense of destination in phrasing, a palette of rich and colorful sounds used so intelligently, and a subtle sense of large-scale form which brilliantly leads us to tracks like "In this world." Bravo Peter Rauhofer!!! ... Read more

Album Description

Reknowned as one of the most respected producers in the genre of dance music, Ian Pooley has been working heavily over recent years to complete a new full-length album that fully reflects his artistic development.

From his first steps into house music and his first real artist album Meridian (1998, V2) as well as the highly acclaimed follow-up Since Then (2000, V2), Ian Pooley has made his way to the very top of international producers and DJ's. Many have asked for his skillful production and remixes, among them renowned artists like Deee-Lite, The Cardigans, Yello and Modjo – to name a few.

While the trademark sound of Ian Pooley has never changed, the sounds and melodies of his tracks and his songs today embrace an incredible broad range of music…. Brazilian and Latin rhythms can be found in Pooley’s productions as well as tasteful hints to soul, Jazz and Blues or nostalgic quotes of Detroit Techno or New Jersey House. Souvenirs shows a new kind of maturity in Ian's work.

The album also includes appearances by some of Ian’s most admired artists, including Marcos Valle, the Brazilian Bossa Nova mastermind and one of today’s most gifted blues and soul singer, Terry Callier. Both adds perfectly to the soulful, driving compositions, making it more than obvious that Pooley's unique ability to blend deep feelings with moving grooves has reached a completely new level! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Bit Disappointed
To be fair, German DJ Ian Pooley had quite a challenge before him."Since Then", his last album, was very good.It came out in 2000 and was a vital source for some Nu-Brasil cuts in that time period with "Coracao Tambor" and "Balmes" and even "Since Then" making rotation for a local (Emerson College) radio station.Back in 2004 was Ian's third release, "Souvenirs", and I picked it up straight away but struggled to review it.

What drove me to this was, honestly, Marcos Valle.I heard "Sentimento" off of Brazilution 5.2 and liked the song - albeit felt it seemed for some reason, cliched.Still I picked it up to check the other cuts and I wasn't wowed by this.The intro is cool and there's some good house with loops like "Heaven" and "All About You".But the highlights to this cd were easily the track with Marcos Valle, the cool beats on "Bony Batudada" and "Me Leve" featuring "Since Then" vocalists Rosanna & Zelia.But after "Distant Love", there just wasn't much that hooked me to the album.

Hard to recommend since there just weren't a great deal of tracks that I didn't hit "FF"."Hotel Boogie" was an ear sore and I admittedly missed some of the quirkiness of "Since Then" with "Venasque" intro or the Joyce inspired samples on one of the other cuts.I would say wait on this and check out the highlight cuts on superior compilations like Brazilution and others that will feature the songs remixed (hopefully).Released on MOS Germany, it's not a bad release, just not particularly original. ... Read more

Album Description

Carl Cox’s Back To Mine is the 19th in DMC’s renowned series of personal collections for after-hours grooving. Carl Cox’s mix is appropriate for the series his selections take you on a journey from the old Caister soul days through to blissed out modern day electronica. Carl Cox needs little introduction; the man has been at the forefront of the global dance scene for over twenty years. From the early orbital UK raves of the 80s through to the international club scene of today, he has consistently rocked the party with energy, passion and a commitment that few others can come near to matching.

Carl Cox’s selection includes some gorgeous tracks by Diana Ross, Leftfield, Groove Armada, 808 State, Style Council and Carl, himself! ... 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 (15)

Excellent.
Another great album from Sasha. This album is quite different than any other he has put out. While airdrawndagger was extrememly melodic and trance-like, this album is much deeper and richer. The deepness comes from the extremely thick basslines. I don't listen to music with my bass settings anywhere near maximum, yet I could still feel the bass resonating through me. These deep bass lines make the album seem some what darker than airdrawndagger, yet the album still retains its trance feel. In no track does the album just go crazy--there is a very steady pace and feel throughout the ten tracks.
All in all, this album is wonderful. If you enjoyed airdrawndagger, then you should hear this--Sasha truly has redefined himself once again. The amount of work that must have gone into this album is staggering--each track is completely remixed (from the original parts) and mixed together. This strategy blurs the lines between full out artist album (airdrawndagger) and his previous Global Underground releases.
Go get it now!

Soft, yet beautifully intelligent
This album was not what i was expecting. The only other Sasha mix I have heard was his dark but excellent Global Underground: Ibiza album. I expected this to be full of similar pulse-pounding beats and intense rythms. Instead, I got a beautiful mix of... what it is I can't really describe. The album has a very soft feel to it, with very smooth beats, rather than those on his intense club mix.

The mixing quality in this album is extraordinary. The transitions from song to song are impossible to detect. Combine flawless mixing and the fact that he has gone and remixed every song on the album, and the result is that the entire album feels like one complete song.

As for track selection, they are all excellent, mellow tracks with tantalizing beats. My personal favorites are Grandnational-Talk Amongst Yourselves, and Felix Da Housecat - Watching The Cars Go. All in all, Sasha has created a wonderful album that will be remembered as one of the most unique and beautiful productions of the past five years.

read, OR DON'T READ
Wooooow, what a looney I was when I thought this mix is a bit too much! Too bad I was finding the bad side without ever looking on the bright side (which is far too delicious to miss). 'Involver' is one craftily-turned up mix. Maybe if it comes to it, one of the best this year? Perhaps it is something about Sasha, he always a little intimidated me with his bright musical mind and a drive that carries him through decades! What a geek! But our geek;) One reviewer was right when he said that this is 'airdrawndaggerised mix', well, not completely true, in fact true only in some parts regarding sound structure and all the tweaking involved:D This CD is a 'pusher' for Sasha, his unreachable musical dreams have haunted us for some time, but Involver is taking it to the ridiculous levels of emotional positives and negatives. In short it is slamming! Beautiful! Very fragile and yet wide as the sky! It is almost like love it's so good!
The album starts out with Grand National- talk amongst yourselves. A piece not to leave you sitting there waiting for the next. It feels as a troubling feeling of waiting for something massive to fall down. You want to replay it already? Classic klinky-bleepy sounds, I don't have a way explaining those, with very impressive background work, I can hear several different strings in the background and now someones voice used as an instrument and mucked with, very beautiful, plus a vocal that you always try to reach, Sasha always seems a few steps ahead of you.
Strange, whenever I am reviewing Sasha, nothing but feelings that came from music come out, instead of the beats I hear a bear.
The next track comes in so smoothly it makes you want to cry. Very ancient sounding 'dorset perception' is the beginner of breakbeat on the album. The beats are very impressive, not just your regular break-beat tracks. Some of these originally are 4x4s. Also 'dorset perseption' has a definite Spanish feel with pretty much every sound in the track being a physical piece of gear, and spanish-feeling but dreamy guitars meeting you two-thirds of the way to the end of the tune.
We all know Petters 'These Days'. A piece of music in my opinion so geniously created that it even suits young babies to listen to it. The sound (THE sound everyone knows;) in these days feels so gentle, so kiddish, but then it has wisdom not known to everyone. This music is almost too human, it knows where to hit and what to say. Go away flies, I am talking to the amazonians here, stop eating my flesh and go wait until I am sleeping!!!!! >:(
Now, UNKLE 'what you are to me' is actually an acapella worked into Sashas remake of 'these days', and before you know it, Petters melody comes out again and everything feels like it's making sence. Mind you, for a first listen, this album might make you feel overwhelmed, there is too much to listen for in it, and you will not hear even half during the first take.
My favorite tune on the album is next, it is The Youngsters 'Smile'. Definitely the most intriguing piece of all. It's baseline has got an increddible 'doubled' sound with a million feelings at once. Much attitude and it fills pretty much the whole spectrum. I love that kind of determination. Vocals are used throughout, but they are also used as instruments, they sound like chopped up singing, very chopped up and it seems as if all of them have a place. But they are only background, with a stunning continuos string, it sounds to me like a silver hair for some reason, with light bouncing off of it, must be for its clarity property. Things then change and the bassline becomes this warbled, rippled chopper that sounds fantastic on the dance floor. Plus there are always all these noises that by themselves have little structure, but they sound tasty and fit perfectly with the rhythm all the time. Over all a piece you can always trust. If you like it, why don't you check out Youngsters' albums. That yellow one and the one with a scary monster.
Track number 6 is the ultimate peaker. Sasha himself sais in the booklet that he wanted to make a bigger vertion of the original, and so that is what he did. It has a giant feel to it with a vocal that at times takes up the whole sky. Some people laugh at these comparances, but if we can see far, can we not hear far too? That is why we so much call it a world, a feeling, so beautiful. Does it make us feel peace? The bassline is driving and positive, a comparison would be to some Holdens basslines, there are also a good deal of waving going on and the beat is very precice feeling. After a while it changes into a more 'in-the-club' groove with the vocal still remaining big, a cool contrast. Basically a huge track with even better surprises, cannot tell all.
I was going to end reviewing when one more track came into my mind that could not be missed. UNKLE 'in a state' has been big mainly because of Sasha, as his first remix of it came out. Now Involver is going to, at least for a time, immortalize these times when we all joined as 'In a State' came on, no matter who played it, we were reminded of something greater and real that is. There are female vocals overlapping each other in a smooth fashion, fullfilling each other, climbing up on each others shoulders trying to reach far beyond anyones beliefs. There are also guitars dreamy and gentle. RRRRRRRRRRR
The rest of the album is equally surprising and ahead of itself. I hope it will make everyone smile the way I smiled. It's good

You will NOT remove this cd from your player
Sasha is back. This is an incredible trance record.

I disagree with "A music fan from Huntington Beach" - ALL tracks, including, in fact, especially, tracks 9 and 10 are excellent. Being an avid electronica/trance fan, I've followed sasha for a while. AirDrawnDagger was a good relase but seemed to be lacking something.... whatever it was, it is not lacking from this disc.

A rare 5 star album.

Phenomenal!
Stellar album. Ambient, then vocal with great beats. Sasha's best recorded work to date! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

An interesting but unspectacular house mix
Producer and dj Junior Vasquez has been around seemingly forever, and has a fanatically loyal following of fans in the New York area. Based on what I've heard of his work, however, the "Junior" phenomenon must be one of those "you hadda be there" things. His production work is occasionally brilliant, but usually fairly ordinary. And as this 2cd dj mix indicates, his talents as a sequencer and mixer are mediocre at best. His style seems to be simply to play a record, and then another, and then another. There is little imagination or artistry in the segues, and to be frank, the garage-to-hard-house material he plays is not anything particularly original or inspiring, either. The best thing that can be said for this mix cd set is that it provides a lot of music for a low price.

Bring Twilo-quality Drama into Your Home with Junior Vol. 2
This two disk compilation is stunning work by one of NYC's most famous and flamboyant DJ's. As a regular patron of Twilo, Junior's current NYC stomping grounds, I was skeptical that a CD could match the excitement of an e-riddled Twilo club night. However, while perhaps nothing could compare to Junior live, I think this double CD comes close. Junior's mixing comes off flawlessly, and even the more sing-songy "cheesy" tunes on disc B are tolerable with Junior's deft touch. In fact, even Cher's whiny track sounds good by the time Junior gets through with it. Disc A has stronger beats than Disc B. Disc A's song list reads like a whose who in NY DJ's. Danny Tenaglia, Razor and Guido, House Heroes, The Music Makers. My favorite is track 5, called Dreamers. This mix is 8 minutes of pure bedlam. If you can listen to this song and not be dripping with sweat by the end of it, you clearly are totally out of shape and probably a big fan of Abba. In fact, you probably saw that silly Miramax movie that was out a few years ago just because Dancing Queen was on the soundtrack. The best track on Disc B is Drama, Junior's mix of Club 69's work. Club 69 just recently played at Sound Factory in NYC. I saw them, and must say Junior's mix of their song sounds better than when Club 69 does it live. Amazing! The spoken part of the song maintains that "they are all jealous, and throwing DRAMA all over the room", and this comment is sure to provoke countless hours of speculation. Is "throwing drama" simply a figure of speech, or is it perhaps a reference to the practice of throwing a diminutive androgynous club figure named Drama around to deal with the emotion of envy? These subtle mysteries add to the already mesmerizing music Junior promulgates on these two discs. I strongly recommend this 2-cd compilation to any aficionado of club music. You won't be disappointed, and if you can't make it out to Twilo (e.g. if you live in some far off tundra like Minneapolis), these CD's ! are certainly the next best thing.

A Must Have for All NYC House Fans
This is the #1 must have CD for all NYC house fans. I know people who despise Junior, but still swear by this double CD. This first disc takes you on a journey of hard, dark beats. The flow of the first disc is unbelievable. Even though none are vocals, every track on the first disc has anthem status.

The second disc is mostly an assortment of vocals, many that have only been played by Junior. These aren't your average cheesy vocals, these vocals give you goosebumps (e.g., Who Do You Love, Kiss You All Over, Peace Train, Sun Ain't Gonna Shine). This CD is a must have.

One of the best.
Vasquez's innovative perception of what music should sound like. His twisted and creative talent has made this a must own to any techno/club head!

Underground sound.....
I've never had the pleasure of seeing Junior mix live so I'm reviewing this as a person that's only heard his cd's. Since most people didn't hear him do his thing live in NYC clubs, this review may apply to the average non-NYC resident. This cd set is strictly underground (stuff you'll never ever hear on the radio), so if you're looking for some "popular" house music you should probably look elsewhere. That said, this is an excellent addition to any house collection. The beats are booming and flow together nicely with a kinda Trance tone. In summary, the best way I can describe this 2CD set is that, the music won't make you run to the dancefloor but if you're already out there this mix will keep you dancing. The only selection that would force me to put down a drink and run to the dancefloor is "Fly Life" by Basement Jaxx. Other than that there are no real hits in this set. It's not a CD set to define house music by, but is certainly a nice "addition" to an already existing collection. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Hot traxs that rock
This CD has not left my deck since it arrived two days ago. It is simply remarkable on at least half of the songs and pretty darned good on the rest. The mix of dub and Arab melodies is quite dynamic. I can not believe I have never heard of these guys before. If you like Loop Guru but want something that rocks more....this is for you!!!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR
WELL WHAT CAN I SAY I POP THIS IN AND I LITERALLY POP OUT INTO FUNKY SMOOTH SAILING JAMS.. IF YOU GET.. THEN YOU MUST SUBMIT.. BYE IT AND YOU WONT HAVE NO REGRET

PEACE OUT

How good?
This is the type of album that takes you on a journey to far off places. One of the few albums that can do this for me, and believe me it takes some doing to get out of the industrial North West. Quality sounds and tunes. That good!

open-ended music that loves you and everyone else
A friend of mine got very excited about one of the tracks on this CD. He said it sounded like Frank Zappa playing over a Hindu wedding group. If you like this idea (and if you don't you can ...) this is for you. I love this band. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dimitri from Paris has the touch, and everybody wants to feel it. Testimony can be found in the 200,000 copies of his debut Sacrebleu and the millions of 2001's A Night at the Playboy Mansion that have found their way out into the world. For his aptly titled follow-up, After the Playboy Mansion, Dimitri has divided the double CD into the yin and yang of his DJ approach, giving each disc its own name: "Uplifting" and "Laidback." But in DJ terms, things are not always as they seem. "Uplifting" and "Laidback" are both all over the map, and some tracks could easily fit onto either disc. Larry Levan's remix of Gwen Guthrie's "Peanut Butter" on "Laidback" could also work on "Uplifting," as could Danny Tenaglia's glowing remix of Grace Jones's "Feet Up." Most of "Uplifting" intimates disco and mixes in some breezy Brazilian house. French producer Llorca offers subtle samba/jazz on "Indigo Blues," then the groove changes to the Tower of Power-styled funk of "Best Friends Around," which segues into the '80s sound of De La Soul's "(It Ain't) All Good." Lil' Louis (of "French Kiss" fame) introduces "Laidback" with his mindless "Nyce and Slo," remixed by Tony Humphries. Combining old-school tunes with contemporary downtempo, Dimitri adds a shuffling track by Les Nubians, chilled breakbeat by Beautiful People, and a rumbling Latin noir thriller by Norwegians Ralf Myerz and the Jack Herron Band. Blaze closes "Laidback" with "Seasons of Love," a summery Afrobeat groover. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Just Like The Jurassic Park Series
...Not everyone is Sergio Leone (director), comparing to cinema world. I would not buy this CD even if it cost [a lot less]. My policy on buying CD's is: "Buy only CD if it contains over 80 percent of good tones."

Just a warning, please listen to it first. Your expectation from previous album may mislead you.

Or just read the title "After The Playboy Mansion"; people were leaving, or the its best; some people were there listening to Dimitri and started leaving.

What is next? "Return to The Playboy Mansion"?

Be honest! How often have you listened to "A Night at The Playboy Mansion," more than 25 times, if not this means that there is no
values in mixing made by Dimitri.

Dimitri has good songs, but sad that he can't mix.

Return to the Mansion
This album picks up where 2000's A NIGHT AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION left off from. This generous offering of 2 cds filled with great songs, is divided up by the type of music. The first cd is a more down/mid tempo kind of groove, filled with some goodies such as "Nyce & Slo" by Lil Louis, "So Good, So Right" by Imagination, "Get It Up For Love" by Tata Vega, "Peanut Butter" by Gwen Guthrie, and my personal favorite of the disc, "Seasons of Love" by Blaze. The second disc is a collection of uptempo disco/funk songs, most honorably "Candidate for Love" by TS Monk, "That's The Way Love Is" by Ten City, "Changin" by Linda Clifford, and "Don't Leave Me This way" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. This 25 song collection is sure to please any fans of house and disco. This is a generous offering and perfect for when you want to chill out or when you just want to get funky and dance. Dimitri From Paris does not disapoint on this collection. Give it a listen!

Amazing!
I coudn't find a better word to characterize this CD/Set. Amazing! It gives the best of House, non-comercial but with funky drums and a lot of vocals, for those who like it! Besides, Dimitri from Paris is one of the best DJ's in the world, so this CD goes in count of that!

Have fun listening!

Too much chaff for complete satisfaction
...The Playboy Mansion made Dimitri on of my "Immediate Buy" artists and as soon as I saw that the "Return" was out, I bought it. It's been a disappointment because there are quite a lot of duff tracks on there. "Return..." contains some tracks that are old but don't sound fresh (So good so right, Nyce and Slow), some tracks that are on many other dance compilation cds (It's Yours, Never Enough) and some great new finds (Candidate for Love, Fran Mig Til Dig). It's worth buying for those new ones that I would never have found anywhere else.

Listen before you buy!
I don't know if I could ever stress this more strongly for a DJ set. No matter what you read here, no matter if you think you're just like the people that love these discs, do yourself a favor and give this a listen first. Based on some opinions here I thought I'd be into it, instead I couldn't even sit through the length of either CD. That's just my tastes though... ... Read more

Reviews (18)

its ok
I do have to admit that Louie DeVito is slippin. I have mixed feelings about the cd. Theres a few good songs on this album and I love how it all flows together but 'Dance Factory' was a much better cd. I liked 'Look @ me now', 'Time to rock', 'Breathe' and a few others on Level 2. The Megamix with Bad Boy Joe is always the best!! I hated 'Holiday' and 'Rhythm is a dancer.' Im kinda bored with all of it though. Im waiting for him to come out with something that will defend his friggin title.

Another Superb Dance Cd By Mr. DeVito!
Louie DeVito continues to release some excellent mixed dance cd's and this collection continues in that tradition. This mixed disc is great for playing at parties, listening in your car stereo or just relaxing at home. There are some excellent songs from house to trance with my personal favorites being "Look At Me Now" by Jessy,"Drunkenmunky" by E, "The Boys Of Summer" by DJ Sammy,"If You Love Me" by Becky Baeling, "Rhythm Is Dancer 2003" by Snap, "Head" by Thunderpuss,"Loneliness" by Tomcraft,"Never" by Roc Project, and "The Sound Of Violence" by Cassius to name just a few. All in all this is definately worth purchasing if you like quality dance music.

Pop music format dance party album
This is a DJ dance mix CD with a kind of party feel. Nearly all the songs have vocals up front and the length of the songs is short, so it feels partly like pop and partly like dance. Adding to that feel is the inclusion of old pop songs or remakes of old pop songs: Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer" performed by DJ Sammy, Madonna's "Holiday" performed by Mad'House, "Through The Rain" by Mariah Carey, "Rhythm Is A Dancer 2003" by Snap!, and an instrumental remake of A-Ha's "Take On Me" by Fusion 808. Even the dance hits, such as "Never" by The Roc Project featuring Tina Arena, have more of a pop music structure. Adding to these "popifying" elements is that sometimes there is a bit of a jolt from one song to the next, particularly in terms of style, rather than a smooth mix.

The album is rather variable in quality; some songs I really like, such as "Look At Me Now" by Jessy, the amusing song "Head" by Thunderpuss and Barnes ("Welcome to my head...welcome to my mind..."), and the very melodic "No Way No How" by Jocelyn Enriquez. Other songs I like, but wouldn't say I REALLY like, and some songs I dislike, such as "The Sound of Violence" by Cassuis and "Two Months Off" by Underworld.

DJ Tiesto is more my style, I guess. For example, his mix of "Never," I really like--it's a nine and a half minute classy dance track, but the version on this album is a four and a half minute pop-sounding version.

I do enjoy this album, though, when I want to listen to pop-format dance tunes and a variety of dance music with a party atmosphere. Many of the songs have a rich electronic sound, which I particularly like.

Wow, Im never listening to this CD again
Im really upset to have been so excited when i purchased this CD to wanting to throw it out the window. The songs chosen for this CD are just not hot enough. The only songs that make the CD keepworthy are numbers 1 and 2 and maybe even the mariah carey song. The drunkenmonkey song makes me mad because it is not appealing at all. Actually it samples eminems song "Without Me" but its still wack. Dont purchase this album. The first dance factory is way better.

Louie's Best CD Yet!!
Louie Devito has done it again. I have every one of his CD's up to date, but this one is by far the best. The tracks are awesome, the blending is awesome, and this disc is a must-have. I love to blast this one in the car. "E" by Drunkenmunky is a great song, sure to pump up any party. The remix of "Take on Me" is great, along with the new girl-power anthem "Look at me Now" by Jessy. "Rhythm is a Dancer 2003" is absolutely insane! A great old song with an awesome new techno twist. "I Engineer" is a catchy, bumpin new techno song that's sure to have you humming it everywhere you go. My personal favorite on the CD is "Welcome to my Head" by Thunderpuss. This song really gets the party started. It's awesome to bump in the car or anywhere else. Louie Devito has really outdone himself with this CD, and if you're a techno/house head like I am, then you definitely need to add this one to your collection. You won't regret it! ... Read more