Reviews (5)

Not Astonishing, but Very Solid.
Erlend Oye's take on DJ-ing, like Miss Kittin's, is either something you're going to enjoy immediately or find annoying - so it's a good idea to check out the clips provided above. Personally, I like his voice and was sold on the collection by the time I finished listening to "Sheltered Life/Fine Day" (track 2.) Although I think some of the praise for this CD may be a tad gushing (i.e. Pitchfork), I can understand why some are so enthusiastic about it. The tracks themselves are very good and Oye deserves credit for taking a chance and overdubbing his own vocals over many of them. In terms of track selection, it is pretty strong across-the-board, with stand-outs being the previously mentioned "Sheltered Life/Fine Day," "Rubicon," "Poor Leno" and "Dexter."

The only track I actively dislike is "2D2F" a rap ditty in the vein of "Hey Mami" by Fannypack (on Ladytron's "Softcore Jukebox,") except not even a tenth as good. Beyond that, it simply doesn't make any sense, regardless of how good the track is, to put it on this particular album (similar to throwing in a Public Enemy or Mos Def track on a Kruder and Dorfmeister mix - both PE and Mos Def are great - but not in that context.) Anyway, I've programmed it out and haven't missed it.

About the vocals: at no point in the CD have I found them annoying or grating. The lyrics he chooses are sometimes inspired (most notably "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" by the Smiths, as mentioned by others) and at worst tolerable ("Venus.") Overall, I find his voice soothing - it doesn't overpower the music and there isn't a hint of pretentiousness, as some may find with Miss Kittin's Radio Caroline.

I would recommend reading reviews at both AMG and Pitchfork before making your decision, as neither review really nails it (AMG is too low/Pitchfork too high) but between the two of them you get a very accurate idea of what to expect. If you simply cannot abide the vocals but are still interested in trying something in the DJ Kicks series, I would suggest Kruder and Dorfmeister's contribution. For those wanting a more recent release, Fila Brazillia's "Another Fine Mess" is fantastic, though many of the mainstream reviewers seem to have missed it.

Not Astonishing but Very Solid.
Erlend Oye's take on DJ-ing, like Miss Kittin's, is either something you're going to enjoy immediately or find annoying - so it's a good idea to check out the clips provided above. Personally, I like his voice and was sold on the collection by the time I finished listening to "Sheltered Life/Fine Night" (track 2.) Although I think some of the praise for this CD may be a tad gushing (i.e. Pitchfork), I can understand why some are so enthusiastic about it. The tracks themselves are very good and Oye deserves credit for taking a chance and overdubbing his own vocals over many of them.

About the vocals: at no point in the CD have I found them annoying or grating. The lyrics he chooses are sometimes inspired (most notably "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" by the Smiths, as mentioned by others) and at worst tolerable. I find his voice soothing - it doesn't overpower the music and there isn't a hint of pretentiousness, as some may find with Miss Kittin's Radio Caroline.

(...)

I agree...
I agree with another reviewer that this is just average and that DJ Kicks should have left his stuff off the disc and let the tracks stand on their own. This is good, but not a house of fire.
If you're looking for more of a hard edge sound without vocals than I recommend mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession" over this CD.

Erlend Oye has more to come...
The sounds of Erlend Oye are not what I expected coming from a DJ Kicks cd but none the less, I fairly enjoyed it. I am contantly hearing Phoenix's "If I Ever Feel Better" track in my head & love the remix of "Poor Leno". Although I am not familiar with his works with Kings of Convenience (& enjoyed his work with Royksopp), I can say that he is a promising new musician. He did an honest day's work with the vocals, no doubt. It's a rarety to find male custom vocals on their own mix cd's & gains more of my props for doing such a good job. His voice reminds me of the Daft Punk & Dirty Vegas vocals; just to give you an idea. This cd is a galactical adventure of electro 80's sounds (a fad that died too quickly in my part of town) & some danceable techno beats. It didn't blow my mind, but I will be playing it for another little while in my cd player, since tracks like "Jackmate - Airraid", "Jurgen Paape - So Weit Wie Noch Nie" & "Cornelius - Drop (Kings of Convenience Remix)" are nice to hear while I'm riding the bus, watching the scenery go by...
I'm sure we'll be hearing more of this artist in the near future...

average
I've read a few reviews of this album which sing its praise. It is just ok to me. I really like Erlend's work w/ Kings of Convenience & Royksopp, so I was anxious to hear this. I think the album was good through track 6, and then it bacame a turn off for me. I wasn't at all impressed with his adding of vocals over tracks like "If I Ever Feel Better" and "Lullaby"...to me, those tracks are pretty much classics that need no tampering. This could have been a great album...and not that it's bad...I just wish he would have left some of his own stuff off and let the tracks stand on their own. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the never-ending move to cross novel musical idioms, The Myth of Red has an air of inevitability about it. An ambitious fusion of opera arias, Russian folk tunes, and art songs with beat-driven electronic soundscapes, the album largely succeeds in bridging incongruous musical worlds. A gifted classically trained vocalist, fetching soprano Sasha Lazard lends her talents to 13 tracks inspired by or based on Rachmaninoff, Verdi, Saint-Saëns, "Ave Maria," and "The Incubus" by the notorious poet Charles Baudelaire. Nimbly aided by the production, programming, and keyboards of Frank Fitzpatrick and David Tobocman, the lovely violin of Lili Hayden, and production ringers DJ Spooky and Delerium, Lazard delivers a smooth, classy, and fairly sedate collection that will appeal more to adventurous classical and world-music fans than hard-core electronic aficionados. The Myth of Red succeeds most when it picks up the pace on tracks like "Forbidden Dance," "Awakening," and the slyly funky "Temptation." Not surprisingly, two of the best tracks are DJ Spooky's galloping "Battle of Erishkigal" and a remix of "Awakening" by the incomparable Delerium, an act whose depth of feeling and mystery Lazard and her crew seem to strive for but don't quite achieve. Fusing several centuries of music is no small task, but Sasha Lazard actually makes it seem natural, which is a testament to her talent, training, and choice of company. --Carl Hanni ... Read more

Reviews (19)

An exquisite and hypnotic debut
Most people, myself included, know Sasha Lazard as the voice behind the English version of the love theme for the film "Princess Mononoke." I'd been trying to find more of her music ever since then, and I was quite excited when I came across her CD "The Myth of Red" at a local record store.

Loosely based on the Sumerian myth of Inanna/Ishtar descending to the underworld, "Red" is a collection of tracks fusing opera vocal with electronic beats and arrangements. Lazard employs a number of collaborators, including violinist Lily Hayden, singer E-Day, and techno maestro DJ Spooky to deliver a hypnotic debut full of potential. The songs are all gorgeously arranged and delivered with standouts including the seductive "Awakening", the crystalline "Angeli", and the kinetic and rousing "Battle Of Erishkigal".

"Red" is a phenomenal debut album and speaks highly of Lazard's promise as a singer and arranger. Fans of Emma Shapplin and Sarah Brightman's more pop-leaning CDs will find much to enjoy here, while fans of Trance Opera and similar groups may find the tracks -- while beautiful -- lacking in kinetic potential. The CD also includes the aforementioned theme to "Princess Mononoke" and a remix of "Awakening" by Delerium which, while interesting, fails to improve on the original but could give Lazard access to a club audience.

All in all, a great album with much to like. Highly recommended for opera fans and electronica fans alike.

Quasi-classical music mixed with triphop and light techno
In the realm of today's classical/pop fusion, where does Russian soprano Sasha Lazard fit in? Her voice is splendid enough, similar to one of the Opera Babes, but the majority of songs contain a beat more at home on a Massive Attack album, i.e. industrial trip-hop, or on lighter moments, on Dido's No Angel. To prove it, there's also a techno DJ and a Delerium remix to enhance a techno side, but not as excessive as Bond, so classical purists will want to eschew this. The Myth Of Red is a concept album inspired by the story of Ishtar (q.v. Gilgamesh) about a woman's journey to the underworld and the process of finding and recognizing beauty on her way out.

The medieval sounding Latin-sung "Stabat Mater" is derived from 18th century composer Giovanni Pergolesi's religious composition of the same name. This track like others features keyboards and programmed drums familiar on Dido's No Angel. It is briefly reprised later.

Taken from the "Georgian Song" by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and featuring a melodic and melancholy violin solo by Lili Hayden, the trip-hoppy "Awakening" details the woman's flight to the underworld and the song sung by her earthly lover to bring her back. The Delerium remix for this stretches it an extra two and a half minutes, including thumping oontsa oontsa beats and bass which depending on one's mood, makes it cool or intrusive.

A medieval-like chorus permeates the religiously atmospheric "Ode To Innocence", taken in part from Giulio Caccini's "Ave Maria." The pulsing Massive Attack-like bass synth and a reggaeish rap by E-Day are prominent here. Definitely not as pure as Charlotte Church's rendition on Voice Of An Angel, but different.

Lili Hayden joins Sasha for "Tell Me Why" inspired by a section of La Traviata. Then, a French spoken word intro taken from Baudelaire's "Le Revenant" by Charles Fathy leads into the techno beat of "Forbidden Dance" also sung in French.

No backbeat is present in the quiet and haunting piano number "Romance," which highlights Sasha's lovely soaring voice, and a melancholy violin. My second favourite song.

The Massive Attack-like backbeat returns in "Temptation", adapted from Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov's "Charmed By A Rose", and sings of her seduction by the underworld's Incubus. The light techno and rap scratching by DJ Spooky characterizes the exotic Middle-Eastern/Russian sounding "Battle of Erishkigal." Sasha just vocalizes here, adding to the siren-like atmosphere.

My favourite song here is the lovely and haunting theme song to Princess Mononoke, alas all too brief. The description of the person matches that of the movie's title character: "when the sun has gone I see you/beautiful and haunting but cold/like the blade of a knief so sharp so sweet. nobody knows your heart."

If you can appreciate Sasha's voice enough without being too distracted by the constant drum and synth programming, this album is quite the ticket. The songs sung in Latin or French may lose the storyline of the concept, but Sasha includes a nice written bit detailing the conflict felt by the heroine:

"I live in shades of black and white. I am drawn to the dark... I rise to the lure of the lights. I am seduced by the pulsating, pounding sounds that spell danger. I am in constant conflict. I am touched by the sweet, the good, the kind. I am passionate about the dark, the tumultuous. I am ripped apart... torn in two by the battles I fight within my heart."

As for the album title, it's based on what red symbolizes according to text from Stephanie Busuttil's Red, be it seduction, life, death, euphoria, but most important of all, "red is the key and when applied to lips, will open all doors."

The Myth Of Red
Sasha Lazard's debut album was inspired by the story of Ishtar - the Sumerian Goddess who descended from heaven to the underworld. The Myth of Red tells a story of a woman who has grown restless with her pedestrian life. She was lured down to the underworld by the dark charms of the Incubus, the infernal lord. She succumbs to the seduction and is lost in his terrifying embrace. Annihilated and left for dead, she is awakened by the plaintive cry of her earthly love. Only after struggling to find her way out of the dark does she emerge and recognize for the first time the true beauty of light [taken from inside the booklet].

I, for one, have always been drawn to concept albums that come to reveal a story because, if done right, they contain such mystery and intrigue and with classical-crossover spreading as fast as it is, Sasha Lazard seems to standout among the other acts surfacing and I am very pleased with what I've heard so far and can only hope that she continues to follow the path she's currently taking and grow as an artist for she shows a lot of promise here.

Sasha was first heard with the haunting theme song to the popular anime "Princess Mononoke". She then put the wheels in motion for this captivating synthesis of styles. Her operatic voice is set to fresh, hip music with special guests DJ Spooky on "Battle of Erishkigal" and violinist Lili Hayden on "Tell Me Why" and "Awakening", which Delerium (Bill Leeb) remixes on the second take/closing track. The songs are mostly upbeat for she draws her influences from today's more modern sounds, including Reggae and dance, fusing contemporary electronic rhythms with Russian folk tunes and classical arias.

This isn't exactly new or groundbreaking and I wouldn't dare compare her to the amazing talents of Emma Shapplin and Sarah Brightman but she's got a gorgeous voice and the albums appealing nonetheless so I definitely recommend it to fans of this genre.

Absolutely incredible.
I am jealous of the reviewers who saw the live performance. I bought this CD by accident (like all other reviewers) and was shocked and stunned after listening. If you enjoy what Sarah Brightman, Emma Shapplin and Filippa Giordano do..you MUST have this CD. Simply outstanding.

I just love this album
I had the plasure of watching Sasha prepare her voice and practice before a show.It was only me and onther girl in the room.At the time I had no idea who she was but after hearing her strong vocals and the wonderfull music behind it I was hooked.I only wish I got up the nerve to introduce myself. She real is very statuesque and intimidating in person...and yes it is her voice only throughout the entire album. No tricks. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Everything But the Girl's Ben Watt and DJ partner Jay Hannan return with more of the deep house they mixed to dazzling effect on the first Lazy Dog disc. Modeled after the program from their weekly residence at London's Lazy Dog social club, the double-disc Lazy Dog 2 finds the duo energized and dripping with deep house attitude. The duo's interpretations, which are more svelte, elegant, and modern than classic house, include ubiquitous handclaps and cymbal splashes met with salsa keyboard riffs, squawking saxophones, steaming organs, and sped-up vocals (on Peal Orchestra's "No Win Situation" the singer sounds like a prepubescent Michael Jackson). Both DJs confirm their tastes here; Watt indulges in lustrous mixes of vocal stars like Lucy Pearl, Sade, and Sunshine Anderson, while Hannan gives props to movers like Benjamin Diamond, Andy Caldwell (the man behind Sounds of Om, Vol. 2), and DJ Sonic (though he also sneaks in '80s pop star Kim English). The tracks pile-drive along in party mode, never skipping a beat but offering plenty of variation in style, making for a worthy addition to the Lazy Dog canon. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (16)

excellent deep house
Ben Watt and Jay Hannan serve up some great deep (but danceable) house on this two cd set. Overall I think the tracks on the first CD, ben watt's set, are better, especially Jon Cutler's classic from this year, "it's yours," the great remix of Sade's "by your side," and deep swing's "in the music." However I would have to disagree with the reviewer who said that Watt and Hannan capture the club feel. The mixes are anything but raw and thus are very bland and boring. There isn't a single spot one either cd where melodies from two records overlap as they would at a club, where you can't have the precision that a studio environment allows. Still, if you take this cd as simply a collection of great deep house tracks from over the past year, then you won't be dissapointed.

Amazing dog.
I must say that my primary motivation for buying this CD is that I'm a big EBTG fan. I expected to listen to it and be able to at least appreciate what Ben is up to now. I loved it.

The songs in Ben's set explode like dynamite, one after another. Easy on the ears, pulls you right in, until you find yourself actually moving to the beat. In the car, at work, at a party, wherever - you'll be listening to this over and over and over. Disappointing though that Ben's reworkings of Me'shell Ndegeocello's "Earth" and Maxwell's "Lifetime" didn't make it to this disc.

This would also have been an easy 5-star CD, but I felt that Jay Hannan's set wasn't as solid as Ben's.

lazy dog vol .1 and 2
This 2 house compilations are absolutely a dream.....Never have i come across to such a high quality dance mix packed with outstanding tracks blended in skilfully in a variety of funky,latin and deep house charged with relentless energy.The result of Jay Hannan's and Ben Watt's effort is electrifying....... Unlike other compilations you have to work hard to find a track you DON'T like or any fault at all.This is shear quality and talent,both of every each artist and the DJs involved in the project.To be listen to for the next 20 years or so......an icon and a legend of dance music,a beacon,a light-house(so to speak),and "THE" standard and reference point for any house/dance complation.Best served at Notting Hill Art Club/London or in a hammock on a tropical beach under the full moon and the stars..........PURE BLISS.......

cheesy
This is definitely not a first-rate release. Jay Hannan's set is far superior, as with the first in the series. The mixes are just rather bland and the track selection is boring. Maybe people who don't know much about good house we'll like it. And the remix of "In The Music" - butchers the song! NOOOOOO! I much prefer the original mix appearing on Ei Bi Si 2 mixed by Barcelona's Eric Entrena and DJ Puku. Sorry, I'm just not feelin' this release. If you like this style of house, check out Casamba Clubbing mixed by Rafa Navarro (rare), Miguel Migs' Nude Tempo One, Jeno's Emotion Electrique (rare), or the 1st Lazy Dog.

Really good Stuff
This LD compilation in my eyes almost parallels its predecessor. I think overall Watt's mix is a little weaker this time around and that's not necessarily because Tracy is missing from the frey. I think it's overall because Watt is a bit more redundant and predictable as opposed to LD1. That's not to say his disk is without any merit; tracks 2-4 comprise a very solid block on the Watt mix that's just as formidable as any other section from either of the 2 compilations.

With that said, cheers to Hannan. After reading the other reviews, I get the impression other listeners feel the same way about his mix. On LD1 his mix was far weaker than Watt's; with the release of this compilation I can safely say he made up for any previous shortcomings and did a fantastic job of leveling with Watt here. I'm not quite sure I agree that he's outdone Watt's mix, but then again I am a big Sade fan, so it may just be my biases speaking here.

Overall this is a great pair discs. If you're a fan of night club hopping or just like deep house you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. You may not enjoy this one as much as LD1, but I think you'll still find this compilation has plenty to offer. The cultural blend of jazzy, disco and pop elements make this an irresistible title. ... Read more

Album Details

Electronic: A Former Member of Mexico's Nortec Collective Drawing Together Classical Orchestration and Electronic Minimalisation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Seattle listener
Gorgeous tonalities and shapes which utilize silence as well as notes and textures. There are beats but their sounds are more purely electronic than most (they don't sound like a drum set).
The harmonies owe a lot to contemporary orchestral music--Arvo Part for example. Murcof has crafted a totally unique and rewarding listening experience. Highly recommended.

A Masterpiece Of Intelligence.
One Of The Most Intelligent Things I Have To Listen Since A Few Years. Minimalist ? Maybe This Style Of Music Is That. But Not Just Like Pan Sonic Release.

Personnally, This Album Is Inside My Head Since 6 Months, And I Listen It Very Often, With A Lot Of Respect, Because It is A REALLY Constructed Project. A Marriage Between Electronic Tonalities, Rythms, With Choirs Sounds And Piano, Violins...)
The Result Is Simply Beautiful, And An Electronic Composer Will Know How This Work Is Really Structured. Another Compliment For The Sound : It's Clear Like Cristal. You Can Listen To This Album In The Calm, For Thinking, Or Reading, Our You Can Pump Up The Volume, The Result Is Always The Same. It Is A Masterpiece, An Ancredible Moment. Can You Say "Maitrise" In English ?

I Hope To See Another Releases (Their Exist !) Here On Amazon.com From This Talentuous Mr Fernando "Murcof" Corona ... Read more

Amazon.com

Saint Etienne's delicate, perfectly crafted blend of '60s pop and of-the-moment electronica has been replicated by so many other acts over the years that the band is threatened with losing its musical brand. The artistic achievement in Sound of Water has been diminished somewhat by competent musicians such as Broadcast and Mono having picked up the gauntlet Saint Etienne first threw down in 1988, and having taken the sounds to new places. Trends are fleeting by definition, and Saint Etienne, in the precarious position of being an inadvertent trendsetter, would have served their audience better with a little reinvention (the Cardigans made this transition magically with 1998's Gran Turismo). Rather, they stick to their overly precious formula, mixing cheap-sounding drum loops, Sarah Cracknell's snazzy-cool vocals, drawn-out melody, and subtle instrumentation (flute, harpsichord, bongos) with butterfly-fluttering techno. As lovely as it all is, by the end of the album, the ear is desperate to hear something more assertive--it's as unsatisfying as eating cotton candy all day when you long for lasagna. In all, the abundance of emotionless na na na's and la la la's result in no no no's. --Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Ignore the Amazon-written review
Possibly the most consistent of all St. E releases, "Sound of Water" is more innovative than "Good Humor" (but not as fun), and recaptures some of the brilliant pastiche of "Foxbase Alpha" and "So Tough." Don't expect the club-friendly tunes of those early albums though, or even a collection of clever pop singles like "Tiger Bay" or "Good Humor." "Sound of Water" is yet another departure for a band that successfully reinvents itself with each full-length.

This time out, with the help of German post-electronica artists To Rococo Rot, St. E adds bleeps, blips, and skittering beats to the most mellow tunes they've ever recorded. Sarah sounds amazing, and the best tracks like "Don't Back Down" use a soft cushion of overdubbed background vocals to support her effortless melodies.

Traces of vintage St. E are still present -- "Boy Is Crying" echoes the '60s feel of "You're In A Bad Way," and the middle of "How We Used To Live" offers a blissed-out trancey vibe similar to "He's On The Phone." But St. E are continuing to innovate, combining the often-overlooked ambient electronics of bands like Boards of Canada and Two Lone Swordsmen with classic Bacharach-style pop to create a fascinating modern sound. And if this album doesn't end all those Cardigans comparisons, people just aren't listening.

Long over due return for Sarah and the boys
This new album is a definite new departdure for Saint Etienne.Gone are the catchy pop tunes of the early 90's.It is a steady graduation from the last album proper 'Good Humour'--but it is no improvement on that magical c.d.The album starts off with the distorted sounds of a live concert and then glides in to an instrumental dominated track.You begin to feel that this is not really a collection of songs,but the sound of a group trying to capture a mood-a very mellow mood at that.It works on some songs like 'Don't back Down' and 'heart failed' but I do miss the old jaunty feeling and spirit of the older stuff.Sarah Cracknell's voice is the best part of Saint Etienne and I just feel they don't use it often enough here.3 stars may seem a bit harsh,but I'm just comparing it to their older stuff and I just don't think it's as good.I do,however admire them for taking a pretty new approach to their music,and who knows it might evolve into something really special soon.

Intriguing...a triumph.
One of the most overlooked, yet sonically glorious albums of the kickoff of the new millenium, "Sound of Water" finds the Saints pursuing a new angle of their thoughtful, careful approach to the production of sublime pop music.
Though the opening track doesn't really go anywhere, it adds an atmosphere of introduction of the subtley engaging..such is the nature of what follows.
"Heart Failed (In The Back of a Taxi)" is a brilliantly crafted tune with impeccable production, again setting a tone the album shall follow.
If any album was made for headphones, it is this one.
Only then can one truly appreciate the care with which these songs were produced..the micro-noises and atmospheric floats and glitches, will show you something new with each listen.
It is a non-instrusive album which will find its way into your repeated listening ventures.
However pleasant this may sound, however, the sublime, and effortlessly epic tune "How We Used to Live", is a cleverly veiled tale of a melancholy suicide. Once realized, the chorus of "sail away" may begin to get under one's skin in more disturbing ways than originally anticipated. It can turn one's opinion of the album far more melancholy, but it is done beautifully. Once looked at this way, the title is far more evocative...but the ending, where one gets to hear the sloshing water, can become silently heart-breaking and a chilling moment at once.

This album is highly reccomended for its delicate precision and commitment to pop-ecstasy.

Really Nice CD
Some people may find this CD to be a bit too airy but I love it. "sound of Water" does not assault the senses but immerses the listener in a warm bath of sound. This is great music for relaxation or as an accompaniment to a sitdown dinner.

Subtle Saint Etienne
I'm afraid Beth Massa is mistaken. This album is, in my opinion, a high, very high, point in the expansive Saint Etienne discography. If you're looking solely for He's on the Phone or Hug My Soul dance hits... well, your liable to be disappointed here. This is compact, mellow, smooth, glossy and understated. It lacks highs and lows, but rather runs consistently throughout for the most part, leading the listener from one perfectly crafted, electronica tinged track to the next. Yes, it takes a bit to grow on you. It's one of those albums. But, also characteristic of those albums is a longevity not seen with instant-gratification music. It's not as catchy as Good Humor, and not as dancey as Tiger Bay, and not as eclectic as Foxbase Alpha, but it's distinctive and consistent and wonderful. It's a wonderfully accomplished transition back to more artificial sounds, while remaining quite different from their early work.
Boy Is Crying is the weakest song I think, but probably only because it is sandwiched between other pieces of such high caliber. The end of Aspects of Lambert makes me tingle every time. If you really love Saint Etienne, you'll probably love this album. Sarah sounds as cool and sexy as ever. She drives me crazy, in a good way. All this goes to say, but this album. It will make your life happier. ... 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

Finally! The story of musical independence and experimentalism has a new chapter. David "Brun" Brown and James Taylor, as the British duo Swayzak, created the definition of minimal dub-techno with a penchant for vocals. What began with Snowboarding in Argentina, developed further with Himawari and reached a climax with Dirty Dancing now receives the fourth much-expected title, Loops from The Bergerie.

Swayzak’s penchant for a vocal-based song structure has barely changed and for good reason: Vocalist Clair Dietrich is once again onboard, accompanying the hypnotic effect of the dreamy "Then There’s Her" with her spoken-singing vocal. Swayzak’s Brun also takes to the microphone again and "Snowblind", which sounds like an electronic rebirth of the Doors, and the driving first single "Keep It Coming" showcase his vocal skills. A new discovery for Swayzak is the Parisian Mathilde Mallen, whose performances on the slower tracks, "8080" and "The Long Night", leave us in no doubt why various projects on labels such as Tigersushi and Q-Tape swear by her voice. Also new and probably the most accomplished voice on the album is Richard Davis. The Brit released his celebrated single, "Bring Me Closer", on Swayzak’s label 240 Volt. Three tracks feature his voice on the Swayzak album – "My House", "Speakeasy" and the second single, "Another Way" – have cemented this good collaboration, as has the plan to construct the new live performance around him. This marks the first time that Swayzak have taken the step of bringing live vocals to the stage and underlines even more the importance of vocals in their songs.

Loops From the Bergerie points the way forward for Swayzak. What may look like a retro step backwards technically proves to be a musical step forward. This sign of maturity, with a deep-rooted sound, raises the Brits from laptop heroes to real producers. Swayzak has finally come of age. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Miss Kittin puts me "On The Road"
There are no words to describe the rush of energy this woman transmits me, I always play the CD at work, 'cause it makes me work faster and better. it inspires me as if I were getting ready to my best party, but actually I'm going to a meeting to show my work. Unbelievably good. Don't miss the mix between KillaBite and Le Rock 01, is the highest peak of the CD.

AMAZING!!!
After almost an entire year to get a hold of this cd, due to back orders, out of stock and now out of print, the chances and hopes of actually getting a copy were almost dead until this past weekend when I came across it and let me tell you ... to have it on my cd player is a pleasure and an honor.

Miss Kittin, is an amazing artist on her on right and as a DJ she deserves the respect that any female needs. You can clearly feel and her the german techno influence she has picking up now that she lives in Berlin and the mix is AMAZING. A great mix of techno, mininal-tech and some tech-house.

I recomend this cd, for the fact that it never drops the beat, it keeps you going, it's hard to get and find and mainly ... Miss Kittin on the turntables rules.

What else can you ask for?

The Queen of the Techno Scene
This IS the CD you'll grab before heading to the Club Friday night! Just press 'play' and Miss Kitten will take care of the rest! By the time track 5 rolls around you find yourself wondering if sound can possibly get any more tantalizing!? By track 8 you discover that; indeed it can!

Features 17 tracks by some of the finest techno artists on the scene, all brilliantly fused together by the lovely Miss Kitten. A+ for style and continuity.

Grab it, and take your vitamins! ... Read more

Album Description

Appearing in the late 80's Detroit as radio DJ "The Wizard", Jeff Mills took up the heritage of the "Techno founding fathers" Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins and Derrick May, inaugurating the next sound generation of Detroit. Mills has characterized the new Detroit sound like no one else; co-founding the enigmatic Underground Resistance and brought the Detroit Techno sound of the early 90's into the clubs and onto turntables all over the world.

Between his frenetic DJ sets which showcase Mills’ breathtakingly quick mixing skills and his ground-breakingly influential production output his own Axis, Purpose Maker, and Tomorrow labels, the World's Most In-Demand DJ continues to innovate, integrating other artforms into the realm of DJ’ing and electronic music. Most recently Mills has presented a photography exhibition of his hands as well as recorded his own soundtrack to the 1926 Fritz Lang silent film Metropolis, translating the traditional orchestral score into a 21st-Century interpretation of Lang’s master-vision of the Utopian Dream.

The Exhibitionist is Jeff Mills’ first domestically released mix compilation – his ‘warts-and-all’ Live at The Liquid Room, Tokyo mix-CD released as a Sony/Japan import - gave Mills’ fans the chance to take one of his DJ-sets home for the first time.The Exhibitionist features a not-to-be-missed mix of the finest futuristic electronic dance music available, including classic Jeff Mills material culled from his entire solo production career. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It is about the mixing..
I guess Global Underground ruined a lot of people. Trance and progressive house are meant to be mixed smoothly together.
This CD showcases how techno should be mixed. It is one of the best examples ever put down. Classic.
Ps, most of you out there expecting smooth mixes would be horrified about how those are concieved with pro tools in a sound lab, not on the decks.

Losing it...
The only thing that saves this mix is the fact that there are some really nice tracks on it. Other than that... This is some of the sloppiest mixing I've ever heard on a commercial CD. Some of the mixes are such out-and-out disasters that I find it unlistenable. And those that he does pull off are nothing jaw-dropping (what always made me excuse his sloppiness in the past). Big disappointment.

Inspirationalist
So yeah, some of the mixes on this cd are dog ruff....but some are sublime and anyway aren't you getting sick of the 10 million slick-mix cd's out there? At least this sounds like it was mixed live, by a person, not a machine.

But anyway, it's the music which really makes this stand head and shoulders above all the dross out there. From start to finish this is a relentless blend of hard, funky, superbly produced techno that scarecly gives you time to draw breath. Each of the 372(or something) tracks is a winner, quality and quantity - you can't argue with that!

Buy this along with Coldcut's Extreme Possibilites, invite your friends round, and play at high volume. Sorted.

Disappointing mixing
Contrary to the previous review, I find that commenting on the quality of the mixing on this cd to be essential. It has to be the sloppiest 'exhibition' of professional mixing that I've heard consigned to disc. It just sounded like there was too much emphasis on getting as many tracks on in 70 mins, regardless of flow, or beat matching. Very let down by this disc.

Jeff Mills Exhibits Exciting Excellence As Always
After his LIQUID ROOM mix arrives the slightly more funkier and cleaner Exhibitionist. BUT the quality is the same: FLAWLESS. What could be more exciting and breathtaking than the master using his wand of three decks. This will place you into another dimension. Yes THIS is what true techno is really about. Get rid of your stereotype notions and witness a collection of immaculately balanced music. No, I am not going to comment on the mix, check it out for yourself. One question though; does this man ever sleep? ... Read more

Album Details

15 Years after the Derrick May Original Inspired a Generation, Soul Central's New Version Pays Tribute While Giving the Record Crossover Appeal with a Fresh Vocal from Kathy Brown. With Mixes from Danny Krivit, Mark Knight and Martijn Ten Velden and the Funky Lowlives this Great Package Ensures These Strings Are Most Definitely for Life. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hot House!
My favorite track is the one in which Kathy Brown's vocals are included (track 2). Her voice is powerful and the rhythm is hot, making this a great start to a new year of innovative House music. It's a flawless blend of orchestral and dance music. If you don't own this, get it! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Hip singer's solo effort is innovative but inconsistent
Gordon Downie, lead singer of the Tragically Hip, offers a highly personal musical statement with his second solo album. Downie's songs are uncompromisingly innovative and experimental; his work with the Hip seems mainstream by comparison.

Downie courageously begins the album with the quiet "Into the Night," a moody and atmospheric tone poem. He revs up the tempo with the aggressive "Figment" and the infectious holiday number "Christmastime in Toronto." "Willow Logic" has a nice melody, though I find its spoken word sections contrived and annoying. "Pascal's Submarine" is a near work of genius, a colorful and upbeat track whose catchiness belies its grave subject matter, the sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk. (This song continues Downie's obsession with maritime tragedies, previously illustrated by The Hip's "Nautical Disaster," "50 Mission Cap" and "The Dire Wolf").

After the incendiary "11th Fret," the second half of the record downshifts into mellower territory, with mixed results. The stream-of-consciousness poetry of "Who by Rote" runs out of steam quickly, leaving the listener wandering in a wilderness of experimental tone color. "Steeplechase" features some impressive dynamics; I would have preferred further musical development to the hockey spiel that abruptly ends the track. The dissonant harmonies of "More Me Less You" walk a fine line between haunting and grating. The commentary of "Hardcore" works better in theory than in practice, while "Pillform" doesn't quite gel in either of its two different versions.

Downie takes pride in his poetry, and rightly so. However, his lyrics can't quite carry a song on their own (as they did for that other great Canadian singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen). Though few, his excursions into spoken word are somewhat disappointing, since they deprive the listener of Downie's greatest talent, his inimitable and idiosyncratic vocal style.

Gordon Downie's experiments in poetry and sound assert his individuality as an artist and constitute a style independent of his work with The Tragically Hip. Some of it works and some of it doesn't, but he succeeds frequently enough to justify the time spent on his extracurricular activities.

Stuck in the middle with you!
ok. So, here I am. I am a lost Tragically Hip fan in Austin, TX. Why do I say that? Well, most people North of here have heard of the Hip (North of Texas that is). I really liked Gordo's (like I know him) first solo shot. In my review of that cd, there were a lot of 'textures' on that album. This one is full of expression. Trying to convey meaning in different methods. Using different tones, instruments, and voicings. I am not a music snob by any stretch of the imagination. I have a secret love of Kid Rock!! I was not even aware that there was a second release when Mr Downie (I'll be more formal) came to Austin to support the release. I got the cd after the live show, and I must say that I was overwhelmed (you have to add that I got to see him with about 99 other people in a small venue - JEALOUS????). If you have ever been in a 'life-crisis' (not to be confused with a mid-life crisis - I don't have a HUMMER!!) you can feel and appriciate the music. It is not often that an artist gets to stick themselves out like this. It is like looking at something you think you know, but seeing a whole new side. If you are looking for experimentation and a willingness to accept, then tread here - otherwise go buy a Jessica Simpson cd or break out Lynard Skynard (they are all dead by the way even though there is a tour)for the upteenth-million-time.

Not Quite the "hip" your used to
Gordon Downie's new album "Battle of the Nudes" is fantastic.

What shines most brilliantly is Gordon's songwtriting. He manages to bring poetry back to music in the proper manner.

One of my major complaints with modern music is that it seems to follow a certain formula. The breaks in the rythym, the inclusion of the chorus, and the often used word combinations. Both musically and lyrically most music is predictable. It is rare to find an album which challenges the listener like this one can. It is hard to explain in terms of popular music what is meant by challenging. If this were Jazz, it would rank near Monk's work. Monk would play his melody, explore every musical facet around it and eventually bring it round-a-bout'. Gordon does this throughout the album; never straying far enough away from the melody to confuse but rarely just playing it straight. If this music was Classical I would compare its' anticlimatic nature to that of Beethovens work. Many times teasing with a conventional sound only to deliver something far more creative and expressive. This music makes you feel!

Of course there are a few songs recorded on this album that show Gordon's routes as a rock musician; most noteably singing with the Tragically Hip. Coincidentally these are not my favorite songs but are quite catchy and well performed.

In a time a where rock stars and Idols are litterally cast on a telivision program or created by using a formula this album may not find listeners easily. However, If you are one of the minorities who love to stray away from convention and loathe the new age Idols, then buy this album.

Great songs!
I am a HUGE Hip fan and have never heard any of Gord's solo songs until I saw him and The Country of Miracles perform in Milwaukee on 7/20/03. Gord and the rest of the group blew me away! I agree with Sabina that Gord is amazing live and that he's super nice. He signed my copy of Battle of the Nudes. It was really nice to meet him. The songs on this album are very poetic and beautiful. The order that the songs are in are perfect and flow together nicely, almost as if they are taking you on a journey. All of the songs have great lyrics.

-Into The Night- this song seems sad for some reason, I like it because it makes you feel.
-Figment- Great lyrics. I like the guitar solo at the end.
-Christmastime in Toronto- I love the dissonance of the guitars in this song.
-Willow Logic- a poem set to music. Half of the song is spoken. One of my favorite songs on this album.
-Pascal's Submarine- Another favorite of mine. The song has a nice upbeat sound to it. It tells the story of Nadezhda Tylik, the women who was injected with a sedative when she demand to be told the truth of how and why her son and the crew of the Kursk died.
-11th Fret- I like the sound of Julie and Gord's voices singing together.
-Who By Rote- I love this song, it's another one of my favorites. It's another poem set to music. The shovel sound is great and it sets the scene perfectly. It has a good rhythm and great lyrics. "I'm here because you're here, and when you go I'm going too."
-Steeplechase- I like how Who By Rote blends right into Steeplechase. Julie's voice in the background is almost haunting in this song.
-More Me Less You- haunting yet beautiful.
-We're Hardcore- "We're not hobbyists or dabblers anymore! We're Hardcore, Hardcore, we're Hardcore!" fun song to rock out to.
-Pillform #2- catchy tune that gets stuck in my head. Great lyrics. Another favorite.
-Pillform #1- ditto

Amazing Live
Just got back from seeing Gord live in Detroit and WOW! They played most of the songs on the cd and I gotta tell ya I'm a fan for life. AND he's super nice to boot, signed autographs etc.(although the thread would have been great)..Pick up this cd if you want some serious quality both lyrically and musically. Very well done! ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Detroit's Richie Hawtin, a.k.a. Plastikman, has become the edgy king of minimalist techno. In 1999 the massively influential Decks, EFX & 909 showcased his explosive talent for improvisation and beat structure while blowing through an impressive array of tracks with his driving, impossibly effective rhythms. Hawtin's De9: Closer to the Edit is another mind-blower and a full-on test of dance music's latest thrust: the mixing of analog and digital sound. The technology at work here, known as Final Scratch, allows for a wider infusion of source material; Hawtin uses it to sample, cut, and splice together over 70 songs, with an array of effects and overdubs as the glue. Besides the studio innovation at work, Edit also features a relatively melodic approach, along with an astonishing sense of pace and patience. Hawtin throws in pieces of Theorem, Steve Bug, and Carl Craig, amid little chunks of his own material, to create a sound that's elusive, surprising, and filled with the sort of cadences that render the Sunday morning dawn utterly insignificant. Most significantly, there's a playful persona at work here, cracking through Hawtin's relentless attack and making for a record that will please longtime fans and new recruits alike. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Spatial Funk with multiple textures
Minimal techno master Richie Hawtin really delivers the goods with this one. His previous mix cd gave heart to all of us who thought the man had abandoned the dancefloor for the gallery/lecture hall. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but Hawtin has always impressed with his ability to delver maximum funk with minimal means. You all know the story by now: 300 loops culled from 70 records, mixed live on a laptop. Like the "Decks, Fx, and 909" disc, this mix takes you on a journey, from ultra-spare Berlin dubtech, through epic Detroit floorfillers, and into quirky Cologne pop n' slide grooves, with weirdos like Baby Ford and Thomas Brinkmann thrown in along the way. Let's keep this "eclecticism" in perspective, however, lest any Digweed yuppies or Hardware e-tards set themselves up for disappointment. Being the brainchild of the Plastikman, this mix is quite minimal throughout: no filler, no fat, just tasty techno grooves where the funk is as much in the spaces as in the sounds. The bits and beats themselves are varied and always interesting, with many different timbral and tonal qualities creating multihued dots and smears within the skeletal arrangements. Although restricted to a driving 4-on-the-floor pulse, the overlying polyrhythms explore a wide assortment of variations on basic dancefloor bump. All chinstroking aside, Hawtin manages to stake out new dancefloor territory, while never neglecting the needs of the feet or posterior, er..funkwise. Ok, just bump it and get down. Simple as that.

Minimalism at its best.
I was at a small local record shop a month ago, and while I was browsing, I was listening to some interesting dance music being played on the store's stereo. The beats and rhythms were tight, and the groove was really slammin', so I just HAD to ask a salesperson what was playing. Sure enough, it was this disc by Richie Hawtin. If I didn't ask the salesperson what was playing, I would have never have heard of Hawtin or this impressive mix CD. It's nearly an hour's worth of tracks that are stripped down to drum beats and a few synth touches. Most of the reviewers call it techno, but I personally think it's sometimes closer to house, as the beats per minute could easily pass for the latter genre. But regardless of what you may call it, this CD is tight! It's great for the gym, working on the computer, or even chilling around the house. And of course, if you were to play it at a party, you're guaranteed to find people on the floor dancing to it.

Rough around the edges
Ritchie Hawtin definitely deserves some credit for artistic originality, but if you're interested in sampling the man's work for the first time I wouldn't reccomend this disk. There a few interesting tracks here and there, but the overall album lacks the superbly organized "opening credits" and lush, bass-driven production of "Decks/FX/909." It may be a matter of opinion, but the tone of the bass drums and some of the percussion stuff are too harsh and dry, and overall motion of the mix isn't as smooth and sexy as "Decks/FX..." I'd skip right over to the latter (or even some of his "Plastikman" stuff) before I'd blow my money on this disc. A pile of dirt from a gold-miner....look deeper!

Getting 'Closer To The Edit' Indeed....
Initially after having listen to Richie's "Decks, EFX & 909", I tried this his eagerly awaited follow-up, and although a fantastic album, a slightly feeling of disappointment couldn't be escaped...due undoubtedly to my expectance of a Dancefloor / Home interchangeable like "Deck Efx...", but that was in 2001.....and approaching the album very recently, after coming in at the early hours of the morning, something upbeat, but low in volume was needed. Richie has systematically taken 30 tracks for artists such as "Basic Channel, Thomas Brinkmann, Stewart Walker", as well as some of his own tracks, and broken down each track to it most basic elements (i.e. basic instrument samples), leaving him with 70+ tracks...with which he intricately rebuilds and reinterprets the tracks, which he condenses into 31 tracks....and going back and listening to it no is a jaw dropping experience with Dub/Electro/Breaks/Electronica & obviously techno all reinvented with a very minimalist interpretation...that makes for some hypnotic listening, recognising how Richie starts very slowly with semi Dub-techno, and very intricately & methodically stepping up the tempo every so slightly track by track....possibly not Richie most recognised work, but certain his most technical.

NIFTY
Weird glitchy techno done on a laptop is good. ... Read more

Album Details

Techno. 'total 2' is Kompakt's Round Up of the Best Techno from the Past 12 Months and features Tracks by the Modernist, Closer Music, Dubstar, Sascha Funke and Superpitcher. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Sorry Yer Sleeping on This Sound
Call it what you will. Seminal record in the most (only?) interesting sub genre in dance music right now. Had the good fortune to pick this record up when I was in Cologne ("Koln" in German). CD is a mix of "Minimal Techno" and more ambient, less beat driven stuff. The track by Michael Mayer is a classic. Good as an introduction to the sound.

Personally, I'm totally over the ambient end of the spectrum, but I think the more beat driven stuff is just the hottest thing going in the electronic realm.

Can't wait for the Fabric compliation that's coming out next year (by Michael Mayer, who is THE beating heart of the Koln sound).

Much better then similar compilations on Morr music, which tend to be more glitchy and ambient.

Never tires
This is mind-bending music that never tires. (Well, except for track 8, which gets to be kind of insipid after a while.)

I find this music perfect for turning off the brain when stress demands it, but also great for providing just the right level of distraction when I have to really concentrate. Of course, the louder the better.

Kompakt compilations 1, 3, and 4 are also great, and reflect the evolution of the Köln sound. I believe the fifth in this series was recently released.

Kompakt is a fabulous label but hard to find in the States. Hard to find in Europe too, if my experience is typical. Look on amazon.de or go directly to the label at kompakt-net.de. They're friendly people; I plan to look them up next time I'm in Köln.

Tough Electronica
Kompakt is a brand you can trust to provide really tough, listenable, electronic dance music. The recently released Kompakt 3 is tight, too. On Kompakt 2, peep Track #6. On Kompakt 3, Track #'s 1, 11, & 12 really stand out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

American DJ Josh Wink’s follow-up to 1999’s Profound Sounds successfully captures the creativity and unadorned techno sound that have become his stock in trade. Wink’s smooth weave combines ambient downtempo, big-time rave-ups, and dirt-bucket house, making for a cohesive mix that never sounds dull or thrown together. With a spinning career that goes back well into the 1980s, Wink has the "big ears" necessary to pull off a record that segues from Swayzak to Frankie Bones with liquid ease. He does make you wait for it, as he holds off until the end of the record to drop his hugely appealing remix of Dave Clarke’s "Compass." If there’s any problem with the record, it’s that Wink leaves you hanging at the end without so much as a fadeout. He does soften the blow with a second disc that includes a few remixes and some enhanced content in the form of an interview and studio footage. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (3)

More of the same profound
Josh Wink is one of the most important house DJs on the planet. I have seen him spin records several times in New York City. He used to hang out with King Britt. In the mid-1990s, much of this music was the soundtrack to my life and the city. You couldn't go to a bar or a club without hearing trance techno or drum and bass, especially around 1997. So when I hear one of these records, I am reminded of stuff I was listening to five or ten years ago. Plus since then the market has been flooded with mix CDs. Many DJs like Paul Oakenfold have released their first albums in the past few years. On this disc, Wink mixed each track before he actually did the live mix. There is a second disc with videos and multimedia stuff. This includes an interview with Josh Wink where he talks about his craft. He talks about what went into this CD. He created alternate versions of songs by Minimal Man and Frankie Bones. He remixed them live in front of an audience to get a feel of what would work. It's a decent record to listen to at the end of the day. Years ago, dance music was exciting and cutting edge. Now it's just a venue to start a career. There isn't the amazing new vistas to be seen in dance culture. One gets older and tired of drugs. It's just more of the same.

SameOld Sounds 2
I've seen Wink live at several parties in the late 90s and he always put on a good show. But, I never bought one of his CDs until now.

Wink has been featured heavily in several music mags like: DJ TIMES, URB, etc. During the interviews Wink goes into great depth the making of his "profound" new mix, sticking not only to the turntables but incorporating Pro Tools and a slew of other effects.

He enchanted me enough with his interviews to give Profound Sounds 2 a try... Unfortunately this time around Wink is a better talker than DJ. For all his hype the CD brings nothing new to the table.

Wink's track selection starts off adequate enough but soon digresses into +6 minute play of some of the most unchallenging sounds 4-to-the-floor has to offer. His pseudo-mastery of Pro Tools is most obvious during the last two tracks where he attempts to spice things up by using some pitch, filter, and EQ effects, things any respectable DJ can pull off live on a DJM.

All in all, it's not a terrible CD, it's just not distinguishable from the hoard of other mix CDs in this bloated genre. From a Heavy Weight like Wink I expected much more.

Move Over Digweed, The King is Back
After a 4 year break since his last mixed CD release, Josh Wink comes back full force and leaves you not only wanting more, but screaming for more. Simply put, this CD ROCKS!!! Josh Wink is a genius and his sets always seem to invoke a spiritual reaction that can be felt down to the core of ones inner being.

It's a musical journey that tells a story, the story of life. It starts out soft and from the very first track begins to entrance your mind and body. From one track to the next it continues to build itself into a deeper and harder musical frenzy. And just when the listener thinks that they can't take any more, he kicks it in with Frankie Bones (the Godfather of Techno in America) "E Series 2". But the story doesn't end there and the journey and story continue to unfold. As a typical Josh Wink set at a rave, your entire body is taken over; you become lost in the beat and one with the music. And, with his own remix of Dave Clarke's "Compass, the CD comes to an abrupt end-- as a journey in life sometimes does.

The mixing is flawless and the record selection superb. As any Wink live set, this CD is a musical progression; therefore, I'm hard pressed to pick out a few favorite or standout tracks. You can't have one without the other. Each song seems to flow seamlessly into the other. However, I'm a huge Frankie Bones fan, and when taken in context of the flow of the CD, "E Series 2" just seems to bang even harder then when it's listened to on its own. In fact, this is the case with every song on Profound Sounds v2; they just seem to bang much harder when listened to in the creative flow that Josh Wink new the music wanted to run. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first full-length in four years from 28-year-old post-techno electronic musician Richie Hawtin under his Plastikman alias, Consumed has more going on underneath its cool, minimal surface than first meets the ears. Contrasting pretty heavily with previous Plastikman efforts, Consumed is a slowly evolving, serious work of tranced out microgrooves with deliberately paced, almost textural changes in synth washes and percussive sounds. Neither ambient nor techno, but existing in a delicate, contemporary space between, Consumed reminds one of a less harsh-sounding Porter Ricks or a sedated Mouse on Mars with an even heavier Kraftwerk fetish. The music has a serious metronomic thing going on, but it foregoes traditional beat tyrannies and bowel-rattling buzz bass in favor of an altogether more ethereal, subsonic groove. It's delightful. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Claustrophobicly Consuming...
I once read in a magazine an effective description of this album. It sounds like what you would expect to hear and feel if restricted to an extended stay in a submarine. Needless to say, this is only appreciated by the most adventurous of music fans. Major nods here to the minimalism of Terry Riley and Phillip Glass, replacing "Rainbow In Curved Air's" open, ... well, airiness, with a confined claustrophobia that feels like you are being swallowed by a boa constrictor. Yes, you will be "Consumed".

Are you as real as this?
If you know what it's like to feel such a work, if you are about appreciating music without pretense, and all that environment and sound can provoke, then check this album out. I recall my first listening, while surrounded by country music fans, and while I had trouble listing to the whole thing it what was a first for me. I had to get it on the spot and give it more time. After losing it once I've since bought it again, and it still fails to dissapoint. This album may take some time to appreciate fully. If you don't care for electronic music you might not care for this at all. Consumed is, for those who can appreciate it, a master work. This album is all about feelings, sounds and connections. If you like it, you'll know it. If you don't, you're just not ready for it.

Laid back
This whole album is nothing but undertones. This album is very quiet (if you listen to it you'll understand). It is not %100 ambient. I wouldn't even know how to describe it because I have heard nothing like it other than his other album, Artifakts(although a little louder). I listen to this when I want some background noise, ie sleeping and working.

I hope my brief review didn't sound negative, because I do like this album.

(this is the same review that I gave Artifakts)

NOT FOR ME
Good album, deep dark heavy, heavy, heavy just not for me. I like Closer to the Edit much more this is good just like i said not for me.

the nothing
i remeber seeing plastikman from a depeche mode remix, and so i picked up this peice of absolutly wonderful album. passage (out) is like the abyss of it all, i feel like the nothing in the never ending story of whats has been swept away. all that remains is nothing in passage(out,)a very pestimistic view. however it still remains as a whole one of the best cd i own.

there is always something hidden in hawtin's music i have yet to find in another. maybe i just love hawtin musik ... Read more

Album Description

Joey Beltram is back with a new album.

To say "back" is not exactly correct because he is constantly working and recording, releasing tracks on Tresor, on other labels and of course on his own label STX since his last Tresor longplayer Places in 1996.

For Joey Beltram, making an album means taking the time he needs to create something he´s 100% happy with. "I´m not only pushing buttons. When I make music its an emotional thing", he says. And found in this work are his many emotions of 2004 transferred onto the CD and vinyl medium, to be carried straight to Techno and House home listeners and clubbers. All the tracks - whether they are more technoid or more housey - bring sexiness into electronic music that has definitely been missing for the last few years. This gave him the motivation to record a new album in the first place - and with success. The Rising Sun exudes incomparable freshness: hi-hats that take your body through techno storms and lash back with solid precision.

The New York legend has once again created a milestone in the electronic music spectrum, for the modern techno dancefloor.

Only one difference to the Places album: previously Beltram recorded tracks mainly with DJ tracks-for-vinyl in mind. New ideas, new emotions, and he has since then wrapped his experience into this artist album, structured for both vinyl and CD formats. The CD (that has 3 bonus tracks) is designed to get CD collectors tuning in at home, the rhythm loud between your ears so as to not miss any of the textured layers... ... Read more

Amazon.com

For the Plastikman concept, Plus 8 founder Richie Hawtin sought to create an all-encompassing sonic environment, a slowly evolving "plastic world," in which the listener could commune with the machines.On Sheet One, the classic Roland boxes that made Detroit techno possible are placed front and center, bringing to light the psychedelic subtext of modern dance music. Meditative and hypnotic rhythms mingle with the distinctive undulating pulse of the TB-303 synthesizer, extracting and highlighting the essence of dance music. But unlike a dance-floor stormer, Sheet One's tension is not dramatically built and released; the point here is to slow down and listen closely, noticing change only after the fact, if at all. The ideas laid out in this album are later explored in the two subsequent Plastikman LPs as well as the limited-edition Concept series of 12-inches. But Sheet One is the most conceptually solid (as well as the most listener-accessible) LP of them all. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (8)

<---------{ Outer Limits }--------->
I've been listening to this since I first purchased it back in 94-95. There aren't too many albums that I can say that about.

I pop it in when I am working, surfing, sleeping, driving, eating, and all other activities that one can go about doing during a 24 hour period.

This is what "acid" SHOULD sound like!
My CD collection has reached somewhere around 200+ CDs and I can confidently say that this is my favorite out of all of them! This is a CD you can put in and zone out and be perfectly entertained! (I usely watch a special effects-driven movie on mute with Sheet One up loud)
Hauntingly alien ambient melodies with soft yet often locomotive synthetic percussion make up much of this epic masterpiece. Every track transions smoothly from the mellow ambient beginning all the way to the intensive climax of the last two tracks with eerie dialogue samples from what I think is "The Day the Earth Stood Still." I can leave this CD on repeat all day..even after owning it for two years! Just all around outstanding! Acid House revolutionized!

Seminal acid record.
In one of the reviews on this page the person states that this isn't the Plastikman he once knew. I think it is important to know that this is the CD version of the first Plastikman release, the double 12" of "Sheet One" (which contained Spastik) that came out in 1993 and along with Acperience 1 by Hardfloor was one of the main forces behind the acid explosion of 1993 and 1994 that unfortuntely lead to many lesser records featuring drum rolls and 303s. That being said, "Sheet One" is one of Richie's best and most focused records. It is a meditation on acid house stripped bare and laid clean. As far as whether or not it's from Detroit or Windsor... you can't separate the two communities... Richie used to spin on 96.3 in Detroit and at the Shelter (in Detroit) when he was young enough his mother had to drive him over the bridge. This is a seminal record from the early years of the peak of the Detroit scene, 1993-1996.

hypnotic beats
This album is fantastic for chilled out listening especially the 2nd track, which is amazing. Fantastic for work after a night out, soothing and ambient. Top!

This isnt the plastikman I once knew
I myself am a big fan of plastikman (aka Richie Hawtin)but this effort seemed to be lacking in depth,seems like he isnt trying anymore . If anything buy this cd for the art work its a sheet of blotter paper ,hence SHEET ONE. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

good stuff
Jeff Mills is one of very few dj's in my collection who compose so well I like their studio work as much as their live material. He is truly unique and in a very good way. I could hear his sound within the first 30 seconds of the first track. The second track "Pefecture..." is my favorite, but this album is really best experienced as a single composition. The futuristic vision of the film suits his musical style perfectly and he absolutely delivers. Dim the lights and prepare to be transported to Metropolis.

ps. I noticed one reviewer didn't get what he expected with this album. This is best classified to the general public as ambient techno. If you want the "live dj mix" style by Jeff Mills check out "Mix-Up Vol.2 Featuring J.Mills [IMPORT]".

This...... From a Techno DJ??
i bought this CD on the strength of these online reviews, and i regret it wholeheartedly. it says that jeff mills is a detroit techno DJ, but this compilation is neither techno, nor is it a continuous mix! i guess if your into artsy fartsy pretentious music, this one is definitely for you. ill probably sell this or something. i wanted techno !!

Within societies mindset, there lays thought yet to be found
Another exceptional release by Jeff Mills. Metropolis is an album which truly captures the essential aspects of Fritz Lang's masterpiece. From the intoxicatingly beautiful melodies of " New beginning " and " Landscape : utopian dream " to the haunting ambience of " They who lay beneath ", Metropolis is an album of intense enjoyment. Thought provoking and intriguing, this album is sure to tickle the fancy of any respectful of the genre of free thinking empirical sound. Obtain it before it is lost within the unstoppable progress of our metropoliptic society...

It's Jeff Mills folks, Buy Metropolis!!
This is again, a collection of masterpieces that only could come from the mind of Jeff Mills. Beatiful ambient soundscapes and 4/4 floor rockers. This is a wonderful new soundtrack to the 1926 Fritz Lang film "Metropolis". If your a fan of Mills, do yourself a favor and buy it.

...and another...
He's done it again ... after Waveform Transmission, Purposemaker Compilation and the Other Day his Metropolis CD is another real work of art. If you have listened to Jeff Mills or Robert Hood before and are liking their style (Detroit Techno) ... this is definately a must have.

Although it's not his best work, it's a great compilation that goes well with the modern jungle and galaxy. Definately something to listen to LOUD and with full attention. ... Read more