Amazon.com

Paul van Dyk spent most of the '90s perfecting a strain of credible, melodic Eurotrance that connected with clubbers all over the globe. Having honed his style and established a trademark sound, the East German DJ brings it all together on this, an album the overzealous are calling the first great dance record of the century. It begins in fine fashion with the cool breakbeat shimmer of "Vegas," swiftly followed by "Pikes," a valve-pumping Ibizan knees-up that's a tribute to the island's fabled hotel. So far, so good--this is topnotch progressive house that's guaranteed to make them move. However, if you're expecting more of the same, beware, because from here on in it's out with the Glo-Sticks and on with the face paint as a succession of clichéd trance anthems rudely gatecrash the party. From the lunar-landings vibe of "Avenue" through to the sweet pop lilt of "Face to Face," hypnotic riffs, sanguine chords, and hollow metronome beats take center stage. Van Dyk's no ATB, but ultimately this is just as one-dimensional. --Paul Tierney ... Read more

Reviews (182)

PVD changes directions on his newest disc
It's been a long wait between albums from trancemeister Paul Van Dyk, especially for fans of his work. While most top flight DJ's released mix discs to fuel and/or cash in on the great Trance Rush of 1999, PVD stuck mostly to gigs, label disputes, and Gatecrasher. So with no compilations to his name and just one singles release (Another Way/Avenue), anticipation - and expectations, are running high.

After giving this a few spins, one thing is clear; Paul Van Dyk is no longer composing, he's programming. Songs have become tracks, an album turned into a mixed set of cuts. Adventurous tunes have been spared for danceable numbers with maximum appeal and technical precision. This is as far removed from his magnificent Seven Ways as he could go. And that means this a disappointment.

The simplest way to describe this album is to examine the two songs released earlier in the States (Another Way/Avenue). Quality tunes, both. Now slowly extrapolate the difference between them, and that is, essentially, the remaining 10 tracks on this CD. This formula is hidden for awhile; "Vega" starts with refreshing breakbeat and a burrowing bass before the lush synths make an appearance. "Pikes" is similar, though more pounding, and employs breakdowns and squiggles. "Another Way" sounds more appropriate here in the mix as a middle piece than as a single, and gives the audience a melody they can latch on to. The simple thumper "Travelling" follows, and the lyrics- just the word "Travelling-" don't add much. The squelch and the traffic of "Avenue," a club staple last year, make for a banging winner. PVD abruptly changes gears with "Tell Me Why," the opener letting you get your breath before the acid melody line takes over. In the mix it's not the creative pop standout you may have heard: the vocals, like on most the tracks, are buried deep in the mix. "Together We will Conquer" is smiley-cheesy but works. After a few mediocre pieces, the disc closes with "We are alive," restoring the breakbeat, and bringing loud vocals to jar you (in a good way) from the repetitious haze. Uplifting without the cheese.

The second disc has a few mixed tracks, that feature more variety. The "Another Way (Original)" stands out, as does the club mix of "Tell Me Why."

There's not an inherently bad track on here, many just get lost in the haze of pounding beats and repetitious sounds. Paul Van Dyk does have taste, this is cheese-free and generally lacking the obvious melodies found on popular European charts. But at 78:22 it doesn't sustain your listening attention. Is this good, enjoyable, and suitably entertaining...yes. But is it "trance's first truly great album," as a national electronic magazine has proclaimed? Not hardly.

Some great progressive and club trance!!
Paul Van Dyk's style can be summed up in one word, simple. But simplicity doesn't equal a bad thing, in fact, it makes the experience more enjoyable. Some criticts have said that Van Dyk's latest album (OTAB) is unoriginal and brings nothing new to the trance genre, but heck if it sounds good and gets you dancing then there's no problem.

His songs have perfect build-up and direction, and aren't too hectic. And the chords in the background while repetitve, really get you into a TRANCE.

CD-1 starts out w/ "vega". A dark tone song that starts out slow but eventually progresses to a nice backbeat that leads into "pikes". Next is a great club song "Another Way" that really has a liquid trance feel to it. tracks 4 and 5 are decent but nothing special. Things get interesting again w/ the slow progression of "Tell me why" and stay mellow through "Face to Face" until you get to "The love from above" which is more upbeat. Fav. track on cd-1 though is def. "out there and back." it has perfect build up and a great finale that just makes you want to dance...song reminds me of Carnival in Brazil.

CD-2 Has mostly different remixes of the songs on cd-1. track 2 "all I need" has catchy tunes that'll get your foot tapping. And in my opinion "tell me why (club mix)" is better than on CD-1. really cd2 is just a bonus, 'cause cd1 is worth the price alone.
In all, this is a great trance cd that any fan of the genre should get. Right up there with Oakenfold's Tranceport and Sasha's live @ Ibieza

Out There and Back
OTAB is a little less adventurous than his previous outing (Seven Ways), but more solidly envisioned and produced. This album comes together beautifully with the spacey breaks of Vega, the lilting melodies of Another Way, the pure intensity of Travelling & Avenue, and the innocent naivety of Together We Will Conquer. A highlight of the album that not many people have commented on is the gorgeous, pulsating track Face to Face. Featuring beautiful strings and a rising and falling beat, Face to Face does not disappoint. A few of the last tracks get lost in the mix, but that may be because so much time is spent listening to the first songs over and over. I hate to beat a dead dog, but van Dyk is a master at what he does.

Well done...
This album is borderline dance, and doesnt contain enough songs like Vega where the bum tiss bum tiss beat isnt used. However, this is one of the best trance cds I own, the mixes are smooth and harmonic, relaxing yet upbeat, the sound quality is excellent. Another aspect that I appreciate is the lack of vocals...there is nothing worse than being interupted during a good song with that abrupt change in beat and the famous "echo" vocals of someone who cant really sing without help from a computer...PVD has a lot of vocals in his next album Reflections, which isnt in its entirety as good as the first 5 songs of this CD. Also, the album plays continuously so you can enjoy it at parties or just sitting at home relaxing without any interruption. There are no really off the wall tracks that obviously seperate themselves from the rest of the CD (very unlike Reflections) Overall this is an excellent display of PVD's skill and is worth every penny. It is hard to find good cds like this one, and as a trancer you owe it to yourself to have this in your collection.

BEST DANCE CD EVER MADE
If you are new to dance music or interested in hearing more quality electronic dance music this is the cd for you. Even after 4 years since its release this is quality stuff.Beautiful songs, excellent mixing, just amazing. Trust me buy this cd and you will forever love dance music and PVD. I have been dj'ing for 5 years and listening to dance music for over 17 yrs. and this cd is #1 on my list. PVD was the first dj to bring music to an international level and create a " new style" which blends beuatiful rythms and patterns. This cd is definetly a buy for all music lovers out there ... Read more

Album Description

Full title - The Very Best Of Tried & Tested Euphoria (Mixed By Judge Jules). Import exclusive dance compilation mixed by the UK dance star. Details TBA. Euphoria. 2004. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The very best Euphoria album ever!
I was just blown away by this album.I have every Euphoria album except the hard house and chill out session albums.This one is definitely at the very top. ... Read more

Amazon.com

More than a little dark around the edges, Peter Rauhofer's third entry in the Live At Roxy series is lean and nasty, focused on cavernous beats and lush, cold textures. Past Roxy releases have mined the DJ's captivating sense of timing and rhythmic patience, but Roxy 3's flat terrain makes even slight modulations feel like sky-high rocket rides. While Madonna's airy "Nobody Knows Me" gets dropped into the deep end of the sonic ocean, Rauhofer's remix breaks the central melody up into digitized rays of light that pierce the gloom. Disc two's contrasts are more limber, concentrating on shadowy, tribal techno with hints of electro (Cajmere's "Midnight") and the occasional anthem (the set-closing "Time" from Murk). Really, there's nothing revolutionary here for Rauhofer's usual clientele. But when the status quo is dressed up with this much craft and class, who needs a revolution? --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Peter Rauhofer seem to be running the show!
Even though I am still stuck back in the days before Johnny Vicous went trance, the days of where a song took you on a roller coaster of highs and lows, this 2 disk CD set is very what I call either, "Daytime Miami" or "Dirty Tribal After Hours". It's clear that music isn't the way it use to be :( but I have accepted this CD set with open arms. The song by Jahkey is blowin clubs up right now and if u like your music HARD like I do, see if you can get your hand on the Jahkey remix by Ohzee (the best mix in my opinion) - Tina

The Harder the Better!
Hard house music is tough to find, and to find some that's good is even tougher. Look no further than Peter Rauhofer's "Live @ Roxy 3. This is a killer mix of hard beats and sinister soundscapes, flawless!
This is one of my favorite CDs out right now along with another hard electronica artist named Mr.Deviant and his CD "Techno Obsession". Both CDs are killer!

Peter has done it again!!
Okay,
Let me start this by saying that Peter Rauhofer is an amazing live dj!! Now with that said, this set really captures the excitement and the sexiness of the power of house music. But not just any brand of house music. This is not for the timid, the beats are hard and the transitions are flawless. If you're a fan of the likes of Louie DeVito then I suggest you look elsewhere. But if you like your beats like I like my men(hard)then definately get this cd. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Album Description

Welsh trance DJ's 1999 offering. 26 tracks on 2 CDs, including 6 previously unreleased tracks, Medway- 'Ressurection EP', 'Sneaky Alien-'Bluestream',Narcotik -'Blue', Jark Prong-'Movin' Thru Your System', Lumin atus-'Hope' & Tilt-'I Dream'. Slimline double jewel case housed in a slipcase. 16 page booklet. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Sasha amazes the listener with one of the best sets ever
I bought GU013: IBIZA by Sasha before I heard this San Francisco retrospective and believed wholeheartedly that nothing could approach the divine mixing and superb track selection of IBIZA. Boy was I wrong. Sasha's SAN FRANCISCO Global Underground retrospective is every bit as good as IBIZA, and it tends to reflect a live club performance better than the for-the-headphones design of IBIZA.

Opening with a sampled conversation with some half-insane street bums, the first disc moves into the quiet, sly groove that is stereotypical for the first CD of any GU release. Here, however, Sasha's mood-creation is so effective that I cannot pick out highlights, because he brings you into his world with his enchanting track selection.

Disc Two, however, is nothing short of explosive. Opening with another conversation with street bums, Sasha pounds the bass with Narcotik's "Blue" and lifts the listener to a new level of awareness with Illuminatus' "Hope." The highest point of the album is tracks 8-10, Paraglider's "Change Me" sandwiched between two Breeder tracks, the screaming "The Chain" and the epitome of trance "Twilo Thunder." When the bass suddenly falls away about 1/3 of the way through "Twilo Thunder" and there is nothing by spacey sounds in an immediate emotional blow, I'm always can appreciate why trance and progressive house form the best music on Earth. And why Sasha is without a doubt the best DJ on Earth.

GU009: SAN FRANCISCO. Sasha shines again. Get it now!

Sasha is God!
I'll tell you straight off, this is probably my favourite CD of all time! Although now over a year old, this CD still sounds as fresh and exciting as the day I bought it. Virtually every tune on this album was unheard of before its release, but each one has slowly become a classic over the last year or so. Sasha not only displays his awe-inspiring mixing talents but also sets a precedent by which all mix compilations should be judged. He shows that a great track needn't be an obvious one and this way of thinking has really pioneered the deep trance sound which is going to dominate the next 12 months. The highlight for me has to be the track 'Hale Bopp' by Der Dritte Raum, closely followed by the mind-blowing mix into Stoneproof's 'Everything's Not You'. If you enjoy this, check out all other Global Underground compilations. They really are the world's greatest series of mix CDs. Other DJs to look out for include John Digweed, Lee Burridge and Danny Howells.

It is 2004 and I still listen to it
Years later, and a fairly large House music collection built up with me since then, Sasha's GU San Fran is one of the compilations I still love listening to every now and then. Just love everything about it, what else can I say?

Incredible. A must-own.
Quite often, you see loads of hype around GU CDs (or, heck, almost any series of DJ mixes) because, for the most part, if the CD rocks, maintains it's pace, and is danceable, people will enjoy. I tend to think of myself as a more discerning dance music fan in that I prefer mixes and overall DJ performances to showcase more than just a repetitive beat but also a sense of passion for electronic music itself. I want to feel power and passion in the mix and a sense of stream-of-conciousness. Not just "here's another dance song hit played loudly." GU's San Francisco was heard by my ears just as I was about ready to never listen to another DJ mix ever again, having tired from the scene and loads of mediocre CDs. Sasha has done some hit-and-miss things, and I can't say I really enjoy a lot of his self-made material, but this particular mix is astounding, I don't give a crap if it WAS mixed by computer or what. (for the record, GU DJs always have input into the final CD..it isn't just randomly put together by some nobody) It restored my faith in good DJ compilations (and since then I've gone on to find some of the real gems in the GU series) and techno/dance music in general; that when you're in the mood for something very dancy and rhythmic, there IS stuff out there that's both visceral yet artistic and pays attention to the music itself, and not just a relentless beat. Hold this CD set on a pedestal for it is one of the best out there.

i'm a bit biased but....
i have to say, (as i was entering new preferences for my amazon account) i was looking through the recommendations that amazon pulled up for my friend sasha and the GU09 came up. it brings back such happy memories as this cd was a landmark and cornerstone all in one, as i am MANA (not the latin group, and i no longer produce under this name) and this comp. was a huge thing for me. i love the way sash has put each and every track together as a whole. i had seen him several times while he was working out the track listing in the clubs he played and when i heard the final edit i cried. i knew this was going to be a timeless classic, and almost 5 years later i still listen to this every now and again and it's like the first time i heard it, even if it must be the millionth time! i highly recommend this as a totally essential cd to get if you love any of the electronica genres, as this is how good music - no matter what its classed as - should sound like. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not like A Forbidden Fruit
I got this special edition hoping to find some pleasures in the mixes. I think you'd be better off saving money buying the single album version. This album is great in many ways, but not like PvD's older style. When I first heard Forbidden Fruit, I was determined to find out more about PvD...For one, there's more vocals on this album, featuring Jahn Johnston, whose voice is ok. You should check out the beautiful voice of Justine Suissa in Armin van Buuren's 76 album. If you are a die hard fan of trance, her voice will captivate you! Those who really liked PvD's trance-like music would find this album refreshing and different. There's certainly a mixture between pop, trance, dance, and hard progressive beats. The best songs are Homage, Connected, Spellbound, and Kaleidoscope. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Not their best, and worse than most...
It's funny what a difference bad luck can make to a record. In Hybrid's case, for their first new album since the widely acclaimed and still much loved brilliance of 1999's 'Wide Angle', the difference is all encompassing. While beginning the recording of this album in 2002, Mike Truman and Chris Healing's (who make up the creative team behind Hybrid) studio was broken into. Although much of what had already been layed down in the studio escaped harm (tracks like 'Gravastar', and the beginnings of 'Higher than a Skyscraper' for example, arguably amongst the best tracks on the new album), the incident caused the producing duo to question their work so far and ultimately, to head off in an entirely new direction with the rest of the album. When they eventually returned to the studio, vocalist Adam Taylor and New Order bassist Peter Hook had come on board (amongst others) and the radical shift in focus was complete. The resulting work unfortunately sounds as disjointed and non-cohesive as you might expect from this broken recording process and absolutely begs, in my opinion, to be two separate albums of songs.

The record starts off promisingly enough. 'True To Form' resonates with Peter Hook's absolutely unmistakable bass tones, resonating notes that have underpinned so many now classic (in the truest sense of the word) New Order songs. Over the top, the trademark lush, Hybrid orchestrated strings have been added to the mix and they still sound as great as they ever did (this time recorded in St.Petersburg with a real orchestra). But then, layered over this is the very strained vocal of new singer Taylor and frankly, it immediately spoils a perfectly good song. His disjointed take on the lyrics is off-key and entirely wrong for this track. Later, I'm Still Awake becomes yet another good idea spoiled in the execution. Adam Taylor again warbles out some really banal lyrics over a rather nice backing track, but it all seems too forced, as though the vocal had been recorded in another country altogether and sent back to be carelessly matched up later. Basically the song never even gets close to working as a whole. 'Steal You Away' is much better, a delicate guitar-driven, synth-soaked song with a much better rendition by Taylor. I still can't really come at his voice, but at least this song is complete, effective and doesn't jar as much. 'Out of the Dark' is the final Adam Taylor vocal outing and another I really want to like. Virtually everything about the track is great, except for that damn voice of his again. He absolutely tortures the 'torn to this' line throughout and the entire experience is pretty unpleasant. Still, could this just be personal taste?

On the "it's all good" side, 'Know your Enemy' bristles and crackles with a breakbeat energy and intensity rarely found within the rest of the album. 'Marrakech' too is an interesting diversion, filled as it is with the sounds we all identify easily enough as Middle Eastern and in that regard, it conjures up immediate images of sand dunes and smoking hookah pipes in the first crack of dawn, watched over perhaps by friendly smiling Bedouins? Very much the 'morning sci fi' the title no doubt refers to...'Blackout' is a terrific slower number, full of the syrupy, flowing violins and gorgeous female vocals we are more used to from the Hybrid of old. It's a track absolutely screaming out for a remix though and this is perhaps the most notable lowlight of the album, in that the production fails to make the songs here stand alone as a cohesive record. As with so much of 'Morning Sci Fi', it appears only the remixes will save the end result, the original album featuring perhaps the worst representations of the tracks on it. The pity is, these songs clearly have lots going for them and yet Hybrid has somehow failed to place them in their best light. This is not something one could ever say about any one track on their debut LP and comes as quite a shock.

'Wide Angle' comparisons here are hard, if not impossible to ignore, this being the difficult second album Hybrid had to produce under clearly, even more difficult circumstances. While the former album took breakbeat into the commercial stratosphere, on the back of such lushly orchestrated and beautifully realised tracks as 'If I Survive', 'I Know' and 'Dreaming Your Dreams', to name just a few (for the whole album was a tour-de-force), 'Morning Sci Fi' positively groans under the weight of balancing some great old ideas with the stiffer, much worse ideas of the new. Though the dynamic duo of Truman and Healing are still sonic producers to be reckoned with and their live shows no doubt remain everything they always have been, fans can only be disappointed with an album that, had it stuck to its original guns, could have become 'Wide Angle 2'. Though producing another album identical to their 1st would have perhaps said too little about the creative geniuses behind this name, Hybrid have created an album that has instead left behind the best of their recent history and travelled down an altogether different road. It's a road less travelled, to be sure, but one that is leading their audience to an unsatisfying destination with little real reward for the journey.

Not the album many of us were expecting, nor unfortunately, of the quality that they have already proven they are capable of delivering.

Electro Genius
Hybrid is the best when it comes to composing electronic music - not cheesy in the least bit. And again they didnt fail to deliver thier harmonic, trancy-type feel to the songs on this album. Some of the songs are reminiscent of their last album Wide Angle but overall they have taken a new direction with thier music. The majority of the album is somewhat downtempo and really groovy. Like always they use symphonic istruments like piano and strings but have add in a little more guitar this time. You gotta love electronica mixed with acoustic intruments. Majority are instumental tracks with about 3 or 4 vocal tracks. Very much worth it. Try it

Grows on you steadily...
I purchased Morning Sci-Fi in late 2003 after playing the life out of Wide(r) Angle (gotta love the live tracks), and I wasn't too sure of what to expect, given the sublime perfection of their debut. After many months of listening to it in a variety of different situations, I have to say this album is beyond excellent, if not quite in the same way as Wide Angle. It took a long time for me to enjoy this as much as their previous effort, but I think this one's not nearly as straightforward. Morning Sci-Fi is one of those albums that you need to sit down, give it your full attention, and let it play all the way through a few times. Trust me, these guys did A LOT of work in these songs, you need to hear all of it. There's little melodies and tricks all over the place that stick very easily in your head after only a few listens, but some you'll be discovering many many listens later. The general mood of the album is a dark, intelligent, danceable one, as well as enjoyable whether in the car or a crowded room. Adam Taylor's (male vocalist, featured on four tracks) voice does take a while to grow on you, but once it does, you'll find yourself not being able to imagine the songs without it.

Plus, the album comes with an entertaining (and hillarious, courtesy of Mr. Chris Healings) DVD, which is more than worth the price of the album alone. Also, make sure to check the hidden track, entitled "Lights Go Down Knives Come Out" at the very beginning of the album (hold the back button on your CD player until the time reads -6:05). Great moody track, not to be missed. Just like the rest of the album.

Some science, some fiction, all pleasant.
Hybrid, the electronic sensation from Wales, caught the ears of most with their neo-classical masterpiece Finished Symphony (this reviwer included). Their debut work, Wide Angle, and its expanded edition, Wider Angle, was quite impressive, with tracks like Beachcoma showing their attention to detail in the studio and their live mixes like Burnin' demonstrating their muscular grooves and ability to get a crowd moving.

So how do you follow up such an acclaimed introduction? By completely changing it up, of course. Morning Sci-Fi sounds nothing like Wide Angle. Gone are the epic and sweeping soundscapes and frantic breakbeat scratches. Replacing them are catchy basslines (courtesy of Peter Hook), subtle string strokes, an all new vocalist (Adam Taylor). The end result is a deeper, darker, and much edgier album. You won't hear the "Hybrid beat" that was almost patented (in a good way) in their stellar remix CD, Remix & Additonal Production By... anywhere on this album. This definitely isn't Wide Angle 2 (Widest Angle?). Yet for all it's differences, it's still unmistakenly Hybrid, and unmistakenly superb.

So why only 4 stars? First, one of the more interesting and experimental tracks (Lights Go Down, Knives Come Out) is acually hidden, and extremely hard to get at. One must take the original CD (it won't come out in MP3s), set it to track one, and manually rewind back past 0:00 for some time to listen to the song. While devilishly clever, this is rather annoying, as many CD players simply won't let you do this function. Second, Adam Taylor's vocals, a long with a lot of the stylistic changes, come as something of a shock. It took quite some time for me to warm up to the harshness of Taylor's voice, and the album as a whole. It was only after several listenings that I really began to appreciate the subtleties lurking beneath its surface. Third, Kirsty Hawkshaw's track, Blackout. She has a lovely voice, and the instrumental aspect of Blackout is very strong. However, the lyrics are sub-par and the song itself never tests Hawkshaw's vocal chords enough to show them off.

Morning Sci-Fi proves that Hybrid came back with a vengeance. If this is typical of the Welsh group, then I can't wait to see what they'll produce in their third outing.

A Serrated-Edged Symphony for the 21st Century
When, in the early spring of last year, a virtual-whisper reached my ears about Hybrid's second album, I instantly set about the task of acquiring a copy for my immediate gratification and aesthetic examination. I've been a fan of the Welsh-based breakbeat group from the moment I heard their storming debut 'Symphony' in 1998, and in the years following, I scoured the windswept heights of elitist import-only shops and plumbed the depths of cyberverse filebanks for special releases, lost tracks, secret remixes; when Hybrid's symphonic zeitgeist *Wide Angle* was released overseas, I bought the Japanese import regardless of the cost. Thus: after contacting certain 'sources,' I acquired a promotional copy of *Morning Sci-Fi,* Hybrid's long-delayed sequel/follow-up. Could it meet expectation? Would it shatter the mold and usher in a whole new era for this unbelievably talented group?

Alas! Expectations are ever destined to bring disappointment. To my pleasure, I found that Hybrid had retained many of their core elements: synthesized soundscapes of the highest quality; organic instrumentation including guitars, strings, horns and woodwinds; all underpinned by some of the sickest breakbeat percussion ever committed in the genre. Moreover, there was a newfound darkness to the material - the album sounded like a natural extension of and artistic shift from *Wide Angle*. And yet, to my chagrin, I also heard elements that were initially disruptive to the Hybrid experience, most notably the group's new vocalist, Adam Taylor. "What were they thinking?" I muttered to myself, displeased with how Taylor's tone clashed with the music. The delivery came embarrassingly close to histrionic, and those lyrics. . .! The angst-y, juvenile subject matter induced many a cringe in my first dozen-or-so listening-sessions.

Eventually I adjusted to Taylor's voice and came to enjoy *Morning Sci-Fi* for what it was, consoling myself with the opinion that *Wide Angle* had had its share of horrid guest vocals as well: the bland 'Fatal Beating,' the hilarious-in-a-bad-way "frog-hop" of 'Sinequanon' - truth be told, none of Taylor's tracks could match that French-rap-wannabe atrocity (...I'm an American and culturally biased in this regard). Upon my twentieth listen I decided that this was a great album, vocals notwithstanding; and when *Morning Sci-Fi* finally received a stateside release, I plunked down the cold cash for it, happy to never again have to hear that English voice announce, over the peaks and breakdowns, "HYBRID: PROMO COPY." So imagine my surprise to find that the boys behind the racks had decided to further tinker with their second outing, adding electronic dimension to Taylor's limitations (explicit use of echo and reverb), editing several of the tracks that had overstayed their welcome (Know Your Enemy, Gravastar). Also included was a bonus track of almost pure symphonic form, the exquisite 'Lights Go Down, Knives Come Out,' though its placement in the mix - or rather, lack thereof - is one of the factors that made me lessen my rating by a star.

The music: Morning Sci-Fi begins with an amalgam of reverse-engineered strings and drunken rant courtesy of the notorious DJ John Creamer. After its short duration, a high-hat emerges, chattering insistently; bass-synths churn and growl; and Taylor's electro-tweaked Taoist blather slowly insinuates itself into the mix - a much-improved alteration on the stark vocals of the promo-copy. Hard 4/4 drums and the recognizable bass of New Order's Peter Hook dominate the mix soon after. The song ends on a slow, melancholic note, and flows nicely into the futuristic breakbeat of 'Know Your Enemy.' The Arabic-influenced 'Merrikech,' drenched in reverse-sampling, is another standout, while 'Visible Noise' and 'We Are In Control' serve to kick the album into high gear, the former with its pounding riffs and rippling breakdown, the latter with a funky bass/break combo and vocoder announcements of the Orwellian vein. 'Higher than a Skyscraper/Steal You Away' peaks the album - a smashing combo - and 'Gravastar' levels it with industrial clang and lockstep 4/4 kick-hammer. 'Out of the Dark', Taylor's fourth vocal cut (!) maintains the tension. Finally the mix exhales with 'Blackout', featuring the lovely-piped Kristy Hawkshaw and some truly epic string-work via The Hermitage Orchestra of St. Petersburg.

*Morning Sci-Fi* also comes packaged with a supplement DVD, featuring two documentaries and two live performances. The first documentary concerns Hybrid's 2001 tour with Moby (who comes off as a bit, well, 'egocentric'), while the second chronicles the process of making the album, though for some strange reason one of the key factors - the studio break-in that changed the entire course of *Sci-Fi*'s artistic synthesis - is totally omitted in favor of band members patting each other on the back. The less said about the live performances, the better . . . though it is rather amusing to see Taylor try to occupy himself with rock-star poses while the band slowly saws toward the vocal sections.

My biggest gripe with Morning Sci-Fi (the reduction of a star) is the fact that one of the best tracks on the entire album, 'Lights Go Down, Knives Come Out,' is "cleverly" hidden: one has to spin the album back from the first track to access it. This doesn't work on many CD players, however, including the Gemini CD-2000x I DJ with for my professional occupation. Also, I'm somewhat disturbed by the implied notion that Hybrid plans on continuing to work with Taylor - after hearing him mangle 'If I Survive' during a live performance for One World, I am utterly aghast at this notion.

In conclusion: Hybrid has shown their technical/experimental chops with this album, and for the most part I'm pleased with their artistic decisions, having a healthy respect for ambition, even if it isn't fully realized. Change and experimentation are necessary for continued growth and better craft. I only hope they hire new (and better) vocalists for their future sci-fi symphonies. _Then_ we might hear the masterpiece these boys are more than capable of. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the moment Florida-raised, New York-based Jimmy Van M kicks off this superlative release with Mo Shic and Zeidan's "Night Stalker," the quality of this CD never dips. It's no surprise that John Digweed wanted Van M on the Bedrock project roster: no one else has this man's sense of spatial trance awareness. He brings a variety of flavors (not the least of which are some great core house elements) to the party, yet keeps things first class with a steady, smooth, and intoxicating ascent. For example, his own "Love Like Sleep (Dub)," which soaks house music in trance, glistens with retro electro as well. And when JVM wants to turn the mix all melancholy, he does so with the sweetness and light of Minimalistix's "Struggle for Pleasure," a pounding backbone that keeps things brisk and active as the emotions open up all around. It's obvious by the middle of the second disc that Van M is a huge fan of Underworld's approach to sound and arrangement. John Johnson's "London" has the mood and movement of a Dub No Bass with My Head Man classic, while Mandisco hits the autobahn at Underworldian speed with the smoky trance-pherics of "Mandisco (Original Mix)." Jimmy then throws in the relentless bouncing energy of Junkie XL's "Bon Voyage." Does it end on a fadeout or an ambient slow note? Not a chance, matey! Thermodee & Stratosphere's descriptively titled "Diminished Responsibility" makes one question why this wasn't a three-disc blessing. Indeed, Jimmy Van M has created a benchmark trance release. Novices and newbies will be instantly spoiled by the caliber of this collection while veterans will find it hard to disengage once the first track is spinning. This is the closest anyone has come to bringing the trance floor to living rooms worldwide. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Hypnotic Gem
JVM is one of the few DJ's that very often come to Mexico City and I've been a follower of his sets ever since he opened for Sasha back in 1999 (my first time). I remember his music mixing being amazing and that prompted me to attend his every gig... so far I have not been disappointed. This latest mix CD, a worthy successor to his Ministry of Sound disc (a really underrated gem), is a truly hypnotic progressive gem that doesn't let you down. Disc 1 is the best of the two: its subtle rhythm changes and hidden melodies make it a night out clubbing right into your living room... Prototype's "Control of sound" simply explodes right out your speakers switching the sound gear into progressive overdrive without the madness of cheesy trance... simply pulsating sounds and cascades of ambience that won't let you down. By the time you reach JVM's own "Love like sleep" your body asks for a dance floor. Disc 2 is also very good but I believe that the combination of two mixes of the INCREDIBLE "Janeiro" is a little too much; anyway, this disc is a little faster but it builds a little less on the fabulous ambience built on disc 1. HIghligths of this disc are Brancaccio & Asher's "Music don't stop" and Junkie XL's "Bon voyage". Overall the whole flow of this 2 disc resembles by 98% JVM's June 9th's presentation in Mexico City... that means it is a truly wonderful and must-get cd from the always-excellent Bedrock recordings. Put it on, relax, turn off the light and let JVM take you somewhere else...

jimmy crack corn and we sure do care
short version:

buy it right now.

listen to it, enshrine it, & make little animal sacrifices to it.

long version:

no doubt one of the best, if not the very best compilation of 01. jimmy van m, perhaps best known as squire and partner in crime to the dynamic duo of sasha & digweed, has long championed a style of dark, borderline tribal trance that sways between beat-ladden minimalism and melodic excess. much of the popularity he has acquired so far has been by proxy--most folks naturally associate him with his bedrock seniors. worse, his trance nation america effort in cooperation with another of east-coast's best djs, taylor, failed to garner and huge hubbub.

what pity.

i'm the last person in the world to deride digweed's impeccable beatmatching or sasha's subtlety, but van mulligam's unobstrusive mixing and splendid selection makes him my favorite of the three. yes, really. that good--and once we get to talking about the track selection, it gets even better.

cd 1 is a masterful exercise in subtle musical progression, from brooding and tribal to percussion-driven, chord-ladden funk and back to rolling, dark & dirty beats.

israel's hottest producing team, moshic & zeidan, open with a slow building, eerie gem--nightstalker--which blends into the echoing whispers of 'late night,' by floppy sounds. remixers du jour john creamer & stephane k contribute an appropriately dark remix of ecvm's 'circuit breaker,' and then we're off to funkbeatland: yum-yum's william borroughs-inspired 'heavy fluid' and prototype's 'control of sound' wind their way around splendid chords, aggressive percussion and vocal samples.

the disk peaks with blackwatch's incredible, deep and dreamy re-dub of barotek, steve porter's irresistibly kinetic remix of 'mothership' and tocharian's 'lacuna,' a melodic masterpiece with vocals sampled from the next track, a dub of jimmy van m's latest effort, 'love like sleep.' a much slowed-down version of minimalistix' 'struggle for pleasure' provides closer to one of the most gorgeous stretches of music ever to be mixed.

cd 2 deserves less analysis since it's not nearly as beautiful, or as innovative. john johnson's london is a forgettable introduction, sadly, but van m perks things up by prudently paying tribute to the most popular track of early 01, solid sessions' 'janiero,' featuring both the original and the saffron mix. the next track--the best of the cd, frankly, is MISLISTED as brancaccio & aisher's 'music don't stop'--i haven't the information on what it actually is, but i am quite familiar with work done by london's busiest producers and remixers, and this is not one of them.

from there on, only a scintillating dub of quivver's 'one last time' and junkie xl's 'bon voyage' offer reprieve from an otherwise standard progressive-fodder fare.

conclusion: though cd 2 slacks up in selection (though not mixing; the cd is obviously pro-tooled, not turntable mixed) bedrock 02 is a serious contender to the title of 01's best compilation. hurrah to jimmy and the good guys from the balance promotion group from providing us with another stunner.

Excellent first disc
This is a terrific double-disc which is very dark and might take a little getting used to. All the better, if it can touch a part of your ear which other DJ's have missed! This is too menacing to dance to and is better suited to late-night driving and relaxing. The first disc is definately stronger than the second, as other reviewers have noted. Don't expect any trancey highs - Jimmy's style is very dense jungle/house and less accessible.

Good Trance
This CD is veeeerrrry trancy. By that I mean, the selections are not meant for dancing, don't have highs and lows, and transitions are very smooth (the strongest aspect of this CD). At times you can't even tell when the current song ends and next song begins, which I think is talent that Jimmy Van M has mastered. The song selections are good and their genre falls somewhere between the 'dark' (downtempo) trance and progressive (electronic) trance. If you like this genre (like I do), then you'll enjoy this CD. Highly recommended!

Progressive, hypnotic and amazingly cool
I saw Jimmy Van M open up for Sasha and Digweed and was absolutely blown away with his set. It was one of, if not the best trance performances I've ever had the priveledge of listening to.

I bought this CD immediately afterwards and am happy to say that it captures what I saw live to a large extent. If you like progressive trance and want a good mix to groove to or just chill to, this one is highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Another entry in the dance crossover race, ATB's (otherwise known as DJ Andre Tanneberger) music has always run on the easy-to-swallow side of the dance-music spectrum. Still, this double CD (especially the first disc) occasionally veers into easy-listening boredom or outright dance-pop cheese. While his best-known songs have been energetic and fiery (such as the 1999 party-starter 9 P.M.), this album only sporadically finds the trance-like wash of beats and melody that truly compel the masses to take the dance floor with gusto. Not that it's all like that, of course. The amazing "Hypnotic Beach" swirls twisting, mesmerizing, happy hardcore glitter around trance techno beat structures with gleeful abandon. ATB also explores a memorable downbeat vibe on the second disc. On "Timeless" he trots out drum & bass rhythms and a shadier mood that deepen the sound just right. Too often, though, the melodies and beats blur together as ATB pieces identical samples together throughout the record to a point beyond dance-floor continuity. Heavy on collaborations with the likes of Heather Nova, Enigma, and the Canadian rock band Wild Strawberries, this record is clearly ATB's attempt at a mass-market breakthrough. Let's hope that his supporting tour will feature a riskier mix amidst the candy-coated beats and samples. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (33)

ATB ----All the Better
I never heard of Andre Taneberger (until I purchased this cd on a curious whim) but was more interested in the collaborations on this effort with more well known artists such as Enigma and Heather Nova...It's Just a shame that he did not collaborate more with Michael Cretu of Enigma !

But what I did get for my money is a second disc that contains some pretty heavy ethereal and catchy ambiance or "mood" music. Just listen to the dream like and laxed beauty of Enigmatic Encounter (with Enigma);it's a beautifully haunting piece !The rest of the tracks for disc 2 follow much in the same vein (either slow to mid dance tempos).

As for the first disc, many reviewers have touted it as a let down and citing that the whole thing is just one big boring blend of trance and techno mush music...Well, for one thing, that's the whole idea for a trance-dance projecet like this if it is going to be used properly for dee-jaying purposes and dancing at a club;All tracks have to flow smoothly into one another so the dancing at a techno club is non-stop ! That is what probably gives the first disc the impression that there is not that much variety or variation. There really is, though...

ATB's music is somewhat of an acquired taste for 2 reasons. 1. is that this is a German export artist where the Germans are known for being or rather creating some of the most mesmerizing "electronic music" at the forefront (Kraftwerk, Enigma, Sandra). 2. If you are not a club going faithful or just not into electronica you will not like this type or genre unless you open your mind and want to venture into something different !

Better and better!
First of all, I want to notice, that this second album - "Two Worlds" consists of 2CD, that speaks on Andre's talent and grown professionalism. First CD features mostly trance, dance trakcs. Some of them are really superb, such as "The Summer" or "See U Again". What am I saying, - all of them! But more I like his second CD, which features mellow, calming, slowly tracks. That's great! I love these trakcs for their trance and calming effect. It is worthed to listen, especially "The Summer (Ibiza Influence Version)" and "First Love" - they're really wonderful! I know and heard of almost all of ATB works: from his SQ-1 and remixes till his last album. I assure you will not be dissapointed by listening these last traks, which continue to reveal Andre's talent. In conclusion want to say, that I adore and admire ATB music, the guy, who makes an excellent tracks, sounds and remixes, who made the revolution in the international dance scene. I wish him more success and luck...

Two Worlds
Two Worlds~ Atb is one good euro dance album. The text is a bit stupid but then again good vocals and beat are more important for this kind of music.

Another world andother sound
First of all i would like to comment on all those that has been saying that this is a weak and boring album that it's not. ATB do sound diffrent from his first, here the majority of the songs are slow and not like "9PM" but they are less commercial too. Most songs are passioned with beautiful melodies, there surely are way to many songs included but there are loads of wonderful songs there. "The fields of love" "Engrossing Moments" and "The summer" are exellent and his "Let you go" with Wild Strawberries is not bad either, they are all superb relax songs. The great Heather Nova (2 songs) and Enigma are also feautured here, the result is a sensual and beautuful dance album. "Klagwent" is more of a electro song, "Timeless" is a mix of drums&bass and dance, like "Cabana Moon" on "Addicted to music" and the songs with Heathee Nova includes vocals obviously, so all songs are not slow relax songs but occasional fans that only liked the commercial "9pm" and simular songs should stay away from this cause it's diffrent from "Movin Melodies" that's not a bad thing though.

ATB'S SSSSSIIIIIIIIIICCCCCKKKKKK
This tape, along with all of ATB's other tapes are sick!!! You can't stop this guy!! COME TO THE 808 STATE SOON PLEASE!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

impulse buy
Was at the store and took a risk on this cd since i didnt know whether it was vocals or not. Its really good some are vocals and some arent, but still a great cd.

Another Double Dose Of Trance From Ultra Records!
The third installment of Ultra Record's (in conjunction with U.K.'s Ministry Of Sound's Record Label) popular selling "Trance Nation America" is another excellent 2-cd compilation of popular Euro trance (and dance) hits. The first disc is mixed by Mike Rizzo and while not flawless he does a decent job blending from song to song. There are alot of standout cuts here including Andain's "Beautiful Things" (Gabriel & Dresden Unplugged Mix), Lasgo's "Surrender" (Extended Mix), Mike Koglin Feat. Marine's "Another World" (Original 12" mix), Ashiva's "Sunrise", Agnelli & Nelson's gorgeous "Holding Onto Nothing" (Original Mix), 4 String's "Turn It Around" (Extended Mix) and a very different Michael Woods remix of Candee Jay's smash "If I Were You". The second disc is mixed by DJ Drew who does a fine job mixing up his set (but he tends to go off track towards the end). The standouts are LMC Vs. U2's "Take Me To The Clouds Above" (Flip And Fill Remix), BT's "Force Of Gravity" (Tiesto Remix), The Thrillseekers "Newlife" (Original Mix), Above & Beyond Feat. Zoe Johnson's "No One On Earth" (Gabriel & Dresden Remix), and DT8 Project's "Sun Is Shining" (Club 12" Mix). All in all it's a decent double cd collection with alot of excellent songs, but certainly not as well mixed as the more popular DJ's such as Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto or Ferry Corsten. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This second installment of what looks to be an ongoing series carries the usual selection of mellow mainstream on the first disc and a typically intriguing collection of lesser-known compositions on the second. The acoustic guitar alongside Nelly Furtado's voice on "Party (Reprise Mix)" is a wonderfully melancholic surprise on the first disc, whileGoldfrapp deliver the smoky, Air-esque "Lovely Head." Purists will again find the second disc worth its weight, as Tosca's "Honey (Supatone 1 Dub)," the again excellent Witchman, with "Mekong," and Timo Maas's "Hash Driven" give the disc a nice, dub-driven spine. Extra credit is awarded for not only reviving the Specials' brilliant "Ghost Town," but for making it work as part of a chill-style compilation. If Chilled 01 was your cup of chai, then 02 will further serve both your needs and chillin' education. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (22)

one of the better comp cds...
i purchased both ultra. chilled 01&02 at the same time. 02 imo is better. the first cd comprised w/ vocals where much of the second cd instrumental...it works well though...pending how you want to set the mood to go...
both cds are continuously mixed w/out any pauses between the songs which is how i hoped these cds would be...nice also when played as background music...

the mixing is nothing superb. but who cares when more time is spent selecting the songs...which obviously was the case here...great tracks. as w/ most comp cds...your lucky if you like more than half the tracks, but w/ boths these...i didn't care for maybe 2..3 from each cd...and who knows...i may grow to like them...as i've only listened to both cds once!!!
i actually own goldfrapp, zero 7 & black box recorder full length cd and must say...they picked tracks from each that are one of my fav. ...if thats any further indication of the quality of these cds...

for those new to chillout...or, lets say "beautiful mellow music";)...definately go w/ this cd...and those old...why not when its already done...this way, you don't have to rack your brain picking songs for that comp you've been wanting to make for how long now?!?

those who listen to trip hop, techno or dance... you'll easily recognize some of the names...and if there ones you like...then its that simple.......................
chill out w/ friends or...turn down the lights, maybe light a few candles...little wine...you know the rest...

ps. again, just my opinion...but if debating on ultra. chilled 01. i thought 02 was just a whole notch above. "destiny" & "utopia" are my favs by zero 7 and goldfrapp but i'm sure you own both those already anyway, plus massive and morcheeba. the 2nd cd i caught myself skimming! right through......

Low Class Lounge
If you can even call it "lounge". These leet DJ's are mixing the Specials in-between the Boards of Canada and Röyksopp, "Uhhh, thanks guys, I appreciate that, um, new and interesting take to downtempo/chill musical refreshment there". I'm sorry, but this album is either;
* A: a very small music collection on the part of the "DJ" mixing this compilation or
* B: a serious newbie music label that could care less about a quality soundscape

BUT, in all fairness, there were a couple of songs that I was turned on to that I hadn't heard before. Again, I have to play the devil's advocate in saying that this does not include the song entitled "The Facts of Life" by Black Box Recorder. This song is noted by a over exerted woman's "sexy" voice talking about little boys in puberty on top of a bunch of no talent "sex-ed" samples. Come on guys, I can do just as well with "intellectual" doctor Ruth samples on top of a 80's Casio keyboard demo button! (Hmmm, maybe I should start a no-talent "chill-out" label).

All and all, I believe that this album is a rip-off. The only thing I could imagine making up for all the crap music on these CDs is putting a decent (more arousing) centerfold of the goddess on the cover in the CD sleeve.

-Cheers

BOOOOOOOORING....
I'm not an expert in lounge music, but I know what I like, most of us GenXers like Lounge Music that is smooth, sexy and intriguing, that's what a chilled album should have, something you can listen to while having a nice conversation with your date... However, this copilation is something that you would listen to if you want to put your date to sleep, and I'm not talking about sleeping with your date, I'm talking about watching your date sleep... all in all I thought it lacked imagination and I agree with others when they say it is way too predictable.. Nevertheless, to give it some credit (2stars) there are a couple of songs worth listening to or at least burning into a different cd..

If you're a college freshman...
...then you might want this to balance your Linkin Park and 50 Cent CDs when you have girls over.

Otherwise, it's not worth your money. There is no mixing on the CDs, and the selections are pretty random. I like the Specials, for example, but I certainly wouldn't have included 'Ghost Town' on a downtempo mix.

If you are over 20, look into releases from Eighteenth Street Lounge (i.e. home of Thievery Corp. and great compilations) and Grand Central Records, or the Naked Music series.

Outstanding
I can't get enough of either of the CDs here. I especially like the first CD, with the Goldfrapp track and the Black Box Recorder tracks standing out (To say that Coldplay and Radiohead did well would be unnecessary)

I could keep listening to this Black Box Recorder song all day. The music is just so gorgeous, it just makes you feel peaceful with the world.

When you listen to a CD like this, you think there can be nothing wrong with a world in which music like this exists ... Read more

Amazon.com

You're having a dinner party. The in-laws are going to be there. So are some of your closest "after-hours" friends. You need music, something mellow but not despicably insipid. Welcome to a double-disc set that will cover all the above bases. Featuring Dido's "Home with Me (Chillin' with the Family Mix)," St Germain's wonderful, downtempo "Sure Thing," and Royksopp's jaunty "Eple," it's mainstream enough for the progressive suburbanites in your midst. Meanwhile, Badly Drawn Boy's "The Shining" and "Nights Interlude" from Nightmares on Wax are culled from a deeper well of modern folk and jazz, respectively. The second disc, which contains some absolute gems, works overall as a more fluid mix. After Jakatta and Moby bring us further in, Dusted hit the dubbed-out trip-hop trail with "Childhood." Witchman (a.k.a. John Roome) has the set's best moment with "Leave No Trace (Dub)," a smoky bit of wicked seduction that makes for a marvelous chill-out gem. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Oh man. Awesome.
There ARE thousands upon thousands of chillout compilations. It seems like the in thing to do if you're a producer.

But this one is still excellent. I purchased this a couple days after it came out, and I've been in love with chillout music ever since; a good introduction indeed.

The track selection is a great way to get anyone into chillout. It showcases big names in downtempo (Thievery Corporation, Zero 7, Massive Attack), stuff you've probably never heard of (Royksopp, Dusted), and even commercially available stuff (Dido, Moby, Deep Dish, Chemical Brothers).

The first disc is the easier to enjoy of the two, as it's livelier, funkier, and would probably go well with your girlfriend, a couch, and dimmed lights. Standouts on the disc are Zero 7's "Destiny", one of my favourite songs ever, Royksopp's incredibly catchy tune "Eple", and the classic Massive Attack tune "Hymn Of The Big Wheel". The only shortcoming on the disc is I Monster's "Daydream In Blue", which doesn't really fit with the mood of the rest of the CD.

The second disc is slightly more abstract and full of lesser known artists. But it does include two very classic tracks: Moby's "Go", and The Future Sound Of London's "Papua New Guinea". Standouts on this disc are Banda Sonora's "Guitarra G", a slick drum+bass track with flamenco guitars, as well as the warm and fuzzy track "16 Again" by Neon Heights.

All in all, this collection is well worth your money, especially for someone who is new to the realm of chillout music.

another chillout album...
For those of you who haven't an extensive cd collection of chillout beats this cd would make a nice addition to your collection. I recently purchased this cd as it makes a nice compilation including many of the artists I hold in high regard making an appearance. I must say that the track selection is for the most part exceptional with several of my favourites being listed including "Zero 7 - destiny", "Future Sounds of London - Papua new Guinea" an excellent downtempo version which also makes for an excellent dance track via Hybrid's remix, "Massive attack - Hymn of the big wheel" a moving and vocally aesthetic song as only Massive Attack knows how.. and "St Germains - Sure Thing" a popular track regularly played in bars and lounges since its release on "Tourist".
The cd also includes a few more 'commercial' American tracks from Roger Sanchez ,Jakkata, Dido and Gorillaz , each having been mixed to keep in with the deep and downbeat atmosphere created by the rest of the tracks. Personally I don't think these hold up alongside the European masters of chill on the album like Zero 7, K&D, Thievery corporation and St Germain. CD 2 starts to lose its flair after track 10 with a few sterile and rather flat tracks.

The Best CDS Yet
When I first heard the cd, I was like man, this would be awesome to chill too, not knowing it was called Ultra Chill. When i found out i knew i had to have it so i bought volume 1 and 2. I loved Volume 1 with Nigntmares on Wax, Gorillaz, Dido, and many more. But when i put in Volume 2 i have to admit i was a little disappointed. But all in all i love both cds and if had a second chance would DEFINATELY buy agian.

fantastic compilation
I discovered this CD when I walked into a music store in downtown San Francisco and it was being played in the store. I immediately asked which CD it was and after listening to some other tracks on a listening station promptly purchased two copies (one for myself, and one as a gift).

I don't buy many CDs.

Good, but not consistently good
I disagree with some other reviewers. I love Disc 2. It has a hip, mellow but uplifting mood, and flows nicely. Disc 1 is more hit and miss. I'm a bit sick of the Dido track; it's been around a while and used a lot it seems, or maybe it's just that it was the theme song for a TV show that has killed it for me. I've listened to Disc 2 far more than Disc 1. But I'd hesitate about spending full price on this double disc album when only one of the two discs is a keeper. ... Read more

Album Description

The second volume in this hot selling series has the mixing honors going to ATB and George Acosta.Here they can be found mixing tracks by Madonna, Fatboy Slim, Airheadz, Mauro Picotto, Faithless, Dumonde, P2, CJ Stone, Wicked Twins, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Excellent for a compilation
This compilation is actually quite good. Usually, collections of trance anthems grow thin after a week or so, but Acosta and ATB have done a good job of picking hard to find tracks. Every time I listen to it, I always find a new track that sounds completely unfamiliar. ATB is a little too anthemy/mainstream for me, but still manages to produce a good mix. Acosta's mix is really brilliant, but I would recommend anyone to buy his other albums first, as they are superior. This is still a very good cd for beginners and trance lovers alike.

George Acosta/ AndreTanneBerg CD
This CD exemplifies the type of electrifying performance this duo is capable of. The two are currently on tour together in the U.S. and are absolutely violating dance floors. ATB (Andre Tanneberger) is typically renowned for his unique uplifting melodic groove as heard on most of his production material. However, his live sound when he plays in clubs, parties etc. is surprisingly heavy and progressive. Many are surprised of what they hear when they are first introduced to his track selections of his live performances. He is clearly a mastermind of what the people want to hear. This CD, unlike any project I have heard him release in the past, is much more geared to his likeness of these live performances. The Barthezz track, for example that he uses, is incredibly driving German trance. (I've been spinning that track since March waiting for its widespread appearance sooner or later.) As for George Acosta, if you don't know the deal with this man, wake up. He is by far the driving and most influential force spinning trance of any dj ANYWHERE from the U.S.. He defines what we consider to be cutting edge regarding progressive and hard sounds. He is without a doubt America's guage specifying where trance has been, where it is now and where it is going. His unique ear for a unique blend of strings and slamming bass will keep every crowd on their toes till he steps back from the tables. His selections for this cd are no different- impeccable. Grab any of his material you can. (hint: he is affiliated with Ultra Records, Drizzly Records, and is the owner of Grooveman) Look out for his production proteges Marc and Ace. These guys will be banging out the world's hottest anthems for several years to come)

Wonderful !! leaves techno fans in smiles
I heavily recommend this Cd. It can please even the biased top 40 listeners. Both Cd's are very very satisfying with popular track selections, and that high quality feel that Ministry of Sound is known for. George Acosta and especially ATB do a excellent job of makeing the tracks seamlessly flow one to another without too much "mixing down time". Climaxes abound, and the album doesn't loose it's edge for too long of a time to lose interst.

What is this?
I consider myself a good trance fan. Perhaps too much, I apologize. I bought his cd thinking that I was going to get good music worth the money I've paid for this compilation. That never happened. What in the world is this? I do not call this trance whatsoever. This is cheese!! I liked cd 1: ATB at least to say wasn't that cheesy, but cd 2: Acosta. It was dreadful. I also have to say that Members of Mayday "10 in 1" (Paul Van Dyk mix) was so bad, that I could not believe that was a PVD rework. Then System F was a good pick, but after that everything else wasn't good at all. That is not trance whatsoever, I do not recommend this cd.

The Tale of Two Disks
This is my first Ministry of Sound disk and it is great. You have two good producers/DJs, ATB and George Acosta, that chose a great selection of tracks to mix. Both will get you into the music from track one, you are not going to want the disk to stop. But only George Acosta will get you to that point. ATB, no disrespect at all, he gets you going from track one, the clubb mix of his 'Let U Go,' to half-way through 'Played Alive,' track seven. But the transition from that to 'Castles in the Sky' is not smooth. And from that point on, it takes you out and you never get back in. The mixes he chooses for the remainder of the disk just does not pull you back in, especially the mix of 'On the Move'. But if you are a fan of both, you won't be wasting you money. You will find some high points, especially with George Acosta. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the scene's best-known trance DJs, along with fellow Brit DJ Sasha, John Digweed continues his winning streak with this collection of sleek, beat-driven beauty. Working off a diverse set of obscure originals, Digweed burrows his way into one's subconscious, slipping in subdued rhythms and day-dreamy thematic elements with skillful grace. He has a patient ear for incorporating transitions between songs, and an uncommonly light touch. Even when the melodies drift away and the drum machines start to overwhelm, there's always a compelling pulse. Disc 2's "CC16," for example, is mercilessly danceable, yet Digweed cleverly employs a simple, sustained note that offsets the tension, offering friendly reassurance as it hangs delicately over the dance floor. Often working with Sasha on such standout trance collections as Global Underground 003: San Francisco, this record establishes Digweed as the light to Sasha's darker musical colorings. There's an almost obsessive insistence on flow, with mellow, languid phrases morphing into fleshed-out songs, then suddenly pulling back again in a barely noticed evolution. The album starts the process early on the Underworld-like opening track, "Listen," pulling off the trick with a silky progression into Tiny Trendies' "The Sky Is Not Crying." From there, the entire CD unfolds with a lazy elegance, like a cat stretching after a long nap, giving further nuance to Digweed's reputation as a stellar mixologist. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (70)

a lot better than others say
i've seen a couple of other people putting this record down and saying that it doesn't live up to their expectations after digger's GU's and Northern Exposure sets, but i get the feeling they're missing the point of this set.

this record is one that attempts to capture the mood and vibe of digweed's decade-old "bedrock" night at the london club heaven. what digger's trying to do here is evoke the mood of a wednesday nite party in merry old england. disc 1 is a house vocal mix, highlighted with a screaming remix of bpt's "moody", two great dub mixes of morel's stomping "true", and even gets a bit into that early 90's techno feel with jondi & spesh's "we are connected".

disc 2 finds digger journeying into more familiar landscapes, spinning a great mix of progressive trance. while the mood and tempo of this are a little slower than one would expect, it still makes a great statement with pob & taylor's "ba ba" and of course sandra collin's anthem "flutterby". voyager contributes a pounding with "time travel", and slacker really is as hot a group as word on the streets says.

the point is, you can't listen to this set with comparisons in mind. you have to just put yourself into that moment, imagining yourself on the dancefloor surrounded by hundreds of other writhing bodies. that's why this mix was made, and that's how it should be listened to.

So good it hurts
I'm not the first person who has said this but let it be known that John Digweed is a genius. Very few DJ's have the ability to seamlessly fuse unique sounds into one compulsive mix, yet he has done this to perfection on the album "Bedrock". Blending sensuous vocals with pulsing break-beats on a variety of tracks, the sound is both wide-ranging and hypnotic. On this disc you will find grooves that not only move the body but never tire after repeated listens. Disc One builds the momentum using alluring mid-tempo beats and progressions starting with Raff n' Freddy's "Listen" and flowing into Tiny Trendies "The Sky is not Crying". Things start to pick up with C12's wacky drug anthem "Judy" (One of the best tracks on the disc). CD Two intensifies the pace with the jumping "Salina" by Escape and Slacker's incredible "Flying". The disc closes with Bedrock's banging "Heaven Scent". This is a very special album that can be played during the day or at night. It will make you realize that beautiful music can come from the most unexpected places.

Where did John go?
Before I say what I am sad to say, I love John Digweed. There's this thing he does with crowds that no other dj I know of, does. He has this way of manipulating you into a progressive oceanic state, but with unexpected and insanely welcome punches!! One moment you're traveling fast and steady, thinking he could wind everyone down (and that would be ok), but right then he hits you hard over the head with crashing energy that sends you to the moon and back... you know you're back on the ground when you hear the whole place cheering. This CD set is not that. There are one or two places that make your head bob, but overall it lacks energy. It's also creepy, dark, and depressing. I've tried listening to it several times, hoping it was just my mood, but each time I ended up feeling like I had PMS. This is definitely not one of my favorites.

great compilation!!!
This is yet another example as to why Digweed is considered one of the best. this cd flows great with a great selection of songs. It also includes "Heaven scent", the club anthem made by Digweed himself with his friend Nick Muir. To me I like the second CD better it's alittle more dark. This CD is a great selection to add to your collection if you enjoy trance, and if you like Digweed it's a must have!! Enjoy

dated dance beats
I notice most of the 5-star reviewers posted in 2000. I don't think these sets have aged very well, unlike, say GU Sydney or Expeditions done with Sasha. This is a bit too dancey and not enough trancey for my taste, if that makes any sense. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Timo Maas's remix of Azzido Da Bass's Doom's Night brought him fame and 2000's Music for the Maases brought him acclaim, but Loud establishes the Dusseldorf DJ as the Teutonic master of the dance floor. Matching the ferociousness and accessibility of Thriller with the warped sonics of Dig Your Own Hole, Maas creates a doom-laced, freak-beat ultraworld. While 4/4 is still the message, Maas matches surreal sounds with alienated dialogues, sultry vocals, and a song-oriented approach, giving Loud its irresistible, codeine-like buzz. "Help Me" begins with the sound of grinding gears followed by campy effects and Kelis's breathy vocal. Bits of downtempo and electro in the form of "Hash Driven" and "Shifter" ratchet up a sense of gleeful foreboding; "That's How I've Been Dancing" recalls KC and the Sunshine Band entertaining a Nuremberg rally. "We Are Nothing" could be a Trainspotting outtake, smarmy dialogue adorning a bubbling dance track. Loud closes with "Bad Days," a gentle way to end a weirdly wonderful album. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (28)

The Emergence of a New Force in Dance Music Artistry
Take everything you know about Timo Maas and dump it in the trash right now. He separates us from everything we currently know about him to a whole new level with his latest artist-driven album, "Loud." Let me explain in a bit, because first I must talk about who Timo really is.

Timo Maas is a German DJ/producer already permanently inscribed on the list of best international DJs in the world. His brilliant remix of Azzido da Bass's "Dooms Night" not only brought him immediate fame but also marked the beginning of a very successful career. Around the same time Timo released his own assault of hit singles, namely "Der Schieber" and "Ubik (Dance Mix)." His two DJ-mix albums called "Music for the Maases" and "Connected" hit well in the United States and continued to spread his name across the globe.

Still unsatisfied and always trying to be the best he can be, Timo released his first artist album, spanning his many influences and taste in music. My immediate reaction when first hearing "Loud" was shock. What I expected to hear was Timo's unique brand of Hard Techno, Trance, and House. Instead, he surprised his fans by taking a completely different route. "Loud" sounds reminiscent of the new Chemical Brothers' album "Come With Us," catching its same Big Beat Techno sound and energy. On certain tracks there are some influences from Trance music, but not many and generally only because those songs use a 4/4 beat. It wasn't quite as dominant as everyone thought it was going to be upon hearing Timo was releasing something new. In fact, it's only in the songs "Old School Vibes" and "Like Love" that actually sound like Trance.

I'd have to say my favorite songs on the album are "Help Me (feat. Kelis)" and "Shifter (feat. MC Chickaboo)." "Help Me" is a strong and upbeat start to the album. In the background you can hear samples from the old sci-fi movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still," while your main focus is drawn towards Kelis' mysterious vocals. "Shifter," on the other hand, is some GREAT Electro-Breakbeat music and for a moment makes me wish we were back in the days when breakdancing was all the rage.

One other very noteworthy track is "We Are Nothing," which is not music but actually two minutes of thought-provoking dialogue. Kinda makes you go hmm... "We Are Nothing" is in the middle of the CD and marks the breaking point between the beginning-half and the end-half. I also enjoyed the hidden track on "Loud," the Fatboy Slim remix of "To Get Down." This song and "O.C.B." both have really cool guitar licks. The original version of "To Get Down," which is track 10, is still good but lacks Fatboy Slim's vision and therefore falls short of becoming the big hit that Slim's version is right now in Europe. This song is headed straight for a GAP commercial near you, it's THAT catchy.

Well, if you were to ask me how I liked the album, I'd have to say it was solid and a very impressive artist debut from Timo Maas... with a few minor imperfections. Some of the songs on "Loud" lack gravity and none of them are really THAT loud. Some of the buildups and breakdowns that Timo attempts are not dynamic enough and therefore don't have the impact that they should on the listener. Timo's songwriting skills are not quite as creative and innovative as similar artists like the Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada, but he sure has potential.

Give this album some time, and it'll become a staple in your CD collection, especially if you enjoy Big Beat Techno, Breakbeat, or Funky House. I give "Loud" 3.5 (rounded to 4) stars for being able to get me off my chair at moments and just dance!!

- the enlightened one

So what's Timo's next move...?

Timo's a new force to be reckoned with...
If you haven't heard of him already, Timo Maas is a German DJ/producer already permanently inscribed on the A-list of international DJs. His biggest breakthrough was the massive remix of Azzido da Bass's 'Dooms Night'. It not only brought him immediate fame but also marked the beginning of a very successful career. Other hit Timo singles that helped establish his foothold on the world were 'Der Schieber' and 'Ubik (the Dance Mix)'. His two DJ-mix albums, 'Music for the Maases' and 'Connected' (the former being released off Hope Recordings and the latter coming off of Paul Oakenfold's mighty Perfecto Records) are staples in nearly every dance fan's collection.

Still unsatisfied and always trying to be the best he can be, Timo has finally released his first full-length album of originally written material. Being the veteran DJ he is, with well over fifteen years of experience, you can imagine how monumental a moment this is for the dance music community.

My immediate reaction when hearing 'Loud' was plain and simple shock. What I expected to hear was Timo's unique brand of Hard Techno, Trance, and House. Instead, he surprised me by taking a completely different route. The album sounds reminiscent of the style already championed by artists like Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers, that being Big Beat Techno. There are, however, many different types of music on display here, only to prove the fact that Timo is a talented musician with wide musical influences. On just one CD you can hear not just Big Beat, but also Trance, Progressive House, Techno, and Ambient all rolled into one.

I'd have to say my favorite songs on the album are 'Help Me (feat. Kelis)' and 'Shifter (feat. MC Chickaboo)'. 'Help Me' is a strong and upbeat start to the album. In the background you can hear samples from the old sci-fi movie 'The Day The Earth Stood Still', while your main focus is drawn towards Kelis' mysterious vocals. 'Shifter', on the other hand, is some GREAT breakbeat music and for a moment makes me wish we were back in the days when breakdancing was all the rage.

One other very noteworthy track is 'We Are Nothing', which is not really music at all but is actually two minutes dialogue, which Timo sampled and looped in order to make a coherent and thought-provoking mini-speech. Basically it's just an intermission to the second half of the album. I also enjoyed the hidden track on 'Loud', which was the Fatboy Slim remix of 'To Get Down'. The original version of 'To Get Down', which is track 10, is still good but lacks that distinct Fatboy Slim spark. This song is headed straight for a GAP commercial near you... it's just THAT catchy.

Give this album some time, and it'll become a staple in your CD collection, especially if you enjoy Big Beat Techno, Breakbeat, or Funky House. I give 'Loud' 3.5 (rounded to 4) stars for being able to get me off my chair at moments and just dance!!

- the enlightened one

So what's Timo's next move...?

Sample source
I love that first track Help Me and found where the sample came from.

Its in the film The Day The Earth Stood Still.

(...)

Classic film with a classic soundtrack.

Love this Timo Mass rendition. I have listened to it on repeat for hours.

You'll Either Love It or Hate It
This is definitely an album that you'll either love or totally hate. For me, it was the later. I find the never-ending repetitious beats obnoxious and incessantly uncreative. The only thing I found interesting in the least was "To Get Down" from which the words "What Goes Around" were changed to "Here Comes the Ram" for a series of Dodge truck TV commercials. It was interesting for a few seconds. I marvel at how one reviewer of this album remarked, nearly as soon as this album came out, "You can just see this one being used for various television soundtracks..." Obviously, he hit it on the money with a commercial at least. Personally, I think the techno riffs are at best decent for a low-budget Sci-Fi flick. There is much better music out there to blow your money on.

To the punks with one star
Especially to the one who said Oaky's cd was better, here's a little heads up, Oaky doesn't write his own tracks and if you had two bits of knowledge about electronica, (rather than what you gathered from somewhere) you'd know that.

Incidentally, I heard Timo Maas for the first time on an Oakenfold live mix set of Radio One in 1998, he was playing Ubik (The Dance) of which you'll find the breaks remix out (sadly no Techno remix :( like there was on the vinyl). Help Me, and To Get Down were out long before the album release, and had everyone in the world playing them. Funny enough, I've just gotten around to hearing the rest of the cd and it's definetly worth a listen just b/c it does NOT follow the normal 4/4 beat pattern (maybe time scale but definetly not a constant, consistent drum kick).

And also, my last attack is on the person who said Timo's drums needed help. My friend, he does not write trance; your saying that does no credit to your knowledge of the electronic genre. You might as well go back to calling all electronic techno. Everyone knows the greatest thing about "The Dance when it hit in 98' was the DRUM. I agree his remix of Azzida blew him up out the water in terms of popularity (catchy little bugger), but Ubik is in fact and in my opinion the hallmark of Timo. He's still keeping it real. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Ultimate Dance?
There are several items about this CD that I wish to praise: 1) It is chock-full of Dance Remixes that were previously unavailable to a Dance Deprived U.S. public. 2) The cover does not indicate that the mixes contained herein are not the played-out radio versions, but rather vastly superior club remixes; thus "tricking" unsuspecting tasteless masses into purchasing some very good music! 3) The track selection is pretty good, with two noteable exceptions... Missy's "Get Ur Freak On" and Busta's "Pass The Courvoisier" are two songs that are hopelessly worthless. Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama" and Janet's "All For You" are two of Thunderpuss' best remixes of late, Enrique Iglesias' "Escape" gets the royal treatment from His Dance Highness Giorgio Moroder, and Angie Stone and Deborah Cox have their songs kicked up a notch by remix god Hex Hector. Perhaps the most pleasant suprise is the stunningly beautiful Metro Remix of Luther Vandross' "I'd Rather." All in all, I'm pleased with my $$$ investment.

Great for a Good Workout
This is a FUN CD. I love dance music but rarely get to go out to clubs. With this CD I can bring the club to my car, my gym, my house...you get the picture. While I wasn't crazy about all the mixes (Enrique Iglesias, Janet Jackson), the majority were very good to excellent. I even discovered some new songs! My faves: Mary J, Alicia Keys, Lamya, Andrea Brown.
I'm always looking for good dance compilations with good mixes of recognizable songs. This one delivers!

This CD is Hot!
I love this CD -- every song is fun & oh so dance worthy! I highly recommend it. This CD is great because the people who made it took the best songs from 2001 & 2002 & added a funky dance vibe to each song.

Ewww! This is a disaster!
Now that singles are virtually unavailable in the American market, labels are spewing out hits compilations at a speed that is absolutely startling. Some of these discs are better than others, but this one is amongst the worst offenders. I can close my eyes and imagine the focus group that came up with this album at their weekly meeting: "Let's round up some of the tackiest, most overplayed mainstream dance hits and cram them into an album. Sure, these songs have appeared on other compilations, but since we're marketing to 14-year-old suburban teens, they'll still lap this one up!" The biggest misfire is the housed-up "Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliot. Memo to DJs: you can't remix this single! This version here basically siphons the raw sexiness that made the original so appealing. Big mistake. Likewise with their version of Busta Rhymes. Elsewhere, we see countless other singles that we've heard a zillion times before: "Absolutely Not" by Deborah Cox, "All for You" by Janet Jackson, and we're treated to "One More Time" by Daft Punk. There's nothing wrong with these singles. In fact I love all of them. The problem is that this collection doesn't dig deep enough for gems that may have slipped past the radar screen. Instead, they shoot for the obvious. Fans who don't get out much and want a cheat-sheet to dance may be pleased with this. But the discriminating dance music lover won't help but cringe.

Because!
This Is Ultimate Dance is cool beacause George W.Bush said so! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I'd rate it 10 stars if I could
Wow...This CD blew me away. From the start of the CD all the way through the end, I was amazed at the beauty and hypnotic sound. My favorite songs are 'Stand By', 'I Love the Music', and 'Trancestors.' Every track is wonderful, though. If you liked Magik Vol. 1, then this CD by the amazing DJ Tiësto is a must-have for sure because the CD really does live up to its title: Magik.

Beautiful music
This is truly beautiful and moving trance music. As a previous reviewer posted, it seems to be overlooked by many people. This is sad because along with Magik 6 this has to be the best of the Magik series. This is not the high energy 'trance' that is played across dancefloors today.

"Story of the Fall" is such an appropriate title for this album. This is a sonic journey into achingly beautiful and emotive music that has an unmistakeable undertone of melancholy and sadness that underlies the beauty of the mellow melodies. As the picture on the album cover illustrates, this album is like the last bittersweet and glorious shout that nature gives in the autumn before it surrenders to the harshness of winter.

This album makes me cry. Magik 2 is all about good trance music from beginning to end.

Very Nice
Seems like this album is kinda passed up by a lot of people but it's definitely worth it and, in my opinion, one of the better albums in the Magik series. Flows nicely and has some very tracks that really take me back to when this was made (read : When Trance was good) Track 10 "Elevate" stands out to me and theres a lot of other tracks that are very solid. All in all a good listen start to finish. 5 Stars.

For real trance lovers out there
Tieso....what can i say, he is just amazing, i guess thats why he is rated #1 dj at the moment. Magik 2 is one of his best,it is packed full of uplifting and melodic trance and is seamlessly mixed. I would HIGHLY recomend this cd to any real trance fan out there. you should also check out magik 6 live in amsterdam, this is his best in my opinion and lets you see why Tiesto is #1. ... Read more

Album Description

1992 release, on WEA International, featuring 15 of the'80s new wave/techno/pop outfit's very best, including thehit 'Big In Japan' (original & 'Culture Mix'), plus'Forever Young', 'Sounds Like A Melody', 'Jerusalem', &'Dance With Me', to name a few. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

< Sounds Like A Melody >
This 1992 greatest hits collection pulls together the many major highlights from the band's first three stellar albums "Forever Young" (1984), "Afternoons in Utopia" (1986), and "Breathtaking Blue" (1989). Please note however that some of the songs here are presented in their edited short radio versions; I find the original album versions with their longer instrumental intro's and outro's more interesting (This is particularly true about the tracks such as Big in Japan, Jerusalem, and Sounds Like A Melody). After The First Harvest, Alphaville continued with "Prostitute" (1994), and the good comeback effort "Salvation" (1998), before releasing the live album "Stark Naked and Live" (2000). The collection of updated remixes "Forever Pop", appeared in 2001, but so far I have not discovered any alternative official or updated Alphaville hits compilations. So, despite the relatively high import price tag, in my opinion The First Harvest (as long as it's in print) is perhaps your most efficient way of exploring the band's magnificent hit-making period of 15 to 20 years ago. Also worth checking out is 1988's singles collection, which presents some of their original extended and '88 mixes of the best tracks up to that time. No doubt the devoted fans will impatiently wait for The Second Harvest, and hopefully an assemblage of b-sides & rarities to come along with it!

Track list needs work
If you're looking to get started with Alphaville, you could do worse than to pick up this expensive import, but you could also also spend a bit less and arguably get more of their best work for your money.

The good: the inclusion of the achingly gorgeous "Lassie Come Home" and the giddy, goofy, dance-around-the-living-room classic "Sensations," two tracks from AV's second album _Afternoons in Utopia_ that didn't seem to get enough attention the first time around.

The bad: sadly, the third album just wasn't very good, and the four tracks chosen to represent it here don't seem likely to convince anyone otherwise.

I say, skip this one, pick up _Forever Young_ and _Afternoons in Utopia_ instead -- hey, they're both available used at bargain-basement prices -- and burn yourself a nice mix featuring the selections from those albums included here, plus "Fallen Angel," "Universal Daddy," "Summer in Berlin," and whatever else strikes your fancy.

Then, once you're suitably obsessed, pick up _Prostitute_ and _Salvation_ (albums #4 and #5), whose pleasures are myriad.

Harvest your favourites!
Alphaville is one of greatest syth-pop bands in the 80s! Absolutely, Alphaville seems to be as good as Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. This collection has an important place in Alphaville's career because after this their music changed darker and sophististic. You can find classic songs Forever Young, Jerusalem and Big in Japan for this album. Some important songs are unfortunately missing for exemple Fallen Angel. My favourite tracks are a beautiful and major Jerusalem, a terrific Dance With Me, a mournful and fine quitar tasted Romeos and awesome and evergreen Forever Young. There are some songs that Alphaville would have droppep out. Booring Summer Rain and too long For A Million are these songs. All in all, If you like syth-pop, this is a great buy for you.

Some great songs!
There's very good songs like "Romeos", "Sound Like a Melody", "Big In Japan", "Jerusalem", FOrever Young" and so on. But there's some good tracks missing. Where's "Fallen Angel" for example. This one it's good to think.

los dorados tiempos del pop aleman
Hace muchos años compré por mera curiosidad este CD por una unica canción: dance with me. Pero mi sorpresa fue positiva pues esta compilacion me dio una idea clara de lo que es Alphaville, uno de los clásicos del pop alemán.
El CD me parece muy bueno, nada de aburrido, ritmos pop mezclados con mucho sintetizador de diversos tipos. Las mejores canciones: "Jerusalem" "dance with me" "the jet set" y por no mencionar las demas que tambien tienen una excelente combinacion ritmo-melodia.
Es una excelente recomendacion para quienes quieran oir y coleccionar "rarezas" del pop de los 80's, seguro no se aburrírán! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A smoother, steamier slice of house techno, this installment of the Northern Exposure series is a soft and sexy continuous mix that cruises comfortably in the fast lane without offering any standout moments of delirious excitement. Centering themselves firmly in the desert-trance arena, Sasha and Digweed opt for dreamy over direct every time. LSG's "Netherworld," Taucher's "Waters," and the William Orbit and Spooky mix of Sven Vath's "An Accident in Paradise" are all choice moments to get lost in, while Humate's "3.2" is a warm and cozy chunk of ambient techno. Overall, this edition of Northern Exposure is not the most essential member of the collection, but it does provide more than enough fluid trance-techno moments to satisfy dedicated fans. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Deep, soulful, and still stylish, one of the best NE's.
While NORTHERN EXPOSURE II: West Coast Edition may not have the instant thrill and "gee-whiz" factor of the nature-sounding, vocal-heavy East Coast Edition, in the long haul it is one of the best Northern Exposure releases.

Opening slowly with a meandering track by Cyngus, West Coast Edition wanders for a bit over an eclectic array of deep trance. With Humate's "3.2", however, the album shifts into high gear, driving through Sven Vath's "An Accident in Paradise" and The Light's "Panfried" with no sign of easing on the funk. The climax of the album is LSG's "Netherworld (Jules Verne mix)", an epic track that gives one pause to reflect on the sadness of trance's demise.

What is most remarkable about West Coast Edition is how little it has dated in the four (!) years since its release. Although the East Coast Edition's eco-beats and trippy synths sound incredibly passe, West Coast Edition's deep and heavy soundscapes are not too far from today's progressive house. In fact, there are many parts of West Coast Edition which sound like they were mixed recently, especially Sven Vath's track.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE II: West Coast Edition, after the first NORTHERN EXPOSURE, is perhaps Sasha and Digweed's most recommendable collaboration. Check it out.

Please, Mr. Digweed, get to the point!
The smooth, calm, but most of all somnolent sound of this CD can easily put ANYONE to sleep! Although I am used to hearing trance music without lyrics, this amassment of songs makes up possibly one of the most boring CDs I own. Every song seems to have a build up to the next, and once the music ends, there is a big void. Many people do not like lyrics in any dance song, however, with words not in play, the CD lacks a hook that keeps the listener attentive - thus, peaceful sleep if listening at night. Many of the songs also feel dated with a pinch of tedium ... perhaps instead of this CD, a Sasha + John Digweed fan may enjoy Communicate, a CD with more distinct songs.

Simply amazing
They are incredible artists. I find this mix to be similar to a live set I heard in '98 or '99. It is vintage Sasha and Digweed. It builds up so beautifully and hits "Netherworld" by LSG, which is the climax track. Although, the remainder is great. Very tight mixing where you don't know where one track ends and one begins. They are masters at slowly introducing one to another. I haven't found an electronic artist with their style and this mix is indicative of that uniqueness. I am definitely going to buy the others after listening to this one.

Amazing
Way back when mixing was still mixing. thank god that this art is coming back!!!

great & deep mix from the masters
One of the best mixes from S&D. The only one that's better is probably the East Coast mix. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

BEST DANCE CD IN THE WORLD!!
I bought this album because a friend of mine is a huge dance fan and plays Louie Devito CDs all the time. I only got it for the one song (L'Italiano) that they play all the time on the radio but the rest of the CD is amazing. It is not like a regular dance mix where the songs are so obscure that you don't even know them. It is 2 CDs worth of cool songs that are playing in the clubs and are remixed so that everyone will want to own it. I definitely recommend this CD to dance fans but also people who aren't fans of dance music will enjoy this CD too. If I had to sum up this Cd in one phrase: "IT IS A FUNKY, SEXY CD THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO OWN!!!"

Louie Devito Doesn't Dissapoint with his latest Mix!
This latest double cd is the fifth installment of Louie Devito's popular "N.Y.C. Underground Party" series. First off, the mixing is excellent and Louie cranks up the bpm's on a number of songs to give them that extra punch. Disc One consists of house, progressive and tribal oriented tracks. The first five songs are the best of the bunch with Reina's latest "No One's Gonna Change You", and Narcotic Thrust's "Safe From Harm" being my favorites. The rest of disc one focuses on tribal and progressive songs, such as "Wonderland" by The Psychedelic Waltons, "The Crowd Song" by Rhythm Gangsta and "Goin' Thru It" by Jonathan Peters which are excellent. Track fourteen which isn't listed (at least on my copy) is a short "NYC Underground Party Vol. 5 Megamix" of songs contained on disc one . Disc Two starts out with some popular trance songs such as Lasgo's "Alone", Marc Et Claude's smash "Tremble", 4 Strings "Take Me Away (Into The Night)"and DJ Encore featuring Engelica's "Walking In The Sky", etc. More great songs on the second disc are "Trippin'" by Oris Jay Presents Delsena, and "Addicted To Bass" by Puretone. Again as in the first disc there's another short megamix of all the songs contained on disc 2 courtesy of Bad Boy Bill. Louie Devito doesn't dissapoint with his latest mix. Highly recommended!

The only cd you will ever need
This has to be one of the best dance mixes ever put out. It has a great variety from my favorite track "It just won't do" from Tim deluxe to the hard core "goin thru'it" from Johnny P. This set was all it took to turn my girlfriend from a nasty country fan to a big dance lover. Of course im not saying louie devito is a genious but he has awesome taste and comes up with the best mixes I've ever listened to.

4.5/5 AINT SO BAD EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO LOUIE
I admit, this cd is not Louie's best, but this cd is definitely not as awful as everyone makes it seem. You read the reviews on here and you would think this is Bob Denver's greatest hits remixed into club anthems. From my experience, the more you listen to this voulme, the more it grows on you. I at first thought disc 2 sucked, but then I listened to the whole thing when I was stuck in major traffic after work, and it's not that bad. It has a good mix of decent songs, some that you actually find yourself moving too as they go on. Disc 1 is pretty good, especially with the songs "In Your Eyes", "No One is Gonna Change You", "At the End", and my sleeper pick "Wonderland". I would recommend this cd to anyone who wants a club fix for songs that were out in late 2002.

Those who can't produce - license.
Louie Devito [stinks]. He can't produce his own music so he has to make money licensing and compiling others. As far as his mixes go, let's hope those software manufacturers keep those auto-beat mixing programs in good supply! ... Read more