Hammock is an interesting collection of downbeat dub grooves from Synergetic Records. Compiled by Swhe Dagon and Dub’Acan, the CD features 9 previously unreleased tracks. Dub’ Acan is better known as DJ Acan, a Vienna dj best known in the psy-trance area, and who is also the head honch at Synergetic Records. On Hammock, the… Read More Various – Hammock
Billed as “new tunes out of DJ Acan’s recordbag”, Freeride is an great collection of previously unreleased trance electronica. The CD is an eclectic set, but it leans towards straight-ahead instrumental trance and psy-trance. DJ Acan is a popular Vienna-based DJ best known for his work in the psy-trance genre. In addition to playing around… Read More Various – Freeride
We recently received a package of CDs from the Spotted Peccary label that included a collection of great ambient and new age music. One of these CDs was Craig Padilla’s Genesis, a gorgeous set of ambient space music. If you’re familiar with American ambient classics like Michael Stearn’s Planetary Unfolding or Kevin Braheny’s The Way… Read More Craig Padilla – Genesis
BT’s soundtrack to Stealth, an action movie about 3 top gun pilots that have to deal with a robotic fighter plane gone bad, seems promising, because it provides BT with the opportunity to mix his trademark hyperkinetic production style with full-on orchestral power. Unfortunately, the soundtrack CD is a bit of a disappointment. While there… Read More BT-Stealth
Ocean of Light is an excellent introduction into the music of A.D. Music, a label that has released a series of melodic electronica albums. While the CD is primarily a compilation of previously released tracks, it has a coherence defined by the label’s vision and style. The largely instrumental tracks on Ocean of Light explore… Read More Various – Ocean of Light
Ashok Prema’s Matter captures a live electronic music concert performed at the Jodrell Space Center by Ashok Prema and Rob Jenkins in 2002. While a live recording, this is only betrayed by the occasional applause between tracks. Prema is a UK electronic music artist who’s been performing for twenty years. Rob Jenkins, also known as… Read More Ashok Prema – Matter
Dust to Dust blazes a new trail for Steve Roach. On many of his albums, he has explored integrating electronically generated sounds with acoustic percussion and didgerido to create tribal electronica. On Dust to Dust, he collaborates with guitarist Roger King to create music inspired by the dreams and memories of the people that have… Read More Steve Roach & Roger King – Dust to Dust
Erasure rethinks some classic pop songs with Other People’s Songs. Vince Clarke’s percolating synth work is a good match for these tunes, and they demonstrate how synth-pop is at its heart, about great pop songs. Clarke has been at the forefront of synth-pop for twenty years. His work with Depeche Mode and Yaz helped create… Read More Erasure – Other People’s Songs
The Ziriguiboom label is a leading source of modern Brazilian music. The Now Sound of Brazil brings together some great tracks from this label, providing a satisifying introduction to some artists you may not be familiar with, and Brazilian electronica. The CD is a Six Degrees release that features music of the Ziriguiboom label. Ziriguiboom… Read More Various – The Now Sound of Brazil
Merry Mixmas is an album of remixes of Christmas lounge classics. While the remixers featured on this CD draw on a wealth of classic material, including tracks by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Earth Kitt, Julie London and Vince Guaraldi, the results are uneven.
