Search - Coffee Shop :: Cofee Shop Chillin Sessions 2

A blissed out smoky beat treat

wadster | North of England, UK. | 07/25/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is definitely what you would call a 'grower'. On the first listen, only a handful of tracks stand out. But after several airings, the tunes begin to melt together into a quality chill out album. Chill out has become hot in recent months, but 'Coffee Shop Volume 2' is vastly different to the highly commercial sound of this year's mainstream compilations. 'Find A Way' by King Kooba kicks off the proceedings in great style, combining a shuffling beat with haunting, dreamy vocals and melody. A perfect tune to dream away a rainy day to. 'Hazed Project' by Numb is a more upbeat, electronic affair, while 'Not Seventeen' by Mandalay is a smoky mix of beautiful Bjork-ish vocals and deep, languid bass. This short track will definitely have you reaching for the 'back' button on your CD player. Other pearls include the rough-edged and urban 'Do You Believe' by London Electricity, and the drum 'n' bass driven 'Fresh' by Forces of Nature. Deep, rich bass simply oozes from 'Early Dawn' by Careless, with the gentle breakbeat ensuring your head never stops nodding. The only real criticism of this album is the way it is paced. For example, after the delight of 'Not Seventeen' you are rudely snapped out of your relaxed state by the rather harsh and souless 'Bongo Tune' by Quarter. Variation is fine, but why not lead the listener into it gently rather than forcefully? Definitely one for the chill out connoisseur. If you like the Megasoft series, you should definitely give this a listen."