Boldly GO: An earth-quake in the Trance/Techno Landscape
B. Lynch | USA | 03/06/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"John Digweed seems determined to avoid the "Crash and Burn" fate suffered by some of his contemporaries. Global Underground seems to be in search of a rejuvenation. After a few flops and high profile disasters, the producers at Global Underground need something to keep customres from abandoning the brand. After Dave Seaman's disastrous "CapeTown" CD, and Nick Warren's disappointing sets, they've brought back John Digweed to re-create the magic--and in Los Angeles, the city known for making dreams come true (even if it is often through the mechanism of fanrasy). Paul Oakenfold self-destructed with "Perfecto:Another World", an incoherent hodgepodge of unrelated music that was as undanceable as it was unlistenable. Nick Warren's recent sets have received only lukewarm reception, and while Sasha's recent "San Francisco" set had its moments, it hasn't sold outside of the hard core of DJ fanatics. So, there's a lot riding on the new Digweed set, in terms of hopes, expectations, and the future commerical prospects for the 'Global Underground' series. John Digweed stays "on top" by never standing still. This latest Global underground release is a very daring departure from much of Digweed's previous work, and from much of what is being released as "DJ compilations". Unlike some CD series, which ave a really "queeny" or "flaming Disco" sound, this one is deep, and dark. It fits the mood of great trance extremely well; spacey without being empty, intense withot being 'in your face', and [this is LA after all], laid back but always to a powerful and relentless beat. Some of the tracks here are densely layered, and have a hard, edgy trance feel (which is what draws your attention--it is so different from the usual dance fare): it's almost "Down Beat"; dense and full of low-mid frequencies, and nto equalized with lots of mid-high frequency boost. The relsult is a surprisingly listenable and danceable mix, although dancing may require you to really crank the volume to fully appreciate the effect. Disk #1 is the darker, slower disc. It never goes above 130bpm, but like the LA traffic, it only seems slow until you're caught up in it. Another chance Digweed takes is the inclusion of vocal tracks, and while I hope he never does an entire CD of vocal cuts, 'Love in Traffic' is perfectly segued, and it feels totally appropriate for a mix created in Los Angeles. Disk #2 is an absolute masterpiece. The mode is more intense, and the pace is a bit faster. The songs are more sensous (a lot like the Sasha/Digweed 'Communicate' CD, and the best of Digweed's own "Hong Kong Global Underground" CD from 2000). So, bottom line: This is a very adventurous CD, where Digweed is taking some major chances with his selection of rhythms, more ambient sound, and a deep throbbing bassy mix. Unlike most "bass & drum" sets, though, this doesn't have the "boom box" sound & feel. It's deep, cerebral, and [especially on Disk #2] exhilarating. Disk One is like great Foreplay, and Disk Two is like a night of new sexual experiences (the kind you want again). Best Cuts: Love In Traffic, Groove Is In The Air, Strapped, The Fall, Genesis, One"
Digweed: Blade Runner DJ in Los Angeles
B. Lynch | USA | 03/05/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"John Digweed stays "on top" by never standing still. This latest Global underground release is a very daring departure from much of Digweed's previous work, and from much of what is being released as "DJ compilations". Unlike some CD series, which ave a really "queeny" or "flaming Disco" sound, this one is deep, and dark. It fits the mood of great trance extremely well; spacey without being empty, intense withot being 'in your face', and [this is LA after all], laid back but always to a powerful and relentless beat.Some of the tracks here are densely layered, and have a hard, edgy trance feel (which is what draws your attention--it is so different from the usual dance fare): it's almost "Down Beat"; dense and full of low-mid frequencies, and nto equalized with lots of mid-high frequency boost. The relsult is a surprisingly listenable and danceable mix, although dancing may require you to really crank the volume to fully appreciate the effect.Disk #1 is the darker, slower disc. It never goes above 130bpm, but like the LA traffic, it only seems slow until you're caught up in it. ANother chance Digweed takes is the inclusion of vocal tracks, and while I hope he never does an entire CD of vocal cuts, 'Love in Traffic' is perfectly segued, and it feels totally appropriate for a mix created in Los Angeles.Disk #2 is an absolute masterpiece. The mode is more intense, and the pace is a bit faster. The songs are more sensous (a lot like the Sasha/Digweed 'Communicate' CD, and the best of Digweed's own "Hong Kong Global Underground" CD from 2000. So, bottom line: This is a very adventurous CD, where Digweed is taking some major chances with his selection of rhythms, more ambient sound, and a deep throbbing bassy mix. Unlike most "bass & drum" sets, though, this doesn't have the "boom box" sound & feel. It's deep, cerebral, and [especially on Disk #2] exhilarating. Disk One is like great Foreplay, and Disk Two is like a night of new sexual experiences (the kind you want again).Best Cuts: Love In Traffic, Groove Is In The Air, Strapped, The Fall, Genesis, One"
Reverberating Deep Fear-invoking Movement
blhurry | Flagstaff, Arizona United States | 05/09/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like electronic music that will scare you as much as it will make you move, if you like music that feels like a gravity-well has suddenly switched on and your are being pulled into it almost against your will, then you MUST buy this album. It's because of compliations like this one that I even got into electronic music in the first place. It's deep, dark, frightening, consuming, and fulfilling stuff that I highly recommend to you if you like that sort of thing. You know when you are listening to an album and it's letting you view the pastures from a hilltop and then the beat kicks in and you are riding over the undulating terrain and then the bass throbs and you are sucked down into a nightmarish landscape that is as alluring and controlling as a siren's addiction? That is what this mix is. It's so hard to find DJs that spin music like this across two CDs that I have wasted hundreds of dollars, please, if after listening to this album you have any recommendations for me, do e-mail me. If you liked this double CD set I highly recommend DJ Moda's Nokturnel Mix Session Release from Topaz. It invokes a similar set of emotions in me and I can't get enough of this stuff."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
