Ambient Intermix
INSTINCT

Ambient Intermixis just that, a collection of Instinct's ambient collective remixing tracks from each other's releases. Where most of what I've heard from Instinct's series of ambient releases has seemed either too uninterestingly repetitive or intriguing in concept--off-putting in its musical obtuseness; this is both interesting in concept and execution. Featuring mixes by everyone from Human Mesh Dance and Sub Dub, to Adam Shaikh and Terre Thaemlitz, the music here comes alive under the remix treatment. The academic/avant-garde elements that makes a lot of ambient music emotionally uninvolving, is here replaced by soft elements of dub and techno--changing somewhat cold spaces to environments now filled with a modicum of warm. But make no mistake, the music here is still very ambient in nature, and even "challenging" at times--it's just much more engaging than expected. (Raymond Hovey)

Building Blocks Volume One
INTELLINET

A collection of fierce acid and progressive house tracks mixed by the magic hands of house DJ legend Terence Parker, Building Blocks kicks off the first in a series of compilations to feature the best tracks from the various IntelliNET sub-labels. Mix-wizard Parker is himself responsible for house classics such as the TP1 EP in 1990, 1993's "Hold On," and Grand Housing Authority's "The Question." On BuildingBlocks, Parker flawlessly mixes jumpin' and pumpin' house tasties with an occasional cheesy old-school sample thrown in for good measure. This girl's favorites: "Blue," by Mathumatix; "Beat Box," by Future Legends; "Never," by Red Nail; and "Whispers" by Wax Fruit. BuildingBlocks is over an hour of sweet, creamy house from some of IntelliNET's finest. (Felicity McNolan)

Speed Limit 140 BPM#7:
THE RETURN OF THE ULTRABEAT
Moonshine

Happy hardcore has begun to make a resurgence in England, Toronto, and other metropolitan cities and this CD is proof of its rebirth. Knightforce Record's track "Ruffer" opens with an sample from one of the "Poltergeist" movies and quickly drops into that popular rhythm that Kniteforce has been using for so long. Moving on, the CD has some classic happy hardcore tracks such as Krome & Time's "This Is the Sound Of The Underground," and Sonz Of A Loop Da Loop Era's: "Further Out," a slight remix of their original "Far Out". SpeedLimit... progresses into newer sounds in which influences of other sub-genres of jungle can be heard. Tracks such as Slipmatt's "Hear Me" show that with time and better equipment, the same old rhythm composition can sound much more substantial. 2 Croozin's "Code Red" is one of the best recent tracks on this CD, it firmly bases itself in elements that define happy hardcore but verges into sounds and samples which are more commonly used by its sibling offshoots--ragga chatter, atmospheric synths, and a rolling drum and bass line that keeps you movin.' Speed Limit... will add energy to your jungle collection and is an excellent representation of happy hardcore.(MK2)

Dark Hearts 2
HARTHOUSE/EYE-Q

Techno is alive and well thanks to labels such as Harthouse. Dark Hearts 2 offers awide selection of futuristic electronic music for every listener. The album's roots are firmly planted in trance, acid, and ambient, but influences of dub, breaks, jazz, and Detroit/Chicago house commune throughout the CD as well to show the wide scope of where `techno' is going today.Dark Hearts 2 includes tracks fromAlter Ego, Thor Inc., Braincell, Frank De Wulf, Morganistic, BCJ, Claude Young...and yes, of course,there is a track from Hardfloor; it couldn't be a Harthouse compilation without one. Dark Hearts 2 undeniably proves there is a future for techno. (MK2)

Ibiza Afterhours2
MOONSHINE

This sequel compilation, collected by Jose Padilla, brings a wide range of styles from the somewhat defunct scene on the island of Ibiza. Starting in an ambient way, Silent Poets begin with a piano version of "Moment Scale." Easing you into a dancing mood, Psychedelic Research Lab's chill mix of "Tarenah" rings beautiful flute riffs over a very subtle rolling dance beat--nice. Further investigation proves indisposable in uncovering "Sunset" by T.B.P.M., many layers of echoing keyboard, jazz guitar, waves breaking into a hop beat reminding you of the best sunsets. Packed with various tempos and perspectives, Ibiza Afterhours 2 goeson with house, drum and bass, hip hop, ambient dub--all sorts of buzzwords. Finally, in the end,the Sabres of Paradise's "Haunted Dancehall" is slammed in the studio into one of Andrew Weatherall's finest epochs. A dark and mysterious journey not unlike a live classical music performance. Emotionally stirring and amazingly conducted. (SeanMercer)

Nervous HardHouse
NERVOUS

"Continuously mixed" by James Christian,Hard House contains some of the best releases put out by Nervous in the past year. Just a few names included on this CD are: Josh Wink, That Kid Chris, Anthony Acid, and of course, James Christian. Christian's mixes will get your body movin' and ass shakin' for over an hour. These mixes are super clean and mistake-free, and a truly mixed compilation (unlike some so-called "mixed" compilations whose tracks begin exactly where the last track stopped). The sounds are from all over the house genre, but the CD's predominant themes are the spacey progressive house and acid sounds that Christian is the ruler at producing. Aside from the silly Elmer Fudd sample in Wink's "Don't Laugh,"Nervous Hard House is a killer mix CD that will make you dance. That's all folks! (MK2)