Search - John Digweed :: Stark Raving Mad

Progressive Heaven

anonymous | Milford, CT USA | 03/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This cd has some tasty numbers from previous Digweed compilations, new stuff and some original music from Digweed and Muir. All of the tracks are oustanding especially Evolution's "walking on fire" and "beautiful strange" by Digweed and Muir. Tracks such as Pako and Fredrick's "purple zone" and Luke Fair's "white island" are a couple of great progressive peak time floor stompers along with many others. The drum & bass piece "a better place" by Dj Tasmin & Monk is a pleasant surprise on this disc, amazing.The vibe of the cd is a little trippy (partly due to rave related samples from the movie) with tons of energy. However, the cd doesn't "flow" well at times. Which is half of the reason I give it 4 stars the other half is because a couple of the tracks were already big hits on other compilations. I do realize this is the score to "Stark Raving Mad" and not one of Digweed's typical mixed cd's but the vibe has some unexpected shifts in it. For instance, the transition from Voyager's "time travel" to "apollo vibe" by Pole folder & Cp (both tracks are from previous releases) just doesn't feel quite right. It's like falling off a cliff rather than sliding down the peak of a hill.All in all its a listenable/danceable cd and a solid movie score debut for Digweed. Fans will not be disappointed. In my opinion it's better than Oakenfold's Swordfish soundtrack.*note* The track "strapped" by White room which kicks off the second song on cd 2(from Digweed's LA set) is on the cd but there is no idication of it."

Balances movie needs with dancehall crowd wishes

Richard Diaz | 05/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's doubtful passionate but exceedingly polite British DJ John Digweed would ever be seen stark raving mad, so it helps to understand this is the soundtrack for the aforementioned film, about a group of young crooks throwing a rave as distraction to the heist they're pulling on the bank next door. As such, this blends incidental music composed by Digweed and production partner Nick Muir (the two form production team Bedrock) with a heaping-size portion of Bedrock-label tunes from the past three years, working effectively as both movie score and DJ set. Film dialogue segues several songs. The six original pieces stay short and to the formula of gussied up drum numbers; capable efforts from a team who've listened to thousands of records in their lifetimes. These effectively convey a tense, nervous energy suited to the film, with "Slingshot's" rapid-fire breaks and uneasy synth notes, and the raspy metallic beats of darker "Mandrian" the best of the lot. Elsewhere, SRM plays like a Bedrock's Familiar Hits package, filled with tunes proven in dance clubs worldwide: Moonface "Children of the Sun" restores a euphoric anthem to prominence, a captivating blend of Indian instrumentation and propulsive tech-beats. Tone Depth's "Rumble Fish" is by all accounts an end of the night classic, a sparse yet powerful kick drum tune with mesmerizing melody and wordless vocals. Lesser know tracks ably perform, from needle rubbing synth wig-out Nuddles "Locked On" to Lemon8's slick programmed "Lose Control" filled with secretive whispers. Though far from the rave music the film hints this to be - there's a sense of repressed energy throughout these two discs which never fully releases - Stark Raving Mad manages to juggle the needs of movie fan listeners and dedicated dancehall crowd."

Greatest Hits

G. A Booth | Santa Barbara, CA USA | 04/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"John Digweed is a well known English DJ who has released the indispensible Renaissance recordings as well as the Northern Exposure series. Now master Diggers has released a mix of classic dance tunes with a couple of new releases. In general, this is a strong offering including the must have Apollo Vibes and a truly remarkable drum and bass tune at the end of disc 2. However, as this is a soundtrack to a movie, these discs lack the flow of the usual Digweed comp. Another problem is the chatter in between tracks is somewhat annoying. This is overcome by the fact that the track selection for the most part is excellent. As a Digweed fan I thoroughly enjoy this mix and would recommend this with the above caveats. Happy listening!!"