Search - Various Artists :: Chill Out Album: Soft Mixes

The Soundtrack Was Better Than The Show

ethylamine | DC, USA | 07/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album I have hunted for, longed for, drove-local-salespeople-nuts for and have missed like crazy. I know it seems quite a bit to say about a soft-tekkno sampler album, but I'm serious. It was one of DeutschBoy's favorite albums, so I used to do my homework with it in the background. After we broke up this was the only thing I missed about him. The music was pretty enough that not even bitter/sweet memories tied to each and every track can ruin it. I once performed The Herbalizer's "Sensual Woman" at an open-mike night (it's Bullett-toothed Johnny's song in the movie *Snatch*) "Black Baby" and "Sci-Fi Saloon" have a soft jazzy feel and, of course, Shirly Bassey sings "Come on Baby Light My Fire" in the version I find hotter than the first. And yes, it is far more expensive than I would ordinarily pay for an album, but for those who want a chill out album that will not get stale, or are looking for an introduction to good tekkno (as opposed to what passes for it around the US) this is a very nice place to start. It's not 5 stars only because it IS a sampler and I give 5 stars to albums that aren't just songs strung together."

The best of the best

Brandon | Oakton, VA United States | 11/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Years ago when I started listening to electronica, I saw this at a CD store and for some reason it stood out from the hundreds of other "chill out" CDs. It was expensive, but I took a chance and bought it anyway. Right away I knew there was something different about this one...it is German, so you definitely get a different angle than the usual British or American perspective. Sure there are mainstream standards like Massive Attack & Moby, but there were other tracks that blew me away. In particular, "Face à la mar" and "Harlequin's Meditation" are tye type of songs you'd never hear on a domestic CD, and now they're some of my favorites of the genre. Every track on here is not a gem, but as a whole you can listen to both discs over & over and not grow tired of it. I love electronica, but I prefer down-beat, slow grooves--this CD has a great balance between slow and medium tempo songs. If you like "chill out" music but are tired of the same-old "cheap" electronica CDs; this is the album for you. I liked it so much that I ordered the other 3 double discs in the series."