This is a compilation of Daft Punk’s work plus a few remixes, so in a way I’m reviewing all of their work (though some of their best stuff is left out). Interestingly, Daft Punk fell way below Justice in the Top 100 DJs list, even though Justice imitate them.

Unfortunately, the tracks not a continuous in the mix CD since it’s a compilation, so the jumble of tracks leave it far from Daft Punk’s Alive 2007 album which is brilliant. Also, many of the tracks aren’t Daft Punk’s best, ‘Musique’ and ‘Something About Us’ for instance include a lame robot voice and are uninteresting. ‘Robot Rock’ has potential to be brilliant but in 4 and a half minutes Daft Punk hardly change a thing. ‘Da Funk’ is great, along with ‘Around the World’ and ‘One More Time’. The remixes suck. Buy Alive 2007 if you like Daft Punk, even if it costs much more.

Commonly seen as a disappointment by the Chemical Brothers, and it’s easy to tell why.  Exit Planet Dust was good, Dig Your Own Hole was brilliant and then they changed their genre – losing the big beat factor that they were so good at.  Surrender was mediocre, and so is this, dropping the standard.

‘Come With Us’ and ‘It Began in Afrika’ are alright at the right time, but sometimes feel loud and boring.  Lots of the album is just normal – nothing special, setting the trend for the whole thing.  The song to note is ‘The Test’, which uses the right instruments to create the druggy experience Richard Ashcroft of the Verve is singing about. 

Don’t let the snarling grin put you off.  It’s a different album (not just because it has body parts all over the back as well).

The songs are varied, but the drum machine is way-over used.  Some songs are experimental, and good: ‘Goon Gumpas’ sounds like something out a fairytale and it’s interesting.  However, the album is the shortest of my whole collection at only 30 minutes.  Considering I paid the same amount for 150 minutes of Sasha in Global Underground, which is better without being longer anyway, I really don’t think I’ve got my money’s worth.

Mr R Baker says something I completely agree with:

I’m the odd one out because I can’t appreciate this album as much as his others. It’s over before you have time to get into it, and upon repeat listens it seems to do very little but show off. Sounds to me like Mr. James was trying to include as many variations of one rhythm into each song, at the expensive of listenability.
It’s impressive, but a little too self-indulgent for my liking.
That said, “4″, “Yellow Calx” and (especially) “Girl/Boy Song” are fantastic tracks.
Disappointing…but what can you do?

He’s not the odd one out, he’s exactly right.

Yet another brilliant mix from Global Underground.  It goes without saying, both discs are flawless.  At first I preferred Disc 2 but I began to realise it was pretty cheesy.  Disc 1 is deeper – it starts off funky and as you move on it gets deeper and darker.

So as you open the case, again you feel it’s a bargain.  2CD’s, loads of artist info to read inside, and quality music for under £5 at amazon.co.uk.  I was a bit surprised to find a dude wearing a UK shirt swearing at me, probably just the DJ trying to keep on his cool guy act.

As stated Disc 1 starts the night with some slow, pulsing beats, getting more powerful until its all over.  Onto Disc 2 with some awesome Breakbeat that teaches you some maths ‘Fibonacci Sequence’, one of Sasha’s best tracks ever, ‘Xpander’, and you feel really in it by the time you get to the last few tracks, with some brilliant Bedrock to end it.  The only downside is that it doesn’t quite beat Sasha in San Francisco, but not much can beat that anyway.  They’re two completely different CDs.

From the opening pulses of ‘Dark and Long’ through the wonderful melody of ‘Dirty Epic’ and the instant classic ‘Cowgirl, you can be assured of a brilliant experience.One of the few dance albums ever made that you won’t find yourself pushing the ’skip’ button, every song is enjoyable and different from each other.

It’s also an album that you can listen to, as well as dance to, actually I find it more enjoyable just to listen to it. There are so many beautiful sounds and textures, it’s good to take time out to appreciate the amount of work that has gone into this album.

This album is a shining light for the techno genre, it shows that not all techno is boring and loud. An album to savour – Jay MC