Compilations of electronic music don't get any more enjoyable and essential than Putting the Morr Back in Morrissey, a sampler of techno soundsmiths on Thomas Morr's superb German record label. Getting past the Smiths pun in the title, one encounters more than two hours of bubbly, warm sounds from some of the most promising knob twiddlers in the business. Though there are a number of musical styles compiled, from contemplative post-rock hybrids to IDM to electro, the artists all share a knack for crafting sweet organic songs. Genre-besting moments peak out of every nook and cranny. The Notwist, Herrmann & Kleine, Lali Puna, B. Fleischmann, ISAN, and Tied & Tickled Trio are all captured at the top of their games. The first disc of the two-disc set consists of 14 original compositions; disc... Less

It's easy to dismiss the music of this cute, vegan, bare-pated relative of Herman Melville, especially if you don't actually listen to the music and focus instead on his ultra-PC interview style or the manner in which he sold dozens of songs to commercials and film soundtracks back in Y2K. But to do so is to knee-jerkedly miss out on some very fine and innovative music by one of the most influential musicians of the last decade. With the exception of two tracks (one of them the title tune), Go is a best-of from the years that Moby's been on the V2 label, from 1999's breakthrough hit Play onward. But Play--with its uncanny reworking of field recordings with playful beats and ambient textures-- remains the artist's finest moment. A full disc of remixes and a smattering of unreleased songs... Less

It's easy to dismiss the music of this cute, vegan, bare-pated relative of Herman Melville, especially if you don't actually listen to the music and focus instead on his ultra-PC interview style or the manner in which he sold dozens of songs to commercials and film soundtracks back in Y2K. But to do so is to knee-jerkedly miss out on some very fine and innovative music by one of the most influential musicians of the last decade. With the exception of two tracks (one of them the title tune), Go is a best-of from the years that Moby's been on the V2 label, from 1999's breakthrough hit Play onward. But Play--with its uncanny reworking of field recordings with playful beats and ambient textures-- remains the artist's finest moment. A full disc of remixes and a smattering of unreleased songs... Less

A double album of Warp artists covering Warp songs from the last twenty years. An incredible display of the diverse talent among the Warp roster. 'Warp20 (Recreated)' is twenty-one brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present, also across two discs. The ambitious project sees Canadian indiepopsters BORN RUFFIANS cover the mysterious work of APHEX TWIN; U.K rockers MAXIMO PARK go head to head with VINCENT GALLO; Australia's-own PIVOT and U.K crooner JAMIE LIDELL deconstruct the delicacies of GRIZZLY BEAR; and much, much more. Highlighting the imagination and conceptual drive of Warp's new generation, these disc's also feature mind-blowing covers by up-and-comers HUDSON MOHAWKE, MARK PRITCHARD (HARMONIC 313), BIBIO, LEILA AND CLARK!

A double album of Warp artists covering Warp songs from the last twenty years. An incredible display of the diverse talent among the Warp roster. 'Warp20 (Recreated)' is twenty-one brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present, also across two discs. The ambitious project sees Canadian indiepopsters BORN RUFFIANS cover the mysterious work of APHEX TWIN; U.K rockers MAXIMO PARK go head to head with VINCENT GALLO; Australia's-own PIVOT and U.K crooner JAMIE LIDELL deconstruct the delicacies of GRIZZLY BEAR; and much, much more. Highlighting the imagination and conceptual drive of Warp's new generation, these disc's also feature mind-blowing covers by up-and-comers HUDSON MOHAWKE, MARK PRITCHARD (HARMONIC 313), BIBIO, LEILA AND CLARK!

The Rip-Off Artist: Matt Haines. Personnel: The Rip Off Artist (vocals); Dillman Li (vocals).No one's really quite sure (well, maybe a select few) what the real deal is about Matt Haines, but his Rip Off Artist project has had many a Tigerbeat 6 fanatic salivating at the mouth for quite some time. All of the familiar funked-out Max/MSP hallmarks that have made Tigerbeat one of the quirkiest IDM labels in the genre make themselves present. Put together a slice of solid electro ("Fuzzbottom" is easily one of the funkiest compositions ever to grace TB6's catalog), a little bit of nonsensical toasting ("Bim Boom Bam"), and some subtle sexual innuendo ("In and Out") and you've got a 40-minute glitch excursion that ranks up there with some of the best of 2003. ~ Rob Theakston

The songs on "Unearthed" pay homage to ancient cultures with their titles (Cuzco, Pompeii, Harrapa, and Ebia), yet they are as contemporary as Deep Forest and Enigma and attract the same kind of fan. The music is at one moment dark and choral and at another light and airy; one moment you're in Greece and then in Ireland or South America. It's a film score, clearly cinematic, but there's no movie - rather there are the dozens of movies and movie trailers in which the music has appreaed. If you've watched Six Feet Under, the NFL or the US Open, you've heard their music. If you watch CBS's hit series "Cold Case" on Sunday nights, you've heard one of the most extraordinary theme songs ever, and it's the track "Nara". If you are even an occasional filmgoer, you've heard the music on... Less

Personnel: J Boogie's Dubtronic Science; DJ Tonk, DJ Zeph, Goapele, Mark Farina, Amp Fiddler, Quantic, Raashan Ahmad, Romanowski, Soulstice, Zion .J. Boogie's Dubtronic Science has been the most exciting dance music collective in the Bay Area for some time, and has made some exceptionally fine albums and singles. But Live! in the Mix is special. Featuring a mixture of live instruments (sitar, saxophone, flute, turntables) and recorded grooves, this set is actually a live DJ mix that swerves from deep dub to hard-hitting hip-hop and back again, with the occasional stop along the way for a brief dip or two into Afro-beat, house, and mid-tempo funk. Over the course of a 79-minute program, there is not a single weak track -- the songs and instrumentals vary in quality between very good (the... Less

A double album of Warp artists covering Warp songs from the last twenty years. An incredible display of the diverse talent among the Warp roster. 'Warp20 (Recreated)' is twenty-one brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present, also across two discs. The ambitious project sees Canadian indiepopsters BORN RUFFIANS cover the mysterious work of APHEX TWIN; U.K rockers MAXIMO PARK go head to head with VINCENT GALLO; Australia's-own PIVOT and U.K crooner JAMIE LIDELL deconstruct the delicacies of GRIZZLY BEAR; and much, much more. Highlighting the imagination and conceptual drive of Warp's new generation, these disc's also feature mind-blowing covers by up-and-comers HUDSON MOHAWKE, MARK PRITCHARD (HARMONIC 313), BIBIO, LEILA AND CLARK!

Torch Songs are particularly sultry ballads, named for their slow-burning, sensuous quality. In this unique collection, Six Degrees presents a new generation of songs of passion, loneliness and unrequited love from Cassandra Wilson, Roy Nathanson w/ Elvis Costello & Cyrus Chestnut, dZihan & Kamien, Mandalay, Sylk 130, David Holmes and others The international cast of artists on Torch takes a modern approach to the Torch song, creating new smokey ballads dealing with affairs of the heart.

Proceeds from the sale of WHAT'S GOIN' ON: ARTISTS AGAINST AIDS will be donated to the United Way's September 11th Fund and to the AIDS relief effort.Recorded at Battery Studios, New York, New York.Personnel: Bono (vocals); Billy Odum, Wyclef Jean (guitar); Duchess Nell Catchpole (violin); Chris Martin , Brian Eno (keyboards, background vocals); Rick Johnson, LaMarquis Mark Jefferson (keyboards); John Otto, ?uestlove (drums); Omar Phillips (percussion); Kazuhiko Gomi (programming); The Edge (background vocals).Audio Mixers: Gary Langan; Jan Peter Schwalm; Jermaine Dupri; Mick Guzauski; Andy Wallace; Phil Tan; Serban Ghenea; Stephen George; Brian Eno.Audio Remixers: Mike Mangini ; Moby; Pop Rox.Recording information: Battery Studio, NY; Enterprise Studios, NY; Right Track Studio, NY;... Less

A double album of Warp artists covering Warp songs from the last twenty years. An incredible display of the diverse talent among the Warp roster. 'Warp20 (Recreated)' is twenty-one brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present, also across two discs. The ambitious project sees Canadian indiepopsters BORN RUFFIANS cover the mysterious work of APHEX TWIN; U.K rockers MAXIMO PARK go head to head with VINCENT GALLO; Australia's-own PIVOT and U.K crooner JAMIE LIDELL deconstruct the delicacies of GRIZZLY BEAR; and much, much more. Highlighting the imagination and conceptual drive of Warp's new generation, these disc's also feature mind-blowing covers by up-and-comers HUDSON MOHAWKE, MARK PRITCHARD (HARMONIC 313), BIBIO, LEILA AND CLARK!

Personnel: Soularis (vocals, keyboards, programming); Mandy Edge (vocals); Anders Ekholm, Carlo Atti (saxophone); Tony Lindsey (background vocals).Audio Mixers: Mark Farina; Ben Sowton.Recording information: Casa Studio, New York, NY.Continuing his popular Bargrooves series, Seamless Recordings head Ben Sowton, with help this time from guest DJ (and labelmate) James Fierce, compiled 24 tracks for 2006's Magenta. The two-disc album is much like the others in the series, a well-mixed selection of house music from both famous and lesser-known artists. Sowton gives a set that resembles his live ones: smooth and clean, yet still kind of funky, while Fierce uses techno and global influences, as well as work from some of his own personal favorites, Mark Farina and DJ Heather, who's featured on... Less

Release Date: 2005-05-03, Audio CD, Mettray Reformatory

This is a continuous in-the-mix CD of tracks from the Rather Interesting label, compiled and mixed by Burnt Friedman.DJ: Burnt Friedman.Audio Mixer: Burnt Friedman.Editor: Burnt Friedman.

When one sets out to pay tribute to pornography, the task is a weird one. Is the Bacchanalian concept being heralded? The sex trade? The porn film tradition? Phone sex? When Howie B makes his nod to the porn industry, he merely rolls it all together, matching different sex vibes to different spots and different artists on this two-CD set. A persisting-- really an undulating--moan is peppered throughout the set, giving it an uncertain erotic ambiance. But the compilation's eroticism is joined to the proverbial hip with porn's other constancy: voyeurism. Everything on the disc seems shrouded in beats and electronic atmospherics, with faint suggestions of sex emanating here and there. And because so much of the set is about suggestion and voyeurism, it's a fairly effective mood-setting... Less

Personnel includes: Vedic; Yahoel Hammer (piano). Composer: Michael Hammer.

Ayria: Jennifer Parkin (vocals, programming); Joe Byer (programming). Audio Mixer: Sebastian R. Komor.Audio Remixers: Headscan; Daniel B ; Angelspit; Essence of Mind; David Carretta; Standeg; Spetsnaz; Front 242; Leæther Strip.

Dan the Automator's release on the DJs-only label Sequence Records is a blessing to music lovers who've slowed down their record collecting. Most of the songs featured on Wanna Buy a Monkey? are culled from the artist's own albums, but the sophisticated blend of journeymen MCs and edgy ambient groups makes it easy for every listener to find something "new" to dig. Hard-core De La Soul fans may fall in love with Lovage's whisper-soft groove, while Bobby Digi's loose and funky turn on the Tru Master-produced "The Rhumba" might inspire those who appreciate Zero 7's chill-out lullabies to discover the joy of hip-hop. Both camps will enjoy the original version of Gorillaz's "Latin Simone," which recalls the languid, horns-influenced sound of the later-era Specials. But the clear winner here is... Less

2001 album for UK electronica artist. Featuring Holli Ashton on lead vocals & various backing vocalists including Lisa Millet, Tara Patterson (Autocreation), Sarah Peacock (Scala, Seefeel, January) & 4AD artist Vinny Miller. 'Wrong' was recorded in 1998,and mixed in 2001. The intention with the twin CD format is that both CDs are played simultaneously, working on the assumption that most people have 2 CD players (1 main hi-fi 1 portable) the listener would put CD1 (the Songs) in the main CD player & CD2 (A collection of drones) in the other CD player. The sound from the second CD augments the main sound from the first, filling the room with sound. It is up to the listener to decide the relative levels or if the two players are even in the same room. It is very important to ... Less

Release Date: 2005-11-15, Audio CD, Environ

Dan the Automator's release on the DJs-only label Sequence Records is a blessing to music lovers who've slowed down their record collecting. Most of the songs featured on Wanna Buy a Monkey? are culled from the artist's own albums, but the sophisticated blend of journeymen MCs and edgy ambient groups makes it easy for every listener to find something "new" to dig. Hard-core De La Soul fans may fall in love with Lovage's whisper-soft groove, while Bobby Digi's loose and funky turn on the Tru Master-produced "The Rhumba" might inspire those who appreciate Zero 7's chill-out lullabies to discover the joy of hip-hop. Both camps will enjoy the original version of Gorillaz's "Latin Simone," which recalls the languid, horns-influenced sound of the later-era Specials. But the clear winner here is... Less

Freescha's third full length album released on their own Attacknine label, brings 14 songs from the creative pairing & friendship of the San Fernando Valley born Nick Huntington & Michael McGroarty. Their Californian brand of organic electronic songs are observed & enjoyed by fans the world over by other music figures such as, Two Lone Swordsmen, Moby, Casino vs. Japan, Opiate, Hermann & Klein, Bauri & Marumari. Freescha was chosen for URB magazine's "Next 100" artists to watch for in their year-end special issue. Sounds from by-gone days, when the naivety of 1970s relinquished its day dreams over to its successor, the equally awkward, trendy 1980s, Freescha opens the doors to a special place that escapes specific dates or promises that can not be kept, & only hopes to sweeten... Less

The Lunaticworks label, which is devoted to bringing the work of bedroom electronica artists to the attention of the general public, continues its unknown-artists compilation series with this third volume, which features unexpectedly brilliant material from such obscure but inspired composers as Fruitbat, Cordovan, Soy Sauce, and Chachi Jones. Some of this material -- such as Cordovan's gorgeously funky "Can't Find My Way (Barrio Mix)," and Chachi Jones' more contemplative but equally funky "Clear" -- is instantly attractive and almost instantly addictive; other tracks, such as Wind Chill Factor's "Crimes of Luxury," which prominently features the genuinely distressing sounds of a woman sobbing uncontrollably, are more challenging and maybe ultimately not a lot of fun. But everything here... Less

Issued in 2006, GO is the first Moby compilation to include both the New York City-based electronica artist's early-1990s singles and material from his '99 mainstream breakthrough album, PLAY, and beyond. In addition to an update of the rave-steeped title track, the collection presents fan favorites such as the soulful "Honey" and the shimmering ambient composition "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters." The two-CD set also includes the previously unreleased "New York, New York," featuring vocals from Blondie's Debbie Harry, and an entire disc of remixes by club luminaries such as Timo Maas and Mylo.

Personnel: Camille Jones (vocals); Gigi Love (guitar); Ming (programming). Photographer: Capacitor. Arranger: Ming.In 2001, San Francisco-based IDM label Om Records released Environments, Vol. 1, the first in a projected series of multi-artist label compilations. From the title, one might expect an abstract, ambient sound-art quality to the proceedings, but while there's a definite chillout quality to most of these 12 tracks, two-step grooves like Boswick Gates' "You Are the Reason" and Landslide's "Muted Voices" are anything but somnambulant. Other highlights include the spacy "Poppen," a mixture of dubby bass and echoing synth lines over a funky '70s-style beat by Voom:Voom (better known as Kruder & Dorfmeister's Peter Kruder), and "Spineless" by Telefuzz, which sounds like what would... Less

You've got to love marketing, especially when it ends up serving a good purpose. Ghostland's 1998 debut was sadly neglected by listeners -- at least until the trance remix of "Guide Me God" hit the dancefloors. And now, what happens but that album appears under the title of...Guide Me God. But a rose is a rose, no matter the name, and the soulful, cinematic sound of Ghostland is wonderful. Sinéad O'Connor takes the vocals on the title cut (as she does on "Blue" and "Your Time Will Come"), with the sweep of an orchestra behind her on a song that truly does sound like a prayer (notably, the track stands alone here -- on the original release it faded into the next cut), but the vision throughout is by the main trio of Justin Adams, John Reynolds, and Caroline Dale, who bring together Celtic,... Less

Josh One exploded onto the music scene with his Grammy-nominated commercial remix for "Po’ Folks", a song that went Platinum for Nappy Roots and Atlantic Records. His single "Contemplation" was then remixed by King Britt and vaulted to the top of the UK and European DJ charts, becoming an international dance floor staple. The song was named one of tunes of the year by UK magazine The Face and has since been featured on numerous compilations, earning Josh One a recognized name amongst tastemaker DJs and music lovers around the world. On the heels of "Contemplation’ s" fire, Josh and an elite group of musicians returned to the studio to work on his first full length album, showcasing his talents as an artist and producer in his own right. Narrow Path is the result of this collaboration... Less

Norman Cook's bubble-gum techno songs--put out under a variety of guises over the years, including Pizzaman and Freak Power--are essential staples on any international dance floor. Fatboy Slim, however, is the former Housemartin's most successful incarnation, launching a Top 40 crossover hit and popular advertising jingle with last year's "Going out of My Head." You've Come a Long Way, Baby picks up where the smash single left off, cheekily pairing acidic synthesizers and drum machines with big, dumb vocal samples. It takes considerable effort sitting through an entire album of these energized tunes, but taken in small doses, songs like "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Soul Surfing" are like rays of sunshine. --Aidin Vaziri

2001 album for UK electronica artist. Featuring Holli Ashton on lead vocals & various backing vocalists including Lisa Millet, Tara Patterson (Autocreation), Sarah Peacock (Scala, Seefeel, January) & 4AD artist Vinny Miller. 'Wrong' was recorded in 1998,and mixed in 2001. The intention with the twin CD format is that both CDs are played simultaneously, working on the assumption that most people have 2 CD players (1 main hi-fi 1 portable) the listener would put CD1 (the Songs) in the main CD player & CD2 (A collection of drones) in the other CD player. The sound from the second CD augments the main sound from the first, filling the room with sound. It is up to the listener to decide the relative levels or if the two players are even in the same room. It is very important to ... Less