September 1998:

Big Dirty Beats Compilation

Excellent "big beat" compilation. The day I got it I listened to it start to finish 3 times, it's that good. Great high-powered driving music. Great tracks by Dylan Rhymes, Bassbin Twins, The Blood Suckas, Uberzone, more.

Headrillaz ColdHarbour Rocks

Really funky electronica, as much Soul Train as it is Techno. More great driving music, strong percussion lines. Best tracks are "Weird Planet" and "Space Funk".

Leftfield Leftism

Most excellent 1995 release from a DJ duo that spans all sorts of different moods. So many Leftfield pieces have been on movie soundtracks that I was shocked to find they all came from the same LP, but it's a great LP! Don't know why it took me a year to buy it! Many different guest vocalists, including John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) who is really good on "Open Up". For some reason this is the only Leftfield LP out, but they are supposed to release another early in 1999.

Club 69 Future Mix 2 compilation

Hey, a "house" compilation I like! And it's quite good! Usually, "house" rhythm lines sound to me like a loop of someone hitting a plastic trashcan with a wiffle bat. But the dance-beat here is quite crisp and energetic (still a bit of that cheesy house highhat cymbal tho). Kat the technolass recommended this to me last month (8/98) when I ran into her in a record store. I just got Future Mix 1 which is almost as good.

Chemical Reaction compilation

I've bought 7 or 8 "big beat" compilations and this is a 3rd good one (after Big Rock'n Beats and Big Dirty Beats). The deal here is that the Chemical Brothers remixed about half the songs on this one. They greatly improved several (i.e. "Like A Motorway" by St. Etienne) and a few others that they didn't touch (like "Don't Stop" by the Dirty Beatniks) are also quite fine. Do NOT mistake this for "Big Chemical Beats", which sucks.