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Artist: UNDERWORLD
Title: A HUNDRED DAYS OFF
Label: V2 Records
Link: www.underworld-jbo.com
Root: UK/ Electronica
There was a lot of talk about how Underworld would survive the departure of long time partner Darren Emerson, who after a final tour date in Tokyo, called it quits to dedicate himself to a solo careers as DJ/producer. The trio seemed to juggle a difficult balancing act between creative influences, making Underworld possibly the only electronic dance act with enough of a rock sensibility to be called a band. From nightclub anthems and soundtrack hits (Trainspotting) to extraordinary sound and vision live shows designed by their multi-media affiliate Tomato, Underworld went beyond notoriety to achieve absolute dominion over the dance world by the end of the nineties. "A Hundred Days Off" marks the turn of a page and opens a new chapter, where Karl Hyde and Rick Smith seemingly discover a new path of exploration as a duo, creating with both more focus and looseness what may be Underworld's best album yet. All the bells and whistles are still in effect, but the feel is more moody, sometimes exotic, going from a bombastic 140 BPM anthemic pulse, to moments of absolute quiet splendor and sensuality. Stripped down and less clubby, the album's inventive progression testifies to the stamina of Underworld, who in a scene saturated by weak imitations, stands as a powerhouse of creativity and vision.

Artist: HAVEN
Title: BETWEEN THE SENSES
Label:Virgin Records
Link: www.haven-usa.com and www.virginrecords.com/
Root: UK/ Rock
It's not all Coldplay this fall, and some bands don't have to live up to the hype, the pressures and expectations surrounding the release of a sophomore album. Case and point with Haven, a marvel of epic guitar rock hailing out of Manchester, voted one of the ten best new rock bands in the UK by NME, who exude a bravado not heard since The Stone Roses or The Smith, not merely by coincidence as Johnny Marr, guitar legend of the later, produced the album. Rich and gutsy, wailing guitars flirt with dissonance and melody simultaneously, while Gary Briggs' stunning vocal range soars higher than Bono or Jeff Buckley ever did without faltering. With hypnotic, melancholic and hopeful lyrics, beauty and grace radiate through every track of "Between The Senses". An exercise in raw passion that shines with the honesty of unavoidable talent, Haven instantly create their own rock and roll mysticism, poising themselves as one of the greatest bands to have come out of England.

Artist: THIEVERY CORPORATION
Title: THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON
Label: Eighteen Street Lounge Music
Link: www.eslmusic.com
Root: US/ Downtempo-World
Having threaded on new grounds with their first two albums, subtlety blending Jamaican dub and dancehall reggae influences with downtempo jazz, hip hop and bossa nova, Eric Hilton and Rob Garza, aka the DC duo Thievery Corporation, do not concern themselves with blurring genre definition. "The richest man in Babylon" uses their production method in reverse, where anecdotal world music samples would highlight a repetitive dance beat, they now become the foundation from which the rhythm emanates. This organic approach escapes format to focus on the international sensibility and diversity that influenced each track, creating a soulful, introspective journey from latin America all the way to the far east. Tagging along for the trip are the enigmatic and sultry Italian/Icelandic singer Emilana Torrini, the Persian/French sensuality of chanteuse LouLou, who with Pamela Bricker represent the unmistakable vocal trademark of Thievery Corporation. Cape Verde singer Patrick Dos Santos and Cuban Vernie Verela contribute deeply rooted latin vibes emotional at the core, while Shinehead, Notch, Sleepy Wonder and Desmond Williams toss a funky reggae party in the mix. Having shined offers from major labels and the stigma of genre imprisonment, Thievery Corporation use their creative freedom to expand their own boundaries, find the world at their doorstep and remain true to form.

Artist: SONDRE LERCHE
Title: FACES DOWN
Label: Astralwerks
Link: www.astralwerks.com
Root: Norway/ Rock
George Harrison lives ! Or at least his spirit haunts every track on 19 year old Norwegian singer Sondre Lerche's debut album. Claiming a diversity of influences ranging from Burt Bacharach to Beck, Sondre adds to the plethora of talent (Royksopp, Kings Of Convenience) that has emerged recently out of Norway. "Faces Down" showcases a wit and emotional simplicity in its song writing that make every word hit on target. The production, masterminded by Norwegian producer H.P.Gundersen, draws mostly from sixties pop and psychedelia, mixing string arrangements with the occasional electronic texture serving as a modern day melotron. Because of his young age and a career in its infancy, Sondre Lerche has little to no personal reference and history to draw from, but his talent alone surely holds the promise of a bright musical future.

Artist: MIDIVAL PUNDITZ
Title: MIDIVAL PUNDITZ
Label: 6 Degrees Records
Link: www.sixdegreesrecords.com
Root: India/ Asian Fusion
New Delhi can finally claim its own Asian Fusion outfit, one deeply rooted in India's classical tradition and born a beat culture hybrid as imagined by the young innovative minds of Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj, better known as Midival Punditz. While there are many schools of thought for Asian fusion, from the drum and bass of Talvin Singh, the global mix of Nithin Sawney, the dub chilled out grooves of Cheb I Sabbah, Midival Punditz offers an amalgamation which resonates deeper with Indian culture than UK club life. The sequencing is juxtaposed with the sampled and live performances of countless Indian vocalists and musicians, who become the incidental participants in the next evolutionary step in the continent's musical history. Achievements in small increments include the inclusion of a track on the soundtrack of Mira Nair's film Monsoon Wedding, as well as their participation to the Tabla Beat Science concert, headed by legendary producer Bill Laswell and percussionist Zakir Hussain. A spot on Talvin Singh's second Anokha (sounds from the Asian Underground) compilation should secure worldwide exposure. Midival Punditz close the asian fusion loop connecting the beats to the roots, bringing India's musical culture into the 21st century.

Artist: MADREDEUS
Title: ELECTRONICO
Label: Nettwerk America
Link: www.nettwerkamerica.com
Root: Portugal/ Electronica
Formed in Portugal in 1986, initially as the side project of Rock musicians Pedro Ayres Magalhaes and Rodrigo Leao, until the celestial voice of then teenage singer Teresa Salgueiro came to inhabit Madredeus, a band dedicated to the resurrection of fado (Portuguese soul) with a slight Cocteau Twins complex. 15 years later, 6 million albums sold worldwide and a central role in Wim Wenders' Lisbon Story, Madradeus subjects itself to the remixing skills of studio alchemists who where free to choose their favorite track from the band's repertoire. This thought process allowed the creation of inspired interpretations by the likes of Craig Armstrong, Alpha, Dusted (Faithless' Rollo and Mark Bates), Buscemi and Telepopmuzik amongst others. Running the gamut from tropicalia to orchestral downtempo each artist applied his unique sensibility while preserving the emotional core of each track centered around Salgueiro's enchanting voice, who alone seem to incarnate the spirit of a forsaken country. The melancholy and sadness emphasized by the new electronic textures create an unrivaled realm of splendor and grace that makes "Electronico" a triumph more than a tribute.

Artist: ORBITAL
Title: BACK TO MINE
Label: DMC records
Link: www.dmcworld.com
Root: UK/ Various
Based on the novel idea to compile a selection of tracks you'd be likely to hear afterhours at a famed DJ or producer, the critically acclaimed series "Back To Mine" has provided insights into the record collection of the likes of Danny Tennaglia, Everything But The Girl, Morcheeba, Groove Armada, Faithless, Dave Seaman, with upcoming releases by New Order, Tricky, The Orb, Talvin Singh and MJ Cole. More of a random grab bag than a carefully crafted chill-out bore, Orbital's mix has little to do with Orbital itself (otherwise known the world around for their anthemic techno sound performed to thousands of adoring fans) if it wasn't for the exclusive track "Ska'd for life". If substance abuse has affected your ability to choose the next record, let the brothers Hartnoll take you on their eccentric journey, opening with John Barry and his orchestra, going into the dub vibes of Lee Scratch Perry & The Upsetter with no apology, setting the stage for a multitude of diversion from PJ Harvey, The Selecter, Jethro Tull, Tangerine Dream, to name a few. This is the record for which the word "eclectic" was invented, borrowing from multiple eras while juxtaposing musical genres ranging from symphonic to punk, with every imaginable musical style in between. Orbital's 19 tracks selection is a nutty blast full of random surprises, a deterrent to format and a solid cure against monotony.

Artist: SKITZ
Title: BADMEANINGGOOD 1
Label: Whoa Music/Ultimate Dilemma
Link: www.ultimate-dilemma.com/main_interface.htm
Root: UK/ Hip Hop-Various
From the label that introduced Zero 7 to the world comes the very inspired new series "BadMeaningGood 1", the brainchild of Austin Wilde (creator of the Another Late Night series), aiming to redefine hip hop in the 21st century, offering a broader spectrum of understanding for a genre rooted in many aspects of popular culture for the last 30 years. First in line is London based producer and DJ Skitz, an influential figure of the UK underground hip hop culture whose motto is to be true to oneself. The mix is slick, building a nice pace and flow between famed hip hop acts like the Wu-Tang-Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kwelli and Hi Tek, Roots Manuva, dub and reggae rooted Nitty Gritty, Afu Ra, Anthony Rose and King Kong, the acid jazz abstractions of the Blackbirds, with an occasional curve ball, Donovan and Kool and the Gang. BadMeansGood proves that there's more to hip hop then what you see on MTV. Bonus points to the label for giving internationally famed spray-can bandits Banksy the art direction of the series.

Artist: KING KOOBA
Title: INDIAN SUMMER
Label: OM Records
Link: www.omrecords.com
Root: UK/ Broken Beat-R&B-Downtempo
Sometimes years of efforts simply come together, gel and reach paramount. After getting their groove on with 5 years of fumbling with all means of funk and jazz, King Kooba hits the big mark with the perfect album. A departure from more underground beginnings, the appropriately titled "Indian Summer" basks in its own splendor and harmony, reaching new heights in musicianship, with a stronger emphasis on song writing featuring the vocal talents of UK hip hop icon Roots Manuva, Nomvula Malinger, Cleo Barlett, label mate Gina Rene of Soulstice and Melissa Heatcove. Making the studio tweaking imperceptible, blending bossa breaks, hip hop and nu jazz, it is surprisingly when foraying into mainstream R&B and soul territory with "If I could" (and the armada of remixes to follow), that King Kooba delivers what is certain to become a monumental hit from Gilles Peterson's "Worldwide" to Power 106. With your stereo purring with delight, this year, the Indian Summer is likely to thaw a few hearts and extend well passed the winter.

Artist: BLUE LIGHT ONE
Title: AN UPSTAIRS RECORDING COMPILATION
Label: Nettwerk America
Link www.nettwerkamerica.com
Root: Canada/Ambient-Downtempo
In the pre 1995 era of the history of bleeps and beats, before Madonna pronounced the word "Electronica" and the whole of available records fit on an 8 foot wide CD rack, soundscapes where dreamed up in the dark smoke filled rooms of home studios by a few tek headz in great need of escape, but to broke to afford a club med vacation. Utopic worlds were created from sonic collages, where swooning keyboards evoked anything from Zen introspection into the mind's eye, to spiritual interstellar travel, all of which was one big excuse to light up and chill. The cinematic journey of what became known as ambient, then downtempo, conjures a post modern aesthetic, an imaginary life beyond the boundaries of our reality, where fantasy lives and thrives. Then everyone became a DJ and all this artsy creative process became one big dumb soundtrack for a car commercial. Created in Vancouver in 1999, Upstairs Recordings has dedicated itself to the preservation of this heady genre, supporting a large staple of artists (Telefuzz, Matt Coogan, Lazyboyz, etc...) whose music while worthy of discovery, may never become the fad of tomorrow, and remain under the radar of the mainstream where true talent often resides. A compilation for those in search of a thought less raveled.

Artist: MARK RAE
Title: RAE ROAD
Label: Grand Central Records
Link: www.grandcentralrecords.co.uk
Root: UK/ Breakbeat-Downtempo
Manchester is the quintessential hotbed for musical innovation in the UK. To get the full guided tour on how the Lancashire city became the birthplace of rave culture, make sure to check out Tony Wilson's biopic flick "24 hour party people". Over the last eight years, Mark Rae has become one of its prodigal sons, not only as one half of hip-hop-breakbeat-funk-dub-bossa duo Rae and Christian, but also as head honcho of label Grand Central Records, home to other illustrious acts like AIM and Only Child. "Rae Road", his first solo album, is an effort to reconnect with the raw passion for funk and all derivatives that guided his early ambitions. Free of the boundaries that accompany any collaboration, Rae describes the 12 tracks as a grab bag of vibes and ideas quickly tossed together, a two months assembly process which by production standards is minimal. The result is raw, loose and has the palpable immediacy of a jam session, yet every tweaking trick is rigorously applied to a blend of inescapable grooves with the purest Grand Central signature sound. This labor of love enlists the vocal talent of Rae and Christian's usual suspects Veba, Joseph Cotton and Spikee T, creating a vibrant zeitgeist manifesto on Mark Rae's politics of dancing.