Machine Soul: An Odyssey Into Electronic Dance Music

Amazon.com
The dance compilation that boasts its definitiveness, its freshness, or, God forbid, its phatness or dopeness, is, as they say, a dime a dozen. But when a label like Rhino calls their new release an odyssey, chances seem good they're going to deliver just that. Insert your favorite quote about reputation and disappointment here. This 28 track, 2-CD set is indeed an amusing sampling of the genre, featuring bands of historical value (Kraftwerk, Throbbing Gristle, Cybotron) and slightly more modern tried-and-true acts (Underworld, the Orb, the Prodigy, the ubiquitous Chemical Brothers), as well as the occasional guilty pleasure (M/A/R/R/S's "Pump up the Volume" and L.A. Style's "James Brown Is Dead"). Where the collection falls short, however, is on its "odyssey" claim. The cutting edge of the genre is completely ignored in favor of songs that don't necessarily need to appear on more compilations (Gary Numan's "Cars," New Order's "Blue Monday"). Finally, the cuts boom, but they don't flow, missing opportunities to make the most of history or influence (e.g., "Trans-Europe Express" would have made a more interesting Kraftwerk selection, if only so that it could be cozied up with the song that owes it everything, Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock"). All in all, it's a fun trip, just not a mindblower. --Bob Michaels

Tracks:

The Robots - Kraftwerk
Warm Leatherette - The Normal
I Feel Love - Donna Summer
The Number One Song In Heaven - Sparks
Electricity - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Cars - Gary Numan
Adrenalin - Throbbing Gristle
Yashar - Cabaret Voltaire
Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
Jam On Revenge - Newcleus
Clear - Cybotron
Blue Monday - New Order
Strings Of Life - Rythim Is Rythim

Tracks:

Pump Up The Volume (Radio Edit) - M/A/R/R/S
Big Fun - Inner City
Enjoy The Silence (Single Mix) - Depeche Mode
What Time Is Love? (Live At The Trancentral Mix) - The KLF
Little Fluffy Clouds (Dance Mix MK I Edit) - The Orb
Go - Moby
Move Any Mountain (I.R.P. In The Land Of Oz Remix) - The Shamen
James Brown Is Dead (7in Version) - L.A. Style
Charly (Alley Cat Mix) - The Prodigy
Rez - Underworld
Life Is Sweet - The Chemical Brothers
Absurd (Mighty Dub Katz Vox Mix) - Fluke
2Kool4Skool (Short) - Uberzone
For An Angel (PVD Angel In Heaven Radio Mix) - Paul Van Dyk
Godspeed (BT Edit Mix) - BT

Amazon.com

The dance compilation that boasts its definitiveness, its freshness, or, God forbid, its phatness or dopeness, is, as they say, a dime a dozen. But when a label like Rhino calls their new release an odyssey, chances seem good they're going to deliver just that. Insert your favorite quote about reputation and disappointment here. This 28 track, 2-CD set is indeed an amusing sampling of the genre, featuring bands of historical value (Kraftwerk, Throbbing Gristle, Cybotron) and slightly more modern tried-and-true acts (Underworld, the Orb, the Prodigy, the ubiquitous Chemical Brothers), as well as the occasional guilty pleasure (M/A/R/R/S's "Pump up the Volume" and L.A. Style's "James Brown Is Dead"). Where the collection falls short, however, is on its "odyssey" claim. The cutting edge of the genre is completely ignored in favor of songs that don't necessarily need to appear on more compilations (Gary Numan's "Cars," New Order's "Blue Monday"). Finally, the cuts boom, but they don't flow, missing opportunities to make the most of history or influence (e.g., "Trans-Europe Express" would have made a more interesting Kraftwerk selection, if only so that it could be cozied up with the song that owes it everything, Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock"). All in all, it's a fun trip, just not a mindblower. --Bob Michaels

Customer Reviews:

more of the same.......2001-10-27

A surprisingly perceptive Amazon.com review gets it right: Andrew Weatherall's "Nine O'Clock Drop" is a far superior compilation of cutting edge late 70s/early 80s music. "Machine Soul" is a bunch of tracks, many individually good, with too many previously released on innumerable other compilations; as an "odyssey" it's a dud.

Surpassingly Enjoyable.......2001-05-10

This compilation consists of the music that the kid in the back of the school bus played on his ghetto blaster. The songs were unintelligible, but catchy. These songs bridged the gap between "white" and "black" music. I remember the majority of these songs, but a few I am hearing for the first time. One of the latter is "Little Fluffy Clouds" by The Orb. When I got to this track, I hit the repeat button and listened to it for hours...now it feels as if I've known it all my life. I was happy to see "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode included as well as Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock," though I think the long instrumental version would have had a better fit here. Overall, this 2-CD set will serve me well on long trips and at parties. It was hard to find, but well worth the search. If as an 80's teenager/young adult your musical tastes were as eclectic as mine, you will thoroughly enjoy this offering.

The best modern electronic compilation (so far).......2000-04-08

That's right, it's the best modern electronic compilation atpresent - i only hope that the next one is a whole heck of a lotbetter. Reading the liner notes, Rhino intended for this to be a 4 CD set, but (for reasons unknown) it was whittled down to only two. The compilation is an average overview for the uninititaed, but if you're a long-time collector/listener, chances are you have the first CD's cuts already in your collection. The second disc is really spotty - why are Fluke/Uberzone/BT even included? At least one drum 'n' bass/acid/Madchester tune could have been included instead. Better choice of tunes should have been made for the Chemical Brothers/Orb/Underworld/KLF. Anyhoo, i'd use this in my "Electronic Music 101" class, but i wouldn't base the course solely on this. i also recommend checking out _Early Modulations: Vintage Volts_ - a decent intro comp to pre-pre-Kraftwerk electronic music. Hopefully some Moby/Keoki/Crystal Methods fans will give this a listen...

music from machine 2 man..........2000-03-19

it is good that a compilation exists like this-finally. techno compilations can be so spotty, but this is one that finally delivers. it's best for the novice who wants to have a place to start with this underappreciated genre. true, most of us already have these, but it's good to listen to in context. there is quite a bunch of stuff missing ('papua new guinea' from future sound of london is one of the prettiest songs made in any genre), some stuff is tired ('little fluffy clouds' again?) and wrong cuts appear ('numbers' and 'pocket calculator', or all of 'autobahn'-22 minutes! would have been better), not to mention missing subgenres like garage, jungle/drum and bass, and acid house. all in all, a good starting point. good history represented with 'cars','blue monday', and 'i feel love'.

Good, but could have been better.......2000-03-18

This is a hit and miss compilation of music. My only complaint is that there are two very important electronica influences missing here: The Crystal Method and Devo.

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