Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Robots - Kraftwerk
2. Warm Leatherette - The Normal
3. I Feel Love - Donna Summer
4. Number One Song in Heaven - Sparks
5. Electricity - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
6. Cars - Gary Numan
7. Adrenalin - Throbbing Gristle
8. Yashar - Cabaret Voltaire
9. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa, Soul Sonic Force
10. Jam on Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song) - Newcleus
11. Clear - Cybotron
12. Blue Monday - New Order
13. Strings of Life - Rhythim Is Rhythim

Disc 2:

1. Pump Up the Volume [Radio Edit] - M/A/R/R/S
2. Big Fun - Inner City
3. Enjoy the Silence [Single Mix] - Depeche Mode
4. What Time Is Love? [Live at Trancentral Mix] - The KLF
5. Little Fluffy Clouds [Dance Mix Mk I Edit] - The Orb
6. Go - Moby
7. Move Any Mountain [I.R.P. in the the Land of Oz Remix] - The Shamen
8. James Brown Is Dead [7" Version] - L.A. Style
9. Charly [Alley Cat Mix] - The Prodigy
10. Rez - Underworld
11. Life Is Sweet - The Chemical Brothers
12. Absurd [Mighty Dub Katz Vox Mix] - Fluke
13. 2 Kool 4 Skool [Short] - �berzone
14. For an Angel [PVD Angel in Heaven Radio Mix] - Paul van Dyk
15. Godspeed [BT Edit Mix] - BT

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #251278 in Music
• Released on: 2000-03-14
• Number of discs: 2

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

The best modern electronic compilation (so far)
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...
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'.

more of the same
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.