Miracle
Artist: Bim Sherman

What a strange idea -- an unplugged reggae album. Stranger still is how well it works. On Miracle, the wispy-voiced Bim Sherman records some of the oldies that he seems capable of recycling endlessly ("Golden Locks," "Lovers Leap," "Can I Be Free from Crying") along with a few new songs, but what makes this session so unique is the... Read More

Versus Reality
Artist: Techno Animal

Conceptually inspired by the pissing contests of Jamaican DJ sound clashes, Techno Animal Versus Reality pits Kevin Martin against Justin Broadrick; however, instead of spinning vinyl, they face off using hard discs consisting of original sounds contributed by the likes of Tortoise, Ui, Porter Ricks, Alec Empire and Spectre. After getting the... Read More

Stop Arresting Artists
Artist: David Holmes

Stop Arresting Artists is a feature-length remix of David Holmes' acclaimed second album, Let's Get Killed. Holmes farmed the record out to a diverse array of remixers, including Andrew Weatherall and the Stereo MC's, keeping a piece of it for himself. These are hardly rote, by-the-books remixes -- these reveal new unexpected levels to each... Read More

Not for Threes
Artist: Plaid
Community Score: 8.25

Plaid's second full-length release, Not for Threes, is separated from its predecessor by one of the most celebrated side trips in electronic listening music's brief but broad history. As members of the Black Dog, Ed Handley and Andy Turner (together with Ken Downie) helped set the standard for experimental techno, bringing a daring range of... Read More

When the Funk Hits the Fan
Artist: King Britt & Sylk 130

DJ King Britt and his Sylk 130 collective debut with the impressive When the Funk Hits the Fan, a seamlessly retro concept album exploring a day in the life of a teenage DJ spinning records circa 1977. A celebration of the soul, funk and jazz which inspired Britt himself, the album is a pastiche of songs and skits, perfectly evoking the spirit... Read More

Smack My Bitch Up
Artist: The Prodigy
Community Score: 9.67

Prodigy's third single off the double-platinum Fat of the Land album features their most controversial and confrontational track. Many feminist groups and conservatives have been rubbed the wrong way by the song title "Smack My Bitch Up," but the band has stated in the press that the title shouldn't be taken literally (Prodigy leader Liam... Read More

It Must Be a Dream
Artist: Bim Sherman

For those who found the concept of Miracle (Bim Sherman's unplugged and Indian-flavored album of 1996) just a little bit too weird, the same songs are presented here in remixes which vary from straightforward reggae treatments ("My Woman," the dubbed-up Youth mix of "Just Can't Stand It") to jungle (the Underwolves mix of "Can I Be Free from... Read More

Let's Get Killed
Artist: David Holmes
Community Score: 5.00

On David Holmes' second album, the first to be released in America, he explores with even greater depth his fascination with original soundtrack material. Recording snippets of conversation on the streets of New York with his DAT recorder, Holmes returned to England and weaved the vocal samples around his amorphous embrace of several electronic... Read More

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub, Pt. 1
Artist: Apollo 440
The Fat of the Land
Artist: The Prodigy
Community Score: 8.24

Few albums were as eagerly anticipated as The Fat of the Land, the Prodigy's long-awaited follow-up to Music for the Jilted Generation. By the time of its release, the group had two number one British singles with "Firestarter" and "Breathe" and had begun to make inroads in America. The Fat of the Land was touted as the album that would bring... Read More