Urbal Beats: Definitive Guide To Electronic Music

This 1997 album of electronic underground music is good for those whom wish to have the last few good years of its life, al though Rave, Techno and real Underground Clubs started to die in late 1994 from president Clinton.

This cd will have you moving to beats. All of the songs are great and the production is top quality!

First let me say this - The artists and tracks that Urb magazine has pulled together on this compilation are definitely good music. But I would not call this a definitive guide to electronic music. There are definitely other bands that put out good electronic music at the time. But I guess you can only fit so much good music on an 80 minute CD (76:43 to be exact). That being said, let me give a short run down of the awesome tracks on this CD:1. The Prodigy - Poison: gets better with age - Prodigy is definitely an essential - powerful lead in track for this CD2. DJ Icey - Big Ditch: Icey is nice and dicey on this track3. The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin Beats: might have been played one too many times but it rocks every time you here it4. Future Sound of London - We Have Explosive: the original is a good track and this remix is even better5. Rabbit in the Moon - O.B.E.: This is how down tempo is done6. Wink - Higher State of Consciousness: I would call it the anthem of acid funk - my favorite track7. Keoki - Caterpillar: the driving beat and guitar sounds make it worth listening to twice8. Underworld - Born Slippery: a sticky tune with a beat that makes you move to the music9. CJ Bolland - Sugar is Sweeter: a very surprising track with some nice lyrics10. Orbital - The Saint: shows the best side of Orbital with airy flute sounds and a nice bass line11. The Orb - Toxygene: the comeback of the orb - a good ambient dub12. Goldie - Inner City Life: good ambience - nice vocals13. Reprazent - Share The Fall: the airy flute at the beginning leads to a good beat14. Portishead - Sour Times: another good ambient dub15. Everything But The Girl - Before Today: the best vocals on the CD with a hint of drum and bass16. Crystal Method - Busy Child: one of the most played by the crystal method, but makes for a good driving last trackHope this helps in making your choice to add this CD to your electronic collection. Now that I own Urbal Beats Vol. 1, 2, & 3, I can say that Vol. 1 is probably the best.

There are some really classic techno songs here, but my favorite (which is now one of my favorite songs of all time) is this version of Rabbit In The Moon's 'O.B.E'. It samples Precious Things by Tori Amos and creates this awesome, dark orchestration. My words can't describe it. It's just an awesome song. I'd almost recommend this CD just for this song.

Not satisfied last song had a skip

This CD, in the late 90's, was a critical implement to the American understanding of the movement taking place in Europe >outside< of the Ministry of Sound. For those of you that spent your collegiate summers studying various forms in Oxford, you'll have vague recollections of weekends spent in London's back-alley clubs that only the "natives" could navigate.

I ordered the Urbal Beats CD. I received the package and saw the Urbal Beats cover art. I opened the shrink wrap and the cd case and inside was disc 1 of Urbal Beats 2(2 discs of less desirable remixes).Very disappointed because the first Urbal Beats is so hard to come by and I got my hopes way up.

This CD is a definite must have for all fans of techno-- covering all the bases from early to modern trance and break beat, showcasing artists who had not yet broken into the mainstream (like Josh Wink and Roni Size) and uncovering lesser known sides to artists like Prodigy. It is an excellent expose of all the staple artists techno fans of all kinds should take a look at.... don't pass this one up!