Customer Reviews

Global Underground 006: Sydney

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To justify my review summary, this CD came out in 1998 (when I first got it), and now 6 years later it still sounds as solid and fresh as when it first came out. In the current dance music scene where today's club smash is tomorrow's stale track, this CD defies all convention by possessing the one thing that defines a 'classic': staying power. I've gone through countless mix CDs over the years, including most of the other GU series, and time and again I keep coming back to this as my favourite.

For some reason my CD is labeled as GU 001 and not 006... an import version perhaps?

Some people say that they prefer the mix in Disc 1 or Disc 2. For me there is no point comparing them as they are so different.

Cd 1 is a moody, somewhat tribal and atmospheric ride. You know when they say that the DJ sets the 'mood' of the dancefloor? Well this mix cd is the textbook example of how 'mood creation' is done. Each track is oozing with a dark, dirty atmosphere, the journey created and mixed to perfection by Digweed's track selection and ordering. The opening track 'Imagine' sets the steady pace and sombre mood of the mix set. Halfway through, the deadly trio of Shapeshifter's 'Flood', Astral Matrix's 'Towards Omega' and Danny Tenaglia's dark house classic 'Elements' merge to become some of the darkest, dirtiest, deepest sequence of grooves I have ever heard. 2 tracks on, Digweed drops Abundence's 'Spiritual', with a killer synth line that's sure to get your head bobbing. The trip ends with Albion's Air, props to Digweed for closing out a dark set with a trance classic. This is the slower of the 2 cds but it is also much more groove and feel oriented. Not the sort of stuff to jump around to, but definitely one to get your body shaking, and your head moving up and down. The beats are all in your head, perfect cd to listen to with your eyes closed.

Cd 2 is a different beast. It is faster. If Cd 1 has an intimate, small club, dirty house feel, this is more of a big club, floor stomping, acid trance atmosphere. Listening to how Digweed builds up the first 8 tracks is pure joy. Starting with the erratic breakbeats of Fatma Morgana's 'Apache Spur', he chugs along and gets faster, heavier, until the climactic release of Deepsky's 'Stargazer' with its mind boggling acid lines. I'm still amazed that Digweed is then able to seamlessly drop PVD's 'Words', at the same time a cool-down track yet another climax in its own way. Most people agree this is some of the best track sequencing ever made.

The common vein for both mix CDs: flawless mixing, epic momentum building, and impeccable track selection.

This is Digweed at his best and purest, all his other mix cds (including his other 2 GU releases for LA and Hong Kong) pales in comparison to this, his masterpiece. I highly recommend you experience this trip at least once, it will be one you never forget.

Well-first I'd like to say that the guy who wrote the 2 star review, must have been listening to the cd at some construction zone, while the workers were drilling cement. This is nowhere near to being repetitive. In fact-every song has a slightly different taste of the electronica/ambient genre. This is the most amazing cd I own,and I own roughly 30. I got the album 5 hours ago, and listened to the whole thing(start to finish), the way it was meant to be listened to.

This album, is absolutely phenomenal. It will take you places, and great for reflecting on your life, and just think about life. There is SO much energy in 'Apache' I was amazed.

For some people who may be a little new to the massive world of electronica, this may be too much for you. This cd is for sophisticated listeners only. If you're looking for an electronica cd that you can beat to right away, and just fast-foward to any part of any song and start jamming. This aint for you. Although, 5 or 6 songs are totally packed with energy, the rest needs to be 'logically' listened.

The remix of 'Elements' by Digweed is awesome. I have the original song by Danny Tenaglia as well and Digweed did an awesome job of emphasizing certain rhythym without killing it or losing its originality.

I highly recommend this, to any electronica fan who is getting bored with the same shpiel. Thankyou Digweed, you've introduced me to a whole new world...

If you are like me, then you like John Digweed for his seamless mixing and epicurean track selection. He also has a very distinct house-style to most of his music. I love cd1. Some of the reviewers here note the "dated" sound of this disc, and I would have to agree that it is no longer cutting edge or in line with the current vogue euro flavor, but it is dark, edgy, and very interesting. It sounds somewhat like Bedrock and Hong Kong. I love the housy side of Digweed and I think this is the area where he shines. Deep, groovy, and funky beats are more becoming of John Digweed than more common spacey trance music.

Honestly, I could live without cd2. It could easily be any of a vast number of recent electronic trance music discs. That's just me though, and that sound obviously appeals to more people than cd1. This is exactly why I like being me.

Yes, yes it did. Back in the day I was a raver but I never encountered anything like this until those days had passed. This music has entered my life and is now enjoyed in a different setting than a rave but it is just as sweet.

The only way I can explain this (I'm not much into the ins and outs of the artists being mixed here nor do I have much knowledge of mixing techniques) is that Disc 2 almost 'assumes' that you are in the frenzy of the rave, that you've entered that transcendent level and have let go. It is full speed ahead, taking you further and further until you're not sure you can go any further.

Disc 1, then, embraces many layers and many moods and runs the gamut, mixing stuff that shouldn't go together, bouncing you around through a variety of moods and sonic spaces. It ropes you in, brings you under it's spell and doesn't let you go. I never knew techno had such rhythm and such funk to it. I think it's the surprise that hooks you and drops you off at Disc 2.

After all, it's the music that takes you there and sets you on your way. Yep, this is a good one, well worth the visit, even years later. Easy to forget how fresh this was back in the day.

To this day this is still one of my favorite cd's in the entire Global Underground compliation series and I do own them all!!! The first cd is definately very deep and filled with tribal sounds and seems to be better listened to in a car or something, the 2nd on the other hand is definately a journey as in the beginning it starts off a little bit slower, then he drops in Deepsky's, "Stargazer" and follows up with Paul Van Dyk's, "Words". By the end of the cd it leaves me with the lasting impression of just how progressive dance music should sound like, depth, perception, a story has just been told, and you want to go out and dance!

This cd has received so much play that it's going to need to be re-purchased and believe me it's the first cd I'm planning to re-buy when I get around to it!

Okay, first off, those of you people who gave this under 5 stars need help, and you should go back to listening to the Back Street Boys or whatever. This is by far Digweed's best CD, and one of the best GU's. It is one of the seminal works of trance. Digweed was slamming it hard back then, before he became "Sasha-fied." Sasha--perhaps even more overrated and overexposed than Oaky--has slowly sucked the soul and funk out of Digweed. [Yes, I do love the first and--especially--the second two Northern Exposure's, but that was when Digweed was still his own man and before Sasha got too rapped up in his own image.]

This is music to turn up loud and--gasp--dance to. (Remember dancing to electronic music? You go to a club nowadays and everyone just stands and watches the DJ spin--ooo, how fun!) More recent Sasha and Digweed releases are featureless, monotonous, unnecessarily academic and self-conscious, and TOTALLY lacking in rump-shaking and mind-melting grooves. Digweed's Sydney is thumping, pulsating, and full of wicked sinewy exotic atmosphere. You can feel the stuffy humid air of a dark warehouse party at 2am. This is the style that used to drive me and my friends crazy at Sporty & Nike parties in LA in the mid to late 90s. It remains one of the gospels of trance.

Sure, we've all heard Filter, Air, Words, Elements, and a few other tracks before. But they work great in Digweed's mix here. Track selection is brilliant. And that's what mix CD's are all about--the tracks. All else is irrelevant. Besides, this came out in '98, when those tunes were still fresh.

On Disc 1, Digweed builds the tension up through Wonky, the incomparable Filter, Flood, and a little Goa before reaching a climax with DT's mysterious Elements, then keeps us going before settling to a cool down with one of the great trance tunes ever, Albion's Air. As good as Disc 1 is (itself a 5-star CD), Disc 2 is legendary. Oh...my...gawd. After a warmup, we quickly get caught up in Digweed's greatest "suite" of tracks that ramps up mammothly from the cool and coy Rub-a-Dub through to the relentless drive of Steel Blue and Stargazer, constantly taking you to a new level just when you think it is impossible to go any higher. When the mix of Words comes in, it is like just finishing the greatest thrill ride of your life. You want to applaud the brilliance of those last 6 tracks.

I give this my strongest recommendation. Others to check out in the series that compete with Sydney as the greatest GU: Tony DeVit's Tokyo (long live TdV and NuNRG!), and Nick Warren's Brazil, Budapest, and Amsterdam. And for one man who still keeps it real, providing intense danceable prog trance for the masses, Christopher Lawrence.

John Digweed is featured for the first time on Global Underground's sixth commercial release, GU006: Sydney.

This compilation is very beloved by the majority of Digweed's massive fan base. It was actually released as the first Global Underground (GU001) on the United States as a "non-import".

I really think Digweed should stick to single disc commercial compilations. I repeatedly find that one disc (usually disc 1) of a two disc set is very good, full of depth with good diverse track selection. The second disc always sounds relatively familiar to another second disc from another album of his.

Disc 1 of this compilation is really good. Surprised? About half an hour into this set, it gets phenomenal right on through.

Disc 2 is uninspiring and dull after a few plays. I'll be the first to admit that I am way more critical with electronica compilations than most. However, I just can't bring myself to love a set that includes a track with race-car noises in it ("Autobahnana" by Mortal if my memory serves me correctly)!

Disc 1 gets 4/5 stars while disc 2, 2/5 stars.

I have bought quite a few of the Global Underground series including efforts by Sasha, John Digweed, Nick Warren, Dave Seaman, and Darren Emerson. Of all that I have bought, only Sasha's San Francisco gets more airtime in my collection. Both discs of this CD are very enjoyable. If Trance is your thing, then check this effort out.

Okay Ive listened to a good bit of Digweeds stuff and I think this is close to being his best (CD1 of Communicate is a classic in my view and untouchable). Anyways, surprisingly Digweed basically sticks to Euro TRance on CD2. Its a lot more melodic than one would expect from him (for Gods sake we even have PVDs WORDS included :). Anyways, CD1 starts off great with tracks 1 and 2 loses its way a little bit in the middle then picks up again at the end. Its not as consistently good as CD2 but maybe thats because Im more a Eurotrance guy anyway. Regardless JOhn Digweed is an awesome Dj: HE KEEPS YOur attention weaving between a lot of cool songs and hey thats basically what a dj should do at his best. NIce job and definently worth your money.

a mix cd is hard to make worth the money. diggers has definitely done it here, and this is his first global underground release. hong kong has reinforced the quality of his mixing...but this is where it all began, way back with fortunato and montressor opening with 'imagine' the cd is mixed well, of course (who else sets the standard?). but mixing is expected on a big release mix like this, it's the track selection that makes it worthwhile. digweed makes a journey out of it. it's danceable and not to mention sexy as ever. play it at a club, play it in your room. quality, no doubt.