Global Underground 14: John Digweed in Hong Kong

John Digweed, Global Underground (Series), Various Artists - Dance & DJ - House, Various Artists - Dance & DJ - Techno/Rave | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Global Underground
• ASIN: B00004SPLT
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,199 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Cups [Salt City Orchestra Mix]

2. Overflow [FC Kahuna Mix]

3. Leiva Something for the Soul

4. Into Deep [Medway Remix]

5. Gravi Tech

6. Tribe and Trance [Voyager Remix]

7. Here I Am [Hard Mix]

8. The Baguio Track

9. Music Saved My Life

10. Useless

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Glide

2. Angry Skies [Tilt's Numerology Dub]

3. Futurized

4. Diablo [Evolution Mix]

5. More

6. Sputnick [New York FM Mix]

7. Persuasion [Funk Function Future Mix]

8. Crash [Funk Function Groove Mix]

9. Amran in the 7th Phase

10. To the Rescue

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genius at Work, September 6, 2000

By 

Sam McCarthy (New Haven, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground 14: John Digweed in Hong Kong (Audio CD)

Because it came right after Seaman's Buenos Aires and Sasha's Ibiza, I expected this to be a very trancy GU set...Boy was I wrong. John Digweed obliterates the GU formula with a progressive house mix that has become MY FAVORITE CD in my collection. I have always liked trance over house, although I like them both, but this is an incorporation of both.

Hong Kong has the seamless beat of Tenaglia and the breakdowns and buildups characteristic of his partner-in-crime, Sasha. However, I think that the reason some people are bored by this set is because the beats and breakdowns are very subtle when compared to DJ contemporaries. Underworld's mellow "Cups" is the perfect track selection for the opening of this GU. "The Baguio Track" and "Music Saved My Life" are now played out, but the manner in which Digweed mixes them is absolutely brilliant. CD1, in fact, is the best electronica mix I own to date.

CD2 does not have the track selection highlights that #1 does, but it is a more continuous mix in terms of beat and tone. This is one of those CD's that needs to be listened to all at once to fully appreciate it. Diggers weaves a dark, wicked beat into the funk grooves on this CD2, and you will wish that you were grooving at Twilo with him when this mix sucks you in. When I read the sleave notes on the back of a GU, they sometimes seem a little too overstated. But the "DEVIL'S TRANCE and ROBOT FUNK" are two perfect ways to describe Digweed's Hong Kong mix. However, if you are new to trance or even Global Underground, do not get this mix as your first. Trance and house, like opera, call for an acquired taste, and I can see how some electronica newcomers might be bored by this release. Check out GU: San Francisco, Athens, or Carl Cox before you appreciate the proficiency and ear candy of this gem.

But I would argue that the highlight of this mix is the mix itself. Electronica aficionados know that Diggers is neither pure trance nor house (Check out Bedrock). Rather, he has embraced progressive house, of which he is the master. This is the first of its kind in the GU series, but it will not be the last. Emerson's Uruguay and Seaman's Cape Town seem to parallel Hong Kong more so than earlier GU releases. Whereas Sasha's Ibiza set is the future of trance, Digweed's Hong Kong set is the future of progressive house. If you liked Tenaglia's Athens set or Carl Cox's mixes and you have a knack for trance, do yourself a favor and put this masterpiece in your shopping cart.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Amazing!, December 17, 2000

By 

David (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground 14: John Digweed in Hong Kong (Audio CD)

I own every GU cd ever made, plus all of the Northern Exposure stuff as well. I have to say, this is my favorite cd of my trance/house collection. Digweed's mixing on these cd's is so beautiful, for lack of a better word. This set never gets stale, no matter how many times I listen to it (and I've listened to it a lot!). I suppose some may refer to this as dark house/trance and that would be accurate. Although I would say disc 1 fits that description better than disc 2. What I find interesting is that the set gets better with repeated listening. If you are into the cheesy trance anthem compilation cd's, stay away from this one. This is cerebral music that takes you on a journey. It will probably take a few listenings to appreciate the genius at work here. Just so you know where I'm going from, my 5 favorite cd's in order of preference are:

1) Digweed - Hong Kong 2) Sasha - Ibiza and Tenaglia - London (This one is a tie.) 3) Paul Oakenfold - New York 4) Dave Seaman - Buenos Aires 5) Nothern Exposure - Expeditions (Don't listen to it much anymore, but still a classic.)

Nick Warren's Amsterdam set and Steve Lawler Nubreed are killer too. If Digweed's Hong Kong set is not part of your collection you are missing out. Buy it now!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The mix that started the deep, dark and sexy trend., October 28, 2002

By 

"whatyouneedtoknowreview" (SANTA MONICA, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground 14: John Digweed in Hong Kong (Audio CD)

This Digweed mix is credited with starting, or at least crystallizing, the deep, dark, nay spooky, trend in house/trance. What's the flavor here?

There is a focus on stripped down beats, the persistent breathing thud-thud-thud of a heartbeat; metallic, chunky percussion that hits and then skitters off and plunges into the deep night; minimal keyboard colors; echoey, deep night sound effects; spare voices vocal samples-and all of it, rather velvent, warm, red, and naughty.

A very grown up sort of brooding, hot and heavy, late night, compulsive beat music. The antithesis of glow stick waving "candy trance"; if you don't want to be mistaken as part of the virus of drunken German Ibiza tourists, this is sacred antidote.

This disc is the sound of the deep night, where sensuous things occur. Somehow it also evokes the "Bladerunner"-esque city scape of Hong Kong, with all its technology, alienation and humid, fragrant, mystery. Deep subterranean beats, echoey with mysterious voices, you are half dreaming--half waking in some lost club of the future nether world. As much as to drive to or make love to as to dance too. Oh but its still energetic, driving, insistent, wanting. Buy this. Buy this.