Customer Reviews

Plastic Compilation Volume 3

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While not as great as other reviews rave, it's a solid "B" and better than Plastic #2. it starts off with a good, not great mix of Sarah McLaughlin's "I Love You", not as good as delerium's version on a previous comp. Then you get the butchered radio edit of the fantastic "Xpander" track by Sasha- almost all other tracks on this disc are 8-9 minutes, yet they include the 3:40 version on this comp- pitiful. Things start kicking up with the Delerium and Hybrod mixes, and BT's other mix is quality as well. The disc rounds out with a lesser but still decent CB track "Under the Influence", and a somewhat out of place but what the heck Beth Orton. Not great, but still recommended as a pickup for those who want a bit of mainstream common familiarity with their electronic music.

As a fan of the prior 2 Plastic comps, I went right out and bought the third. The tracklisting looked similar to the first two, which I thought a good thing, as Plastic is usually a great place to get a hold of great Sarah McLachlan/Delerium remixes. However, right from the beginning, I was disappointed. Consider track 1, BT's remix of Sarah's "I Love You." This is not to slam BT, as I've loved everything else he has ever done, but this particular remix is a joke. It just sounds awful in my opinion....BT took a slow, emotional ballad and literally forced it into a cheesy, character-less trance track. Track #2 is the venerable "Xpander," a nice enough track but for the fact that it's already been featured on 1,000 other compilations. #3 continues the disappointment with Matt Darey's overbearing cheese treatment of Delerium's "Heaven's Earth." From here, the lukewarm tracks and remixes abound. This compilation has no flow and really no reason for being. If you're looking for a much more fresh approach to trance/progressive house, I strongly suggest Global Underground's "Nu Breed" or Renaissance - "Awakenings" over this. Nettwerk dropped the ball on this compilation.....this could have been much, much better.

*laughing* old buddies Bt, Sasha, and Mike Truman of Hybrid all appear on this compilation and its one of the major reasons I picked this up. Hearing Bt's mix of Sarah's 'I Love You' I was suddenly hit with a powerful jolt of deva vu as I've heard this mix many a time at raves and Atomic, a club. Lovely. Bt really puts his mark on this tune creating a massive dream trance landscape. If you haven't yet heard "Expander" you will be BLOW AWAY. Only complaint is that they didn't put the proper 10min version of the song on the cd.

Bt's tune "Dreaming" is skillfully remixed by Tiesto although I still prefer the original version off Bt's latest album "Movement In Still Life" which by the way is utterly AMAZING...due out in the states June 6th.

As well they have Moloko's huge smash hit "Sing It Back" which made Ibiza THE place last summer along with 9pm(till I come)

And as if that wasn't enough you've got a remix of a remix in Central Reservation which varies from Ben Watt's(of Everything But The Girl) version on Beth's fantastic album by the same name.

This compilation is a dream for dance fans. People who follow the genre will know most of these songs as they have all been out in the Uk but still the REMIXES make this compilation well worth your while. And perhaps it will gain new fans of Bt, Sasha, and Hybrid.

Cheers.

There are such great classics on this album. Unfortunately, there are also some tracks that just don't connect. In fact, the entire second half of the album just seems to argue with the tendancies of the first half. Nevertheless, BT's mix of I Love You opens up the album beautifully. And Heaven's Earth... this has to be one of the best vocal trance songs I'll ever hear. It is pure bliss that has moved me to the point of tears more than once. And Tiesto's Dreaming mix is memorable enough to save the album. It's too bad these three great tracks aren't accompanied by something more appropriate.

Dragonflies is also an excellent song. The Take A Picture Hybrid Mix is cool as well.

The third volume of the Plastic Compilation series is what made me a fan. At the time, I hadn't heard any of Sarah McLachlan's music remixed so I was awfully curious to hear her schmaltzy ballad "I Love You" remixed into a dance mix. The BT mix of "I Love You" is nothing to write home about. It sounds like your standard trance song nevertheless the remix does improve an otherwise schmaltzy ballad. Frankly I can't listen to the original version without gagging because of the insipid lyrics and way too mellow music. The dance beats makes the song somewhat more interesting although BT could have done a better remixing job and not make the song sound like any other trance song I hear in the nightclubs. Although I am not wild about Sasha, I think his best song to date is "Xpander". Classic trance song. The only flaw is that it is a four minute edit. UGH! I hate edits. I wish Nettwerk used the full-length version and got rid of Filter's godawful hit "Take a Picture". What a awful song, even worse as a remix. I can't say that I am a big fan of Povi's "Dragonflies" either. I could have lived without that song too. Still the rest of the album is fantastic. I love the Matt Darey mix of Delerium's "Heaven's Earth" and BT's "Dreaming". Those two songs are my favorite tracks on the album. I must admit that "Bodyrock" is not one of my favorite Moby songs but could have been worse, it could have been "Southside" or "Honey". I also loved Moloko's classic "Sing It Back" and The Chemical Brothers' "Under the Influence". Beth Orton's "Central Reservation" seemed a bit out of a place on this album. A bit too mellow for an album filled with dance songs. I like the song but I thought it didn't sound right on this album. Although flawed, I still love the third volume in the Plastic Compilation series.

Yeah, scintillating title for a review, but it's accurate. Nothing out-&-out bad... but you can't shake the feeling that you've been shorted a track or two.

So, I'll stick to the highlights. Povi ("Dragonflies") is a treat with only one flaw: too bloody short!! I want it remixed to about 10 minutes or more, as it's such an infectious little tune, very open, & I like to drop it in after too much aggro or industrial.

At least as good is the Hybrid remix of Moby's "Bodyrock". I'm not a big Moby fan, but I almost bought an album after hearing this. (Please note that I said "almost".)

Beth Orton's "Central Reservation" is quite good, but a little wimpy to end the CD on. I find I enjoy it more if the randomiser puts it on first.

The one I secretly enjoy most, though, is Hybrid's remix of Filter's "Take a Picture". You wouldn't believe it's the same song -- about all that remains is the vocal line, & everything else (key, rhythmic structure, BPM) has been messed with at some point. Hybrid has a talent for reworking pieces that never caught my attention in their original state.

Not the best of the Plastic Compilation series, but far from the worst.

I have a feeling if you bought Plastic #1 and then #2, that you might have gotten a little tired of the series and was doubtful about this one being much of an improvement. However, this one is definitely better than 1 and 2. It includes new artists that I think are much more gifted than the artists that were popular around the time the earlier complilations were made. Besides that, it also continues using the artists that made the last ones good and still deserve credit, like Sasha, BT, Chemical Brothers, and even some Uberzone. On a scale of 1-3 stars, here's how I rate all the tracks:

Sarah McLachlan-I Love You-BT Mix: * Sasha-Xpander: *** Delerium-Heaven's Earth-Matt Darey Remix: *** Filter-Take A Picture-Hybrid Mix: *** BT-Dreaming-Tiesto Mix: * Moby-Bodyrock-Hybrid's Bodyshock Remix: *** Povi-Dragonflies-Uberzone's Mix: *** Moloko-Sing It Back-Tee's Radio Mix: ** The Chemical Brothers-Under The Influence: ** Beth Orton-Central Reservation-Ibadan Radio Edit: ***

Absolutely the only dissapointment I have with this CD is that the BT material is very dissapointing. Otherwise the tracks would be okay, if not for the fact that BT is usually flawlessly good. The "Love You" Mix seems to be something he did in his spare time one day when he had absolutely nothing to do, and the Tiesto mix is...boring (not that that's Brian's fault). But since some people love these tracks, you might feel differently, which gives you even more reason to buy this NOW.

*As a footnote, if you have no idea who these artists are that mix the songs, and you are in the first place interested in this album for maybe the Sarah McLachlan or Filter material, be warned: this is not pop/alternative/rock. This is electronic. These songs will sound possibly nothing like the original, they might not even include the song's chorus. Just making sure...

I was amazed by this CD. When one of my friends introduced me to it, I was thinking oh great another Techno Junkie CD. Boy am I glad that never left my head. I love this CD. I love track #9 by the Chemical Brothers, and track #6 by Moby. This is a CD that even non-techno fans will enjoy. It also sets a great mood for any party.

There is not a bad track on this CD! The Sarah McLachlan remix is exquisite as is Sasha's "Xpander". Some of the tracks are very long, but the time goes by like nothing since the tracks change and develop rather than repeating the same loop or whatever.

Although there's a very consistent sound across these tracks, they are not homogenous sounding. Lots of good energy here. Why even Beth Orton sounds happy!

It's not real dense or anything, but its great both to dance to or to listen to. I'd recommend it to someone wanting to 'test out' techno as well as to people who've been listening for years.

Like good dance music but are confused because the last time you were shakin your booty on the dance floor was when strobes lights were bouncing off the twirling glass ball in the middle of the club and x was just a letter in the alphabet ? Well this is a perfect CD for the not so hip person who likes dance grooves for other than going to the club. If you like some stimulation while you work out or want to see how some things hardly change take a listen to this compilation. With the proliferation of dance compilations and so many different styles this is a solid choice. Some of the other reviewers have gone into the particulars, including he editor so suffice to say it is familiar yet different mix. My personal faves are "I love you" by Sarah Mclauchlan , "Central Rservation" by Beth Orton, "Sing it back" by Moloko and of course heavies Moby and Chemical Bros. Put on your headphones, jump on the bike, hit the trail, strap on the blades put on the exercise video or just groove, but you'll have to move, so enjoy this good mix of uptempo music. Highly recommended for novices and people not neccessarily into the dance scene.