Customer Reviews

Ultra Chilled 02

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The music is fine but if you listen to your music on a computer, be aware that the disk is "copy protected" (a nice way of saying "defective by design") so that one track won't play correctly on a computer or transfer to an iPod or MP3 player. You gets pops and stutters. Apparently the makers of the disk presume that we are all thieves and act accordingly; I wanted a legal copy on my iPod because that's how I listen to my music but no dice. They stole my money. Don't let them steal yours.

Ultra Chilled 01 was my first chillout collection purchase, though I have been a fan of many artists on the CD for a long time. These collections are great for anyone wanting an introduction to this sexy genre of music. The first 2CD set was a great mix of unknowns and wellknowns, and save for a couple songs was mostly all electronic. There were only a few songs I didn't like, no big deal. It was a great CD to listen all the way through. I was excited when I heard the names of some of the artists to be featured on Ultra Chilled 02. I was even more excited when I saw the girl on the cover, but that's another story. What I really like about is the combination of acoustic tracks and electronic tracks on the first disc. The second disc is complete heaven, my favorite of all. It's a perfect mix of downtempo hot and smooth electronic grooves. I've got no complaints with this newest addition at all. Most importantly, this is the best music to have sex to. Period. Love it.

I had been avoiding this disc for quite some time, mainly because of the not-so-flattering reviews. I really liked Volume 1, which I still recommend as a great beginner's guide to chillout music. But while Volume 2 isn't as bad as some people say it is, it's definitely a step down from its predecessor. It's not simply because the tracklisting is predictable (Thievery Corp, Zero 7, Royksopp, Radiohead); it's also because much of the material bored me breathless. Disc One is easily the weaker of the two. We're off to a promising start with Coldplay and Nelly Furtado, but after that, it's a bumpy ride from which it never recovers. Things improve significantly on the vastly superior Disc 2, which has a better tracklisting and more interesting grooves. For me, the highlight is Royksopp's "So Easy." True, it's on another chillout compilation I have, but this bass-heavy mid-tempo stomper is too irresistible for me to complain. Other standouts include "Sand" by Max Melvin and "Honey" by Tosca. Had this volume consist solely of disc 2, it would have gotten a 4-star rating, but the lackluster first disc forces me to dock a star. But don't get me wrong; there's definitely a lot to enjoy, here. The problem is that you'll need to use your "skip" button more than once to navigate your way through.

All of my favorite chill artists on one compilation. Who could ask for anything more. Great tracks from Thievery Corporation, Goldfrapp, Coldplay, and Groove Armada. Pick this one up!! It gets the job done.

Most savvy listeners of the 'Chill' genre will realize the term itself is extremely broad, and can include anything from Zero 7 and Moby to The Dining Rooms and Thievery Corporation, plus a few other things in between. But Coldplay?

Don't get me wrong - I love Coldplay, and I daresay 'don't panic' is one of my favorite songs. But in my collection I most certainly do NOT have my Coldplay albums filed under 'Chill;' I have them filed under 'Rock' where they belong. Plus, adding insult to injury, there is absolutely no mixing -- a hallmark of an excellent 'Chill' compilation album is the subtle ebb and flow through mixing from track to track, as well as the inclusion of a few remixes to spice up your well-worn favorite tunes (for example, a remix of 'don't panic,' although I shudder to imagine such a thing, would have been an appropriate attempt instead of just slapping the LP version on there).

This compilation is really nothing more than a smattering of popular tunes and a few 'Chill' overplayed (but still good) standards (i.e. 'Lebanese Blonde,' by Thievery Corporation). You could get a similar effect by putting your CD or MP3 collection on random, wildly transitioning from rock to jazz to funk and back again. I liken this type of commercialized mass production and sensationalism to the ever popular (but sadly tasteless) 'Pure Moods' CDs - it's simply an attempt to grab the cash of inexperienced listeners new to a specific musical genre.

Spend your $$ on something more worthwhile, like the fantastic 'Hed Kandi' compilations instead, such as the 'Serve Chilled' series or the 'Winter Chill' series. The import price might be steep for you, but you'll definitely be glad of the investment after listening.

After buying Ultra Chilled One and liking it, I was looking forward to buying this album too but it turned out to be some sort of disappointment. Ultra Records could DEFINITELY have left out Radiohead, Waldeck and Slusnik Luna. Some tracks, however, are quite good. Tracks such as "Lebanese Blonde" by "Thievery Corporation", "Don't Panic" by "Coldplay", "Julie and Candy" by "Boards of Canada" and some others are really good! On the whole I would say that this album IS good but not as good as it's predecessor but still enjoyable...

The second "Ultra Chilled" album does more of the same thing the first one did: it takes a generally well-known selection of mellowed-down mainstream on the first disc, and then it makes a collection of lesser-known pieces on the second. On "Ultra Chilled 01", the first disc featured the unforgettable Massive Attack hit "Hymn of the Big Wheel", and Dido's smooth favorite "Here With Me". My other favorite tracks on the first disc included Goldfrapp's "Utopia" and Royskopp's "Eple". The second disc featured tracks by such obscure artists as Bent, Ortz, Deep Dish, and Childhood, but also featured two classics: a mix of Moby's "Go" and a version of "Papua New Guinea", by the Future Sounds of London. I was pleasantly surprised by the second disc (especially by Witchman's "Leave No Trace"), and I was intrigued by the amazing sounds of the first.

Consequently, I got Ultra Chilled 02 as soon as I could. Despite the big names, the first disc is really mediocre at best. The Nelly Furtado track definitely doesn't belong on a chillout album, the Goldfrapp track somehow doesn't have the same underwater feeling that "Utopia" did, and the Beth Orton track is just really boring. The tracks by Groove Armada and Charles Webster sounded nice until the vocals came in; on the latter, I couldn't figure out whether the singer was male or female, but he/she sounded like a wounded dolphin. The only real standouts are IVY's "Undertow", "Lebanese Blonde" by the Thievery Corporation, and "Pyramid Song" by Radiohead; and while the last two have always been two of my favorite songs ever, anyone with even just the slightest interest in chillout music will have heard of them before.

Although the second disc on "Ultra Chilled 02" is mostly instrumental, it is arguably much better than the first disc. The first two tracks paint vivid beachside landscapes to draw the listener in. Then the listener is treated to a stunning array of sensual downtempo tunes, including another really catchy track by Royskopp, and a track by Witchman that is faster than "Leave No Trace", but just as seductive. The two best tracks, however, are the long but enchanting "Baja" by Sasha, which makes me feel like I'm on another planet, and the harrowing "Julie and Candy" by Boards of Canada, which reminds me of the amazing Summer Overture on the "Requiem for a Dream" soundtrack.

Although I found the first disc to be a pretty disappointing, the second disc on "Ultra Chilled 02" is good enough to earn the album a recommendation. It is also priced very well considering that you get over 2.5 hours of music. But get "Ultra Chilled 01" first, as it is overall better mixed, and more importantly, better sounding.

I got this album for free at a bad, bad, bad electronic show. I had no idea what to expect, but when I popped it in the player, I was blown away. The combination of the tracks and their seamless mixing just makes me swoon all over the place. So glad I found this album when I did (almost 10 years ago - yikes).

I can't get enough of either of the CDs here. I especially like the first CD, with the Goldfrapp track and the Black Box Recorder tracks standing out (To say that Coldplay and Radiohead did well would be unnecessary)

I could keep listening to this Black Box Recorder song all day. The music is just so gorgeous, it just makes you feel peaceful with the world.

When you listen to a CD like this, you think there can be nothing wrong with a world in which music like this exists

I was familiar with a couple of the artists on these cd's and I was delighted to hear new artists. This compilation made me buy more from "Sounds from the Ground" which have proved to be great albums. If youre looking for a sample collection to expand your musical collection, this is a good start.