Customer Reviews

Ultra Eighties Vs Electro 1

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

 

 

The Ultra Series is as straightforward as you'll get in dance. Clear theme on the front (this case 80s vs Electro), and two discs of big names. So it's simple really; look at all the artists - anyone remotely tuned to dance should recognize the majority - and if it sounds good it'll be a safe bet.

80s vs Electro, their fifth of the lot, combines pretty much all the hottest work from the rising electroclash "don't call me nuwave" scene with a truly odd mash up of classic tunes from back in the day. Sound theory, sketchy selections as Tears for Fears makes no sense and (blasphemy alert) Grandmaster Flash's seminal hip hop "White Lines" is the wrong record for this particular mix. Surely they could have licensed a better Green Velvet tune than his non-ironic, plodding "Genedefekt?"

Now the trick with electroclash is to harness the retro spirit to modern speeds, yet keep it (seemingly) simple and catchy. And not get lazy about it. And keep Felix da Housecat rolling in cash.

There's straight, Bobby Peru with burrowing synth work that strobes all over the place on "Into the Night," legit-pop from underground techno force Luke Slater in full song "Stars and Heroes," club choons via Who Da Funk on, ahem, "Shiny Disco B*lls," and icy-cool from Selway and the French robot all stars on "Digital Emotion." For novelty-disposable tunes you get instantly forgettable detached-female-vocals from W.I.T., Miss Kittin and gusgus (what happened there?) and much better examples from Bis (pop delight "The End Starts Today") and Felix. Guys get in the act, more sincere, from Royksopp, Mathias Schaffhauser, and Zoot Woman's fantastic guitar meets ELO channeling on "Living in a Magazine."

Add in a tastefully sincere instrumental, as Jan Hammer's "Crocket's Theme" (no, it's not that one) gets an FPU makeover. Oh, and obscure tunes from M/A/R/R/S and Gary Numan see the light as well. File 80s vs Electro under "guilt pleasure."
Disc 1: 2.5 stars Disc 2: 3.5 stars

This cd is not perfect and i regret saying that it is the actual 80's songs that drag this compilation down a level, but much of this album is new and emulates the 80's sound with deep dancable bass that seems to be the next step in club music evolution. Most of these songs were recorded in 2002, which gives us refreshing hope that electronic music has broken out of it's five year funk of redundancy, and now there is a clever sound, although borrowed in parts from the 80's, that can spearhead a new club scene. 16 of the 24 songs are thrilling and tickle your taste for more more more. the rest are flashbacks to the respectable 80's but stick out like sore thumbs and slow down the excitemant. do what you have to do to get this cd.....don't miss out on the future through the past.

This CD is ok if you are in to the 80's.
I thought it was going to be a better CD.
But still good...

Well it seems pretty disgraceful to say this but i bought the compilation far beyond its origianl release date. I apologize. But i was dying to get it when i first heard of it!!! I really needed it to fit in the rest of my Ultra Electro Collection mixed and edited by the one and only David Waxman. God bless him becuz he's done an amzing job on this series of Electro music.
TO start off with the first disc- Amazing song to start off with Shout by Tears For Fears. Then leading on to something very avant-garde by Kraftwerk. I knew the mixings and crossfades were going to be kinda tacky becuz of how the bpm levels are on most of the tracks. But it really didnt matter. What mattered was the tracks. I absolutely love White Lines by Grandmaster Flash. And the repitition of the "uAh!!" was killer to the next funkatronic track Genedefekt by Green Velvet. Quite awkward with White Horse by Basto. The rest of the songlist was well picked. The two most Extreme Electro songs to me were In This Feeling by Bobby Peru & Digital Emotion (Seratonin Mix) by Selway. Quite well.
The second disc was fine. I absolutley love Madame Hollywood by Felix Da Housecat. He pretty much owned the album with two other remixes by him. Pretty well on the rest. I like the last three tracks becuz they brought an intense sense of Rock and electro put together. Especially Cars by Gary Numan. Great way to end the compilation especially in a Raw and hard-edged remix.
This c.d. had a story to it. To me was a diverse lifestyle of the 80's in a L.A. scene from Rodeo Drive to East Los Angeles to The Blvd. to Melrose, to the Great HOLLYWOOD sign, and to Venice Beach then what clashed with the recent hits of the Electronica genre. There cudve been a bit more variety of 80's tracks. I myself as a dj wud totally love to come out alongside David with a Second volume (idk if anyone has noticed) becuz the album is title "Ultra 80's vs Electro 01". Where's Volume 02???
Whoever plans on buying the album BUY IT!!! Totally worth it!!!

This is a great album for people who enjoyed electro music of the 80s. Not everything here is from this time period, but if you like that sound, you'll like the never stuff as it emulates the songs which were released during that period. The 80s stuff I knew, but the others no so much, although I had heard a lot of it in various DJ mixes over the last few years. This music is coming around again and this is a good selection of it. A good party album, I think. Something for the casual listener of dance music as well as folks who appreciate it a bit more.

Having already given us both chillout and dance collections, the family at Ultra throws us a curveball of a compilation: "80s Vs. Electro." It features a smattering of new wave/synth gems of the old school, and they're blended in with the modern electro songs they inspire. It's a great premise, and this double disc set succeeds more often than it fails. On Disc 1, I couldn't quite understand the logic behind the appearance of Grandmaster Flash's hip hop classic "White Lines" on a compilation of this nature, and its presence sticks out like a sore thumb. But selections that make better sense include "Trans Europe Express" from the granddaddies of electronica, Kraftwerk. Green Velvet's mindlessly robotic "Genedefekt" brilliantly blends into the 1980s club anthem "White Horse" from the forgotten Danish act Laidback. I was a little less impressed with Disc 2, although there was enough to keep me interested. Things go off to a promising start with 1988's "Pump Up the Volume" by M/A/R/R/S, leading us up right to the irresistible slice of neo-retro synth pop that is "Madame Hollywood" by Felix da Housecat. New schoolers Royksopp and gusgus surface, but after that, the disc gets a bit patchy with a few subpar new wave tunes before we get to the disc's closer, Gary Numan's classic "Cars." While this disc didn't quite make me want to grab my skinny tie, it was an overall decent compilation that could have benefited from slightly better mixing and better song selection. Still "Ultra 80s Vs. Electro" gets a B- in my school of music.

although i cannot offer the deep insight of the other reviewers, i do recognize that this CD has good beats. the mix isn't very smooth though, but this is a minor inconvenience in the wealth of bumpin' grooves on this compilation.

Must agree with all the previous reviews, but would like to add that just about all the tracks on 80's vs Electro are CHOONS. Although there are some odd inclusions, mixer David Waxman seems to have opted for melody and variety; consequently it's a really entertaining listen and wholly unlike most compilations that seem to reach for consistency in mood and BPM. Expect high energy pop with a sprinkling of oldies and you won't be disappointed. A great concept that still has room for improvement.

Another Ultra comp. Same rules as always apply, kids: Skip the first several tracks (cause that tends to be where the 'names' get piled, regardless of their flow) and then let the party start.
File under WTF. For the most part, this comp is consistantly amazing and engaging. And at the same time there are a few moments that just make you scratch your head and wonder if you're the only one who just doesn't get why that particular track is here.
Grandmaster Flash? Love the man, love the song, but who invited him to this type of party? Tears for frickin' Fears?! Not a horrid song, and it does have synth in it, but who let it off the Greatest Radio Hits of the 80's collection? I mean, I have nothing against "Shout", but it sticks out like a sore thumb here.
Having said that, the album is 95% perfect for what it is and those few questionable picks aside, is highly recommendable. It's a fun little comp and it'd be a great introduction for those who find themselves intimidated by 'electronic music' as it's pretty mellow and quite easily accessable. Top tracks: Audio Bullys, Luke Slater, Bis, Royksopp, Fisherspooner (Dave Clarke's remix is awesome), and Gary Numan