Customer Reviews

Urbal Beats 2

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are two discs here, and they're actually quite different from each other, so I'm going to review each disc on its individual merits.

Disc One: 3 stars. There's some good songs here (Natural Born Chillers, Fatboy Slim, Wildchild, Portishead, Uberzone) but there are many tracks that are just mediocre or disappointing (namely, the decidedly inferior mixes of the Crystal Method and Prodigy tracks) and, unfortunately, this is not a continuous mix. Finally, it could have used more tracks with less hip-hop influence... there's more than one type of techno out there.

Disc Two: 5 stars. A bunch of classics continually mixed together, the album never loses momentum and it keeps a constant groove to it. Of course, with classic songs like "Go," "Charly," "Chime," "Cubik," and "Strings Of Life," how could you go wrong?

Bottom line: the average of 3 stars and 5 stars = 4 stars.

This CD was a big letdown.. it was recommended by the person at the record store, looked good, etc. Basically disc 1 was too jungle for me. There are some tunes that are pretty good, but there are some downright angry-feeling ones as well. Temper-temper gave me a headache and "release YO' Delf"--well, you can figure it.

Disc 2 was much better, but still not enough to compell me to repeat the purchase.

Summary: Disc1 1-2 stars, Disc2 3-4 stars

There's another review that sums my sentiments exactly. Disc 1 gets 2-3 stars (kind of like a rap with faster beat) But disc 2 is really good; 5 stars)

If u look at it dis way... this is a good cd for people who are trying to put some techno into their collection, and by doing so this is a great start. I mostly have hiphop and dj albums, and this cd gave me a good look into techno. I recommend this cd and the first Urbal Beats cd too.

No collection will ever be perfect, but this does a decent job. The first disc is what's supposed to be hot (in 98). The second is supposed to be some old school classics. Some well known artists are on here like "Prodigy", "Moby", and "Portishead". My favorite thing by far is some of who's sampled on different tracks. Samples from "Bad Brains", "Kate Bush", "The Verve", and the theme from "Twin Peaks". Overall a good comp. The 1st "Urbal Beats" is good too. Pretty much electronica's greatest hits.

First thing about this album that i must mention right off is that the track slection is horrid. If it wasn't trying to be a "definitive guide to electronic music" it probably wouldn't have been so annoying. Really this "urbal beats" series works well if view together, but the track selection seems wrong in the individual sets. This time around the balance is thrown off by adding too much big beats,jungle, and trip hop. Three styles that do come from the same influences. Giving the whole album a lack of diversity. Digital empire 2 does diversity so much better. Another issue is the repetition of the same groups and groups that are seen together all the time.. I mean we have an original prodigy song, a remix of a prodigy song and a song prodigy remixed? is this the "definitve guide to prodigy?" We have a fatboy slim song, and a fat boy slim remix. And the whole first disk breaks down to basically 3 different types of related electronica. giving a very bad "definition" of electronica.

The second disk is a half way decent attempt at mixing alot of classic together, but I am getting somewhat sick of hearing old school electronica thats just doesn't hodl up well over time.

I give the album 4 stars since it does have some decent gems on it. But I highy recomend "digital empire 2" over this compilation if your looking to get schooled on the so called "electronica genre"

I just bought the CD today (sorry Amazon, but not from you) so keep in mind I'm writing after my first listen through. I loved the way the Cd was set up, with the newer mixes on the front and the older classics on back. They work surprisingly well together and really give you a feel of all the changes in the techno world. Loved the Freestyler's Mix, the token nod to Crystal Meth, and of course, the Portishead song which I now own on THREE albums. The second Cd is great as well, reminding me of some early raves, Moby comes to mind. Overall a wonderful CD and an excellent addition to ANY collection.

Forget the first disc of Urbal Beats 2. Its got some decent tracks, the Grooverider remix of Temper Temper, the Roni Size track, the DJ Hype remix of the Prodigy, the David Holmes and Portishead tracks are allright as well. But the rest of them are pretty much disapointing...

HOWEVER! Disc 2 not only saves the CD, but puts it to the top of the list! Its brilliant, such a great selection of songs all stuck together, its pure rave! Orbital's Chime - absolutely amazing, 808 State - amazing, A Guy Called Gerald! It carries on, Cybotron, and Dubtribe, class tunes, but Moby's Go is absolutely fantastic, brings tears to the eyes. Then Charly, how classic is that! And the Utah Saints can't help but make you smile, then WHOP! The dark and evil rumblings of Energy Flash, with the Battle Cry of a generation "Ecstasy, ecstasy" to carry it through to Salsa life, a brill track from Derrick May, one of the inventors of Techno!

How could you go wrong?

this is a good introduction to anyone who wants to sample some good electronic music...i like the first CD a lot better than the second CD though. listening to the two CD's got me through workday commute in a fairly good mood :)

And for that matter, where are all the other artists promised in your "At a Glance" page? Although I really love the album (Prodigy's remix of Method Man's "Release Yo' Delf" is excellent) I was initially lured by this Chemical Bros. song I had never heard, "Loops of Fury". But it's nowhere to be found on my copy. What gives? Please either send me the correct CD or correct your web page.