Sasha

Not all tracks are keepers, but you should be able to get a full CD worth of awesome tracks if you burn what you like off CD 1 and 2. Great mixing of the tracks as few can do. One of the best CDs out this year AND BEST YET... it's tracks that you'll only find on this CD vs. hearing on other compilations. Very original work.

For perspective I also enjoy Markus Schulz, Gabriel & Dresden, Above & Beyond, Cosmic Gate, Tiesto, Andrew Bennett, Sander Van Doorn, etc.

It has been over four years since Sasha released Involver, a hugely successful single-CD set consisting entirely of his own remixes of notable and lesser-known tracks. In 2005, he released Fundacion NYC, a document of what he was playing in clubs at the time on his bespoke Ableton Live software, which sadly attracted little attention in spite of being in my opinion a major artistic high point. Encouraged to provide a follow-up specifically to INVOLVER, Sasha gave us INVOL2VER in mid-2008. Again, the set consists entirely of Sasha remixes, but the overall sound reliably reflects his electro interests of recent years, as against the progressive house and guitar pop mixture of the original INVOLVER.

Like FUNDACION NYC, the mix begins with ambience especially created by Sasha under his "Badger" moniker. This then falls into the fun electro pop of Telefon Tel Aviv's "You are the Worst Thing in the World". The mix of Sasha vs Adam Parker's "Lowlife" into Charlie May's "Midnight" is sudden and incongruous, and yet strangely beautiful and effective, much like the shoehorning together of Breeder's "Tyrrantanic" and Luzon's "The Baguio Track" on the Sasha and John Digweed collaboration COMMUNICATE back in 2000. Other reviewers have commented on Sasha's treatment of vocals in some of the tracks, distorting them to the point that they produce little more than a melody with little textual significance. This is generally a wise move, as lame lyrics have always been a weak point of the dance music genre.

Ladytron's "Everything You Touch" provides the only really disappointing moment of this mix, with its annoying distorted female vocal loop at the beginning, though the track gets better from there. The real climax of the set comes with Thom Yorke's "The Eraser", which is brief but absolutely searing with its ice-cold production and vaguely threatening wording. Sasha winds the set down with one of his own recent tracks, "3 Little Piggys", and then gives us some appropriate exit music with Engineers' "Sometimes I Realize".

Though I still think Sasha's best performance of this millennium is FUNDACION NYC (ignore my Amazon review of it, I was thinking stupid at the time), INVOL2VER is an impressive achievement. In my opinion, it certainly beats the original INVOLVER, which often out of touch with Sasha's real tastes and talents.

Just ordered it, and I've been listening to it quite a bit since it arrived. I especially like the track "3 Little Piggys." On my first listen, I thought disc one as a whole was decent, but had certain highlights. In listening to it again all the way through the next day, I like it even more. Very immersive.

Once I'm done with disc one, I'm usually still wanting more...so it's nice that this is a two-CD set, and I can just roll into disc two without stopping!

I have always had a strange relationship with Sasha's studio productions. Either he is a true mixing master or is the beneficiary of a lot of hype. I still haven't quite figured out which even after listening to the follow-up to the first Involver.

This latest effort is incredibly detailed, with so many smooth transitions going on, and is so full of atomsphere that the word that comes to mind while listening is "elegant." It is elegant trance music. None of the harsh, jarring and head-crushing dribble that keeps permeating the dance scene after all these years.

Involver2 is not soft. It's not lounge. It is dance music to be sure -- but it is also to be listened to, and really absorbed. Is it unique, NO. Is it new, NO. Is it innovative, not really. Is it good, yes. It's excellent in fact. But it still seems like it is only half - the softer half - of the classic work he did with Digweed (whose Transitions 4 is superb, by the way). So it seems incomplete, as if some ingredients are missing from a great meal. Good songs, good mixing, but directionless.

Sasha has either created something new: a detailed and intricately mixed atomsphere of danceable trance, or he is just throwing similar sounding tracks on a disk, mixing them well and selling it as a complete work, as with Fundacion (3 stars) and the first Involver (3 stars).

With Involver 2, Sasha has produced creative music that we all will eventually catch up to or he has us all fooled.

A true letdown from the original Involver! Nothing jives in this new CD. Don't get me wrong, Sasha rocks, but there is much work to be done here. Sorry! The ladder part of the CD starts coming together and you start to feel... and then it ends making you want more. Cheers!

Not all tracks are keepers, but you should be able to get a full CD worth of awesome tracks if you burn what you like off CD 1 and 2. Great mixing of the tracks as few can do. One of the best CDs out this year AND BEST YET... it's tracks that you'll only find on this CD vs. hearing on other compilations. Very original work.

For perspective I also enjoy Markus Schulz, Gabriel & Dresden, Above & Beyond, Cosmic Gate, Tiesto, Andrew Bennett, Sander Van Doorn, etc.

It has been over four years since Sasha released Involver, a hugely successful single-CD set consisting entirely of his own remixes of notable and lesser-known tracks. In 2005, he released Fundacion NYC, a document of what he was playing in clubs at the time on his bespoke Ableton Live software, which sadly attracted little attention in spite of being in my opinion a major artistic high point. Encouraged to provide a follow-up specifically to INVOLVER, Sasha gave us INVOL2VER in mid-2008. Again, the set consists entirely of Sasha remixes, but the overall sound reliably reflects his electro interests of recent years, as against the progressive house and guitar pop mixture of the original INVOLVER.

Like FUNDACION NYC, the mix begins with ambience especially created by Sasha under his "Badger" moniker. This then falls into the fun electro pop of Telefon Tel Aviv's "You are the Worst Thing in the World". The mix of Sasha vs Adam Parker's "Lowlife" into Charlie May's "Midnight" is sudden and incongruous, and yet strangely beautiful and effective, much like the shoehorning together of Breeder's "Tyrrantanic" and Luzon's "The Baguio Track" on the Sasha and John Digweed collaboration COMMUNICATE back in 2000. Other reviewers have commented on Sasha's treatment of vocals in some of the tracks, distorting them to the point that they produce little more than a melody with little textual significance. This is generally a wise move, as lame lyrics have always been a weak point of the dance music genre.

Ladytron's "Everything You Touch" provides the only really disappointing moment of this mix, with its annoying distorted female vocal loop at the beginning, though the track gets better from there. The real climax of the set comes with Thom Yorke's "The Eraser", which is brief but absolutely searing with its ice-cold production and vaguely threatening wording. Sasha winds the set down with one of his own recent tracks, "3 Little Piggys", and then gives us some appropriate exit music with Engineers' "Sometimes I Realize".

Though I still think Sasha's best performance of this millennium is FUNDACION NYC (ignore my Amazon review of it, I was thinking stupid at the time), INVOL2VER is an impressive achievement. In my opinion, it certainly beats the original INVOLVER, which often out of touch with Sasha's real tastes and talents.

Just ordered it, and I've been listening to it quite a bit since it arrived. I especially like the track "3 Little Piggys." On my first listen, I thought disc one as a whole was decent, but had certain highlights. In listening to it again all the way through the next day, I like it even more. Very immersive.

Once I'm done with disc one, I'm usually still wanting more...so it's nice that this is a two-CD set, and I can just roll into disc two without stopping!

I have always had a strange relationship with Sasha's studio productions. Either he is a true mixing master or is the beneficiary of a lot of hype. I still haven't quite figured out which even after listening to the follow-up to the first Involver.

This latest effort is incredibly detailed, with so many smooth transitions going on, and is so full of atomsphere that the word that comes to mind while listening is "elegant." It is elegant trance music. None of the harsh, jarring and head-crushing dribble that keeps permeating the dance scene after all these years.

Involver2 is not soft. It's not lounge. It is dance music to be sure -- but it is also to be listened to, and really absorbed. Is it unique, NO. Is it new, NO. Is it innovative, not really. Is it good, yes. It's excellent in fact. But it still seems like it is only half - the softer half - of the classic work he did with Digweed (whose Transitions 4 is superb, by the way). So it seems incomplete, as if some ingredients are missing from a great meal. Good songs, good mixing, but directionless.

Sasha has either created something new: a detailed and intricately mixed atomsphere of danceable trance, or he is just throwing similar sounding tracks on a disk, mixing them well and selling it as a complete work, as with Fundacion (3 stars) and the first Involver (3 stars).

With Involver 2, Sasha has produced creative music that we all will eventually catch up to or he has us all fooled.

A true letdown from the original Involver! Nothing jives in this new CD. Don't get me wrong, Sasha rocks, but there is much work to be done here. Sorry! The ladder part of the CD starts coming together and you start to feel... and then it ends making you want more. Cheers!

This classical crossover album is truly wonderful. I just wish Sasha and Shawna would make another one like it!

They've completely butchered not only a classic Kansas song, but also my all-time favorite Radiohead song. If you can't write your own music, the least you could do is not recreate songs that don't need recreated to begin with. Some things are definitely better untouched.. or unsung in this case.

These "opera" singers sound so much better singing more contemporary/pop style vs. the full-on classical...not they are horrible singers, but you know when you hear a vocal that is just nearly there but still isn't? Most of the track is JUST Ok. Period. If I had known this I would never had wasted my money on this CD. :(

excellent sounding cd from two very talented singer. Something that you could listen to over and over again and not get tired of. The big orchestra very shines through.

I heard their voices on pbs while on the computer, I found out who they were and was amazed. Check out their web site for samples.

When this CD was first released my partner and I listened to it every night and sometimes twice. We thought what a perfect vehicle for Patti and you could tell it was written for her vocal range. All the characters were fabulous and George Hearn as Max was cast in stone.~~~~~New Year's Eve and Glenn Close stopped into Andrew Loyd Weber's party where all were celebrating the success of Sunset Blvd. Close got up on the piano, cleavage showing, and sang one of Patti's songs. ~~~~~~~ Patti was replaced, handsomely, but with a slap from a girl who should have never left her side of the tracks. ~~~~~~~ So here we are with Patti soaring as she did from the start. She made this show. It was stolen. All that remains is her voice as Norma Desmond. ~~~~~ Webber, go pet your cats!Sweeney Todd in Concert

this is an exellent product!! has exellent qualaty and very good singers. its has diologue so it's like having the "thearter play" right in your own cd player!!

Sadly, I haven't seen the show on stage. I found it quite enjoyable on CD. Enough of the dialogue is included to follow the story. Plus both versions include printed lyrics and dialogue.

This is a terrific dramatic musical. I give 4 stars to Lloyd Webber, et al, for songs and lyrics. I would have gone 5 stars, but there are a few songs where they get a good angsty mood going, then suddenly turn to a softer, sweeter mood. I felt they could hold the angst longer. Example: Joe singing to Betty in the final scene (after the phone call).

I purchased both London and Los Angeles CDs. I listened to each carefully and tried not to imprint on one version. Result: I favor the Los Angeles cast, because they do a better job of conveying the emotion. I also recommend L.A. if you like a darker, angsty tale. London is good if you prefer a younger, more innocent Joe & Betty.

** London (4 stars)
1. Patti LuPone (Norma) has a better voice than Glenn Close.
2. Kevin Anderson (Joe) has a sweeter, younger, higher voice.
3. Meredith Braun (Betty) has a sweeter, higher voice.

** Los Angeles (5 stars)
1. Glenn Close (Norma) does a fabulous job of conveying emotion through her voice. Because she plays a "fading" 50-something, her less perfect voice didn't detract.
2. Alan Campbell (Joe) has a deeper, darker, smoother, more adult voice. He sings most of the songs and he's better at carrying the show.

Technical note: A Windows Media Player v 11.0 bug affects the London version: you can't easily rip all the songs into Media Player, because several have the same title. There may be a work-around, but I didn't find it.

Los Angeles Version Link:
Sunset Boulevard (1994 Los Angeles Cast)

Of the two cast recordings of Sunset Boulevard available, this original version got it right the first time. There is a perfect flow and rhythm. In particular, "The Lady's Paying" is much tighter here than in the Glenn Close recording, which screws with the momentum by adding a couple of humor changes that are unnecessary and do not add to the enjoyment of the song. Patti LuPone is spectacular, sad and maddening. The first act CD is cut just perfect. A perfect blend of song, lyric, and book.

Great cd. just a shame it took so long to get to me....however when i wrote in, amazon customer services did rectify this and get the product to me in a matter of days.... thanks Amazon.

..."The Man Like" elevates the myth to the nth degree with a storming Ibiza set, pushing the GU series into the stratosphere...simply superb and sublime...a wicked concoction of first-rate tracks including his own brainchild "Xpander"...

...Sasha comes into the height of his powers with this outing and the GU series will be extremely hard pressed to surpass what is served up by the man many regard as the best in the business...

...Compared to his impressive San Francisco set, Sasha displays more depth, patience, pace and mood...a certain maturation has taken hold of him and its on full display...it seems nothing was left to chance while producing one the most meticulous sets of the GU series...

...while Ibiza is as timeless as your favorite fairy tale...it just keeps on giving you something that's profoundly real...a sonic vacation.

Sasha is smooth, tight, and consistently high quality. This is one of the best of the GU albums.

Quite simply.. Disc 1 is timeless perfection. Best absorbed on a beach, headphones on, when its WAY too hot...

Disc 2 is a bit more cheesy, but best sums up the dance music trends at the time..

ENJOY.

NB: don't bother with other mixes if you didn't enjoy this.. its the best DJ in the world, at the top of his game, during the peak of the electronic music scene, at the dance music capital of the world.

MAGIC!

I played this CD for months and months. It transitions nicely from one tune to the next. It is great for driving, exercising, dancing etc...lively, wonderful beat, all excellent selections..its a soundtrack for your own mental movie..buy it..youll be glad you did!

The release date of this popular Global Underground release was 1999. This is right around the time when progressive house and progressive trance genres really started to come into their own. Very fitting that this compilation was modeled after a set performed in the Meca of all electronica venues...Ibiza. It was very "cutting-edge" for the release date and includes Sasha's very own Xpander on disc 2.

Due to electronica's ever-evolving sound, it is hard to find compilations that don't get tiresome after a few years. In my opinion, Global Underground 013:Ibiza is one of these gems. Disc 1 is one of my personal favorites under the Global Underground label. Eight years later and I never tire of it.

Disc 2 is a little more outdated. I don't like the track selection as much, and have a hard time listening to the whole disc in one sitting. Still enjoyable though.

Disc 1 get 5/5 stars and disc 2 4/5 stars.

This compilation is worth possessing for disc 1 alone.

I bought this after I was blown away by Xpander back in 98 or so and I can recall not really being impressed at the first listen.
As time went on and you give it more listens, you can't helpt but get captivated by what these guys are able to create. All the textures you hear (esp with headphones) are amazing and the way the tracks all build on each other is awesome. My favorite build up is track 6 and track 7 (Spooky's Little Bullet) they come together like a single track.
Only thing that sucks is when i try to introduce something like this to others, it flies past a lot of people! Might be better to get them in slightly altered states to more effectively pull them in.

This mix truly surpasses most others.

It showcases what DJs can do to tunes. It proves that they can indeed be artists.

Starting off with the gorgeous sounds of Gus Gus and Chicane; atmospheric, earthy and organic, before voyaging into the main room progressive sounds of Frontside, Spooky and Uberzone; dark, dirty and sexy.. landing with blissful montage which is Hybrid's "Unfinished Symphony".. Sasha and Digweed truly deliver an aural journey so layered, so complex, so textured yet so unmistakably classy. Truly, this is a masterpiece.

This mix transcends genres and sub-genres and simply delivers a musical journey indescribable by words.

The fact that this CD was recorded from vinyl rather than through use of computer software, adds to the natural feel which has come synonymous with the `Northern Exposure' series..

A beautiful, dark, sensual journey through the underground as only Sasha and Digweed can deliver.

Midnight Magic.

GET INTO IT!

The set featured on this album originally accompanied that found on Northern Exposure II: West Coast as a two disc offering. Ahhh, strategic marketing.

I'd have to say that this set scores an easy second place for the Northern Exposure series. However it still falls short compared to the quality and creativity of the first.

3.5/5 stars for this half of Northern Exposure, volume 2.

This album IS the definition of a perfect progressive trance collaboration between Sasha and John Digweed. It even surpasses Northern Exposure I (U.S. edition) because of the variability in tracks. The transitions between tracks one, two and three quite literally brought tears to my eyes the very first time I popped it in my car, and my highest opinion of this album has only further solidified with repeated listening.

If you bought NEII:West Coast first, do yourself a favor and check out the good ol' East. It w.i.l.l. blow you away by comparison, and I love the West Coast edition. While West has fantastic tracks which are more relaxed, consistent, bubbly and soothing... East takes that formula, bends it, twists it, makes suitable additions and comes out with something so much more intensly pleasing to the ear. The vocal selections on tracks 1-3 make the album hauntingly appealing at first, and remind me of the cover of the album due to their blue/white liquid texture and composition... but just when you sit back to enjoy the smooth relaxation Sasha and Digweed serve up first, it is only an appetizer.

The next set of perhaps 6 tracks up the ante on the tempo and profundity of the listening experience, especially on Geomantik, Blue-->Little Bullet and Botz. These tracks are, to me, so reminiscent of those found on Disc 1 of John Digweeds GU006:Sydney release. Tribal, with the "evil frog" croak and beats which create a spiraling intensity about them as the listener is propelled through the vortex of sound.

The album ends with lovely track slections and mixes by Lost Tribe, Gus Gus's "Purple" (An early trance classic and staple Tranceport remix by Sasha), and Hybrid's "Symphony". I have to say I was a bit surprised by their slection of Hybrid's track, but pleasntly so; a unique artist with a unique track to end a rewardingly unique listening experience.

I would recommend this album to anyone with an ear for audible appreciation: if you really dig albums like Sasha's Involver, Lexicon Avenue's mix on Dave Seaman's "Therapy Sessions Vol. 3", or any of the other Northern Exposure series (particularly NEI and NEIII:Disc 1), you will love this album to death.
If you are looking for Global Underground comparisons, GU006:Sydney and GU013: Ibiza come to mind; not surprising, as they are the cream of the Sasha and Digweed GU crop.

If you have not even heard of any of the aforementioned albums, you will still love this album to death.

My absolute favorite among the greatest collaboration series of two of the greatest DJ's on Planet Home.

~Lex

Mindblowing cd and the best of all the NE'S. I highly recommend this disc to anyone.

you remember those moments, when you listen to something so profund, you just sit there and can't move. It really busts your a$$ to pieces. Sasha's Involver had one of those effects for me. Too much has been said, too much has been analyzed, too much has been praised by the other reviewers. This CD rates in my top ten albums ever (genre not being considered). Its mindblowing in a manner that will engulf you, the only other time i got this whacked was when i listened to Shpongle's 'Are you shpongled?' release.
If you reading reviews of this CD to find that camaraderie with what you have just experienced, trust me keep reading and listen to the reviews for this one. you have hit the jackpot!
-- i heard invol2ver is scheduled for release --

This is meant for tripping.. I don't necessarily mean drugs but I have found that road trips with this cd are quite moving. A kaleidescope of emotions oozes from the speakers as one traverses the countryside. The man is in tune with the human psyche unlike many others. Join him and experience the thrill that is "the man like....." Unbelievable!

When I first heard of Sasha, it was I believe his tune "Wavy Gravy" that had raised my awareness of him in the year 2003. I was only getting into progressive house music at the time. Later that year, a friend of mine was playing Involver in the car and I asked him to give me a copy.

He gave me a copy, and for that whole SUMMER of '04, that CD, has not ONCE left my cd player. Where ever I would drive, Involver was playing. I fell in love with the music so much, that whenever I was going somewhere the best part about it was the cruise from point A to point B listening to the music. The mixing is flawless, and the choice of tracks is so lush and beautiful. When you ask yourself what is progressive - progressive is Involver.

I must agree with the majority of reviewers in regards to this album...it is difficult to deny the quality and skill of this remix. For this fact alone, I truely can appreciate Sasha's Involver.

However, I wasn't overly thrilled with the track selection. For the most part, Sasha's talent for intricate and complex multilayering of sound shines through. This significantly improves on the original releases of many of the tracks featured on Involver. The difference for me in reviewing this album? Despite Sasha's (improved) remixed versions, the original tracks transform from average to very good...just not spectacular.

Overall I give this album 4/5 stars.

As a follow-up to his seamlessly silky "Airdrawndagger," Sasha put out "Involver," a collection of songs individually remixed to bear the trademark Sasha appeal: light-as-a-feather frequencies co-mingling with a sly-n-slushy subversiveness. It's mastered as, yet again, an uninterrupted thread of music, but this time each song really does stand alone.

The name is a tad ironic, since Sasha's style is more conducive to detachment, to transcendence. In that vein, he builds this album's style on a foundation of dark, rolling thunderheads. Billowing, roiling, harsh as a whisper, there is still the promise of rumbling power, a fashionable tremble of something electric going on. There is trance music's usual sense of elevation, but Sasha adds a hint of danger and foreboding that remains everpresent, giving an album that could've been fluffy and dismissable a delicious edge of ozone.

The heady intro to this CD is "Talk Amongst Yourselves," a moody number by Grand National that Sasha stirs up with an antsy beat that seems eager to jump up and run. Sasha never lets go of the reins, though, guiding the mood through the sashaying salsa sparks of Shpongle's "Dorset Perception," the soft sighs of U.N.K.L.E.'s "What You Mean to Me," and even through the mechanical energy of Felix Da Housecat's "Watching Cars Go By." He caps the record off with a gorgeous refiguring of Ulrich Schnauss's already gorgeous "On My Own."

It's a fitting finale on a record that walks the fuzzy border between sleeping and awake, between day dreams and nightmares, between a sprint, a stroll, and a soar. It's a summer storm of sound, sometimes crashing and dark, but always warm, always fun, and always always refreshing.

The second volume in the Northern Exposure Series follows that very well known trend amongst movies where the original is usually considered the best while the sequel ends up being a disappointment.

The first release is a classic that will stand against the test of time despite being two years the junior to this album. Northern Exposure II: West Coast is outdated with tacky-sounding trance. Glowsticks and pacifiers anyone?

2.5/5 stars.

I don't go buck wild over every cd I buy and give 5 stars because it sounds cool. But as others have said - NE: West coast stands the test of time and is worth the price listed. The buildup to Pete Heller's remix of Netherworld is one of the best I've heard.
Be sure to check out the East Coast edition - it's very different, but a good purchase still (I'd give it 4 stars).

once again sound rotation bpm off sync wrong meshed unstructured sound lends no focus to the true artist who by the way if your heard him live raw at various venues or clubs throughout the world you would be impressed and say hey were did all the energy bpm pitch and loud sound structure go it aint here on this cd. i would say fire the production sound team for they lend themselves to nothing cant anybody just record his live sets in clubs and put it on cd i mean its that simple he will make millions but this nonsense is so laughable but sorry i mean these music critics here lend themselves to so sorry cant anybody know the differnce fom slow bpms to fast bpms send everybody back to music school

The follow-up to Sasha & John Digweed's Northern Exposure does not disappoint. Similar to Vol. 1, the UK and US versions were released differently. Whereas Northern Exposure 2 was released as a single, two CD set in the UK, the US version was split into separate releases, or different editions: the West Coast and East Coast editions. Don't be fooled however, they are completely different sets with different tracks. And both are absolutely essential purchases!

The West Coast edition is the more danceable of the two NE2s, with some of the best progressive house tracks of the era/ever. Opening with Cygnus X's "Protison" (incorrectly listed as "Superstrings" on the back cover), a lush, bouncy, euphoric mood is instantly created only to be torn down by the stabbing melodies and abrasive percussion Speedy J's "Fusion". Humate's classic "3.2" is mixed in creating a dark, atmospheric sound, that melds perfectly with William Orbit's remix of Sven Vath's techno classic "An Accident In Paradise". The Light's "Panfried" and Third Man's "Solar Cycle" keep the beat steady, before the duo really turn up the energy with L.S.G.'s "Netherworld". The Jules Vern mix heard on this album is the best version of the song I've ever heard emphasizing the best elements of the song, and creating a hard hitting progressive house floor-filler. Taucher's melodic "Waters" is perfectly mixed holding the peak created by "Netherworld" to over ten minutes of sheer electronic bliss. "Teach Me" by Art Of Silence is a serene break from the energy, but we're soon brought back to 4/4 floor-stomping energy with Transa's anthemic "Enervate", before slowly closing with the trance inducing groove of Armin's "Blue Fear".

While not as timeless as it's predecessor or the East Coast Edition, this is still a classic piece of progressive house. Although more immediately accessible, it is ultimately less rewarding than it's counterpart. Still, an essential purchase for progressive house/trance fans.

They are incredible artists. I find this mix to be similar to a live set I heard in '98 or '99. It is vintage Sasha and Digweed. It builds up so beautifully and hits "Netherworld" by LSG, which is the climax track. Although, the remainder is great. Very tight mixing where you don't know where one track ends and one begins. They are masters at slowly introducing one to another. I haven't found an electronic artist with their style and this mix is indicative of that uniqueness. I am definitely going to buy the others after listening to this one.

Sasha Lazard made her first mark on me when I borrowed her CD from a library a couple of years ago. I was amazed by what I heard and wanted to hear so much more! I couldn't borrow it from the library again, and it was hard to order all of her cds from local distributors. Because of limitations, it was a purchase that was forced to wait.
It remained in my mind until this year, and I was lucky she had released 3 more cds! (two of which were on cdbaby, who I am equally satisfied with) I am constantly amazed at the force and integrity of her vocal prowess, though nothing has come close yet to my first impression, the Myth of Red.
The Battle of Erishkigal was a passionate performance, I constantly imagine a scenario when listening to it. Armies clashing on a giant field. So vivid is the sound that it feels like every sound creates an image in my mind. Not many people can effect imagination like that with just their voice.

I am more than pleased, and I show everyone Sasha Lazard's music.

I've owned this CD for over a year. Usually like most CD's I buy, once I listen to them a plethora of times, it becomes somewhat of old news. However, this is not the case for Myth of Red. I find even now it gives me chills down my spine. What's more, when I'm feeling stressed for any reason, these songs just put me at ease. I dunno, the chills I get from music like this just relaxes me a lot.
I especially loved the Princess Mononoke theme song. I admit, I loved the anime a lot, so when I found that Sasha Lazard had done the theme song for English, I was sold. It's a bummer the song is so short, but I've found that my top 5 favorite songs of all music are all under 2m 30s. Short and sweet.
I recommend that anyone who listens to the samples and likes what they hear, to buy the CD. You'll thank yourself later.

Remember that weirdly wonderful techno-aria sung by the character Plavalaguna in "The Fifth Element"? Well, here's an entire CD of opera/tek grooves like that one. But unlike the blue diva in "Element," Sasha Lazard doesn't need to synthetically enhance her soaring soprano pipes. Here she mixes her classical background with Electronica, overdubs, plus some funky World beats, to a surprisingly successful end. Such hybrid music isn't for everyone: if you don't believe in messing with sainted Old Masters (Rachmaninoff and Rimsky-Korsakov; Ave Maria), steer clear. But if you're open to some audio fun that marries old and new (Princess Mononoke's Theme Song, DJ Spooky), go for it. These tracks are light clean fun guaranteed to evoke smiles at your next cocktail party.

What inspired me into purchasing this item is the Avé Maria from Caccini, wonderfuly mastered in such a wonderful way. I absolutely flip over this track. I find this entire cd an absolute blessing and a must have in a collection!

her voice is lovely and the whole cd was a delight to listen to.

This is a mixed bag -- the gems here are on the 2nd disc, because most of the remixes on the 1st disc are droney, boring, and don't add substantially to the originals' worth. For example, "Park It In The Shade (Audion Deep Steeple Mix)" is 12:20 min. long, but fails to really evolve aside from formulaic adding/removing elements in 8-bar sections. As background filler, it sort of works, but isn't compelling active listening. Overall, the remixes package is regressive, sad, and aimless -- the only one I'd speak up for is "Mongoose (The Fields Disco Mix)", because The Field has a rare gift to float hypnotic loops without being mind-numbingly boring. That's really rare in electronic music, and to give you a better idea where I'm coming from, I love it when producers can weave loops together with solo melodies, or introduce little bits and edits to spice things up (key example: James Holden's "A Break in the Clouds").

If you're new to Sasha's (and his collaborators) music, the 2nd disc is a fine dish, because the tighter edits are shorter (removing the long intros/outros meant for DJs to mix), punchier by virtue, and the melodies are in fine form. Progression abound! "Who Killed Sparky?" is a fine piece of melodic tech-prog-house-whatever-they-call-it-nowadays, peppered with glitchy edits that a fan of James Holden would love -- infact, it's reminiscent of Holden's ostinato-laden remix of Nathan Fake's "The Sky Was Pink".

The emFire melodies find their way into the "New Emissions Of Light & Sound Film Score", which is overall ambient/chill-out in mood and features variations of some of the aforementioned at slower tempos. For example, the distinctive lines of "Coma" find their way shortly past 13 minutes in. Very nice to go to sleep or relax to. As a mix that goes over 40 min., there are some parallels to past mixes Sasha's done, like Involver (Involver 2 coming up!): long pads, cloppy mid-tempo beats, and swirling arpeggiations bind the groove. It's a seamless, rewarding listening, which makes me wonder why some of the individual themes weren't developed more and included as unmixed tracks instead of the uninspiring remixes.

When a compilation album of the new Sasha's label EMFire was announced I was a little surprised. After all this label had released 4 singles only yet a 2 CDs album is about to be released. Unfortunately, instead of getting new material, this album sinks into the recycling fashion booming in the club music industry (i.e. re-releasing old stuff).

The first CD is a compilation of 8 tracks, two mixes for each track - one is a club version and the other is a chillout interpretation of the Sasha's tracks. All of these mixes, with the exception of "Park It In The Shade (Audion Ain't Got No Friends Mix)" are not even comparable to the originals. They lack the melody and are all a quite dull techno remixes that in many cases they sound like the producer really didn't have any idea or insperation for the remix.

The second CD include "exclusive edits" to 3 of the 4 tracks and a slower version of "COMA". Simply put, if you want the originals, buy them somewhere else. The last part is a 45 minutes track called "New Emissions Of Light & Sound Film Score" which is a nice listening piece, but don't expect a Globalunderground-ish type of mix there - it's a very laidback mix.

All in all, it seems like this album was quickly compiled just to "have something to sell" and it definitely sounds like this. Too bad.

...although I DO see exactly where you're coming from. The remixes sound something like Sasha's home demos. The fidelity is deflated but I like what he and the others have done with these tracks. I think his songwriting is getting better and more interesting. His hooks are getting mighty catchy now. He can repeat a simple 32 bar motif and bend and twist it to awesome proportions (most likely, folks could do the same kind of thing in Ableton Live or another sequencer), but I like this kind of "ratty" sounding production running throughout the first disc. EmFire is not a stunner from the beginning - which I found to be the case with, first, "Airdrawndagger" but I think it is an evolutionary step in his songwriting capabilities and one that's definitely going in the right directions. Some of it immediately reminded me of the old Nortec stuff. Funny how "borrowing" different aspects of dance music works.....
The side two mixes are several notches up, fidelity-wise, and your comments about these are dead-on. As simple minded as I am about writing reviews of this sort, overall, I think this is a great new release and it shows another facet of Sasha's creativity - loudly and clearly - and, in some cases - with warts and all. I hope you will give it another chance to sink in...
I know that others like yourself will have the exact same kind of misgivings you do. But anyone interested in keeping a keen eye on Sasha's progress as a songwriter (just as I am), are bound to find some things on here that will make you smile just as much as they make you scratch your head and ask "WTF?" to no one in particular. It's simply weird and wonderful and different from all of the Sasha "output" that has come before. I hope he keeps on going with it!! I think Sasha, or Alexander, is one of the greatest talents and treasures in dance music that we have now. Keep listening!!

I have been a die hard Sasha fan ever since I heard GU009 back in the late 90's. And I've loved every release, for the most part, that he's come out with since. That being said, this is a unique release for him and I was extremely dissapointed with disc 1. Since this isn't a live album, I was expecting the quality of a typical Sasha studio album. Which, at the time they are released, seem to have a revolutionary quality about them. This is certainly not the case with disc one of this album. There is not a single track on it that I wouldn't say is worse than the original track (maybe with the exception of Audion's "Ain't God No Friends" remix of Park it in the Shade). Disc 2 is where its at though. The tracks are shortened and edited from their full dj ready length to a length that is conducive to unmixed listening. The highlight of the album is probably the New Emissions of Light and Sound soundtrack. It gives the album the studio feel that it craved from track 1, and it's great to hear Sasha experimenting with other styles of Electronic music. But if someone has listened straight through from disc 1 it might be too little to late. Either way though, disc 2 is definitely worth grabbing off of an mp3 site somewhere, such as iTunes or Amazon. I would possibly also grab The Slam Coma Mix and the aforementioned Audion Remix.