175. Various Artists - Kompakt Total 3 (2001)

Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance! I am never more at a loss to describe music than I am when talking about German microhouse, a style of electronic music that relies on what is basically bleeps and bloops in a rhythmic pattern. This is largely a mood record, about as far from "dance" music as techno can possibly get (although Ricardo Villalobos gives it a run for its money). I gather that this particular compilation is more well-known for its historical importance than its quality; it's not as creative as Erlend Oye's DJ-Kicks or as brilliantly well-sequenced as Michael Mayer's Immer (and again, Ricardo Villalobos' Alcachofa is a different thing entirely). But the style and overall sound of those two records can be largely traced back to this one. Aside from one or two tracks, nothing really jumps out at me here; the beats don't become utterly hypnotic as they do on Luomo's Vocalcity, and the whole thing hardly rises above the level of mood music. It's very dark, very cold, very emotionless, and very German.

MY RATING: 5.5

Jurgen Paape - "So Weit Wie Noch Nie"