"The Sound of Violence" is a brilliant track, the best Cassius have ever produced. Worth buying for that track alone. However, also contains other gems such as the Al Green sampling "Under Influence" and "Telephone Love" which uses some top-notch filtering and production techniques to make another fantastic track. People tended to ignore this album, I've no idea why, perhaps people were hoping for a revisit of 1999 but this is a far more varied, mature album IMO.

The DJ/Producer/Remixer commonly known as Bob Sinclar clearly polarises opinion. Judging by previous comments I think it's fair to say he's loved and loathed in equal measure, which is as it should be IMO...more on that later.
His early career saw him in the vanguard of the French filtered house phenomenon which in it's infancy reinvigorated the entire house music scene. His first album was something of a classic, "Ghetto" and "Visions of Paradise" being memorable efforts, however the misguided "Gym & Tonic" and the shenanigans surrounding it was to prove a portent of problems looming on the horizon. The "French Touch" became, if we're being honest, very formulaic and something of a parody after 3 years of sweeping filters and disco samples. After an interesting dabble with what I would describe as electro in the shape of "III" Sinclar returned from the wilderness with a number of radio friendly records in the vain of Dario G; "Love Generation" being a huge hit. I hated it on first listen, and after a thousand more I doubt it'll grow on me, it did however lead to some quality remixes.
For some reason his more recent effort "World Hold On" found more favour with me, infact after hearing it in Ibiza a few times last summer during special moments I've grown to love it and it's perhaps his finest hour to date. Is it cheesy? Yes, very, but then most house music probably is, at least it's honest about what it does, the sentiment is no different to most records who hide beneath a veneer of minimal indifference (detached Germanic Microhouse an obvious example).
I was staggered he released "Rock This Party" as I can find no redeeming features within the record. Remixes aside it has all the subtlety of the Bay City Rollers...moreover, whoever advised him to appear in the video needs to be taken outside, blindfolded, lined-up against a wall and shot.
I can't help escape the thought that Sinclar has perhaps forsaken an artistic legacy of the faceless master producer a la to pursue avenues in the more popular side of dance music. However, even amongst the most celebrated of his peers the likes of Daft Punk have sailed close to the wind but succesfully navigated the treacherous seas between pop and dancefloor (Discovery in it's entirerity oscillated between the sublime to the ridiculous) for want of a better word. But who am I to criticise?

Soulwax deserve some acclaim here! It's criminal that people usually associate them with the Jive Bunny for the modern man that is 2manyDJ's, an enjoyable sonic romp through mashed-up Dolly Parton to George Benson. As novel as the original mix was it's been bootlegged to death and as anyone who's heard Soulwax will agree the real talent of the Dewaele bros lies in their Soulwax work. Remixes galore, of their own tracks and others, Nite Versions contains some amazing tracks in the DFA, Tiga style. All their tracks have a very "live" feel to them, the percussion especially drives the tracks along with gusto. I'm very expectant of their next album, encouragingly they don't seem to chuck out any old rubbish but make sure the materials high quality.

A couple of reviews I spotted have been lukewarm towards this mix, personally it's one of my favourite in the "goldstandard" of electronica/dance compilation mixes that is Fabric. Considering the competition and the obvious thought that goes into the Fabric releases and the fact I come back to this one frequently must surely justify a position amongst the very best mixes of the last few years. Tasteful and beatifully constructed track selection, flawlessly mixed (perhaps too flawless...bet my last roll of bog roll at a festival that this wasn't mixed on vinyl) but irrespective a defining mix that has laid the foundations and blueprint for many of the mixes that have followed in the series to date, even so far as Michael Mayer etc.

"Mother" is a magnificent. What Goldie did was to accept no compromise and out of it came a 60 minute epic of full orchestral movements into-woven with rhythmic drum patterns. I love it, I really do. I have no truck with those that say it's "bombastic"...I appluad Goldie for his bravery in attmepting something so ambitous and pulling it off. Those that say it's "boring" or "not D&B" are to narrow-minded and impatient to appreciate the track.
It the greatest piece of D&B I've ever heard.

When the bassline and kick drum start off in Protection, I get the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Tracey Thorn has never sounded better than on that track, it's an absolute, certified masterpiece in my opinion, and I've got effing high standards!!!!

I love this album ,it's one of those albums that EVERYONE who considers themselves "into" music should own...I hate that phrase, but it's a fact, this album is that good. It's like medicine, hear it and it heals you, it's music for the soul going beyond background chatter to fill a room at a dinner party, this draws you in like a drug.

The incredible thing is that IMO Massive Attck made numerous other great albums in Blue Lines and Mezzanine which whilst not being as great as this in my opinion are truly brilliant albums in their own right. What a talented group of musicians, what a shame that the trio have broken up and seem beyond reconcilliation.

Fair to say that this album genrates wildly varying opinions from it's listeners, which is a good thing as nothing is more boring than everybody singing it's praises, you need to challenge people...and this album does that. Personally, I love it. I don't quite know why; as others have said, it is free from the programming complexity of most progressive/breaks tunes and isn't a purely ambient experience. But what makes it special for me is the feel of the album in it's entirety. The tone of the album is established from Drempels onwards, that of electronic music with influences from trance, ambient, progressive house and breaks. I can't really pigeon-hole it any better than that.

Sasha shipped a hell of alot of criticism on release of this album, at the time I thought it unfair and on reflection I think it was the reaction of his hardcore fanbase, the trance connosueirs finding it too ambient and the progressive fans finding it too laidback. I don't see it as either. Credit to Sasha and his cohorts they attempted to make an album as opposed to a collection of singles or an album of generic proggy bangers. The beauty of this album lies in the journey it takes you through, exquisite production that doesn't suffocate the tracks with effects but allows the melodies and sparse beats room to breathe. I love it, I was unsure when I first bought it 5 years ago but I get something out of it every time I listen to it.
Sasha's recent effort "Involver" doesn't even warrant mention in the same breath as Airdrawndagger for it serves to cater to a narrow seam of the electronic music smorgasboard, generic proggressive house. This is Sahsa's best work and deserves some patience as the album will bring years of pleasure to those willing to revisit it with an older, more experienced and cultured taste in electronica IMHO.

Whether they qualify as deities or mere mortals, beyond all doubt is the quality of their work. Brilliant, brilliant, electronica, coruscating sounds and haunting meoldies, listening to their music at the most unusual of times in the most unlikely of places can create a deeply warped view of your environment...for example, on a packed train full of pale-faced commuters, the music takes on a whole new meaning. Try it. I haven't taken shrooms and listened to their work as of yet, I've never felt the need to, but one day I will and I wonder how it will open my mind even more to the msuci of Boards of Canada.

Naked WAS great but I feel it's become a little formulaic of late. For example, they released numerous volumes of Carte Blanche, Nude Dimensions, Bare Essentials...each release seemed the same as the first and nothing but a money making exercise! Yes I hear you cry, it's a record label and it needs to make money but the releases all sounded the same. There was no risk-taking. Indie labels should be taking risks, or else why are they indie? Lost On Arrival was good and a welcome change howvere, more of the same. They are in danger of straying into the familiar "dad house" territory with too many deep-house-with-female-vocals. Getting Trentmoller on board was a goos idea mind you. And the artwork was and still is brilliant and has been imitated, badly, by many other labels. I still love the Naked albums such as Nude Dimensions Vol. 2 (the first track "Superficial" is a classic) and the Migs mix Nude Tempo was fantastic. I just hope they don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Less is more.

Living legeands of house music IMHO. They could only be French, possesing the enigmatic qualities that great French artists have, allied to a single-mindedness that has seen them produce some truly great, original, seminal music. Homework got me into house, I still love the album, timeless. Devastating basslines that combined the best old school breaks of hip-hop with the techno edge and funky disco hooks that made it infectious stuff.
The quality control was obviously down the pub when Discovery came out. Aside from the obvious ELO influences the album was aimed squarely at the pop market, a dubious decision with hindsight. It contained some AMAZING tracks and was in parts as equally paradigm-shifting and groundbreaking as their debut, but it sadly contained too many schincter-clenchingly cheesy moments for my tastes..."Something About Us" has the ring of a Kenny Gee B-side to it. Whether the move into popier sounds was made from a commercial standpoint, simply the product of their creative mionds and the influences they tapped into at the time of the albums birth or merely on a whim who knows. For me, it was a brave decision.
The delay until Human After All promised great things but the album was very hit and miss IMHO. Robot Rock did just that, vintage stuff, however on the debit side Technologic laboured along with the same processed beats and filtered vocals of yore, not really anything new.

I think much of their best dancefloor orientated work has come via their remixes, too many to name, (ok then, Disco Cubizm remix and Ian Pooley track on AV8, "Rock Da Disco"???) but very few people can take a track, take what they want and then add that DP touch making it instantly a DP tune that always hits the spot...that sounds cheesy, but those that know will agree.

Also a few live gigs would be nice, I heard a rumour Bangalter had suffered ear damage hence had decreed he'd no longer DJ or perform live which would be a shame. I've only had the pleasure of seeing them twice live, once in Brum at Alive and once at Homelands where they were truly awful, theough in their defence the decks and mixer were seemingly knackered.
Only the boys themselves know what the future holds, being such mysterious, publicity shy individuals. I hope they contiunue to make music as they are personal heroes of mine, however it would be interesting to see them doing something different, maybe some hip-hop? I reckon if they had the inclination they could wipe the floor with the Neptunes and take the genre by storm.
Whatever happens, they deserve to be remembered for being able to make songs that work both in a club, in your room and on Top Of The Pops, brilliant songs, with their own flavour and with nods to the holy trinity of house (bassline, hook and vocals) but with enough originality to make them sit at the cutting-edge of the genre. Genre defining infact.