Beautiful music

This album was my introduction to the whole Chill music phenomenon. Since then, I have listened to quite a few Chill albums, ranging from jazz to world beat to the sounds found here, downtempo electronica. I have become quite enthusiastic about Chill...not a style of music so much as a mood that can be exemplified in a number of genres of music. The mood is relaxing, but with a gentle beat. Unlike New Age or ambient smooth relaxing music, most Chill is something you could dance to late at night when you're mellowed out, or early in the evening when you're just kind of warming up; or, you can just sit back in your recliner and drift off to music pleasureland.

Some albums pull off the Chill mood better than others. This is one of my favorites. I especially like tracks #5 through #9...this set of 5 songs is 5-star material and exquisite sequencing--sheer perfection in beautiful electronic sounds and a gentle beat that rocks you like a sensual lullaby.

While #5-#9 are the pinnacle of the album for me, tracks #4-#10 all fit together superbly. I don't like Moby's "In This World"--it just doesn't seem to fit on this album, so that's why I say the good sequence starts at #4. The first song seems to be a bit different too. While most of the album is more like evening music, Delerium's "Love" seems like sunny music to me. It's still smooth and beautiful, but the acoustic guitars and female vocals sound more like summer sun music to me, rather than the other songs' "evening" sounds.

I have three versions of "Tears From The Moon" by Conjure One. While this is my least favorite in itself, the mix on this album fits the album to a tee. After this song, the beautiful, smooth, rich electronics give way to a song with lowkey rapping, so the mood is lost. The lyrics in "North Pole" are offensive and thus do not contribute to the beauty found on the rest of the album. Fischerspooner's and New Order's songs sound like something straight out of 1982 (Depeche Mode or Yazoo of that era, for example); I like that kind of music and these songs have a gentle slow beat, but still, the 1982 sound doesn't mix well with the 2003 sounds. These are the reasons I say songs #4 to #10 are the prime sequence of this album and the other songs, well, just don't fit so well.

I picked up this album because of the artists I knew, Moby and New Order. Ironically, I dislike the song by Moby and think the New Order song doesn't fit. But I have been introduced to a new mode of music, Chill, which I am now quite crazy about, and among Chill albums I've heard, the middle of this album, particularly tracks 5 through 9, is quintessential Chill. So beautiful...

Best Chillout CD of 2003

As the title states - this is the Ultimate Chillout CD. I love the way it starts out with Delerium - they are one of the best Chillout groups ever. Can't wait for a new CD by them. Chillout 2003 also does a nice job of mixing it up. The Conjure One track is perfect and even the older stuff like New Order fit in well.

Not quite the ultimate chill out but still good

I guess after hearing the fifth volume in the Buddha Bar series, my expectations of chill out compilations have been raised. I have been spoiled by the diversity of the well-knowned chill out series. So when I bought Nettwerk's "Chillout 2003: The Ultimate Chillout", I thought it could have been better and less predictable. As much as I love Moby and his song "In This World" and Sasha's "Wavy Gravy", I thought those two songs could have easily been left off this cd. On the other hand hearing a new song from "Delerium ("Love") and a remix of my favorite Conjure One song "Tears From the Moon" made it well worth buying the cd, which I found a used copy in the used bins at my favorite record store. The Delerium song "Love" was nothing I have ever heard before from my favorite ambient act. Faithless' Zoe Johnston lends her stunning vocals to the beautiful song. I also loved Kirsty Hawkshaw's "Fine Day [Frakker Mix]". I remember hearing samples of that song on an old Orbital song. Of course what is a Nettwerk compilation without a Sarah McLachlan track? To be honest, I actually enjoyed the William Orbit mix of "Black". I am nowhere tired of that song as I am with Delerium's "Silence". I wasn't too wild about the Telepopmusik or Fischerspooner tracks. Both groups I find vastly overrated. I loved Ihb's "Olivia Newton Christ" and FC Kahuna's "North Pole Transmission". Hooligan's "Hear Me Now" and New Order's "Your Silent Face". With all its imperfections, "Chillout 2003" is quite good but it isn't the ultimate chill out as the title say. I leave that title to my favorite chill out compilation "Buddha Bar V".