Universal Religion 2004

During the summer of 2004, DJ Armin van Buuren held a seven-week residency at a club on the island of Ibiza called Amnesia. Universal Religion 2004 documents one of the sets he performed during that period, and consists primarily of songs that he spun almost every night: signature singles like Perry O'Neill's "Waveforce," Tilt's "The World Doesn't Know," and the Andy Moor remix of Ridgewalkers' "Find." Like all club music, this program is basically utilitarian; unlike many club mix albums, though, this one is consistently fun to listen to, even when you let it slip into the background of your consciousness. The tracks are mostly instrumental, but one of the more impressive entries is the Markus Schulz mix of Deepsky's "Talk Like a Stranger," which features lovely vocals by Jes (of Motorcycle fame). Things do bog down into thumpaholic tedium from time to time, as on the long and numbingly boring "Surrender" by Tranquility Bass, but for the most part this album does a good job of appealing equally to the ears and the hips. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson