Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond The Call Of Duty Vol.2 (The Orb Remix Project)

A double-disc compilation of over two-and-a-half hours of remixes, Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty, Pt. 1 includes Orb reworkings of well-known bands (Primal Scream, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Killing Joke) and more obscure acts (Keiichi Suzuki, Love Kittens). Several mixes sound a bit dated, and the scattershot quality of the set can distract listeners, but the inclusion of several epiphanous moments (Material's "Praying Mantra," Primal Scream's "Higher Than the Sun," and Sun Electric's "O'Locco") makes the album worthwhile for fans. Included is a thick book featuring colorful discographies and an interesting essay. ~ John Bush|

Following up the lengthy Orb remix retrospective Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty from 1996 hardly seems necessary. After all, that double-disc set seemingly included all the best (if not all) Orb remixes, brilliant post-productions like Material's "Mantra," Primal Scream's "Higher Than the Sun," Sun Electric's "O'Locco," and Maurizio's "Ploy," many of which bested their original versions. The second volume is another double-disc set; surprisingly, it's only slightly less solid, due to its collection of a few neglected masterpieces -- highlights being the Grid's "Crystal Clear" and System 7's "Sunburst" -- and the addition of more recent remixes like Can's "Halleluwah." Though contemporary work by the Orb had been neglected a bit with all the hundreds of producers flooding the scene, Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty, Pt. 2 is a solid display of what made the group so great. ~ John Bush