Global Underground Sampler

This low-priced introduction to late-'90s trance music attempts to convert the skeptics and unfamiliar to the incredibly trendy musical style by compiling many of the best songs from the large Global Underground catalog. While a second volume titled Arrivals focuses on tracks from later albums in the Global Underground series ranging from Sasha's San Francisco to John Digweed's Hong Kong, Departures focuses on the first eight releases in the catalog by Tony De Vit, Nick Warren, Paul Oakenfold, and John Digweed. Relative to Arrivals, Departures functions as a better introduction to the popular series and the affiliated style of music. Most similar to Paul Oakenfold's comprehensive Resident and Tranceport albums, Departures focuses on many of the songs that made trance such a popular style of music in the late '90s. Taste Experience's "Summersault" and Albion's "Air" start the record off with an aura of the sublime; the tempo is still fairly low during these songs, but there is plenty of serenity and hints of the intensity to come. The middle section of the album picks up the tempo and instills a strong sense of momentum that peaks during Greece 2000's "3 Drives on Vinyl." Some of the songs on Departures may sound dated and fairly lackluster compared to the glossy anthems of Arrivals such as "Heaven Scent" and "Stage One," but Departures still makes for a better introduction. The music is far less dynamic and has more direction in its approach than the broad palette of styles on Departures, making it more accessible to newcomers, yet it still isn't as focused on compiling the most proven anthems of the late '90s as the aforementioned Resident and Tranceport albums by Paul Oakenfold. If you're already familiar with late-'90s trance or already have a few Global Underground releases, stay away from this album -- it's meant for newbies and will only disappoint you. ~ Jason Birchmeier|