Label: Audio Therapy

  Released: December 1st, 2008

  Reviewed: 5/5

  User Rating: 4.7/5 [Login to Rate »]

  As one of the most respected labels in the electronic music industry, Audio Therapy offers up some of the highest quality music available, on a prolifically consistent basis. As we approach the end of another calendar year, the time has come once again for Audio Therapy's annual Autumn/Winter Sampler package; a release that is always heavily anticipated, as Dave Seaman and company are always careful to fill these samplers with exclusive new music, produced by many of the year's most influential artists.

So it's no surprise that this package is spewing quality from every nook and cranny, headed up by Therapy mainstay Oliver Moldan, who got the nod on mixing duties for CD 2, the unmixed version. It's only fitting that Oliver played a big role in one of the most moving tracks in this release, as he joined collaboration partner Norman Zube to produce "Better Day", which could very well end up being one of Audio Therapy's biggest tunes of 2008. Better Day is pure peak-hour tech madness, guaranteed to get any crowd moving. But rather than waste your time with a drawn out technical description, I advise you to just check it out in the player and see for yourself.

Another big one sure to wreak havoc on online download shop servers is "No Chaos, No Pain", served up by an all-star cast comprised of progressive-tech superstars D-Nox & Beckers, Gabe and Vor. This one leans further toward the techno side of the fence, boasting a squeaky clean groove that shimmies and shuffles around wobbly pads and quick vocal hits. The breakdows are quick, to the point, and have a tendency to cause drool to drip down the chin - so be sure to have a towelette handy. It's very rare for me to enjoy a track enough to warrant pressing repeat..3 times. This could easily be one of the biggest tunes of 2008.

Also featured are fantastic original tracks from George Delkos, Fady Farraye, Baudelaire, Jensen Blade, D Ferdez & Diego Skills, Sol & Grimm, Monterey Beach Club, and another superb tech house collaboration between Carlon Belatti and Paco Buggin.

This turns out to be one of Audio Therapy's best sampler packs to date, and is certainly something worth putting in your own stocking these holidays. No matter how rough the economy may get, as long as we've got music like this to listen to on our I-Pods while waiting on the welfare line, we're in good shape.

Kev Obrien [26-Nov-2008]