Compilations

5 Golden Years in the Wilderness

Various Artists (Buzzin’ Fly)

Everything But the Girl’s Ben Watt maintains a rep for taste and quality in modern house music with his Buzzin’ Fly label that’s unparalleled in new electronic music. Neither brains, body nor style is ever neglected on a Buzzin’ Fly track. On the label’s five-year anniversary, it gathers together three discs’ worth of goodies—two from its catalog and one that looks to the label’s future. Better yet—it’s unmixed and ready for DJ use. The highlights from label staples such as Justin Martin are too many to mention—but remixes from Charles Webster and Radio Slave make this a must.

The In-Kraut Vol. 3

Various Artists (Marina Records)

Maybe it’s just us, but our hunger for switched-on, fuzz-guitar stompers remains unabated. For fans of continental mod obscurities, the In-Kraut comps aren’t a bad place to start—as long as you don’t have an aversion to big bands and cover versions, which delighted Germans of the era. The stiff take on “A Hard Day’s Night,” an orchestrated version of “Whole Lotta Love” and the icy vox on Sonny & Cher’s “The Beat Goes On” are worthy of a hip-shake or two. But the crazy phaser-addicted organ jam “Hipguard” from Acid is the keeper here.

Health//Disco

Various Artists (Lovepump United)

L.A. quartet Health lets like-minded disco noisenik buddies loose on this remix album. It’s heavy with percussive and moody electro-house deconstructions—often to the point of being purely rhythmic, as it is on “Problem Is” from Thrust Lab. LED-generation dance-rockers Crystal Castles turn out a pedestrian Casio-colored version of “Crimewave.” “Perfect Skin” from Curses! features some meatier bombing bass for hardcore raving nights. CFCF’s treatment of “Triceratops” has a nice gothic disco feel. The issue? Though it might be engaging enough to stand on its own, the remixes won’t have anyone running to shops to hear the originals.