Euphoria: Chilled 3 [Import]

Solar Stone did a great job. If you were a fan of Deep & Chilled and Chilled, I think you'll enjoy this as long as you're open to a different mixing style and song selection. That's not to say that Solar Stone changed form of the series; in fact they kept it pretty similar. But they included some songs and artists I wouldn't have really considered initially like The Art of Noise, Garbage and Beanfield. What I like about the Euphoria series is that their chill-out usually gives trance cuts amazing face-lifts and the dj's often create their own intro's and outros between cuts. Probably my favorite part of this cd is the way "Love Song" seamlessly moves into Banco De Gaia's "Touching the Void". It's breath-taking! A couple of other bright moments are when Papau New Guinea is mixed into Epsilon Phase, and I even thought it was interesting to hear Garbage then mixed into a grossly underrated song by Compost artist Beanfield called "Charles". (the song was actually featured on a Ford Escape commercial last year).

I certainly recommend this double cd set. It's dark, good mixing and good songs. It's very different from the ridiculously commercialized Ministry of Sound compilations... But I must admit that this borders on a sort of ambient vibe, and a few songs didn't grab me - interesting how far back they go with some of the songs, and the price of these has SKYROCKETED over the past 3-4 years. Get it abroad. If you have already checked this out and want something a bit similar, then by all means check out Deeper Shades.

Previously, Red Jerry was the artist behind Euphoria's Chill Out mixes. But This time Solar Stone has stepped up to the plate. In the end, the results are about the same. This is yet another excellent Chilled Euphoria set. Solar Stone creates another two sets, seamlessly mixed to perfection. Their choices for tracks are not as quiet and ambient as Red Jerry's latest "Deep and Chilled Euphoria," but closer to his previous "Chilled Euphoria" (both of which I strongly recommend if you are into Chill music). But while similar in some respects, Solar Stone adds their own unique charm to this mix. And once agian, be warned: to merely look at the track titles gives you no idea what to expect, as each track has been sripped of the beat you've come to know, and lightened up significantly.

Disc one begins with the soothing, ambient sounds of Bob Holroyd's "Earthwatching," which perfectly sets the mood for the coming tracks. Next is Tall Paul vs INXS on "Precious Heart," an uplifting combination of light piano and soft vocals. Next is the earthy, Eastern sound of Talvin Singh, followed by Garbage's "Milk," which is only slightly softer than the album version. Another great track is the mellow, bluesy Everything But The Girl's "Single," which I beleive is the highlight of the disc. Following is Tangerine Dream's "Love on a Real Train," which continues the disc's soothing ambience. over the next few tracks, the tempo of the tracks goes subtly up and down to remind you that you still have about an hour and a half of music to go. Z2's "Intracity" is another favorite of mine thanks to its great mix its slightly darker sound and its trancy electronic grooves. A surprisingly quiet version of Libra's "Calling your Name" follows closely behind. The disc ends with Dido's "Take My Hand," which is was surprisingly not a remix, but rather the album version. Again, this final track is a more upbeat reminder that you still have another disc to go.

Disc 2 is just as good, if not better. It begins in a very similar fashion, with the soothing ambience of Namlook, followed by Art of Noise's "Moments in Love." One of several excellent tracks comes next with Spaceman's "The Beloved." This track, while similar to Disc 1's "Precious Heart," in its quiet style, is deeper and more powerful; it instantly became one of my favorite tracks in the set. It mixes beautifully into William Orbit's interpartation of Cage's "In a Landscape." The quiet ambience continues through Saint's & Sinners's "Peace," and flows into the quiet bass of Future Sound of London's staple "Paupa New Guinea." Push's "Strange World" is an etherial masterpiece, followed by Delerium and Sarah McLachlan's "Silence." (While I tend to think of this song as ridiculously overplayed, here it is softly mixed by Michael Woods, which also fits into the mix beautifully). The true highlight of this mix, though, is Solar Stone's own "The Calling," which comes second-to-last on the disc. This powerful and uplifting track is a true gem, featuring everything chilled music should be. Following is the closing track, Orbital's "Belfast," which starts out overpowering the previous track with its slightly faster tempo, but slows at its conclusion to end the mix on just the right pace.

The Euphoria series has consistently impressed me, and so I continue to pay the import prices. And the bottom line on this one is that it's yet another beautiful chill out mix in the Euphoria series. While I can't say that the track selections are perfect, they fit together nonetheless. This mix hasn't left my CD player since I got it. I've listened to it at work, after work, and after some long nights out. Each time I've heard it, it's gotten better. If you've enjoyed Red Jerry's Chilled Euphoria Mixes, or if you like Solar Stone, you will not be disappointed