Review by Damon Mudgway

Excellent jazz compilation from the Japan M&I label. Stripped back classy jazz played with aplomb by some of the better current musicians (mainly European) in this field. No vocals. Excellent production. Perfect for cocktail parties, weddings and the like.

They don't make them like this anymore! Modern soul just can't compare. Superb compilation from Universal Japan chock full of classic love songs by the original (and greatest) purveyors of the soul genre. An excellent disc to have playing in the background on a romantic night, drinking wine in front of a cozy fire.

Superb bossa nova collection featuring most of the breakthrough artists and tracks from this genre. Almost like a greatest hits of bossa. Beautifully packaged, with extensive liner notes (only in Japanese though) and lyrics.

An interesting collection of fan favorites culled from Toshiba EMI's vast dance catalog. Spanning the past 10 years, this compilation is great value for money. There are some truly inspired moments here, DJ Miko's cover of 'Sky High' and 'Moonlight Shadow' by Missing Heart to name but two. There are also some completely inane moments to be heard ('Axel F'-Crazy Frog!) but the good far outweighs the bad. This, along with Trance Paradise Best, Speed & Power Style Best and Velfarre Complete Best, are probably the best compilations available for this genre.

Hiding amongst the numerous Avex releases is this rather sexy Hime trance compilation. A nice mix of the better known female fronted trance hits from the past few years. A solid release but not essential. What makes this a little different is the cover art (the back cover art is even nicer!)

Avex Japan (in collaboration with Speed and Power Magazine) once again prove they can be more than a match for European dance/trance labels in releasing quality genre compilations. As for the plethora of trance compilations on the Avex label, I believe this is the one of the better ones. It provides a good mix of house, trance and Eurobeat, and all melodic to boot (one thing Ministry of Sound seem to be having trouble with these days). This Cd is just perfect for when I'm driving my Altezza RS-Z. Great stuff!

In short this is the best collection of Italian jazz I have ever heard. I am staggered by the amazing treasures I find while searching CDJapan (thanks guys). Obviously these are theme tunes from classic Italian movies, but this does not detract from this being a very smooth listening experience, and the album comes across as a cohesive whole. There are some truly beautiful and inspiring orchestral moments on the disc. If you are a lover of quality music then this compilation is a must own. Great for kicking back with a Cognac and cigar on lazy summer evenings.

I am new to Sweetbox, but having read positive reviews for this collection all over the net, I decided to give it a shot after listening to the samples. This walks all over anything remotely similar coming out of the States at the moment. If you are fan of highly polished pop with outstanding production and memorable melodies, then look no further. As the first-press is sold out, the release now comes in a standard 2CD jewel case, but the artwork is excellent and the price is a steal for the amount of music enclosed.Highly recommended.

Another Japan only release of laid back summer driving tunes. Beautifully packaged in a slip case with an oversized double CD jewel case and including extensive liner notes and lyrics. There is nothing that remotely resembles this release available from the States. Highly recommemed for lovers of this genre who do not feel the need to download illegally from the net.

Link is perfect for the theatrical Fullmetal Alchemist feature, a very melodic pop rock song with some great keyboard and guitar interplay. This CD single also features the song in karaoke format, great for wanna-be Alchemists or L'arc-En-Ciel fans. Recommended, as this song does not feature on the Conqueror of Shambala OST.

First off, let me start be saying this double CD is an absolute must own for fans of laid back soft rock and Westcoast/Jazz crossover. You need look no further for your soundtrack to a very relaxed weekend. Comparable in some ways to listening to lounge or chillout, but with a singer songwriter twist. However, the only track that really gets near the true AOR sound (Journey, Boston, Wrabit, Night Ranger et al) is Airplay's Cryin' All Night, with it's stabbing keyboards and searing guitar attack. I have been looking for a compilation like this for years and it really is wonderful to behold. The packaging is stunning, featuring an oversized jewel case to house the CD's and the extensive liner notes/booklet. The case comes enclosed in a solid box slipcase that features gorgeous Hiroshi Nagai artwork. Highly recommended.

An amazing box of textured sound from the genious that is Yoko Kanno. I never purchased the individual soundtracks as I guessed there may be a box set later on. For those who don't mind shelling out (pun intended) for the set it really is a must. The package design alone is a work of art, fragile though it is. And the Tachikoma..ish flash drive is cute, and contains some cool stuff. Just buy it before it vanishes forever.

Well priced Maxi Single Cd containing the classic intro (Cruel Angel Thesis) and outro (Fly Me to the Moon), tracks 3 and 4 are karaoke versions of the songs, and finally, track 5, the Directors Edit of Cruel Angel Thesis. All versions are full length not the TV edits. Cover art is brilliant. Standard jewel case CD single thin-case with OBI. Excellent stuff.