Elevation, Vol. 3

Elevation, Vol. 3

One of the better compilation series in circulation, Elevations 3 and its offspring (particularly this third volume) are very appealing samplers targeted to listeners with an appetite for world/mystic/ambient/groove music. Showcasing 15 acts, Elevations 3 is a feast of largely stellar tracks from the seductive, slow-twitch zone of the electronica spectrum. Opening with the gorgeous 1997 New Age pop hit "Love Song," by Ronan Hardiman, the disc moves from one delicious track ("Rushing" from Moby) to another (the Delerium-like "Lost" by Balligomingo. While not flawless (we could have been spared the childlike chanting of Yasue on "Peaceful Village"), the album is loaded with gems, including the beguiling, jazz-tinged throb from Soma Sonic ("Blueskies"), the subsonic stealth funk of Faithless ("The Garden"), and the whispered-in-your-ear passion of "Soul of Desire" (by Phobos). As soon as you exit, on Alkaemy's ethereal "Enchantment," you yearn for the disc to begin anew. Anyone attracted to "moods"-related samplers should investigate this one. Splendid listening. --Terry Wood

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