I'll start by saying that this is not an album I would of bought for myself, as I generally find chillout compilations to be much of a muchness.... I prefer the Cafe Del Mar series (which in fact they have nicked a few tunes from!!)

It was purchased for me as a birthday present, so I accepted gracefully...... Although these things usually end up being full of naff music I would not call proper chillout!

However, when I finally got round to playing it I was pleasantly suprised....

Now for those of you (like my Mum) rubbing their head, thinking what's chillout like then? Well... just a term really for relaxing music, that you can chillout to!! Hence the name. At this point my Mum would say what do I do to 'chillout'
Relax woman... unwind. Float away, and forget about your day....

It is a two disc compilation, with 17 tracks on each disk.
2001 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.
Distruibution: Sony Music.
www.sonymusic.co.uk

So... what are the songs like??

~~~~~ Disk 1 ~~~~~~

1 ~ Lovely Head ~ Goldfrapp
Well this is a good start to the album, as I love Goldfrapp! This track I belive was used as the theme tune to Monkeydust on BBC3(which is also very good~so made me smile!!)
It starts with somebody whisteling, then the beat cuts in, very nice chilled song. Great chillout....

2 ~ Why Does My Heart ~ Moby
Starts with piano, then powerful male vocal starts, 'why does my heart'
Woman signs chorus, work really well together.
Excellent track, which I already have on a Moby album so obviously something I like. Beautiful vocals on this track, from very strong male & female voices!

3 ~ Solo Por Tu Amor ~ Manuel Franjo
Mmmmm... not so keen on this one... Spanish vocals, to a catchy beat with percussion... Not much else to say really!
Think my Mum might like this one, find it a bit slow and dated.

4 ~ Gymnopedia No. 1 ~ Joolz Gianni & Ty Unwin
Nice floating song, with a softer female vocal. Very famous tune, will recognise when heard!! Great in bath with cadles lit all around. Perfect chillout....

5 ~ Melt ~ Leftfield
Need I say anything? Pure chillout...... One of my old favs....subtle saxaphone, with a beat, slowly building.... Has an underwater sound to it, perfect for relaxing to. And again, I already have this tune on a Leftfield album I own.

6 ~ Talking With Myself '98(Canny Remix) ~ Electribe 101
Starts with waves breaking on a beach, so instantly relaxing.... Then the beat starts, with electronic noises cutting in and out with the time of the waves. Then the melody starts...which is beautiful... Love this track. Another good chillout choice.

7 ~ Green Lady ~ Martin Taylor
Soft beginning of strings...then goes bit corny.... Keep waiting for some dodgy bloke to start croaning... but it doesn't happen.
Sounds like it could be used as a sound track for a dodgy eighties love story.....
So all in all, skip no 7 on this disk.

8 ~ Street Tattoo ~ Stan Getz
This is better...starts with good percussion, and a nice beat. Then saxaphone cut's in... Very sexy, relaxing track. Would work in lounge with glass of wine, bathroom or bedroom!!

9 ~ Beautiful ~ The Past Present Organisation
Strong bass... Starts with whisperings of 'aint always umbrella's in the rain' When the vocal starts properly, it sounds a little like Kylie... All in all a nice little track, but maybe slightly to upbeat to be real chillout, although very relaxing all the same.

10 ~ In A Landscape ~ William Orbit
Again, another uptempo one, with a catchy electro beat. Not too fast to be relaxing, with lots of guitar strumming too...

11 ~ No Ordinary Love ~ Sade
Now if you dont know this one, you've either been hiding under a rock...or born after '92' Beautiful vocals, from the beginnig, 'I gave you all the love I got' Wonderful song.

12 ~ Que Bonito ~ Jose Padilla
Think I have this on a Cafe Del Mar... Mmm, yeah! So very chillout!! Nice percussion, drums...guitar and more drums. Sound of waves breaking again... Spotted the theme yet? Goes twinkely with a triangle, before the percussion cuts back in.

13 ~ Sacral Nirvana ~ Oliver Shanti & Friends
Starts quite funky, with a panpipe sound to it... Hard to describe but a great track!!

14 ~ Low Sun ~ Chicane
Builds up gradually, with nice beat and what sounds like a flute cutting in and out. Very relaxing but quite well known song, as Chicane had some chart success.

15 ~ Before Moonlight ~ Robin Youngsmith
Startswith powerful piano piece(that I can play!) which I am sure almost everybody(and their Nan!!) will recognise!!
Great song, beautiful in fact, but I'm not sure that I'd call it chillout!!

16 ~ Picures ~ Craig Pruess
This is better, has a watery feel again.... Much softer than last track, but still a little forceful to be chillout in my mind...
|t does have the watery sound to it though, continuing the theme, but then seems to turn into something from 'Bornfree'!!

17 ~ Close Cover ~ Chris Winter
More piano.... Quite slow, but not chillout in my mind.
Nice.. but think they lost it a little on these last three!

~~~~~ Disk 2 ~~~~~

1 ~ Don't Give Up ~ Chicane Feat. Bryan Adams
Agh!! Bryan Adams... Nah, not too bad really. Very well known song though, spent some time in the charts!
Starts with him singing over a building bass line..... Then beat cut's in, very good at making you tap your feet.

2 ~ Here with me ~ Dido
And another well know one, which I also already own. Dido's vocal over a nice tune... nice one!!
Soft, pretty and floating, great chillout.

3 ~ Angel's Landing (Jose Padilla/Sunchild Remix) ~ Salt Tank
Piano, then strings..builds up nicely. Pretty catchy, but still relaxing. Nice female vocal, sounds a little french.
Great choice as chillout....

4 ~ Fur Elise ~ Pierre Belmonde
French bloke quietly muttering to himself, over the sound of a keyboard. Then funky percussion cuts in, and then one of the most know keyboard solo's, with more funky percussion. Love this one, nice and random...

5 ~ Venus & Mars ~ Jo Breezer
Soft femal vocal, singing about angels and dancing and the like.... Nice floaty chillout track.
Nice cup of coffee with this one I think....

6 ~ Only Love Can Break Your Heart ~ Saint Etienne
Bit too catchy to be chillout...but I LOVE IT.. So who cares eh? 1990 so I'd of been 14...Mmm no wonder it makes me feel so young!! Great old tune, lovely gilrie vocals, to a great beat.

7 ~ Rejouissance (Variations on a theme by Vivaldi) ~ Arnage
Whatever would of followed the last song would of

struggeled, but this is really poo!l Skip this.....
It's Slow, dated, and deffinately NOT chillout!!

8 ~ Jupiter ~ Craig Pruess
Better, but again not really chillout. I'd skip it.
Still slow, and dated. Sounds like it should be a sound track for a sad film!

9 ~ Girl Next Door ~ Katie Williams
Warmer, more electronic and funky. The tune cuts in, then the uplifting vocals float in..... Superb chillout choice.
Great wherever, bath, bed...or even laying in a field! Has an nice outdoors feel to it.. Very uplifting yet relaxing.

10 ~ My Weakness ~ Moby
Again, superb chillout! And already in my possesion... Beautiful vocals as always with Moby to a subtle tune... Outstanding!

11 ~ Crockett's Theme ~ Jan Hammer
Classic!! You don't own a version? My phone used to play it!! Ha ha... great classic tune, most will recognise. Used in a film I believe..... Not really chillout, but love it as it's great!!
Synth, very eighties....

12 ~ Clubbed To Death ~ Rob D
Excellent..Excellent...Excellent.... I love this one...
Strings, then sax......building up.....
Der dum..titch titch...
Nothing esle to be said other than Excellent!!
Gotta listen to this one...

13 ~ Cafe Del Mar (Michael Woods Remix) ~ Energy 52
Aha, more Cafe Del Mar... great chillout then!! Sounds like seagulls mixing in with the start of the track, nice 'beachy' feel to it..... Possibe sound of waves again...(theme's back!!)
One of my fav's Cafe Del Mar songs, so don't mind hearing again, great choice of song. Makes you feel like you are on holiday I think.....

14 ~ Love Theme From Bladerunner ~ Utopia
Still haven't made my mind up about this one. Starts a bit strong, but does soften a bit. Think I'll skip....

15 ~ Falling ~ Julee Cruise
Love this. Remeber Twin Peaks anybody? Well this was the theme to that! Gorgeous sound, with sexy vocals. Very chillout....
Soft, beautiful song, always takes my breath.... gives me chills.

16 ~ Gabriel's Oboe ~ Ennio Morricone
Starts a bit drummy...then goes all classical for a moment.... and continues in this manor. Not a fan of the oboe myself particually, so as not really chillout and ruining the 'mood' ....skip.....

17 ~ The Blue Planet ~ The BBC Concert Orchestra
Does it end better? Well yes... Still a bit much to be chillout, too dramatic to be relaxing, but quite pleasant.

The two Disc's link nicely together I think, partly due to the fact that several arists are on both disc... so they sort of flow together as apposed to being two seperate cd's.

It does in fact say on the back of the case, right at the bottom
' This album is designed to be played continuosly'

~~~~~ So what do I think of this? ~~~~~

Well, I was pleasantly suprised I have to say. Much better than alot of chilout compilations I have heard over the years... As it is generally a good mix of well chosen tunes.
Although I do have to comment that they are all old songs so you may well have several already on other cd's as I do. For example track 16, disk 2 is from 1986 so I was only 10!! Ha ha.... Oh and no 3, disk 1 is 1979 so I was only 3.. . *giggles*

So yes, if you are after a good chillout cd to having playing in the background whilst chillin, I'd give this one a thumbs up!!
Maybe skipping the ends of both disk, if you're taste is the same as mine!!

It works well if you're having a nice long relaxing bath, or sat around chatting with friends as background music.

If you get it, I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Thanks for reading my review. Xx