Cafe Del Mar, Vol. 7 CD

The Cafe del Mar series of compilations is inspired by a cafe of the same name in Ibiza, centered around sunset watching, and also, like much of Ibiza, club music. The ambient music on these anthologies is designed to complement sunset watching, and the collections have thereby become renowned as repositories of "chill out" music; it's even been reported that Madonna counts these among her favorite records. Bush (represented by a N.O.W. remix of "Letting the Cables Sleep") and Moby (with "Whispering Wind") are the only names likely to be recognized by most listeners of this volume, which was assembled by Bruno, a DJ at Cafe Del Mar itself. It's jet-set music with class or, to be harsher, music for members of the leisure class who can afford to while away their hours at such expensive resorts, but want their sultry electronica-cum-Muzak with a tinge of hip artiness. It's only a tinge; it's relaxing but slick ambient music (some vocal, some instrumental), the arrangements' electronics and synths sometimes colored by Mediterranean or South American-sounding guitars and melodies. It's easy to picture this as the soundtrack to holiday romance films in which young, rich, and beautiful couples, such as the one pictured on the sleeve, begin affairs on a spectacularly lit beach at dusk. The rest of us just have to put this on in the kitchen while we heat our soup and sulk with envy. ~ Richie Unterberger

Seventh Volume Of The Successful Series That Spotlights Some Of The Best Ambient-Trance Tracks Making The Rounds Recently. Artists Included: Moby, Lux, Bush, Bent, Uko & More.

Recording information: Battery Studios; Benirras Studios; Touchwood Studios, Leeds, England; Virtual Sound Lab Studios.

Photographer: Rick Guest.

Unknown Contributor Role: EASE.

Arrangers: Pete Yeadon; Fros'T; Ned Kelly; Professor Stretch; Joy Rose; Underwolves.

Personnel: Joy Rose, Cathy Battistessa (vocals); Ben Lord, Norberto Rodriguez, Lakki Patey (guitar); Nathan Bray (trumpet); Pete Yeadon, Jules Evans, Professor Stretch, Robin Taylor-Firth (keyboards, programming); Fros'T, Oystein Sevåg (keyboards).

Audio Mixers: Damien Asker-Browne; EASE; Jules Evans; Professor Stretch; Moby.