Fokofpolisiekar
Monoloog in Stereo (Rhythm)
I don’t think Francois van Coke has the best voice on the block; I think Fokofpolisiekar take themselves a tad too seriously now; and I don’t think this EP is anything more than quite enjoyable but ultimately average rock, once one looks past the Afrikaans vocals (is that still a novelty?) and the lyrics that are clearly meant to be terribly meaningful. There — now I will probably have rabid fans staking out my house. The six tracks here — some fast, some slow — fail to capture the band’s live charisma, unfortunately. Nice try, but no cigar. – RW
Hem
Eveningland (EMI)
Hem, hailing from Brooklyn, would be what was left if one took the Cowboy Junkies and took away their “alternative” edge. What remains is laid-back, thoughtfully written romantic country-folk, Americana surely, with string accompaniment. Apparently their sound has been called “countrypolitan”; it’s much more digestible and meaningful than just slow, romantic country songs would have been. Where the Cowboy Junkies would appeal to morose young philosophers, Hem take aim at the more sensible older romantics. RW
Various
World of Dance 7 (Virgin)
He might not be on the radio any more, but he can still come into your house. Luckily, that’s just on CD. Derek the Bandit’s World of Dance 7 makes a welcome change from the recent cascade of Eighties samples and mixes, with a fun 10-track warm-up set CD and a 16-track main CD that glides along with a dreamy selection of upbeat trance house and only dips into the cheese layer right towards the end. Fun, mostly. – RW
Various
Club Fever (Virgin)
It’s just what it says: the soundtrack to a wild night out at a reasonably cheap dance club captured on disc, with some slighly older and some current favourites rubbing shoulders, from a shake-that-booty mix of the Shapeshifters’ Lola’s Theme and the awful, shrill What a Feeling (Make It Happen) by Richard Grey to Scooter and DJ Jean. Quite exciting in some places, quite horrible in others. — RW
Various
House Anthems (Virgin)
DJ Ricardo da Costa mixes CD one, a bumping selection of some of the funkiest house hits and favourites around (including that delectable Nancy Sinatra reworking by Audio Bullys, Shot You Down). Then, don’t slow down for Kevin Grenfell’s mix on CD two, which has Deep Dish, Kylie, Shapeshifters, the Chemical Brothers and many more stars. The album is more entertaining than its generic title would suggest. – RW