Phuture 2000
This amiable megastar Manchester house DJ has built up a solid reputation from the late 1980s. His premillennial album collaboration is a fiery mix of techno and house tunes that, while they rarely break new ground, never fall below a certain standard. Standout tracks include the funky "Black Shaolin" and the muscular, pumping "Latin Theme," both of which are featured on the soundtrack to the cult Welsh clubbing filmHuman Traffic. There's also the cold techno fantasy overload of "Phuture 2000," the good ol' rocksteady house groove of "Cosmic Dawn," and "The Mission," an intense, pacey collaboration with young techno-trance producer Adam Freeland. Situated amid the more crowd-pleasing rhythms, though, are some experimental tracks, like "Deeper Mind," with its grainy, warped-out feel, or the spacey acid tones of "Another Place." These show that Cox, more than a mere commercial rave DJ, is always prepared to slip in a few surprises.--Lucy O'Brien