Review: Afterhours 3 (2007, Global Underground)

When one thinks of Afterhours, one thinks of music without boundaries. One thinks of diversity, and genre defiance: a time and place where stylistic limitations are lifted, and the DJ is given a blank canvas with which to paint his or her musical picture on. There is no prescription for mood or tempo. There is no requirement for the music to be contemporary, or inline with current trends or fads. Afterhours is simply about open-minded listeners enjoying good music.

With Afterhours 3, Global Underground stalwarts Trafik have managed to encapsulate that unconventional Afterhours mood onto CD in a way that's both diverse and accessible; a hard balance that often eludes even the most reputable of DJs.

CD1, aptly titled Organic, defies coherent description. The mood of Cinematic Orchestra's "Channel 1 Suite" or L Pierre's "Rotspots From The Crap Map" could be described as gloomy and dramatic, while others like Kraak & Smaak's "Keep On Searching" or Mike Monday's "Zum Zum" could be described as cheerful and lively. The tempo effortlessly shifts between downtempo and 4/4, with the DJs freely mixing jazz with classical, found-sound techno with ambient, and even hip-hop with electro. And yet despite this unorthodox approach, the music is undeniably interesting and engaging throughout. Where Sinner DC's "Born To Be Mild" will trip you out with its druggy groove and gently filtered vocal, Innersphere's "Out Of Body" will make you yearn for days past with its atmospheric production and nostalgia-inducing melody. By the end of the disc, the sound is dreamy and reflective, with Rogue Audio's "Custom Made" and Last Atlant's "Twin Of Sun" tugging at your heart strings before Andrew K's "No Hay Banda" ends the mix in suitably cinematic fashion.

CD2, titled Electronic, is the more straight-forward of the two mixes in that it seems to focus more squarely on modern club music motifs, particularly, disco. The mix starts out somberly with the resonating beauty of Carl Craig's "A Wonderful Life" but quickly grows in tempo and mood. By the time the time we hear the campy 80's swank of Charlie's "Spacer Woman," the music is in full, club-friendly swing. Trafik treats us to a bit of disco history in Cerrone's 1977 classic, "Supernature," before moving into modern territory with tracks by Lindstrom and Voltique. The party vibe doesn't last long however, as the menacing minimal of Swoop's "Superlicious" and the pumping tech-house of Zen-Kei's stellar "The Punisher" push the mood to near fever pitch. The final tracks act as a series of individual climaxes, starting with the disco-esque anthem "Come With Us" by Kevin Swain before moving on to the more electro-tinged house of Richard Dinsdale's "Your Mind" and Motion 040's "Timmy's Turn." I was particularly taken back by the hypnotic key-changes in Gus Gus' "Moss;" a track that just oozes with cross over appeal. While maybe slightly less daring than it's counterpart, CD2 would most likely get my vote as the better of the two mixes, in part because of it's superior programming and more coherent progression.

The final disc, titled Future, features a moody blend of lounge, downtempo, breaks, and deep house, with a focus on the more ethereal sounds of modern electronica. As a bonus, the tracks are unmixed; a welcome new trend in the digital era. Highlights include the fabulously-deep "Leftorium" by Anil Chawla and Dale Anderson, as well as the thick, spacious groove of Nick Galea & Native's "Dropped" and the ghostly ambiance of Last Atlant's "Reversed Cloud." While there is certainly nothing ground-breaking here, this could have easily turned into the compilation equivalent of an afterthought, and the fact that it doesn't is a direct reflection of the quality of the music included.

Afterhours 3 succeeds primarily because it simultaneously embraces eclecticism with tunefulness. The music is melodic, but rarely trite; modern, but rarely pretentious. The compilation does have its weak moments, but for the most part, it is remarkably consistent, rarely boring, and certainly a worthy listen for anyone with an open mind and an ear for great music.

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Title: Afterhours 3
Artist: Various Artists
Label: Global Underground
Catalog #: GUAF3CD
Format: 3xCD
Release date: January 29, 2007

9/10 (Reviewed by Jia)
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Tracklist