Synthetic Pleasures, Vol. 1 (CD) by Various Artists

CD. The companion to the 1993 film Synthetic Pleasures, this is an eclectic, artistic, and essentially timeless collection of tracks -- a sort of soundtrack for the emerging cyberspace generation. The third track, "Cantamilla," has a very Café Del Mar vibe, while John Cameron successfully marries classical strings with Middle Eastern vocal loops on "Religion Impossible." (Check out the earlier version of the track on United State of Ambience.) "Transmit Liberation" is a cool if unremarkable track; it brings to mind every chillroom of the late '80s. "Tylervision" is one of the most memorable tracks. It's also one of the most melancholy, although you might not notice it at first. As a whole, the album could fit in nicely at a health spa, a head shop, or your own house on a lazy, rainy afternoon. ~ L. Katz, Rovi