DFA trots out the first compilation under their Death From Abroad moniker, forming like an uber-hip Voltron with Berlin's Supersound Recordings label for two discs crammed to the brim with diverse German sounds, from retro Italo to minimal, house and electro. Even if you don't know the names here -- I, for one, am not so up on my underground German electronic producers -- the music is enough to get you hooked, everything hi-qual in the typical DFA fashion. Supersound label head Xaver Naudascher is the most dominant name, with three tracks of his own and four with Paul Mogg, the best of the bunch being the duo's "Moon Unit" quadrilogy - check parts one(1) and three(2) - and Naudascher's own "Motor City(3)." Also peep: Skatebard's arpeggiating "Pagans(4)," the warm synths of Walter Jones' "The Odyssey Sound(5)," and Plastique de Reve's "Reist(6)." 19 tracks; over 2 hours 20 minutes of music.

reviewed by Van Hammersly