Northern Exposure, Vol. 2: East Coast Edition

I used to have this classic two disk set, however it was stolen when my car was broken into. I never got over that. I have purchased disk one seperatly, as thats how the disks were sold in the U.S. It has an amazingly timeless quality and captures that moment right before trance broke on these shores.

Disk one is the "warm-up" down tempo affair. Ironically its best served while comming down.

These are Classics. If you like electronica, you really should have these in your collection. You just should.


DIGWEED & SASHA'S FINEST HOURS   July 6, 2000
B. Lynch (USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Let's get the major points out of the way early here: THIS CD IS OUTSTANDING; as good as trance gets, anywhere, anytime, by anyone. If your only exposure to John Digweed and Saha has been the "Global Underground" series CD's, then you have not heard either Digweed's or Sasha at their best. Even people who don't enjoy trance or techno may enjoy this one (Pink Floyd, Kraftwerk, and Tangerine Dream fans, listen up).

In what has become 'standard' trance fashion (although it was not established as such at the time this CD was initially recorded), the set starts out with very ambient pulsating tones that build into melodic trance and then metamporphose into full blown dance nirvana. To date, this is the definitive "John Digweed" or "Sasha" CD. But since both are DJ's, and not writers or producers (like The Chemical Brothers) who spin other people's music, and mix other people's tunes together to create their 'sound', as opposed to writing their own material, the quality of the CD's tehy put out depends largely on the quality of the music they have been able to listen to and their skill at re-mixing & blending it together. This CD shows an exceptional level of skill at both, suggesting that both Digweed & Sasha have good ears for tunes. They also display a great sense of pacing and timing: unlike many trance/techno CD's this one never gets monotonous & boring because of excessive repetition, nor does it sound puerile because the DJ's keep mixing unrelated genres together too quickly to establish a good groove (mood, tone, feel, etc.).

Like any great trance, electronica, or techno release, this one works as both dance and listening music. All the more reason to pick it up.

I am not sure what the title "Northern Exposure" has to do with the music, since neither my travels in far northern Canada, nor repeated listens to this CD, evoke memories of the other. It seemed that northern Canada featured country & western (if anything at all), and there was nothing particularly high-tech about the arctic, aside from the devices I carried, and the helicopters. Perhaps it's a thing between Sasha & Digweed. If it's a private joke, I hope they'll let us in on it some day. But that's the only 'disconnect' or non-sequitur connected with this CD. The music iteslf flows effortlessly from song to song. Some songs that you think you know are transformed into whole new listening experiences by the remixing here. Strandouts include the 2 custs from GUS GUS ('Believe' and 'Purple'), a radically remixed version of FURRY PHREAKS 'Soothe', LOST TRIBE's 'Distant Voices', 'Netherworld' by LSG, and climaxing with a must-have remix; ART OF SILENCE's 'Teach Me'.

Finally, let me say that the mega-cynic in me wonders if these sets are truly "live". I doubt it very much, and suspect that they are carefully crafted, tracks are re-recorded many times, and that there are lots of never-heard missteps that go into making CD's like "Northern Exposure", but who really cares? Would you really want to hear a "live set" with all of its imperfections anyhow? Probably no more than you'd want to hear a 'one take' version of any other great music. But however they're made, and however many overdubs, re-takes, re-re-mixes, etc. are done, this CD is a standout in a genre that had become flooded with "good, but so what, it's just like 100 others" musical offerings.

Excellent piece of work for dance and trance: BUY THIS, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.


A piece of art.   May 11, 2000
gab (Achrafieh, Leb)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

If you are looking for an "Ibiza" (Sasha) or "Hong Kong" (Digweed) CD style don't pick this one. If you want a spiritual, strong emotional experience, lay down, put the CD on, the volume high, then close your eyes: "Bon voyage". I guarantee you a journey. You have to hear the CD from the first track to the last one. It's a mixture of different styles (you will never recognize the remixs). But at the same time, all the tracks put together constitute a very fluent and homogeneous mixing. The more you hear it, the more you will appreciate the genius of Sasha & Digweed in this incredible piece of art.
Believe me in a decade, this set will be a classical for electronic music, and will always seem fresh and timeless.
CD 1 begins with a superb remix of Gus-Gus' Believe, and goes on, on the same pace: mysterious, lovely, deep and groovy.
CD 2's beat is stronger, but takes on where the first started, as perfect.

I just want to mention that all the Northern Exposures sets are different and can't be compared. So don't expect an "Expedition" or "Communicate" kind of music.

In fact, this CD is different from all what you have already heard, and will surely be a special one. If you know something close, I beg you to tell me.