Matthew Hawtin

While brother Richie (Plastikman) kept busy releasing music, Matthew Hawtin spent most of the '00s concentrating on visual arts. His minimalist works appear to inform this foray into DJ mixology, which draws together the sound wash of vintage chill-out electronics. Culled from a three-hour downloadable version, these 29 tracks come almost entirely from 1993 to 1996 releases. Well-known artists like Pete Namlook and Dubtribe Sound System flow over more obscure gems like pre-Senor Coconut Uwe Schmidt's Jet Chamber or Stefan Pierlejewski's A Positive Life. Closer in style to pioneering ambient recordings by Eno or Steve Roach than the current crop of artists, the compilation nonetheless highlights how much better this brand of electronics ages than its dance floor counterparts. Navigation is aided via a thread of birdsong that recurs throughout the pieces, but be prepared to drift aloft on the same trade winds that carry your fine-feathered friends.