Twilight Circus Dub Sound System

This release caps off Ryan Moore’s most prolific year as Twilight Circus Dub Sound System. Chalking up five albums and assorted singles, he’s branched off into many directions. While none stood out head and shoulders over the rest, all had numerous highlights. Abstract Beats, along with last summer’s The Dub Project, are the class of the field. As with most remix albums, it has its ups and downs through various genres: trance, garage and ambient styles are most present. Very few remixers attempt a roots strategy. Coming closest are Parice Scott’s outstanding reimaging of "Rolling Thunder,” which may be the best track on the disc, and American dub stalwarts Alter Echo who do a fine job on "Shaka.” Other re-rubs are more suite-like such as Meat Beat Manifesto’s Pele-inspired "Highway” and Phil Western’s "UK Steppers.” A few disappointments are the one-note swing of DMX Krew’s "The Ride” and Uchida Nuoyuki take on "Arabic,” such a letdown after his awesome work on M Records-distributed Fire Blender by Little Tempo. This disc is more satisfying than TC’s other remix album of 2004, and is yet another example of Moore diversifying his sound by increasing the number of collaborators he works with.