Various

Opening with the jazzy lushness of Kruder and Dorfmeister’s "Black Baby,” The Exclusives celebrates the DJ-Kicks series’ 10th anniversary and 25th release. With exclusive material from various artists such as Thievery Corporation, Tuby Trio, Kid Loco and Chicken Lips, the quality vibe is there but a consistent sound is not, and The Exclusives plays out like a bag of all sorts candy. This time the musical treats are hit and miss with the most solid selection coming at the beginning within the trip-hop and electro jazz section. The old school charm is dropped soon enough though for the jolting electroclash/pop of Viktor Duplex’s "Spirituality” and the robotic styles of Playgroups’ "Behind the Wheel,” which are capped by the cleanly compressed funk of Tiga’s "Hot in Herre.” The rest of the CD remains on a digital bent, which is at its best in the rhythmic mastery of Carl Craig’s closing track. Despite the uneven flow there are enough goodies in the selection to make it a worthwhile visit to the DJ-Kicks hit parade.