Various

Created in 1994 by Flowchart's Sean O'Neal, Fuzzy Box Records has developed a nice reputation for releasing quirky electronic-based music that isn't afraid to go out on a limb. On this compilation, they have borrowed an idea from Darla Records (their label partner) and put together a compilation of exclusive releases by their affiliated artists for a super-cheap price. Over the course of the 17 tracks there are bits of minimal techno, ambient and experimental IDM that covers a fair bit of what machines have to offer in 2002. Definitely suited more to the living room than the dance floor, this compilation can get tedious at times, depending on your tolerance for abstract bleeps and sound effects that sound like broken old video games. A large chunk of these tracks are bordering on the electro-acoustic genre, in that the focus seems to be on method and machinery rather than melody. That said, there are some great contributions here, like E*Vax's "Storm Window" or Morr Music's B. Fleischmann, who gives us the slow, grinding "Mr. Honda." With a variety of styles to sample from, it's well worth giving this compilation a try.