V/A – Dimension Mix / 2005 Eenie Meenie / 18 Tracks / http://www.eeniemeenie.com / Reviewed 03 July 2005

This compilation has some of the weirdest pop-influenced music that has ever been captured on CD. I guess that is what should be expected when individuals like Fantastic Plastic Machine, Eels, and The Danielson Famile get together to combat autism. What makes this CD even odder is that the majority of tracks feed into one larger sound. If the sound snippets from “I’m Bruce” weren’t odd enough the first time, take a listen to them when they come back during Tipsy’s “Popcorn”. If one wants to move away from that general sound, what about the deadpan-spoken vocals during Anubian Lights’ “Walking Eagle”. The electronic influence during “Dimension Mix” is something that never cools off; even during the very radio-friendly indie-pop of Oranger’s “Catfish” (which feels like an alternate Weezer track) it is still noticeable.

The scratching present on DJ Me DJ You’s “Soul Transportation” puts another spin on the “let’s take clips from fifties movies” train of thought, while the incorporation of ska/blues-guitar really make the track memorable. While many of the tracks take a few seconds to truly get started, the sixties-influenced sound of From Bubblegum To Sky’s “Abracadabra” both gives listeners a retro-dance track to groove to and maintains the general feeling present on the disc. Another nice thing about Dimension Mix is the fact that the disc is equally strong regardless of where an individual starts off – Chris Kachulis’ “Listen” is another of a majority of tracks on the album to be truly inspired and catchy, using soul-singing and reggae to snare listeners.

However long this disc may be (the eighteen tracks on Dimension Mix top the scales at 72 minutes), the simple fact is that each track is done with such a consideration for the listener that tracks flow like rain. A listener will look up and be shocked that the disc has turned over, and this leads to the last point that needs to be made about the disc. Many a compilation (especially for a good cause) has third-rate songs by larger bands that felt some (but not an overwhelming) obligation to help the cause. Each of the acts on Dimension Mix have created tracks that are at least album-quality for inclusion on this disc, and this is why individuals should fit a store that stocks the album and pick it up.

Top Tracks The Stones Throw Singers’ “Rain of Earth”; Fantastic Plastic Machine’ “I’m Bruce”

Rating: 6.8/10