The Big Chill - 'Big Chill' (Resist) Released 21/08/06

Skipping through the daisies - it's the Big Chill's latest soundtrack to summer. A full 2 discs with some backward glances to proper appealing folky crossover tracks from the 70's and a liberal dose of contemporary scene-shifters. Pete Lawrence has come up trumps again with a selection that provides inspiring tracks and gleeful moments - like those chaps who swear they've found the key to winning the football pools, Pete Lawrence and his taste-making operation has the formula down pat to winning the ears of a post-clubbing generation.

Jose Gonzales opens with 'Heartbeats' (originally a synth-pop number performed by Swedish band The Knife), a now ubiquitous love-song yet not detracting from the beauty and lyricism inherent - "...to call for hands from above/ to lean on..." and the startling musicality of Jose's delivery, followed by Vashti Bunyan's 'Diamond Day' and a 30 year old homespun homily reeling back the years with woodwind, cello and the most delicate of folk voices. Big Chill joyousness from Psapp and 'Tricycle' with its splintered-acoustics, a track to pocket away and take on your hols and singalong to. Grandadbob's 'English Summer' nods towards Phil Collins' Genesis but is redeemed by the loveliness of female/male duets and 'this green and pleasant land' poesy. Acapella from The Free Design with 'Love You' and its playground word-play skips along - "...take off your shoes and socks and run you..." followed by an acoustic version of A Man Called Adam's 'Barefoot In The Head' with its unplugged late night camaraderie for the post-rave generation - "...we're gonna dance barefoot in the head..."

Pete Lawrence lifts a track from his latest release under the Chilled By Nature moniker - a spartan electronic arrangement with keyboard washes and Mozez (Zero 7) ably assisting with vocals and a motion like a ray swimmingly - gorgeous, "...troubled water/ no place to be...". Contemporary singer-songwriters feature - Roisin Murphy and Emiliana Torrini with juxtapositions of the old cards - Tim Hardin and John Martyn (and that wonderful Danny Thompson on bass alliance). Composer Max Richter who performed with Piano Circus gifts 'Written On The Sky' - a solo piano work with poignancy and delicacy reminding of the great Michael Nyman. Infantjoy bring back the vocals and a contemporary take on Japan's 'Ghosts' with atmospheric sonics, music box and a female vocalist keeping the integrity on a track that you'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Jamie Liddell brings the piano singalong and a 'too damn funky track' that you'd love to hear in any bar - "...so tired/ so tired of  beating myself/ beating myself up...". Nightmares On Wax feature Mozez on one of their broody latest album tracks with 'I Am You', Nitin Sawhney has a summery lolly with 'Sunset' and Boards Of Canada fuse side 1 with 'Oscar See Through Red Eye'.