The Art Of Noise: The Ambient Collection

The Art Of Noise always intentionally sounded like music from the 21st century, so it's fitting that seven years after its breakup, the group's music continues to serve as an inspiration for musicians that share its futuristic ambition. The re-release of The Art Of Noise's Best Of… collection is joined by three remix albums previously unavailable domestically. Though it excludes such hits as "Close (To The Edit)," The Best Of The Art Of Noise has aged much better than most other electronic '80s music. Tracks like the 1986 remake of the Peter Gunn theme, with its mixture of '50s kitsch and cutting-edge technology, seem remarkably prescient of much '90s music. Unfortunately, at a mere 32 minutes, the collection is a bit sparse, giving too much weight to throwaways such as a collaboration with Max Headroom and the theme to Dan Aykroyd's version of Dragnet. Enjoyment of the remix albums depends on your appreciation for each individual dance-music style. The Fon Mixes allows members of 808 State and The Prodigy a chance to remix Art Of Noise tunes in their own image. Though the results are energetic, they vary considerably while still sounding like "3 a.m. Eternal" circa 1991. In contrast, 1990's The Ambient Collection, overseen by techno guru and Killing Joke member Youth, finds a mood and stays with it, and the mellow style works well with AON's slower tracks. The minimalistic approach of the current drum-and-bass movement strips away the more enjoyable arty excessiveness of AON's sound on The Drum And Bass Collection. Though what remains doesn't really sound much like The Art Of Noise, that's not really the point. Instead, like the other remix albums, it demonstrates AON's influence and adaptability, bringing it back from the past to reclaim the present.