Finally, someone I know has also signed up for eMusic, the independent alternative to the iTunes Store and others which focus primarily on the “Big Four” major labels. Since I already obsessively review the New On eMusic listings for notable releases, I started collating recommendations as well, which in turn reactivated the mostly-dormant music critic in my head. Might as well share those efforts, which far from full reviews (eMusic taps into AllMusicGuide for that), are aimed at just giving a sense of why out of the thousands of albums that are added each month these few are worth considering. Enjoy!

Featured Releases

Biosphere, Patashnik (12), Microgravity (9)

Some of the dancier fare, still in that warm 90s throb style, from one of the members of Bel Canto. Some other more arctic-themed ambient works (aka chillbient) are already up. “Novelty Waves” is the bomb, one of those great unheard late-night club singles.

Rhona Mitra & Dave Stewart, Lara Croft - Female Icon (11)

Awesomely cheesy, yet surprisingly competent late-90s celebrity cash-in PG-13-sexy dance-pop. From when Rhona Mitra was the ‘face’ of Lara Croft, wearing that ridiculous teal rubber top, with doubtless more than considerable help from the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart. Not as transcendent as Traci Lords’ effort, but then she had the Juno Reactor magic working for her (and slightly more than PG-13 celebrity).