Look at the roster -- A Man Called Adam, Groove Armada, Future Beat Alliance, etc. -- and you'll pretty much know what to expect: mellow but gently funky beats with subtle jazz-based sampling, the occasional wisp of vocals floating in and out of the mix in dubwise fashion, lots of 1960s-vintage electric piano and string bass samples. And if you think that all adds up to upscale ambient music, you're mostly right; if you're looking to set a particular kind of sophisticatedly jazzy and yet undemandingly rhythmic sort of mood, you could hardly do better than Future Beat Alliance's "No Return" or Nail's "Of Course." But every once in while there's a track that grabs your attention, too. Super Beat Pusher ups the rhythmic ante a bit on the bracing "Kidfunka," as do the team of Digs & Woosh & Atjazz with the funky breakbeats on "Jaywalkin'." And even among the mellowest offerings on this program, there are some that stand out simply by virtue of extra prettiness, like Groove Armada's lovely "Older & Wiser" or the house-inflected "Destination" by Schmoov! This album is more for head-nodding than hand-waving, but it should definitely find a place in the better chill-out room. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
