[stoned asia records]	review from derek

From the opening strains of Abhijit Pohankar's "Piya Bavari," a beautifully cinematic snippet of traditional India, one expects the beginnings of another chill-out compilation. Certainly, the rather generic title conjures such imagery, and while the first two songs mislead (or should we say "warm up") - the second, MIDIval PunditZ's "Night," a stunning, intimate downtempo waltz from their debut release - the octane kicks in circa track 3, Kaya Project's "Walking Through."

A fitting title (to both song and a better representation of this collection), Walking Through is exactly what Pathaan does. Rather, we might offer "Dancing Through," as club cut after monster floor tromp unfolds, mixed superbly, seamlessly. The Spy From Cairo orchestrates a digital beast with "All Beautiful Machines," a stereophonic ravaging somewhere between head waving and soul bobbing. The Dum Dum Project calls upon MC Chori Salaa to toast South Asian style on what may be the album's choice cut, "Greetings." Warming up with a host of mid-tempo pulsations, we take off.

Fun-Da-Mental and Jean Claude Maurice play tag-team with Aki's take on qawwali brothers Rizwan & Muazam via "The Last Gospel," a grinding remix continuing their global fusion attempts (see People's Colony No. 1 for reference), followed by a solid house jam, "My Maya." Trilok Gurtu and Ikarus appear before World Peace wraps, with "Sandblasted" from Cosmic Rocker, aka Organic Grooves founder Sasa Crnobrnja (his solo Mirrors and Windows almost out on Kickin').

Artists rarely aim to release albums these days, choosing to be gobbled up in compilation heaven; by now, it's almost mandatory to predate a record with a stable of solid tracks floating on various "Various Artists" joints. While World Peace may not bring utopia, it will continue the buzz on the global electronica scene, making a fine companion to any DJ's catalog. From this foundation, these artists are ready to break.