Various Artists - Global Destination: 1st Stop - Asiana / Various (CD)

All Music Guide

Global Destination: 1st Stop Asiana features chillout electronica from China, Japan, India, Malaysia, and other Asian countries. Unfortunately, most of it sounds just as trite and watered down as the same kind of music produced in America and Europe, only with a slightly Asian patina to give it an "exotic" feel. Tonal Theory's proenvironment track "Green" is especially silly, with vocals intoning "the power of green thrives in our rainforests/it is here nature becomes one with itself." The collection's best tracks find a happy medium between electronica and the region's indigenous music. Karma Sutra's "Bhagwan" mixes an electronic beat with the undulating rhythms and melodies of traditional Indian music, while Liu Xing's "Drifting Boat" blends a lilting Chinese flute melody and spare percussion with subtle electronic instrumentation. Yang XiaoLin's "New Moon Rising" is another refined Chinese highlight, while Mookie's "Kumori Zora" blends vocal harmonies, guitars, and sparkling keyboards with typically Japanese economy and wit. These tracks go a long way toward making up for the slightly cheesy feel that pervades much of the rest of the album, but anyone searching for a consistently good mix of old and new Asian sounds might want to look elsewhere.

- Heather Phares, All Music Guide