Fierce Angel: Fierce Disco III (3CD)

Fierce Angel have a reputation for quality compilations, with excellent track listings and cutting edge design work. Having enjoyed the previous two 'Fierce Disco' collections I had high expectations for Fierce Disco III. On the whole, it delivers. Highlights include the Freemason's 'If' and LOL with 'Love Leaves No Scar' - both tracks typifying the kind of soulful, life-affirming disco / house that make these albums stand out from the crowd. There are many others like this. However, maybe it's my age but even after repeated listens I still found several tracks lacking in melody and difficult to listen to all the way through. What may well sound great in a club can sound horribly tuneless when played on a home stereo. Additionally, a worrying new trend of including some tinny sounding cover versions doesn't bode well for future releases (lowlights include a very poor cover of Chris Brown's 'Forever' and a pointless new version of Blue Pearl's 'Naked In The Rain'). Fingers crossed… more »

Fierce Angel have a reputation for quality compilations, with excellent track listings and cutting edge design work. Having enjoyed the previous two 'Fierce Disco' collections I had high expectations for Fierce Disco III. On the whole, it delivers. Highlights include the Freemason's 'If' and LOL with 'Love Leaves No Scar' - both tracks typifying the kind of soulful, life-affirming disco / house that make these albums stand out from the crowd. There are many others like this. However, maybe it's my age but even after repeated listens I still found several tracks lacking in melody and difficult to listen to all the way through. What may well sound great in a club can sound horribly tuneless when played on a home stereo. Additionally, a worrying new trend of including some tinny sounding cover versions doesn't bode well for future releases (lowlights include a very poor cover of Chris Brown's 'Forever' and a pointless new version of Blue Pearl's 'Naked In The Rain'). Fingers crossed that Fierce Disco IV brings the focus firmly back to soulful funky disco / house and leaves the 'party bangers' and cheap covers to all the inferior collections out there.