In the early '60s, Steve Reich, along with Philip Glass and Terry Riley, invented the branch of classical music that's come to be known as "minimalism." Influenced by Eastern music in general and Indian music in particular, minimalist composers sought to liberate classical music from the played- out rhythmic and harmonic ideas of the Western European tradition. By using odd meters, insanely repetitious melodic figures and very few notes, these composers created something fresh and original in the world of "serious" music.

Much early criticism of minimalist work said that it was repetitious to the point of boredom. If this sounds something like how tired old rock critics like to rip on techno, you can understand why the concept of Reich Remixed makes sense. Steve Reich basically invented most of the ideas that the electronic music revolution was built on. Though he's hardly known for kicking out funky- ass beats, Reich had the trance- inducing vibe down cold. And believe me, he was way out in front of any of the shit being made today in this vein. Close your eyes and listen to any of his earlier pieces and you can feel yourself transported to a meditative, thoughtful and complex musical world that becomes more engaging with each listen. Start with Early Work and Music for 18 Musicians and you'll see what I mean.

So, now that Reich is getting his props in the electronic music world, it's only fitting that he be subjected to the remix treatment that's spreading like the plague. Coldcut starts things off with their interpretation of "Music for 18 Musicians," which they should have retitled "Music for 18 Musicians and a Drum Machine." Laying beats on top of the musical patterns doesn't seem terribly creative (the biggest problem with the album as a whole, actually), but the guys do flip a funky one and the end result is kind of fun. The Howie B remix of "Eight Lines," D*Note's "Piano Phase" and Andrea Parker's "The Four Sections" all get a similar lazy treatment (awesome source tapes with lame electronic percussion on top) with diminishing returns.

While too many of these tracks are the work of studio heads afraid to touch a piece of music until a 4/4 kick drum is inserted, Tranquility Bass offer a lesson in proper remixology with their "Megamix." TB's piece combines elements from at least six different Reich pieces into one coherent whole, with bits of smart, tasteful, original material added. It's a brilliant stroke, one that shows considerable forethought and effort, and the track is heart- stopping in its beauty. The only other standout is DJ Spooky's weird and creepy take on the sound collage "City Life" which sounds a little like the Beatles' "Revolution 9" done by somebody who knows what they're doing. So mad props to Spooky and Tranquility Bass; the rest of this crew needs to remember to bring the elbow grease.

-Mark Richard-San