Trance music has a unique way of sending me into a quasi-PCP fury; I begin imagining that nearly anything would be preferable to enduring the chugga-chugga peaks and valleys of this most melodramatic of genres. Even the "dropkick me Jesus" school of new country appears erudite by comparison.

But before I start foaming at the mouth, I'll rein myself in and concentrate on discussing the record in question, Dave Ralph's follow-up to Tranceport 2.

Ralph has been at the DJing game since long before Nissan's ad agency caught onto the unit-shifting power of electronica. Back in 1977, when Ralph was just starting out, he was surrounded by the sound of Philadelphia; in the '80s, he would have scoured London for the latest Larry Levan remixes or Larry Heard 12-inches; on the purely electronic scene, he would have be able to lose his mind to Moebius & Plank's genius Material album, as well as frugging to the urban gamelan of 23 Skidoo.

He would have, therefore, been exposed to amazing records. But if Love Parade: Berlin is any indication (and it is), he's forgotten what decent music is. This is the Oakenfold Effect. And Dave wants a piece of Oakie's very sticky cake.

Rather than becoming U2's cheap alternative to a real supporting act, Dave Ralph has at least tried to maintain the illusion of remaining close to the P.L.U.R. scene. He's one of the residents at DC's Buzz and was probably spinning when Fox News swooped on the club and pruriently filmed all those sons and daughters of Congresspeople scarfing seratonin uptake inhibitors, horse sedatives, and honest-as-the Earth shrooms. Ralph and so many other DJs seem unconcerned that these kids, for kids they most certainly are, treat the music with such disdain. This will surely lead to the death of underground music, if law enforcement hasn't already.

So, instead of using this compilation to spread a gospel, Ralph's Love Parade: Berlin is a predictable mix of surefire commercial tunes. He's insured that Sam Goody will have it. Nothing here will cause the suburbs to stop and question their reactionary existence. How many more mixes will feature feeble version of Moby's "Porcelain?" And will people ever leave Green Velvet's "Flash" alone? No disrespect to Green Velvet, but "Flash" was transformative five years ago when it was first released; it's suffered lamentable through a bewildering amount of exposure. To make me laugh and puke with equal vehemence, Ralph admits a tune called "Muzak" into his mix. The cramping stitch of the matter is that this track's blend of Giorgio Moroder analog bass and Nile Rodgers' disco guitar sounds passable in comparison with Nuclear Ramjet's feckless "Deep Blue!" Ralph could have used his prominence for innovation. But fuck that! He wants dollars. Lots of them. And Kinetic haven't exactly busted a gut to hinder from raking in the easy money.

I'm sure Dave Ralph will turn a good profit on this record. He'll reap exactly what he's sown. The dynamic of a dancefloor is surrender. Dancers submit to the power of the DJ. But surrender to this and you'll cheapen yourself.

-Paul Cooper