There are few DJs with as refined a sound still slipping out of the spotlight as Tiga. Perhaps it's because he's Canadian. Or maybe it's the eyeliner. The Turbo records head honcho has scads of records and remixes under the belt from his own label, and, oh, just happened to whip up one of 2002's top ten CDs on American Gigolo by riffling through the International Deejay Gigolos back catalog.

Now he gets the call for the highly lauded DJ Kicks series, and it rocks, in a squirrelly, squelchy, heavy-bass kinda way, leaving last year's notion of cold electroclash way behind for the new nu-wave, stomping good electro-pop-punk. Connecting the saxophone (!) soloing Chromeo/Playgroup "You're So Gangsta" - ace record - to Tutto Matto's "You" (referencing Breeders "Cannonball"), with bleepy, synthy Sir Drew and Le Tigre's riotous attitude "Deceptacon" and slick instrumental via Soft Cell shows a marvelous ear for cutting records together.

Flowing to darker, seedier tunes on "Rather Be" from Crowdpleaser & St. Plomb to abstract examples of his own ("Man Hrdina") and Swayzak deepen the 24-track experience, climaxing with a personal statement on where this strain of music should go; Tiga's cover of Felix Da Housecat's "Madam Hollywood" removes Miss Kittin's aloof vocals for his own supple voice, an emotional reinterpretation that replaces kitsch with resonance, the lyrics (perhaps) a reflection on his life experiences.

Of course, Tiga hasn't gone Hollywood at all, though his efforts the past few years show he's already a star. Need further proof? Check out DJ Kicks, it will be one of 2003's five best albums.

This release by Tiga practically drips electro-house funk grooves from the moment the first track begins, and it stands its own ground for that reason. It's excellent to see that this release is completely solid with elements that just make the listener want to move, move, move. Awesome job on the mixer; I'm definitely hoping to see more releases like this in the future.

I won't go into reviewing the tunes on this disc since it has been done above.

But, I would pay a serious amount of cash to get hold of the box of vinyls Tiga brings with him when he plays at clubs and/or doing remixes like this one.

Record companies are pumping out all sorts of synthpop/electroclash/techno compilations but not more then a handful of them can be compared to this masterpiece.

Whatever this man does it's always sooo darn right!

Tiga does a great job of mixing some of the best Electro House around. There are also some really good tracks not on this CD that Tiga has done like Nelly's - "It's getting hot in here". Pretty funny but really good. If you're new to electro this will give you a good basis to start. You won't be dissapointed.

Tiga creates the most engaging mix thus far in the kicks series, along with the campiest cover. What is there to say except that this installment of 'kicks' seems to be all out rather than chill out. Tiga's image and selections definitely borrows from "new wave" however, it is something the same yet different in that it also borrows from the current music scene (and hopefully for the masses it finds a spot in there of its own). Anyone who has bemoaned the death of electroclashorinsertyourownnameforithere will certainly have to rethink their opinions with this release.(Oh by the way take out the time for the Man Hrdrinas liner notes,they are hilarious!!!)