Man Ray, Vol. 2

Man Ray, Vol. 2 gathers 17 tracks from a variety of sources, aptly displaying the wondrous results of creative licensing and a compiling sense that goes beyond subgenres to discover a set of tracks that simply work well together. From contemporary jazz to new age, electronica to world music (with a hip-hop track thrown in for good measure), Man Ray, Vol. 2 revels in deep breaks, earthy solos, and an impressionistic atmosphere. Jazz fans dipping a toe may be fascinated at the maturity of what electronica producers 4hero or Atjazz can do, while electronica fans may find a few jazz and groove musicians who have good production ideas as well. At times, however, it's a bit overly evocative for anything except perhaps a masseuse's waiting room. Highlights include "Baby" by Swedish duo Koop, "Think Twice" by Detroiter Jay Dee, and the groovy house number "Beloved" by New York's Osunlade. Also contributing are wide-ranging individualists Huong Thanh, Nitin Sawhney, Mychael Danna, and Deepak Ram.