THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: Music Response (Virgin) - This violently infectious offering, already familiar to most dance fans, sees the artists formerly known as the Dust Brothers close to their brash best. Crazy bleepings, a slurred sampled vocal and some gorgeously echoing guitar sounds make this one to turn right up. But if you haven't already got it, why not buy the album instead? (7/10) PB

GLITTERBUG: Today, Tonight, Tomorrow (Edel) - The skate-punk chopping guitar chords don't lie easily with the angst-filled vocals on this indie rock offering. The song builds itself up wonderfully but the chorus is an anti-climax. (6/10) PB

KRAFTWERK: Expo 2000 (EMI) - Silly techno wibblings and a cringeworthy vocal sample which talks about the 21st century might have made for an acceptable ambient single seven or eight years ago, but this is all rather passe. Having helped build the platform for ambient techno, it's not clear what role the forefathers of electronic music have left to play. (4/10) PB ALBUMS EMBRACE: Drawn From Memory (Virgin/Hut) - Embrace have really come of age with this sparkling piece of well-crafted guitar pop. The rolling basslines and confident pop-rock strutting of songs like Save Me and Hooligan combine with the near-perfect songcraft of melodic anthems like You're Not Alone. At times the melodies are almost too precious, as with the title track which has a lengthy piano intro and a dreamy, contemplative vocal which sounds like Bobby Gillespie in the more reflective moments of Primal Scream's Screamadelica. (9/10) PB

SUPERFUNK: Hold-Up (Fiat Lux) - As well as building solid funky house tunes, this French outfit know how to inject a little creative fun. Along with the chart leanings of single Lucky Star, there are workmanlike grooves like Endless Street, foolish-sounding film samples on the bouncy title track and amusing interludes from guest singers, introducing themselves before launching into the funky fray.Their attitude is wonderfully casual. (8/10) PB

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.