BEN CHRISTOPHERS: Give Me Everything (V2) - Singing like a man possessed by the spirit of Jeff Buckley, this unassuming Shropshire lad has only his music as an outlet for the burning emotions which lie within. Taken from his critically-acclaimed debut album My Beautiful Demon, he is unquestionably one of this year's undiscovered treasures. (8/10) JS

CUBAN BOYS: Cognoscenti vs Intelligensia (EMI) - It's a very high-brow title for what is a mindless mixture of soft Euro beats, children attempting to yodel and people shouting about their underpants. This bewildering drivel leaves me speechless and I've no idea what anyone with a brain is supposed to make of it. (1/10) PB ALBUMS BEASTIE BOYS: The Sound Of Science (Grand Royal) - An anthology tracing the Beasties from their unruly "fight for your right" early years through to their present status as one of the world's most important white rap acts. Not surprisingly, all the major hits are featured, alongside various rarities, flipsides and unreleased material. There are some inspiring moments, such as Intergalactic, Remote Control and Fatboy Slim's remix of Body Movin', but they are very few and far between when spread over a 42-track double album. They may have grown up but, rather like when they abandoned an infamous Liverpool show, they don't always offer value for money. (5/10) JS

FIAT LUX: Racing Team '99 (Virgin France) - This bouncy French big beat compilation picks up the ball which Daft Punk started rolling two years ago and runs away with it. The mixture of tough percussion, sturdy but flexible basslines, odd percussion and simple synths has plenty of Gallic spice and is cooked to perfection. I'm not sure where the racing car theme comes in or quite who the artists are, but it's refreshingly easy to listen to compared with the cheesy Ibiza anthems which have dominated this year's popular dance scene. (7/10) PB

FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS: Mimosa (EMI) - As if they weren't laid-back enough already, Fun Lovin' Criminals have decided to slow some of their songs down and mix them with easy-listening renditions of a few cleverly-chosen cover versions. The guitar solo on first track Couldn't Get It Right is a magical moment which contradicts the track's title, and although their classic Scooby Snacks doesn't benefit much from the more relaxed approach, the Manhattan trio turn what could have been a stopgap album into a surefire winner. Highlights include their jazzy take on 10cc's soft rock classic I'm Not In Love, a renamed version of their last album's opener Up On The Hill and a guitar-based version of Louis Armstrong's We Have All The Time In The World. (9/10) PB

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