Movin Melodies

Who would have thought that German trance producer Andr© Tanneberger--a.k.a. ATB--had such a penchant for irony? It really is the only explanation for why he would name this collection of languid tracks Movin' Melodies. That's not to knock the music--most of which, it must be said, lacks the sheer escapism that makes the hit "9 P.M. (Till I Come)" such a blissed-out pleasure. Movin' Melodies is structured for a party, starting off slow and building toward songs like "Killer 2000" (featuring a vocal that sounds transported from late-1980s electropop). It then loses all momentum on the tedious intro to "Too Much Rain," but picks up again with "Don't Stop." Like "9 P.M.," it features vocalist Yolanda Rivera and is just as much fun, but it's followed by a half-dozen tracks that don't quite match up. --Randy Silver