(EMI)

Another year, another compilation

Let me explain: it’s not that I don’t see the point of this kind of compilation. They increase the profile of the event in question, raise ticket sales, give ticket-holders a nice little buzz before the event, and make a little extra money for the festival organisers to spend on their headlining acts’ bizarre riders (“How many autographed photos of Molly Ringwald do Datarock want, again?”). What I don’t understand is why the Future Music Festival feels the need to release a two-CD set that has very little to do with the actual festival – much like last year’s effort. So instead of rehashing my review of last year’s compilation (disparity between artists on bill and artists on CDs, uniformly boring electro tracks, yada yada), let me say two things. One: old-school rave must really be making a comeback, judging by the fact that the first CD includes the C&C Music Factory and those booming piano lines that were so hot in 1993. Two: why don’t festival organisers release compilations after the festival? They could record each artist’s set, choose the best live tracks, and send copies out for free to faithful ticket buyers, who will then have a lovely memento and a reminder that they’d better buy tickets for next year’s event. It would certainly be a lot more interesting than another compilation of boneheaded club bangers that will be forgotten in three weeks’ time – which is, with the notable exception of Tracey Thorne’s Grand Canyon, pretty much all the Future Music Festival 2008 compilation is.

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CHAD PARKHILL

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