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CD Review by Rob Faust VARIOUS ARTISTS Plastic Compilation 03 Nettwerk Records · Third in Vancouver-based Nettwerk Records’ (home to Sarah McLachlan) electronic compilations. Hoping to capitalize on the trance craze, Nettwerk Records has culled together a musical collection that highlights, interestingly enough, some of the label’s own artists, except they’ve given them a modern dancefloor-friendly subtext. In the case of non-Nettwerk acts like Beth Orton, Moby and The Chemical Brothers this should be considered a good thing. The trouble occurs when they try to make Canada’s own overexposed lady of laudanum, Sarah McNyquil, interesting. Nothing ’cept a lobotomy and a full dose of caffeine could save "I Love You" from the hallowed halls of dreary. Speaking of dreary, how about Nettwerk’s other band, Delerium – included in this package is the remix of the snoozy "Heaven’s Earth." (Wow, deep man. Pass the bong.) This leads one to question why the hell Nettwerk, with its abundant cash flow from Sarah sessions, doesn’t invest in real honest-to-God Canadian electronic talent like the West Coast’s Gavin Froome or Toronto’s Nick Holder – artists who make albums that are intended to be electronic – rather then outsourcing for the likes of Orton or Moby. Why not foster a Canadian electronic scene that doesn’t sound like rehashed ’80s crap? Or like Nettwerk Records itself? 2/5

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