The EFA Dance Department has turned 10 in a big way by releasing the massive 3 cd compilation The State Of E:Motion Vol. 10. The labels that EFA distribute is like a who's who of electronic music because they carry almost 200 labels. Not only does EFA have a huge wealth of material to delve into, they truly get it right on this volume by not only dedicating a cd each to certain genres, but they also chose not to include shorter edits and instead opted for complete mixes. If there was any complaints regarding volume 9 of the State Of E:Motion it was the fact that most cuts were shorter 3 to 4 minute edits and that it was hard at first to get a feel for the artists because they were somewhat erratically presented. With Volume 10 there are a slew of cuts which reach the 7 minute mark and beyond which really helps since you get to real the full mix and not a truncated version. The 3 cds are divided up - CD1: From Downbeat To House, CD2: From Electro To Techno, and CD3: From Dub To Electronica. It's really like getting three different compilations - of primo stuff too.

Favorites of mine included:

CD1: From Downbeat To House This may well be my favorite of the three cds. It starts out slow, but when it picks up this is some of the hottest soul grooves to grace my ears in a long while. This is the kind of stuff that I have been wondering about but didn't know where to start in collecting. Think Curtis Mayfield, De Phazz, or Thunderball: groovy modern rhythms but with the grace and soul of the artists from the past. The extended format of volume 10 really helps this disc out too, by letting the grooves extend to a natural conclusion.

Faves: 3. Meitz / Missus Beastly - Geisha (Meitz Remix), 4. Jimpster - Groove Jumping, 5. Electroslide - Short Cut, 6. Desmond Williams - Cadence, 9. Nicole Willis - Siesta (Roberto Rodriguez Remix), 10. Su-paka-pooh - Theme De Yo-yo (Restless Soul Vocal Mix), 11. Zuco 103 - Treasure (Hitechsoul Club Mix By Boris Dlugosh & Michi Lange), 13. Mambotur - El Planta (M.a.n.d.y. Club Remix), 13. Ian Pooley - Missing You (Pooley's Flashback Mix)

CD2: From Electro To Techno Merging techno and electro on cd 2 not only brings us the most accessible disc in the set, but also gives us the most pumped cd in the set. Again we are treated to the full mixes of many tracks which means there are a lot five and half minute to seven minute tracks here. This helps a lot by not allowing the grooves to subside in a shorter edit. The more trance inducing techno is counterbalanced quite well by the more in your face stylings of the electro tracks. This disc also doesn't get to weighed down in instrumentals thanks to some vocal tracks which come later in the set like Lights 'n' Sex by Alex Stark, Hooked On Radiation by Atomizer and the Alter Ego Remix of Fashion Rules by Chicks On Speed.

Faves: 1. Markus Guntner - Always Sometimes, 3. Octex - Deflection, 4. Akufen - Deck The House, 5. Acid Scout - Sexy Robots (Heiko Laux Sperrig Gemixt Remix), 6. Diego - Thought Pattern 1, 8. Cristian Vogel - Diggin Fo Da Earth Gamba, 11. Alex Stark - Lights 'n' Sex, 12. Atomizer - Hooked On Radiation, 13. Chicks On Speed - Fashion Rules (Alter Ego Remix)

CD3: From Dub To Electronica My least favorite of the 3 cds - mainly because a lot of the tracks that are my favorites are ones I already knew - like System, Laub and Dntel. There is a lot of amazing dub on the latter half of this disc which definitely is worth the effort. I think my favorite type of dub is when they combine the electronics with a dub atmosphere like with Laub or Mewark. This disc would sit nicely next to the Stone.Scissors.Paper series on Play Records.

Faves: 1. Alex Cortex - Laconic Track 1 (Tom Thiel Remix), 2. System - Spy, 3. Laub - 30 Grad, 4. Astrobotnia - The Wing Thing, 6. Dntel - (This Is) The Dream Of Evan And Chan (Safety Scissors Spilled My Drink Mix), 9. Lena - Zone Du Bois, 10. Mewark - Little One, 12. Hans Platzgumer & Catriona Shaw - Miss Me, 14. International Observer - London