VA - Future Funk 5 (1997)

The first installation in the Future Funk series of compilations focused on a Brazilian and African flavor, while later editions stayed constantly loyal to house or jazz. Regardless, the series of compilations has stayed true to drawing the talents of artists together from a diverse range of genres in dance music. Once again, the Future Funk collaborators pull together a well-selected menagerie of tunes that range from a modern, down-tempo Bengali chant to quality dancefloor-driven tunes like Les Rythms Digitales's bass-groovy "Acques Your Body." Changing the momentum, and following the pattern of almost all the volumes, is the one token jungle track. With Volume Five the jungle selection is supplied by a Photek remix of Roni Size's "Brown Paper Bag." Track 13, featuring Kool Keith, has some pretty explicit lyrics and really finds itself out of sync with the rest of the collection. The song acts as the compilation's only real speed bump, and the rest flows with a rhythmic selection of talented artists.