Various

Cementing the already close connections between Dollis Hill's 2000 Black and Detroit's Planet E, Planet E Presents 2000 Black: The Good Good compiles a dozen of the best broken-beat productions (mostly British or Japanese), many just as exquisitely produced and atmospheric as their forebears from the streamlined end of '70s jazz-funk. (Roy Ayers even takes a vocal turn for the label anthem '2000 Black,' by MMBlack.) Most of these tracks work through astral jazz, heavy on the burbling, chemical synth, slapped bass, and moody Rhodes chords. A few tracks lean into quiet storm territory (by their dearth of solos and over-emphasis on ethereal melodies), but the raft of great tracks spin that template into other realms with great percussion programming, as on the drum-heavy 'Into the Now' by Seiji, the truly broken-beat 'Groovesome' by Domu, and the beatbox flair of 'Nu Way' by Kuni. Another highlight comes from one of the few Americans in effect, Titonton, who contributes 'Avenues.' As it did during most of the late '90s, Planet E proves the prime motivator in pushing dance music forward with new sounds and new techniques.