For all the experimenting going on across Ventolin's six remixes, there's not much in the way of compelling music that demands a replay. Though talented friends of
Richard D. James, Cyclob, and
Luke Vibert make appearances, Ventolin is ultimately rather flat. At least there's a great deal of sonic variation at play; it's genuinely quite hard to hear the original incarnation of "Ventolin," from
I Care Because You Do in these six remixes. The most interesting moments come in the Tinker Toy naptime nightmare of the "Carharrack Mix," the icy cathedrals of the "Probus Mix," and the bubbling synth melody of the "Cyclob Mix." Vibert's contribution falls somewhat flat, despite introducing interesting sound effects, a shuffling beat, and a stop-start feel. It's clear that a great deal of time went into creating all of the remixes, but the music just isn't challenging enough to pique one's interest. It's sad that Ventolin never picks up steam, because the blueprint was in place for a fine remix compilation. ~ Tim DiGravina