Various - Energy Stars Vol. 2 FLAC download

Energy Stars Vol. 2 is one of those early techno compilations, released in Greece between 1991 and 1993 during this weird transitional period between 80s house and Euro Dance/Rave proper. F.M. Records, using several sublabels like Graffiti, Splash Music etc. released quite a lot of them (Techno Beatbox 1-3, Rave I-IV and Energy Stars 1&2 plus a few others), kind of like early precursors to the Hit Box and Groovy Sound series.In general these compilations were fun, but their problem is that they often contain too much of this mellow and same-y early 90s house, despite all that "Techno" and "Rave" hype going on in the title.But Energy Stars Vol.2, while not screaming "Techno" or "Rave" in the title, is actually much better in this department than most of the previously mentioned compilations, and definitively better than Energy Stars Vol. 1, which is almost entirely house!While even Vol.2 isn't immune from it, as it does contain a couple of clearly house tracks (A1 and A2), the rest of the compilation is actually almost 100% early techno and acid rave oriented. Where to start...Ultra Sonic? Surely! L.A. Style...well, can't go wrong with that! Track A5 is a bit weak, but fear not, because side B really makes up for it. Supermarioland....now THAT must have sounded original back then! Poing...needs no introduction, although there are better remixes around...Overnight Sensation and Control Expansion close an almost perfect early techno compilation.The only things spoiling it are the 2 (well, maybe 3) house tracks, and the fact that you can't cram more early techno/acid rave goodness on a single LP :-( The CD edition with the 3 bonus tracks perhaps "fixes" this little problem.Other than that, this is a compilation that definitively left me pleased from start(almost...) to end, and so it fully deserves my 4. I'd probably only give a 5 to the CD edition.