Seb Fontaine

Released halfway through the 1990s, One Half of a Whole Decade attempts to present a quick summary of the massive developments made in the genre of electronic dance music in the early '90s. Of course, since this is a Ministry of Sound album, the DJs and tracks are very typical of the glamorous London club. The mixes by CJ Mackintosh, Todd Terry, and Jon Pleased Wimmin are very typical of what one might expect from the early to mid-'90s Ministry of Sound: accessible house music with tons of diva vocals and a light-hearted, gay mood. The other mixes by Seb Fontaine and LTJ Bukem are a bit less out of the ordinary and end up being the more rewarding mixes on this triple CD. Fontaine's mix does include some forgettable early-'90s club hits such as Bizarre Inc's "Raise Me," but the then-unknown DJ also lays down some tracks that have become recognized as timeless classics that sound just as good in the early part of the 21st century as they did back in the early '90s: Leftfield's "Not Forgotten," Jaydee's "Plastic Dreams," and Golden Girls' "Kinetic." ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide