BEST OF

Although he is most often remembered as the production wizard behind Donna Summer's rise to prominence, Giorgio Moroder has enjoyed a successful solo career that has covered everything from bubblegum pop to proto-electronica. This welcome compilation provides a handy thumbnail sketch of Moroder's career. It starts with the pop singles that Moroder recorded as a solo artist: They're all as sugary as can be (especially "Looky Looky," which is heavily reminiscent of early ABBA), but they also show the development of the techniques that would soon make Moroder an in-demand producer: "Underdog" ably mixes a throbbing, danceable beat with its swirling violins and glam rock guitar riffs, and "Son of My Father" makes pioneering use of the synthesizer layering techniques that Moroder would later employ on his disco classics. After these singles, The Best of Giorgio Moroder quickly moves into the performer's disco-era solo work: Highlights here include the percolating synth pop of "Baby Blue" and a surprisingly effective reworking of "Nights in White Satin" (dubbed "Knights in White Satin" here) that recasts the song as a sultry, string-drenched disco ballad. Moroder's soundtrack skills are shown off via the inclusion of "Chase," an eight-minute techno epic from his Oscar-winning score for Midnight Express. The remainder of the album covers the producer's mid-'80s to early-'90s period, which found him collaborating with performers like Phil Oakey and Donna Summer. These songs are less interesting than those in the first half of the collection, but there are still plenty of worthwhile moments to be found: "Together in Electric Dreams" is techno-pop worthy of early Duran Duran and "Lady Lady" skillfully crossbreeds rock guitar riffs and gentle synthesizers into its atmospheric power ballad sound. On the downside, The Best of Giorgio Moroder misses some highlights due to licensing and space issues: Notable missing tracks include the synth-dance epic "Evolution" and "Cat People," Moroder's 1982 film theme collaboration with David Bowie. Despite these oversights, The Best of Giorgio Moroder remains a fine and reasonably comprehensive portrait of this gifted studio maven's diverse talents. ~ Donald A. Guarisco