How do you introduce an album by a critically acclaimed DJ? With recent success in the Hollywood scene, Andy Hunter's music has graced the likes of ever-so popular Matrix movies, The Italian Job, as well as the hit TV show Alias. Do I even dare mention the recognition he has gained from Microsoft? If that wasn't enough for his resume, his new album Life will certainly help.

Life begins with "Open My Eyes," which ironically, fits perfectly with the album title, and sets the tone for the album. From the first beat to the last, it's a wild ride of electronic beats, synthesizer, and computerized vocals. It's enough to make you want to break lose. Just when "Open My Eyes" starts winding down, "Come On" jumps in to carry things along. There are no breaks, just transitions from song to song. "Come On" is a heavy paced, guitar-driven song with simple lyrics, "Your Kingdom come / Come on / Kingdom come / Can you hear me?" repeated over the course of the song. Who ever said lyrics had to be deep?

The celebration of life is continued on "Alive." The pace is slightly slowed, but remains upbeat. What makes this track standout is the angelic vocals of Christine Glass. The piano and string arrangements only add to the beauty of the song. The beat starts to pick up on "Wonderful," but not too much. Once again, this is another lyrically simple track. "You're beautiful / You're the reason why / So wonderful / You make me high" is repeated throughout the song's duration. However, it never feels overdone.

"Wonderful" slows down into "Lifelight," where piano dominates the verses, and builds into the powerful chorus. Andy's vocals are more dominant, rather than hidden behind the music. Before the song ends, "To Life, To Love" fades in and grows into a synthesizer-driven beat. "To Life, To Love" is a toast to just that, as the title says. Reference to wine, helps this analogy. In the final verse, Andy sings "I am addicted / I need more life from You / Don't let me suffocate / I need you closer / I wanna feel new wine now / Flowing through my veins."

The title of the EP sums it up... Life. What album would better describe life, than one that has power and emotion seeping through it? Yet, each song is about more than just music. It's a continuous journey of synthesizers, drum beats, computers, and worshipful lyrics. This album is a must for any fan of dance/techno music.

- Review date: 5/24/05, written by Brett Wier