The cocktail is a symbol of the fifties, musically bringing up visions of relaxed easy listening. There were no electronic beats as we know them today – bongos were the closest thing and electronic keyboards were strictly for the avant-garde. From this persepctive, Water Music's "Cocktail Hour" may be a little confusing. While the artwork is fashioned after a vintage 50s look, the sound is strictly modern Lounge, which means of course, it's free to touch on everything from Bossa Nova to laid-back house...and does.

1. Timax "Flight Over Rio"
2. Lucky Lo Op "Ensolarado"
3. Lemongrass "Beach Ball"
4. Rivera Rotation "Jericoacoara Surf"
5. Batterie Du Verre "Jitterbug"
6. La Taverne du Lac "Magic Single Barrel (Mo Horizons restyle)"
7. Vincenzo & Revera "Night Cruisin'"
8. The Killergroove Formula "Peter Gunn Theme"
9. Folke Jensen "Jim Vom Stamme Nimm"
10. Visitors From Venus "Bingelsession"
11. Rivera Rotation "Sundowner (feat. Sagres Superstar)"
12. La Taverne du Lac "Des Choses Comme Ca"
13. Seductive Souls "I'll Be There (70's delight version)"
14. Hossegor "Mind, Body & Soul"
15. Smokee "Ascension"
16. Da Rookery "Sunrise"

The first four tracks have a jazzy Bossa Nova style with rich Latin rhythms. Then Batterie Du Verre samples big band sounds with “Jitterbug”. La Taverne du Lac deliver laid-back Bossa Nova-inspired beats along with sweet vocals on "Magic Single Barrel (Mo Horizons restyle)". Vincenzo & Rivera and Seductive Souls contribute smooth soul, with sexy female vocals.

There is space pop, like Hossegor’s “Mind, Body, and Soul”. There is also a disjointed version of “Peter Gunn Theme” from the Killergroove Formula, and a lot of genre bending with these mostly synth-based songs.

For all you old school Lounge stalwarts out there, think of the songs in this collection as more like those new cocktails from the Martini menu than a traditional Manhattan or an old fashioned Old Fashioned. Cocktail Hour's nice melodies and variety make it worth imbibing, and as with all generations of Lounge music, enjoyment is enhanced when listened to with mixed drink in hand.

P.S. - One final word on cocktails, since we are on the subject: a real martini doesn’t have sugar in it, no matter what kind of glass it comes in.

- Dave Howell & Brandon

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