Various Artists - Fused (35 New Directions In Indie-Dance)

Fused (35 New Directions In Indie-Dance) is a defining 1997 compilation from Polygram TV that captures the peak of the UK's "indie-dance" crossover era. Serving as a spiritual successor to the Wired series, it curates a sophisticated mix of trip-hop, electronica, and big beat. The collection is celebrated for its moody, late-night atmosphere, featuring heavyweights like Orbital, Portishead, and Underworld. Rather than focusing solely on club anthems, it prioritises "intelligent" electronic music that resonated with both Britpop fans and underground ravers.

The album is structured across two discs, balancing high-energy remixes with melancholic downtempo tracks. Notable highlights include Hardfloor’s driving remix of Depeche Mode and the haunting "Spin Spin Sugar" by Sneaker Pimps. Critics and listeners alike often praise the compilation for its cohesive flow, moving seamlessly from the cinematic energy of The Saint theme to the experimental textures of Björk and Goldie. Even decades later, it remains a nostalgic time capsule of a period when electronic music was becoming the new alternative standard.

Released in 1997 by Polygram TV, Fused (35 New Directions In Indie-Dance) stands as a premier document of the late-90s electronic zeitgeist. Acting as a more refined successor to the Wired compilation series, it moved away from generic chart-dance to focus on the "indie-dance" crossover. This was a moment when guitar-centric indie fans were increasingly finding common ground with the complex, cerebral layers of electronica, and Fused curated that bridge perfectly with a line-up that felt curated rather than just assembled.

The compilation is defined by its nocturnal, cinematic atmosphere. Disc one leans into the driving, polished energy of the era, opening with Orbital’s iconic take on The Saint and featuring the mechanical precision of Depeche Mode via a Hardfloor remix. It successfully captures the "big room" sound of the mid-90s without falling into the trap of mindless repetitive beats, maintaining a level of structural complexity that appealed to the "intelligent dance music" (IDM) crowd while remaining accessible to pop listeners.

Disc codes a shift toward the melancholic and experimental, highlighting the era's obsession with trip-hop and jungle textures. Tracks like Portishead’s "Sour Times" and Sneaker Pimps’ "Spin Spin Sugar" provide a moody contrast to the earlier energy, while contributions from Björk, Lamb, and Goldie showcase the avant-garde edge of the mainstream. This disc, in particular, reinforces the "new directions" promised in the title, proving that electronic music could be as emotionally resonant and vocally driven as any traditional indie record.

Overall, Fused remains a highly regarded time capsule because it avoids the "disposable" feel of many 90s TV-advertised compilations. Instead of relying on fleeting one-hit wonders, it relies on artists who would go on to define the decade’s musical legacy, such as Underworld, Leftfield, and The Orb. For anyone looking to understand the specific point where alternative rock sensibilities fully merged with electronic production, this 35-track collection remains an essential and cohesive listening experience.

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Disc One

1. Orbital – The Saint

2. Depeche Mode – It's No Good (Hardfloor Mix)

3. Slacker – Scared (Edit)

4. CJ Bolland – The Prophet (Tyrome's Radio Spirit)

5. The Prodigy – Firestarter

6. Apollo 440 – Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub

7. The Charlatans – Nine Acre Dust (Chemical Brothers' Remix)

8. Leftfield – Open Up

9. Republica – Ready to Go

10. 808 State – Lopez

11. The Grid – Diablo

12. New Order – World (Perfecto Mix)

13. Grace – Skin on Skin (Oakenfold and Osborne Mix)

14. Robert Miles – Children (Eat Me Edit)

15. Lithium & Sonya Madan – Ride A Rocket

16. Dylan Rhymes – Naked and Ashamed

17. Wink – Higher State of Consciousness 

Disc Two

1. The Orb – Asylum

2. Smoke City – Underwater Love

3. Portishead – Sour Times

4. Lamb – Gorecki

5. Underworld – Dark & Long

6. Orbital – The Box (Part 1)

7. Orbital – The Box (Part 2)

8. Morcheeba – Trigger Hippie

9. Sneaker Pimps – Spin Spin Sugar

10. Björk – Hyper-ballad

11. Paul Weller vs. Portishead – Wild Wood (Sheared Wood Remix)

12. The Aloof – Wish You Were Here

13. Leftfield – Original

14. The Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea

15. A Guy Called Gerald – Many Dreams (Aquasky Radio Edit)

16. Goldie – Angel

17. Alex Reece feat. Deborah Anderson – Feel The Sunshine

18. Bomb The Bass – Darkheart