Abysoma is quickly becoming one of my favourite outlets for downtempo/chillout/lounge music. Based in Madrid, they keep an eye out for beautiful electronica discovering and promoting new artists otherwise mostly unknown (especially here in the States) and put together great compilations such as this very one: "Urban Woman .01". As the title suggests, this compilation CD features female fronted artists or songs with a female voice. Mostly spanish artists including Luis Junior (check out his great solo CD on Abysoma - reviewed elsewhere on these pages), Mantrox, Luis Junior, Nuits de Songs, The Other Room, Nacho Sotomayor, Funkana, Luis Vaquero, Croma Lite; all contribute one or two songs each (including chill version remakes of the Twin Peaks and the Gladiator movies' themes) and together bring this compilation to the highest levels in quality, making a dual statement about the female presence in the scene and about the quality of work originating in such an overlooked and underestimated musical underground scene as that of Spain is. I might have wished for a little more of the female vocals (don't expect so much lyrics and singing, it all mostly focuses around layers of smooth ad libs and sampled hookes) but I am just being plain picky here. I wholeheartedly recommend this gorgeous CD to all you loungy bastards out there! ;-)