There is no denying the power and the presence of 2 Unlimited as a duo. Although the project of 2 Unlimited was initially begun as a remix project by Jean-Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde, the incorporation of the two young and talented main members of the group, namely rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth made the 2 Unlimited label an international success and sold many millions of units worldwide. Unfortunately, as good as 2 Unlimited was, the duo split in early 1996, citing creative differences. Reportedly, Ray and Anita did not speak to each other for around 10 years, which if true, is very sad indeed. Regardless, as the duo briefly reunited under the 2 Unlimited label, this compilation was released. It features a good combination of both originals and remixes throughout. Let’s take a listen to this compilation and we shall hear where it is at.

No Limit is a classic 2 Unlimited tune. It begins with some liquid melodies, and awesome vocals by Ray and launches into a pounding and wonderfully beatastic tune that still sounds amazing, to this very day. A really cool listen, this is a banging Eurodance/Techno piece. Anita shines nicely on this tune as well, and her voice is smooth as butter. The chorus references an Ike & Tina Turner song, and Ray’s following Rap sequence is very awesome as well. A powerful and driven piece, designed to be perfect for a gym workout session, or a crazy night out with friends, this is ridiculously good to hear. The breakdown in the second half sounds amazing, and Ray’s rapping is really cool as well. 2 Unlimited is like a can of your favourite energy drink, powerful and tasty. A great song, period.

No Limit – Brasilian Remix sounds weird from the start. It has some gargantuan tribal drums, launching into a very much festival-based tune to listen to. This is good but is somewhat hilarious to listen to at times. A really cool and robotic Brazilian-sounding piece of music, this is good for a joyous laugh. All the same, this fits nicely on this compilation, but is really difficult to be taken seriously as a tune. In any case, this digitally enhanced remix is a quirky yet essential listen on this compilation. Good to hear.

Get Ready is the breakthrough hit by 2 Unlimited. It begins with some sped-up tape-edited melodies that sound wonderful, launching into a heavily beat-driven classic piece of EDM. A really cool listening experience, Ray opens with his Rap section, followed quickly by great sounds and samples throughout. This is an excellent and eye-opening piece of music that sounds extremely cool. Anita’s singing in this song is extremely good and wonderful throughout, and she has a natural and gorgeous singing voice. This song has become a legendary worldwide hit that has been played heavily in gyms all across the world. A really cool listening experience, this sounds extremely awesome from start to finish. A great mixture of sounds, beats, textures and glorious singing and rapping throughout. Great to hear from start to finish.

Get Ready – Steve Aoki Edit sounds extremely odd from the start. It quickly launches into a really good and nicely textured piece of music, with some good remixing. Again, this is much more a novelty remix than anything else. Even so, some of the technology and sounds are good, but this sounds like a pathetic attempt at a Dubstep tune. This does not sound designed to be taken at all seriously. The music and sounds throughout sound really poor. Sometimes, it is best not to attempt to recreate genius, as this remix proves. Skip ahead if you can, this track is not worth it at all. A bad idea for a remixed tune, and repetitive and irritating as well. The outro has some predictable melodies and some Skrillex-like beats. Do not listen to this, if you can help it. It is beyond bizarre.

Jump For Joy – Yellow Claw Remix sounds weird, from the start. Again, this is a remix that holds little promise. These remixes are not anywhere near as good as the original tunes by 2 Unlimited. The music throughout is good, but the fact that these songs have all been remixed with no effort put into them makes this compilation a disappointing listen throughout. This is not a good listening experience, sadly. The sounds here are very trashy and unimaginative as a result. This is enough to say that, at this point, this compilation is not recommendable. The remixes do drag this mixture of 2 Unlimited tracks down, in a big way. Skip ahead, you won’t regret doing so here. A lame rip-up of a 2 Unlimited original.

Tribal Dance begins with rolling tribal drums and launches into a fantastic original tune by 2 Unlimited. This sounds energetic, wonderful and fantastic. This is, without a doubt, one of the better pieces by 2 Unlimited. It has Acid textures, some interesting rapping about the gloriousness of music and the chorus with Anita’s singing is very monumental. A fun, fine, and fantastic tune to enjoy, this is one of the best pieces in this compilation so far. Ray oozes attitude in his rapping throughout, and Anita sounds like a real Popstar on this tune. A really dynamic, awesome and daresay it, futuristic-sounding tune. This tune is timeless, and it is a fantastic and wonderful exploration of original sound. Great from start to finish, this is a winner. Worth hearing.

Twilight Zone is exactly what you need to hear at an underground, old-school Rave. It sounds gloriously upbeat, fun and fantastic throughout. It also sounds like a tune that should have been put into the R-Type video games series as well. A fun, interesting, colourful and energetic tune that sounds really awesome to this very day. This soars above most of the contemporary postmodern Pop Music of today. Anita’s vocals in the chorus are just as good as well, she sounds like the fantastic singer that she has always been on this tune. A super cool, interesting and mindblowing tune that is simple, fun and energetic. This music sounds extremely cool to listen to and is one of the best and most impressive upbeat tunes that you can hear to this very day. The melodies and sounds throughout are very irresistable listening. A really great tune, period. Dig out the old Super Nintendo and play some games to this tune as well.

No Limit – Joachim Garraud Remix begins with the intro melody processed through a filter, alongside some massive beats. This actually sounds very good. It launches into a very 1990s-sounding Trance-styled mix of the original tune at hand and sounds very, very good. There is a breakdown, followed by some interesting and different percussion, followed by a build-up of sound and textures. It launches into the main melody of the tune, and sounds really great. A fine and fantastic tune, this is a different remix that sounds very great and inspired. Near the midsection, some pitch-shifting occurs and this tune begins to come alive. This track is interesting and is actually quite a good remix throughout. More of a Progressive Techno remix than anything, but sounding really great. Enjoyable, energetic and different, this is certainly a unique and entertaining listening experience. Wonderful from start to finish, although some 2 Unlimited purists may not enjoy this tune. A fun and interesting listen throughout. Towards the end is a percussion section with only the barest of melodies playing along. A really cool tune, all the same. Ray’s vocals are cut up and looped nicely here before the banging beats wrap up this tune nicely. Very different and awesome as well.

No One begins with some interesting beats and organ-based melodies to boot. This is a shorter tune that sounds very nice and interesting throughout. Ray begins rapping away very nicely, and this is a good listening experience throughout. This is a tune about the desire to escape to paradise and live the life of one’s dreams. Ray’s voice sounds a little flat here, but aside from that, this is a very good tune to listen to. An interesting and diverse track, with some interesting and original sounds throughout. Anita’s vocals in the chorus are really fantastic, regardless of whether or not she needed autotune at the time. A great piece of music.

The Magic Friend begins with an interesting looped electronic patch, hi-hats and Ray launching us into action. This is an upbeat MDMA rush set to music, and it does sound extremely awesome to listen to. A really forward-thinking and excellent tune from the early 1990s, this does sound extremely cool. The beats, melodies and sounds are very different to anything else that you will ever hear. A catchy, fun and upbeat tune, although this is much more of a Ray tune than an Anita tune as such. There is a breakdown near the middle of this track with some awesome and delicious beats throughout. All in all, another fantastic listen from 2 Unlimited that sounds eternally awesome. Very, very cool. An upbeat and cruising sort of tune, these beat-heavy tunes are perfect for that Friday or Saturday night out with your craziest pals. Very, very good. This tune is a really awesome and fun musical experience to hear. Worth hearing from start to finish. A joy to hear.

Workaholic – Vocal Edit begins with 6PM news broadcast style bells, an interesting and hilarious bunch of call-and-response vocal samples, and launches into the track at hand. This is a bit of a mockery tune lyrically but is matched by fine and fantastic sounds and beats throughout. A really awesome and lively tune that is extremely danceable, listenable and fun to hear throughout. This sounds extremely interesting, and although some of the sounds would be considered dated today, this music is very fun and enjoyable to listen to. A really great and interesting tune that sounds upbeat and detailed for a Eurodance number, this does sound really lively. In the second half, Ray gets his awesome rapping on and although Anita’s appearance on this tune is fairly minimal, she sings like an angel. A really great listen from start to finish. This is a cool tune that needs to be celebrated more by listeners out there.

Let The Beat Control Your Body begins with robotic vocals by Anita, and launches into a superb and upbeat tune with kick drum beats and follows into a fantastic retro-sounding tune. This just makes one want to get up and dance like crazy to the tune involved. A very, very decent tune to listen to, 2 Unlimited obviously had some great inspiration and music at hand. Both Ray and Anita put in a great performance over this Eurodance Techno-styled offering. Very nice to listen to, and a highly enjoyable and excellent tune from start to finish. Some symphonic string-styled sounds eventually enter and this tune powers along after it. Ray and Anita were the 1990s dynamic duo, and their music should be heard for generations into the future. A really great listen.

Nothing Like The Rain begins with some liquid sounds and melodies and launches right into a fantastic-sounding tune with some of Anita’s best singing on record. This tune sounds very pretty, enjoyable and more downtempo throughout. No doubt that both Ray and Anita saw the brilliance and talent within each other, and the songs on this compilation prove that. Anita sings for the most part on this tune, and she puts hope, faith and optimism into a relationship that has had its fair share of troubles throughout. A really great listen, through and through. Ray and Anita’s vocals intertwine in the second half, which sounds really cool. A magical tune that delivers better than what the critics could say about 2 Unlimited. A really great listen throughout. Worth a listen. Very awesome.

Spread Your Love is a lesser-known tune by 2 Unlimited, but still retains its appeal musically as a track. Anita sounds positively joyful and happy on this tune, and this launches into a straightforward Eurodance-styled tune. Ray raps along very nicely on this tune, and he and Anita make a good impression on this tune with pounding piano, Techno styled beats and a sound and feel for an awesome-sounding track. This is about spreading the message of love around the world, just like the Hippies would have valued. A really cool and interesting piece of music that is superb. Ray and Anita together as 2 Unlimited were an unstoppable power. There is a breakdown with handclaps and other instrumentation throughout that sounds extremely cool and uplifting throughout, before returning to the tune at hand. A very happy and listenable track.

Do What’s Good For Me begins with some straightforward beats and has Anita singing well, followed by some rather dark and moody electronic textures about breaking up a disastrous relationship. A really great and interesting listening experience. Ray’s rapping part is just as essential listening, and this is the best song to listen to if you are breaking up with a partner who just doesn’t get the disrespect that they can cause to oneself. A really cool and awesome listen, all the same, even though it is on a touchy subject. Anita sounds like she is in fine form on this track in particular, this is a track that wisely covers a dark matter in one’s life. A really cool and interesting listen, this music needs to be heard by more out there. This ends with some layered beats and melodies that fade out, with Anita’s immortal vocal to conclude with.

The Real Thing begins with some organ playing looped that is super quick, and launches into some decent beats and sounds to match. Ray launches into action with his rapping, and Anita launches into it with her legendary vocals and presence musically. This music sounds really fantastic and is the title track from the group’s third album for a very good reason. An awesome uptempo and exciting listening experience throughout, this music is electrifying and unique to hear. Anita and Ray, for better or worse, had genuine chemistry with each other throughout their time as 2 Unlimited. This music has some darker and murkier emotions below the surface of this tune. All in all, another great listen throughout.

Here I Go – Radio Edit begins with some percussion sounds, and spacey keyboards and has Anita singing in a gorgeous voice and sounding great. It quickly launches into a dance-based tune that has Ray rapping away well. This song is about regret and despair in a relationship that hurts oneself. A very good tune to listen to, this sounds very, very good for a lesser-known 2 Unlimited number. There is a different-sounding interlude-based section with Ray rapping, followed by the introduction melodies returning. Nonetheless, this does sound really fantastic throughout. A really awesome tune to listen to, this music is a really sensational listen, for the most part, on this compilation. A catchy and interesting tune by 2 Unlimited.

Maximum Overdrive is the most underrated track by 2 Unlimited ever made. It begins with some multitracked and effect-laden vocals by Anita, and launches into car revving noises, entering into an audibly wonderful and fantastic tune by the group. This sounds addictive and amazing throughout, being a huge rush of melodic energy. A really great and interesting tune, this is the perfect tune to test sound systems with. Ray’s parts are just as important throughout, and he sounds like a Rap God here. An awesome piece of Eurodance House/Techno that sounds incredibly forward-thinking. This is exactly what the youth of today who dig EDM and love music history need to hear, a fantastic and awesome punchy dance-based tune. All in all, a great tune throughout. Anita’s vocals return, before the main riff at hand is played away. A really great and top-notch listening experience, this is a winner. Wonderful.

Faces begins with some cut-up vocals and launches into a lesser standout track by 2 Unlimited. Honestly, why this is here is a bit of a mystery. In any case, this music is good, but is not great, sadly. Anita sings sweetly about the difference between happiness and sadness in the public sphere, but this is a bit off-sounding throughout. Ray raps well throughout but this is not the greatest tune ever by 2 Unlimited. It could have been done a lot better, to be frank. In any case, you may wish to skip ahead at this point. This is not outright bad, it’s just fairly ordinary to listen to. A bit of a missed opportunity musically. You don’t need to listen to this tune, it is a drag throughout. It’s over in less than four minutes.

No Limit – Zatox Remix is a lengthy Dubstep-styled remix of the classic 2 Unlimited song. It sounds weird, from the start. There is a breakdown, followed by a rather poor reinterpretation of the original song. This is a bit of a mixed bag to listen to. Some will inevitably enjoy this approach to 2 Unlimited and whilst this is a good listen, it is far and away from being a great listening experience. Ray and Anita’s voices are distorted throughout, along with some external and different melodies to listen to. There is a breakdown with beats, Anita’s singing and a weird interpretation of the classic tune by 2 Unlimited. A very oddball and weird listen, this sounds incredibly unusual. A wacky and Dubstep-based listening experience. Towards the end are more structural changes and this tune rapidly transforms and shifts as time goes on. Although this tune is an ordinary listen, it does have its moments. It ends after over five minutes in length with repetitive synchronised noise.

No Limit – Big Dawg Radio Edit is another rather cheesy and unnecessary remix on this compilation. It is okay to listen to, but is just a remix. It is an improvement on the other remixes on this compilation, but it still sounds fairly average and mediocre. Anita’s chorus vocals sound very robotic here, and Ray chants: “Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!” It is short, at least and is less than three minutes in length. A weird listen, but relatively entertaining regardless. The original is still better at this point, however. This is okay, but only okay.

Jump For Joy begins with some laser-precise and fast melodies, and launches into the main version of this hit. It is an interesting and nicely melodic tune that sounds interesting, intelligent and danceable throughout. An eclectic and gorgeous Eurodance tune that sounds like a reminder of some of the best of that genre in the 1990s. Ray and Anita make for a good combination as a duo on 2 Unlimited material, this sounds really fast-paced and retro, but in a good way. Anita’s voice soars above the mix, and Ray’s rapping is excellent as well. In the second half is a breakdown that sounds moody and melodic, before this tune returns to the chorus at hand. All in all, a very interesting listening experience that sounds great. Awesome music to listen to, it fades out at the end.

Tribal Dance – Mason Remix is the final track on this compilation. Again, it is a rather unnecessary remix that doesn’t really need to be heard. Fortunately, this is less than three minutes long and is really only necessary listening if you are a hardcore fan of 2 Unlimited. This has some interesting beats, siren sounds and cut-up vocals of Ray and Anita throughout. A good listen to finish off a fairly mixed-up compilation by the group. An interesting listen, although the remixes on this compilation are quite subpar. This begins to wrap up a rather lengthy compilation that does have some good moments, for all it is worth. The cut-up vocals on this remix are good, however.

This is much more of a promotional retrospective release for the cause of 2 Unlimited, as opposed to being something extraordinarily unique as a release. It does have some good examples of songs that feature both Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard as the original incarnation of 2 Unlimited. Sadly, the remixes are not good nor memorable, for the most part. It would have made much more sense for the management involved behind 2 Unlimited to release a double album compilation that divides the original tracks from the remixes. Unfortunately, this has not been done. Should you listen to this release? It’s okay to hear, but try out their main albums first before considering hearing this release.

A mixed bag of promotional songs that quite frankly, could have been bettered.

6/10