by Andy KellmanJust as Ion compiled Theorem's Th series of singles, THX: Experiments in Synchronicity anthologizes 11 of the tracks that Dale Lawrence issued in the multi-volume THX series. For the series of 12" releases, Dale Lawrence paired up with the likes of Swayzak, Stewart Walker, and Sutekh for collaborations that don't exactly qualify as remixes or soundclashes. In some cases, Lawrence provided the raw material and had it arranged and produced by his counterparts. And in the others, the tables were turned. The results are great throughout, including plenty of sparse, deep, immediate tech-house rhythms with just the right amount of spatial, dubby ornamentation added to them. Those familiar with each of Lawrence's collaborators will be able to pinpoint who joined him on each track: the tracks with Walker ("Recoil," "Minor Explosions," etc.) lean toward the minimal and sharp, the ones with Sutekh ("Socius," "Mitochondria," etc.) are a bit glitch-infected and damaged, and those bearing the stamp of team Swayzak ("Unherluferlich," "Rotations," etc.) are more geared toward the dancefloor. The supreme track is the closing Swayzak collaboration, "Interstate." Featuring an enduring rhythm and smears of synthesized bilge, it would no doubt stimulate the type of highway hypnosis that results from staring at distant fuel vapors. A project such as this could have been horribly bungled, but it just so happens that the cumulative result is one of the most enjoyable tech-house CDs of the year.