If there was ever a game whose soundtrack fit it perfectly, Wipeout XL is that game. The high-speed, high-tech racing game uses its soundtrack to its fullest, and what a soundtrack it is. Practically reading like an all-star disc of electronica, artists like the Chemical Brothers, Underworld, and the Prodigy make the soundtrack a must-own for any video game or techno fan.
The highlight of the disc is easily the Chemical Brother's "Loops of Fury", a hard-hitting big beat composition that is perfect for accompanying you in the cockpit of the Phantom Class. Easily one of the Chems' best tracks, it pulls you in and doesn't let go.
The same is true for the Prodigy's song "Firestarter". While the vocal mix was a big hit on the airwaves, the instrumental provides the same amount of punch without the voice getting in the way. Another perfect song for cruising the future at top speed.
Songs like "Tin There" by the U.K. group Underworld provide a slower, deeper groove. While not having the big beats that the Chems' pack, Underworld's slow aural mutation is a perfect yin to big beat's yang.
While I could go on about other songs such as "We Have Explosive" by The Future Sound of London and "Atom Bomb" by Fluke, you can't forget about the bonus songs that weren't on the game. "Musique" by Daft Punk provides a slight French techno flair to the album, and although it doesn't really fit in with the feel of the game, I think that its addition on the soundtrack helps round it out.
In the end, the soundtrack for Wipeout XL is a perfect CD for the game, with which I can find very few flaws. If you like the game, definitely pick up the CD. If anything, you can't resist throwing the CD into your car CD player and cruising down the freeway at high speeds pretending you're in the game.
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