Radio Citizen is Niko Schabel and a collective of local Berlin musicians. Using both samples and live instrumentation (Schabel himself plays alto sax, kalimba, clarinet and bass clarinet, flute, synthesizer, Rhodes, and percussion, as well as sampler and mixing desk), Schabel has put together sixteen groove-filled songs. Constructed by "taking live recordings and turning them into samples, taking samples and arranging them as if they were live," the songs encompass everything from dub to reggae to jazz to soul to funk to afro-beat, and include a healthy dose of brilliantly executed film-noir type soundscapes. The finishing touch, which lifts Berlin Serengeti above most other producer-oriented albums, is its employment of a unique and superb vocalist, Bajka. Befitting the sweep of the music, Bajka sings, raps, and talks in multiple languages, and it all fits like a glove. The album starts with "The Hop," propelled along with a simple, groovy dub-meets-soul beat and sassy female vocals. It sets up the slower, slinkier groove of "Mondillcht," whose wash of horns and faint, wordless voicings sends out a mellow chill. Another highlight is "Birds," which has film-noir style spookiness and hints of afro-beat in the rhythms. The execution rarely wavers, and your attention is maintained by the range of genres employed. Sounding like skilled veterans, the fact that this is Radio Citizen's debut album just makes things that much more impressive.

Sung by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore to his Ecstatic Peace label, Awesome Color is a no-nonsense power trio. Pumping out blues-drenched, crunching rock rhythms are Allison Busch on drums and vocals and Michael Troutman on bass, with Derek Stanton laying down the blasting guitar parts and lead vocals. Recalling the glory days of Blue Cheer, MC5, and, most tellingly, Iggy and his Stooges (the band is from Brooklyn via Detroit), what this album lacks in novelty and originality it more than makes up for with firepower, attitude, and musical chops. Excellent guitar riffs are laid under the chugging power chords of each song, and Stanton's solos are blistering throughout, perfectly appropriate for this type of music. Produced by Moore and the band, the album does add its own original touches - such as the employment of female vocal, dirty sax interludes, and the occasional nod to Krautrock rhythms - but the focus here is simply on punching out the dirtiest, bluesiest, and most hard-hitting rock songs the group can muster (just like the good ol' days). While "Free Man," with its garage-rock guitar-solo excursions, is an obvious highlight, other standouts include the closer, "Animal," with its heavy guitar wig-out, as well as opener "Grown," an AC/DC/Stooges/MC5 hybrid with spare, sassy vocals and yet another monster guitar solo. This is not an album that one inspects closely for hidden nuances or meanings, as the band's cards are laid straight on the table. The fact that they're holding aces from a late 60's/early 70's deck is all you need to know.