It's fine as background chill music, but I found it otherwise pretty boring to listen to. All the tracks are passable, but none of them have any distinctive edge. None stand out as strong tracks in their own right.
A disappointment.
It is quite different to the other two Cafe del Mar compos I've had before. The instrumentation seems more acoustic and vocal rather than electronic. (Possibly the word "acoustic" is wrong. What I mean is there are instruments apart from synthesizers that play an important part in a lot of the songs.) The whole thing stays mellow all the way through, and has a great unity of style. The songs flow into each other wonderfully.
Although it feels less "electronic" it still has the edge of electronic coolness, modernity and beats which makes ambient so enjoyable. It reminds me more of a smoother and cooler "Chilled Ibizia II" than a "Cafe del Mar" compilation. But don't let that put your off. If you didn't like "Chilled Ibizia II" then "Cafe del Mar 9" is sufficiently different to it to be worth checking out, since it is better mixed and chosen, and is more "acoustic" that Chilled Ibizia II.
I'm totally sold on this album. Well done Cafe del mar!
