Matthew Herbert is one of dance music's few real visionaries--a producer who's done to house music what Steve Reich did for classical minimalism, or what Cabaret Voltaire did for electronic experimentation. Second Hand Sounds is a collection of his finest remix work under a variety of pseudonyms--including Doctor Rockit and Herbert and proves that he is one of the most versatile and forward-thinking electronic musicians of his time and this is as good a showcase for his talents as any of his other albums to date. Here, he lends his unique take on house--techno synths here, a dash of off-beat percussion there, a sprinkling of jazz piano--to works by acts as diverse as Recloose, Terra Deva, Seirge Gainsbourg, Two Banks of Four and Presence, along with a smattering of his own tunes. If you've heard either of his classic LPs Bodily Functions or Around The House you'll know what to expect--left of centre dancefloor fusion that pits flexible house dynamics against lush electronica, occasional jazz percussion and dark techno stylings. Whether giving Moloko a sinister makeover, dZihan & Kamien a jazz-breaks overhaul or going all easy listening on Louise Austin's "Hoping", Herbert is always one step ahead of his peers. Sure, it's an album of remixes, but there's more originality on these Secondhand Sounds than on a thousand dull house debut albums.--Matt Anniss