Pitchfork

Any critics who still say-- in 2007, no less-- that electronic music is too cold and lifeless obviously haven't heard "Beautiful Life", from Brazilian DJ and producer Gui Boratto's debut full-length for Kompakt. Its synth tones are both pastoral and euphoric, joining the blissed-out likes of Nathan Fake and James Holden in ridding mid-90s trance of glowstick raver stereotypes. This song prefers to celebrate, its live-sounding drums popping as the chords ascend in waves.

Like Sally Shapiro's Disco Romance, "Beautiful Life" easily transcends genre barriers to work as an indie-pop song-- music for headphones as well as the club. "What a beautiful life," a placid female voice repeats nearly halfway through this eight-minute track, but even before she enters, the song keeps us glued with its sharply melodic tones and pulsing beat. One aspect of the ecstasy era Boratto perfectly recreates: the surging serotonin levels. I couldn't be much happier.