While it might seem early to release a retrospective, especially given that Kaskade has only released two full length albums, however due to Ryan Raddon’s prolificness there is more than enough material to mine since he has been busy over the years pumping out remixes, singles, and compilations for Om Records. Here and Now is a two-disc collection that covers both of his albums as well as some remixes and assorted tracks from the Om catalog which is a boon and a bust at the same time.

If you are an Om junkie and completest like I am, furiously snapping up each and every release, than Here and Now will likely find its way into your collection. The bust is that most of the tracks are familiar, though this is not to say they aren’t often outstanding like the infectious soulful snap of “It’s You, It’s Me” with it soft pads and driving House back beat which is by far one of my favorite songs. Now if you have only heard a handful of Kaskade’s cuts than this set is a boon as it covers nicely his career up to date hitting all the high points and skipping the fluff.

Kaskade’s work is best described as big, rounded, summery House music. The beats and the grooves are clean and minimal with the focus on setting a mood, lulling the listener into a dreamy smile filled trance where one cannot help but tap one’s feet and sway one’s hips. The vocalists sing in hushed, breathy tones like they are whispering in your ear while the synths swell and swirl about your head like a breeze. “Everything (Big Room Mix)” is a superb example of Kaskade’s ability to build a song up from layers of simple beats and melodies while finding the right place for such delicate vocals to still pop out of a thick blanket of sound.

The four remixes are the highlights of the set as they give a good sense to how Kaskade works tracks to create club friendly tracks as well as how he’ll blend them to create transitions between each track. While most of the four are built up over beats “Soundtrack to the Soul (Extended Mix)” instead constructs the track using the vocals as the foundation using various sections in loops he creates a late night mix filled with energy but holding back just enough to leave the listener with the anticipation that bigger sounds are to come. Sleeping deeper into the evening is “I Like the Way (Troydon Mix)” which throws things back with a loping, retro-feeling 2-Step Garage number with a slippery synth loop, crisp drum programming, and a stuttering vocal loop that gives just enough for the listener to hang their ear on.

If you are a fan of House music than this set is a must for you, especially if you have a penchant for that warm summer  sound that Om Records is known for releasing. While this is a repackage of his work with nothing new it is still a must for those new or familiar with his work as Kaskade is at the top of his game and this set proves it. You can pick it up at either eMusic or Amazon.