by Stephen Thomas ErlewineChicane's debut album, Far From the Maddening Crowds, is an impressive tour de force of contemporary dance styles, proving that Nick Bracegirdle -- the man that, for all intents and purposes, is Chicane -- has mastered not only house-styled thumpers, but also spacious, near-ambient soundscapes. The album follows the loose concept of being a soundtrack for an average day, and it's appropriately cinematic, offering a variety of moods, tempos, and sounds, and the very fact that Bracegirdle is able to convey the subtle, shifting moods of a day makes Far From the Maddening Crowds a successful debut.