

Who would have guessed that Michael Caine is a "a secret disc jockey" who has "been making tapes and CDs for [him]self and [his] friends for over 40 years"?

Even weirder, he's not into swinging-sixties, Austin Powers-style numbers. Caine is apparently a serious fan of the Chill genre, which originated as a way to soothe the ears and minds of fatigued dancers in chill-out rooms located near – but not too near – the main DJ floor. Essentially, it's an aptly-named genre (and album, for that matter).

His Cained compilation was released in the UK earlier this week. Caine relates the tale of how his three-album compilation deal came about, mostly in one long, chilled-out sentence:

"... It was weird the waythis record came about, I was having dinner with Elton John at hishouse in Nice and he had on background music and as we were goingthrough the dinner several of my favourite Chill records were playedand I kept naming the tune or the artist much to Elton's surprise and heasked me how I knew about this kind of music and I told him and he gotme a three record deals. As they say in show business it is not whatyou know it is who you know. Have a listen I hope you like it."

Here's the full track list, in case you want to roll your own:

1. Chicane (2) - "No Ordinary Morning"

2. Doctor Rockit - "Cafe De Flore"

3. Delerium & Sarah McLachlan - "Silence"

4. Wass & Earl T - "Summertime"

5. Magnet & Gemma Hayes - "Lay Lady Lay"

6. Simone, Nina - "Sinnerman"

7. St. Germain - "Rose Rouge"

8. Martyn, John - "Sunshine's Better"

9. Atman - "Path Of Love"

10. Agartha - "Crossing"

11. Lustral - "Everything"

12. Moodswings & Chrissie Hynde - "Spiritual High (State Of Independence)"

13. Pruess, Craig - "Jupiter"

14. Bent - "Swollen"

15. Getz, Stan - "Street Tattoo"

16. Budd, Roy - "Hurry To Me"

17. Cassidy, Eva - "Fields Of Gold"

18. Nelson, Phyllis - "Move Closer"

album available on amazon.co.uk