TURN-ONS AND TURN-OFFS IN CURRENT HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES : Excellent Good Fair Poor : COMPACT DISCS

“Beauty in the Beast.” Wendy Carlos. Audion/Passport (DDD). Ever since “Switched-On Bach,” Carlos has proved one of the most brilliant electronic-music composers--though her CD presence is spotty (“Bach,” “A Clockwork Orange,” yes; the New Age-pioneering “Sonic Seasonings,” strangely no). Carlos’ recordings are innovative musically and technically, and everything here was direct-digital-generated--no microphones, no sampling. The music itself abounds with cerebral play--notably unusual, expectations-tilting scales. But the heart of “Beast” is Carlos’ new fascination with African and Balinese rhythms and instruments--which she translates into her own synthesizer sound world with interesting results. Occasionally meandering (“Just Imaginings”) but busy, vivid and involving most of the way. Generous liner notes. 1/2