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Arcadia was a side project by Duran Duran members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor undertaken while the band was on break. The sound of the music is virtually indistinguishable from Duran Duran at the time. I remember reading somewhere that Arcadia was the best Duran Duran album they didn't release. And in many ways, this ranks up there with the best Duran Duran material.
Right off the bat you get the big hit single 'Election Day'. I can't even begin to tell you how often I see this song online listed as a Duran Duran track. People just don't think of it as anything but. This is a fantastic song and to make it even more brilliant than it already is, flamboyant pop diva Grace Jones appears on this track to deliver a spoken word bridge halfway through the song. Her presence takes this track from amazing to A-maz-za-ing!!!!
'Keep Me In The Dark' starts off with some tense Asian sounding chords. It evolves into a full on song with a decent melody and Le Bon delivers a soulful vocal performance. You can hear his yearning and desire. I think this is a great number for showing off his skills as a singer. There are all kinds of blurps and blips throughout the song and they're wonderful. I enjoy the arrangement from start to finish.
Around this same time, Duran Duran recorded a track for a James Bond film, 'A View To A Kill'. I know that was the title of the movie and the song is pretty good. But honestly, 'Goodbye Is Forever' is far and away the best Bond theme song that never was. Not only is it an awesome title for a Bond movie, but it's so thematic. The tune swells and churns through an orchestra synth chord sweeping behind the vocals making the entire song intensely dramatic. I can't listen to this song and not imagine it as a Bond theme. I just can't.
'The Flame' begins with Le Bon singing. Once the music kicks in, you get some interesting sounds but frankly, this is a song I'm not overly impressed with. It's not bad, but it doesn't stand out either. Next up is 'Missing'. This minimal sounding track is light and mysterious. Even the saxophone sounds like a piece of percussion on this number. It all kinda clinks and rolls along while Simon seems to call from a distance. Honestly, this song reminds me of Tears For Fears and I can almost hear them singing.
'Rose Arcana' is a segue introduction to 'The Promise'. It sounds like drums, chimes and gongs playing outside of an ancient Chinese temple. A thin, delicate synth line kicks in and suddenly you're enveloped in sound. Arguably the best song on the disc, 'The Promise' is a 7 minute mood that washes over you like an uncontrolled feeling. Fear, despair, sadness... "Heaven hide your eyes, Heaven's eyes will never dry". It's a piece of musical magic and Sting appears as a guest vocalist backing up Le Bon on the chorus. This pairing is astounding and utterly harmonious. I remember this is a song I heard on an old radio program called "Rock Over London". It came on once a week and would play New Wave songs by British bands. I used to sit in my mom's bathroom holding the radio antennae because that was the only way I could get a clear signal and hear the program. This was one of the songs I heard on that show and I fell in love with it. I bought this album years later because I'd always loved this song and I wanted to have it in my collection. I've enjoyed Duran Duran, but I never felt obsessive about them the way I have with other bands. Still, Arcadia presented me with a chance to jump on and jump back off. I still have some Duran Duran albums I really love and I'll eventually buy them. That's beside the point and I'm rambling now. I just can't think of more good things to say about this amazing song. It's truly a great moment in pop music history.
'El Diablo' is the 8th track on this disc and it starts out sounding like a gypsy violin and then transforms into a pop song with South American flute playing. This song reminds me of the Duran Duran tune, 'Cracks In The Pavement'. I lose interest in it because I actually prefer 'Cracks In The Pavement' to this and 'El Diablo' sounds like a cheap copy to me. I hate to say that because I find the disc very compelling, but I can't get past this one. By far, my least favorite track on the disc.
The final track is 'Lady Ice'. It sorta has a spooky start with a lot of ambient background noise playing over a sustained keyboard note. It's a very somber sounding piece and even the small twinkle sounds that emerge sound sinister. After some dull explosions, the basic song takes shape and you get a swelling synth motif rising and falling behind Le Bon's distant sounding voice. At this point, we feel like we're on a battlefield after the fighting has ended. The chorus almost feels like sun breaking through a dense cloud cover. The tune never breaks with its soft, gradual tempo. It's a fitting final track and for some reason, when I listen to it, the picture on the front cover of the CD seems to make perfect sense. She is the 'Lady Ice' and all of this has happened at her bidding. Everything kinda fades away and you're left wondering if it was all just a dream.
I think Arcadia was a highly effective side project for these band members and it's probably my favorite of all music released by Duran Duran or its members. I think it's brilliant and I highly recommend it. My final words: A SINGLE SHOT OF PERFECTION FROM A BAND OF 80'S SUPERSTARS! NOT TO BE MISSED.
ARCADIA - SO RED THE ROSE
01. Election Day
02. Keep Me In The Dark
03. Goodbye Is Forever
04. The Flame
05. Missing
06. Rose Arcana
07. The Promise
08. El Diablo
09. Lady Ice
Alphaville released an interesting disc with this Singles Collection. It's basically an 8 track EP with 4 songs. Each song appears with 2 versions. The first is probably the band's most popular track. 'Forever Young (Special Extended Mix)' is interesting for a number of reasons... First, it features a new vocal track recording by Marian Gold. It's quite different from the original and the music is arranged with a bolder, fuller sound. It's a great mix and very satisfying to listen to. The second track is 'Red Rose (Single Version)'. This is basically an edit of the album version even though it's a little longer. 'Red Rose' is from the bands second album, "Afternoons In Utopia". Hearkening back to their first album, track number three is the single version of 'Big In Japan'. This is a fairly standard version of the song. The biggest difference you notice is the intro. On the album, it segues from another song and the opening sequence is much louder and dynamic. There are also some slight differences in some sounds. I hear a bit of an echo on this single version I don't hear on the album version.
Track 4 is the long version of 'Dance With Me'. This is another release from "Afternoons In Utopia". The reason this song is a long version is because there are extended instrumental portions between the vocals. Still, it's not bad and it's a great arrangement. There are two album versions appearing on this release and number five is one of them. It's the album version of 'Forever Young'. Once again, this makes perfect sense as this is probably the band's most well known and popular track. It doesn't hurt to include it here in its most noticeable form. I also think it was smart to put the mix first. Listeners just interested in this track will hear the different version and hopefully appreciate the band's musical diversity.
There's a 12" mix of 'Red Rose' up next and the music on this track is much superior to that of the album version. The drums alone make this version so much more enjoyable. There's a much more dramatic build throughout and the climax is more exciting. Probably, the biggest and most exciting track on this collection is up next and it's 'Big In Japan (Remix '88). The music stays fairly faithful, but it takes an amazing song and transforms it into an almost 8 minute musical workout with a variety effects and added percussion. At the end of the disc we get another album version. This time, it's 'Dance With Me' and I don't detect a difference here. I think it's the same.
I'm fairly certain all of the material on this release showed up on vinyl prior to this pressing with the exception of the 'Big In Japan' remix. For most of these tracks, this would be the one and only digital CD release. The only place you could find these versions. With the exception of the album versions of course.
I'm not entirely convinced this release is necessary to the average fan of Alphaville. It's more of a completest release. If you were collecting them, you'd want this one in your collection. Otherwise, I think you can stream or purchase this music online.
My final words on this disc: AN ENJOYABLE LISTEN, BUT NOT NECESSARY.
ALPHAVILLE - THE SINGLES COLLECTION
01. Forever Young (Special Extended Mix)
02. Red Rose (Single Version)
03. Big In Japan (Single Version '88)
04. Dance With Me (Long Version)
05. Forever Young (Album Version)
06. Red Rose (12" Mix)
07. Big In Japan (Remix '88)
08. Dance With Me (Album Version)
I've always had a great appreciation for Deep Forest. Mostly because of their efforts to bring attention to various folk music and world music styles. Also for their attempts to preserve the vanishing culture these musical traditions represent. But I've also loved the music they've released. I enjoy the combination of these diverse native sounds and electronica.
As much as I like the group and considering how often I buy their releases, you'd think I'd know quite a bit about them, but I don't. I know the two main forces behind the project initially were Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez. At some point, Sanchez left the project and Mouquet continued on his own. Of course the music is different without Sanchez, but it still has the ring of familiarity you would expect from a Deep Forest record. I think the biggest difference is in the performances of guest musicians on the actual albums. When Mouquet and Sanchez were working together, each song would feature different musicians and singers. Mouquet seems to pick a singer and maybe a few musicians for each album. Where Deep Forest records seemed to focus on different ethnic musical styles, the Mouquet albums seem to focus on a broader, yet more specific international brand. For example, the first three solo releases have been "Deep Brasil", "Deep Africa" and "Deep India". You can kinda get the idea reading the titles of the albums.
Of these three solo records, this is the only one I actually own. And the only one I've actually heard in full. I've streamed parts of "Deep Brasil" on Youtube, but I have yet to hear the entire album.
"Deep Africa" starts off with 'Amber Opening'. It slowly opens with some hypnotic beats and some lovely singing. It transitions to a strange louder, but slow, beat. The way the track opens up is interesting, but I don't really like it. I think it would've been more effective if it stayed subtle and trance-like. 'Dub Africa' is the 2nd song on the record. You hear a female vocalist calling out in an African language and the electronic synth answers with an intense and dense response. Once the beat kicks in, you get a mid-tempo developing built around the call you hear in the very beginning. On par with anything you've previously heard from Deep Forest, this is an amazing track and I love it!
'Mosika' leads off with a strange staggering beat and then punctuates with some horns sounds. Once the vocals kick in, the tone of the song moves into a more emotional direction. The vocalist has a moving voice and he leads the track through some dynamic changes. It builds and ebbs quite naturally. This is another satisfying tune. The next song is 'Yelele' and this one is instantly catchy. It's got a deeper, quicker rhythm and once it kicks in, you have a hard time keeping your feet still. Even though I have no idea what the vocalists are singing or even if I'm pronouncing the words right, I find myself singing along at the top of my voice. I just make the words up of course, but it's a lot of fun. You have a change up between the male and female vocalists throughout the track. This is a song I could hear playing in a club. It's got an amazing beat.
'Bedi' is a slower number. The opening percussion sound reminds me of an old Casio keyboard. One of those Samba sounds. Acoustic piano fills out the sound on this track and the vocalist delivers a touching ballad even if you have no idea what she's saying. In a similar fashion, 'Atali Wowo' comes across as a ballad even though it uses live drumming and a faster tempo. The vocal sampling on this track is reminiscent of earlier Deep Forest work. 'Wasis' is track number 7. At first, you think you're hearing an ambient sound track. This singer reminds me of a voice I've heard on previous songs from earlier albums. It picks up a bit during the chorus, but it reverts back to the slower pace during the verses. It's an enjoyable track and another one I like on this record.
'Zoulawa' is a different number. It has a weird start, but eventually evolves into something more familiar to a Deep Forest fan. The singer here reminds me of Wes Mouataba. 'Ho Mambo' starts off sounding like water and evolves into sounding like stars twinkling. Then it changes into a chanted vocals over a sparse beat. The transitions on this number are unique and quite at odds with traditional dance and electronic music. 'Alaake' has an almost Latin flavor to it. The horns are playful and fun throughout. The vocalist is a woman who chants a nursery rhyme of sorts during the chorus. An interesting tune.
'Lomo' can be described as vocalizing over some mood synth playing. It's a very loose and free form piece of music. 'How Long It Takes?' hearkens back to the first days of Deep Forest. You have some lovely ambient electronic music playing over an fantastic vocalization. The forest sounds are filtering down through the music and when the rhythm develops, it does so organically. The build is extremely well written and executed on this one. I absolutely love this tune. Easily my favorite on the entire disc.
'Tiko' is a slower number with some flute/sax keyboard sounds. It's a nice relaxing bit of music. 'Mosika Ending' is the final track on the album. At least it's listed as such with three additional tracks listed as bonus tracks. As such, it's predominantly built around a vocalization with some aesthetic synth chords played underneath as atmosphere.
'Mawa' is the first of the bonus tracks. It uses a simple beat and piano playing as the background for the vocalist. There are some horn sounds in there as well. This is a dramatic piece in that it creates a very specific vibe and feeling. 'Soweto' is the second bonus cut and this one starts off with some insect-like sounds playing. You also hear what sounds like bird calls. The lilting piano motif is haunting. The vocalist emerges and delivers a gospel fueled plea for tolerance and acceptance. It's a beautiful song! The final bonus track is a mix of 'Dub Africa'. The 'Dub Africa (Gaudi Remix)' starts off rather quiet and trance-like but it builds into a heavier beat. It maintains the trance quality and the groove is nice all the way through.
I hear a huge difference in this music and the old Deep Forest. On this record, Mouquet focuses more on the performances of his guests than on the electronica. There's not as much vocal manipulation. On previous Deep Forest records, the vocals are sampled, manipulated and played almost like the keyboard motifs or drum patches. But here, the performances are more organic. More natural. The rhythms are built around the song structures created by the musicians and singers who contribute to the songs. It sounds more collaborative.
I like this new direction and I think as much as I love older Deep Forest music, I love the evolution. It embraces the music they sought to protect and nurture in a new way. A way that might help it transition to modern times and find a global audience. This is worth finding and buying. I'm definitely going to get the other Deep Forest releases now. If I can find them for sale. My final words: A NEW DIRECTION, A NEW STYLE, A SIMILAR SOUND, A SATISFYING AND PLEASING DISCOVERY.
DEEP FOREST - DEEP AFRICA
01. Amber Opening
02. Dub Africa
03. Mosika
04. Yelele
05. Bedi
06. Atali Wowo
07. Wasis
08. Zoulawa
09. Ho Mambo
10. Alaake
11. Lomo
12. How Long It Takes?
13. Tiko
14. Mosika Ending
15. Mawa
16. Soweto
17. Dub Africa (Gaudi Remix)
Usually, I try not to review a CD I've just bought because I like to give each disc a chance to grow on me. Or maybe I hope for a better understanding of what I'm hearing. But that's not the case with this one. I originally streamed the album and when it was released in stores, I bought it. I guess that's one thing Best Buy is still good for. The occasional CD purchase. Basically, this disc has been in my CD player for a month now and I've listened to it pretty much nonstop. There are two other discs I'm playing fairly regularly too and I'll do both of them in the near future, but this one is the one I want to talk about today.
I haven't reviewed Prince's last disc, "Art Official Age", yet; and the reason for that is I haven't found the way to express some of my feelings about it. There are songs on that disc I think are highly personal to Prince and they resonate very strongly with me. Especially 'Way Back Home'. But that's another review. So let's talk about this disc and how I've responded to it.
First off, although I wasn't looking for it, I found a lot of information on the disc prior to its release. I have enough Prince friends on Facebook that it was impossible to avoid posts people were making about it. I learned one song in particular, '1000 X's & O's' was going to be on it and I was a bit skeptical about it. I originally heard this song years ago as a demo for another artist. Prince had written it for someone else and I can't remember where I heard it online, but I've run across it a few times. At one point, I had a CD a friend had burned with the track on it and I have to say, it was far and away one of my favorite songs Prince has ever written. I was a little nervous to hear it updated as I loved the demo. Many artists update older songs with new arrangements and sounds. Especially for live performances. Sometimes they're exciting and other times, they're a let down. It's a dicey business. Before I tell you what I thought about this song, let's go over the rest of the disc...
The album starts off with samples from a bunch of older Prince songs like 'For You', '1999' and 'Let's Go Crazy' before morphing into 'Million $ Show'. Singer Judith Hill duets with Prince on this number. Prince has this ability to write the most energetic and amazing opening tracks and this one falls right into that category. It's a party track aimed to get your spirits lifted and your body bouncing. It succeeds on all accounts! It's followed by 'Shut This Down'. This is a rather frantic number. The music tempo slows a bit, but there's an intensity in the vocal delivery that hypes the pace and makes it seem almost manic. Prince has done music like this before and I usually like it when he does. This one is no exception.
'Ain't About 2 Stop' is up next and when this one starts, watch out. Rita Ora is the guest vocalist on this track and I have to be honest, the first time I heard it, I didn't like it. Not until the the first time Prince comes in and sings, "I come from North Minny and I never run from any and I ain't about to start right now". That line, just by itself changes the direction of the song. Using that line as a jumping off point, most of the strong musical direction in the song occurs. It's the launching point for changes. It's because of that line I gave the song a chance to grow on me and grow it did. Now, it's one of my favorite numbers on the entire disc.
'Like A Mack'... Well, when I read the word "mack" I was a little concerned. Wasn't mack a slang term from back in the 90's? I always think of that Mark Morrison song, 'Return Of The Mack' or 'Mack The Knife'. Prince is the undisputed king of making some funky workout numbers and this track ends up being one of them. This is the one song on the disc I could actually hear going on for at least two more minutes. The funk is just all over the place! 'Like A Mack' is like "The Walking Dead" except instead of finding yourself surrounded by zombies, you find yourself surrounded by a groove you can't escape. It's absolutely rockin'!!!!
The next number is the one track I think fails on this album and is also the one I just don't understand. 'This Could B Us' originally appears on "Art Official Age". The version on this disc is a remix or a newer version. Compared to the original one from last year, it sounds cluttered. Forced. It feels like someone kept working to make it better and eventually quit. It was perfect as it was and it didn't need to be updated. Plus, I don't understand why it would show up here a year later when so many other tracks we've heard in recent days didn't. Like 'Stare' or 'Free Urself'. Both of those tracks were bonus tracks you could listen to on Tidal if you streamed the album there. 'Baltimore' was another recent song Prince released as a digital single and would've been nice to have on a disc. As would other tracks like 'Groovy Potential'. I honestly feel like this track on this disc is a waste. And I hate to say that because I love this disc. But it's a waste of my money. I already own a superior version. If I wanted a mix, I would buy a single with mixes on it. I sincerely think inclusion of this number was a bad call. The wrong choice.
That being said... 'Fallinlove2nite' is the next number and it made its debut on the Zoey Deschanel television program, "New Girl' during the Prince episode. On that version, Zoey actually appears as a guest vocalist. Her vocals don't appear on this version, but that's almost beside the point. From the moment I heard this track, I loved it and I've wanted to own it in my collection. The fact he released it on this disc is so wonderful I can't even describe my happiness. 'X's Face' is another great number and sounds like a song he's done with 3rdEyeGirl, but I could be mistaken. It's not the best song on the disc, but it's a good one and I love singing along with it. 'Hardrocklover' follows and these two songs kinda appeared online around the same time as digital singles of sorts. 'Hardrocklover' is the superior of the two songs. I guess that's not entirely fair because I like them both.
'Mr. Nelson' is a musical collage including elements of songs from "Art Official Age". You can hear 'Clouds' and 'Way Back Home' in this song. It's mostly an instrumental with an interesting progression. It kinda builds like a train gathering speed. It reaches a climax and explodes into the beat for the next track, '1000 X's & O's'. Remember my little rant about this number at the start? Well, the first time I heard this version I was horrified. I absolutely hated it. And yet, after subsequent listens, I've grown to love it more than the original! This is my favorite cut from the entire album! I absolutely love this song!!!! I love the sentiment, the lyrics, the music, the vocal delivery... Everything conspires to bring your heart to a very specific place; a place where love of your partner is the most beautiful thing in the world. It's like glimpsing paradise and knowing you want to live there. Knowing this is the place where happiness... True happiness is found. I cannot praise this song enough. It's one of the best sentiments expressed in music ever.
'June' is the final number. It's like an abstract musical painting. It captures a single moment in time in one song. Listening to it is like solving a logic problem. You follow the clues, the pieces until you construct a bigger picture and see how it makes a whole. I know that's a vague way of describing this song, but follow the lyrics when you hear it. Follow the journey of the pasta and see if it doesn't make more sense. Personally, I think Prince was born right on time.
With a single exception, ('This Could B Us'), I love this record from start to finish. Some bands/artists lose their edge when they get older. There have been times during Prince's career when I've thought he was headed in that direction. But every time I think he's starting to get washed up, he releases something like this and the brilliance of his mind, his talent puts him right back up at the top of my musical list. This is a great record! Unfortunately, I think Prince has reached a time in his life where young people aren't discovering him. His core audience is where his sales will continue. I may be wrong, but I don't see the youth of today latching on to someone of his musical talent and intelligence. He's beyond the modern sound. Even with an updated techno feel provided by Joshua Welton, Prince is ahead of his peers.
My final words on this album are: A GLOWING, BRILLIANT RELEASE REAFFIRMING PRINCE'S TALENT, ABILITY AND MUSICIANSHIP.
PRINCE - HITNRUN PHASE ONE
01. Million $ Show
02. Shut This Down
03. Ain't About 2 Stop
04. Like A Mack
05. This Could B Us
06. Fallinlove2nite
07. X's Face
08. Hardrocklover
09. Mr. Nelson
10. 1000 X's & O's
11. June
As many of you already know, I discovered Andy D when he performed on 'It Gets Hot' by Electric Six and met him when he opened for them during the "Heartbeats And Brainwaves Tour". I'd already seen him perform on Youtube clips and I was excited to see more of him. Andy is a dynamic live performer and a genuinely nice guy. I enjoyed chatting with him and spending time at the show. I bought his first and second albums at that concert and I felt like the first disc, "Name Your Perversion" didn't quite translate from the live performance to the disc. But I had great hopes for this album and I wasn't disappointed. This disc certainly conveys the energy he projects during a live performance.
I don't think it will come as a surprise that most of his songs are sophomoric and over-sexualized. Sometimes he comes across like a teen boy who's just discovered sex and his lyrics come across as rather trivial. But that's more or less where Andy D lives. He's not here to change the world or make a political statement, he's here to party and have a good time. Once again, the instrumentation is quite minimalist and the lyrics simple and straight forward. The first song, 'Playground' is an interesting song about oral sex of various kinds. Um, wow. 'Electric Wilderness' is next and it's got a few funny lines throughout. It's a pretty good song. I like the music on this track and I think he delivers on the vocals. On my CD, Andy wrote "Your magic is real and I believe in you!" Imagine my surprise when I heard that line appear in the song. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and tell you, that autograph actually personalized this song for me and made me listen to it constantly. It's one of my favorite tracks on the disc! 'Hey Tina (Pick Up The Phone)' was probably the track I remember most from his live show. It was highly dramatic. And he delivers it here with just as much enthusiasm. When you actually listen to song you realize the music is actually inspired and borrows elements from George Clinton and his 70's bands like Funkadelic and Parlet. It's actually quite funky and enjoyable. If you don't listen to anything else, check out this number.
'Angels On The Dancefloor' is a song that doesn't offer much musically, yet I love the lyrics on this one. It makes me laugh everytime and I listen to it a lot. 'Wizard' kicks in with some interesting sounds, but when the tinkling keyboards kick in, it starts to sound like early 80's rap. Still, it's cool for what it is. Andy does have an affinity for that older rap and he emulates it with his own material. 'I Wanna Be Your Unicorn' combines some rock metal guitar licks with some funk rhythm guitar. It's a metaphor. His horn is of course his "you-know-what" but the tune is catchy. 'Bump In The Nite' is Andy's Halloween single. Of course, the four letter words strung throughout the chorus means it will never see playtime at kids parties. If it could, this might have been a breakthrough hit for him.
'Moderne Romance' is up next and this one uses lots of drum fills and beats to create a frantic pace. 'Alchemy Of The D' is the obligatory "I'm-all-that" track. Andy proclaims his superiority in many different ways. 'Black Rainbow' is another song with that's highly Clintonesque. It's got a 70's funk vibe and I like the chorus. The final track is 'Ragnarock (Viking Lover)'. This one kinda marches on with a guitar lick playing along with the beat, but it's mixed low in the track. Based on the title, you'd expect something huge and climactic, but it never achieves that build.
In the end, this is a CD that at the very least lives up to the live performance of this artist. The live show is unbeatable. I think it's vastly superior to the previous disc and I'm looking forward to hearing even more. Andy D is a fun listen. My final words: AN IMPROVEMENT WITH THE PROMISE OF EVEN MORE TO COME.
ANDY D PRESENTS THE WEEKEND - SONGS IN THE KEY OF MAGIC
01. Playground
02. Electric Wilderness
03. Hey Tina (Pick Up The Phone)
04. Angels On The Dancefloor
05. Wizard
06. I Wanna Be Your Unicorn
07. Bump In The Nite
08. Moderne Romance
09. Alchemy Of The D
10. Black Rainbow
11. Ragnarock (Viking Lover)
After feeling like I'd recaptured a part of my youth with "Gaslight", I was pleased beyond words that fDeluxe returned with a remix album entitled "Relit". I didn't wait long before ordering the disc. And let me tell ya, it doesn't disappoint. Right off the bat, you get two back to back remixes of 'Sanctified'. The first mix was done by a guy named John Fields and in a nod to The Beatles, he calls his mix the Strawberrius Remix. "Strawberry Fields" is the title and subject of a Beatles song. The tempo seems punched up and the track is really grooving. This is a great number and a lot of fun. The second mix seems to be the product of a number of people but this one is so far beyond funky it's not even funny. With a Linn drum patch fronting the rhythm section, this one is a nostalgic romp to the Minneapolis sound of the 80's. Definitely the best mix of the two and so dang infectious. I should point out, both mixes of this song are actually fantastic.
Next up is Eric Leeds' mix of 'Lover'. Eric's sax is featured heavily in this mix and it's quite lovely. This song was already beautiful and having a romantic jazz version only heightens its edge. Not to be missed, this one stands out as a serious contender for best mix. St. Paul gets credit for the Amsterdam mix of 'Drummers & Healers'. It's an interesting mix bordering on a house beat with minor notes drizzled about for atmosphere. Another base hit for the band. Next up is one of two mixes of the song, 'Over The Canyon'. This mix is exciting for a couple of reasons... 1) it's funky and fun - 2) it uses sounds that seem to date back to early 80's and they're just brilliantly mixed in with the song. I love this one too. Next up is '@8'; which also has another mix later on. This is the Swang mix by someone apparently called Swang. It's a stripped down version with some guitar bits and orchestral swells making the tune sound very much like it belongs on 1986's Prince And The Revolution album, "Parade".
Wendy & Lisa put in appearance on 'Midnight Gaslight' one of the first mixes released to those who pledged during fDeluxe's fundraiser for "AM Static". It's a brilliant mix. Next up is the second mix of 'Over The Canyon' by a guy named Josh Beagley. It's a minimalist mix, but also well executed. It doesn't do a whole lot for the song, but it has got a thumping club beat and that's probably what the band was looking for at this point. 'Beautiful You' gets a remix by artist Steve Parke and his mix partner Jesse Hayes. The vocals are treated with a computerized distortion of some sort and the tune is stripped down to the bare minimum. This is probably my least favorite mix on the disc, but it's still an interesting interpretation.
'@8' get it's second mix by a DJ who hypes the tune by speeding it up. The vocals are slightly sped up and the music is stripped out. Of the two mixes, this is the one I'd say dropped the bomb even though I love the music. The sped up vocals just ruin the track. Would've worked better as an instrumental. 'Gaslight' gets another mix. This one by St. Paul and he demonstrates his affinity for techno mixing once again. This is the track I think has the best chance of becoming a club hit.
'The Vigil' gets an interesting reworking by Ishan Cooper. It's a kinda digital lounge mix. It's laid back, chill and hints of something naughty happening behind the scenes. Like we're all sitting around while the good stuff is all taking place in the green room. 'Gaslight' gets a third and final treatment. Another mix by St. Paul, but this one sounds like some bizarre Spanish/Arabic war time thing. It's really trippy. The final track is an alternate piano version of 'When You Go'. It's lovely and a delicate way to end the disc.
fDeluxe have made another amazing record. So far, I haven't heard a single release from them that's disappointed. They're on a major roll! This is a group that needs to continue to record and release. I can't wait for more. My final words: A REMIX CD THAT DELIVERS THE GOODS AND LEAVES YOU BEGGING FOR MORE.
fDELUXE - RELIT
01. Sanctified (Strawberrius Remix)
02. Sanctified (Neon Romeoz Pajama Party Remix)
03. Lover (Mr. Leeds Mix)
04. Drummers & Healers (Amsterdam Remix)
05. Over The Canyon (MasSheen Mix)
06. @8 (Swang's @85 Remix)
07. Midnight Gaslight (Jackhouse Remix)
08. Over The Canyon (J-Man's Getting Deeper Remix)
09. Beautiful You (Designer ReMix)
10. @8 (Flight To Paris Remix)
11. Gaslight (MMI Remix)
12. The Vigil (Coop DeVille Remix)
13. Gaslight (Yeager Remix)
14. When You Go (Alt Piano Mix)
By the time "We Are The Night" came out I was so excited I could hardly stand it. I was already living in St. George and the only record store was this tiny shop located in a small shopping center next to the Red Cliffs Mall. I pre-ordered it in case the owner wasn't going to bring it in as a new release and when the day arrived, I left work long enough to run over and pick it up when they opened. That's right, folks... I paid full price for this disc! I later found a UK promotional copy with different artwork on eBay so I have two copies of this disc. Hence, the two pics you see for the covers.
Just because I was excited doesn't mean I fell right into the groove with this one. When I first started listening to it, I wasn't feeling a few songs. It wasn't until I'd lived with the album for awhile that I started hearing the whole disc and getting into it. That's one of the things I really love about them. Instead of just throwing a huge wall of beats at you and getting you to dance, they challenge you. The music can be radically different for what you'd expect from a group considered a dance music band. For example, the very first track on this disc, 'No Path To Follow' is sorta creepy. It consists entirely of a distorted, slow voice repeating the line, "There's no path to follow." Eventually, a normal singing voice joins in and sings the line along with the effected voice. Willy Mason is the vocalist and he appears again later on the album and we'll discuss him further then.
A buzzing sound launches us into a strange effect patch of bleeps and blips with a beat playing underneath that is slowly growing in volume. An ex of mine once said he hated electronic music because once the melody and the beat were established, there wasn't anything different. It never progressed beyond that. Although that's quite common with most electronic bands, it's not the case with the Chems. 'We Are The Night' hops all over the place. From the odd "Legend" quote, "Black as blackest night" to twittering birds, this one goes all over the place. It's complex and challenging. For those of you wondering what the heck was going to happen after listening to 'No Path To Follow', the Chems deliver something you can definitely consider a path. It may be random and free flowing, but there's also a lot of structure here. It even has a breakdown about three quarters of the way in. 'All Rights Reversed' features both writing and performances by the Klaxons and Lightspeed Champion. This was one of the songs I didn't really like the first time I heard it. After subsequent listens, it's become one of my favorites. I love the hypnotic feeling it creates with the vocal delivery. The music is aggressive and highly punctuated. It's got an excellent build and flows brilliantly from start to finish.
'Saturate' is up next and this is one of those songs like the original communication from the aliens in "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind". It's got a simple melody that's repeated over and over. And it's a melody that seems timeless. One that's always existed and we've all known it in our heads but never realized it in actual sound until the Chems put it out there. It's a basic scale run repeated, but still incredible. The build of the song happens not in the actual music, rather it happens with the addition or subtraction of instruments and sounds. It's such a dynamic way of composing music and adds a dimension very few artists ever achieve. The Chems seem to look at music and composition from a completely unique perspective. They don't few the music as simple compositions, they see them as artistic structures and things they can apply various scientific principles to. In this case, using instrumentation and sound to create a climax rather than changing a lot of notes. I simply don't have the words to accurately express what they've done here. It's so far beyond what anyone else is doing.
'Do It Again' features Ali Love and was the first single from the disc. It's a great track! The beats are there, the vocals are energetic and exciting... It has all the elements of a fun dance number and it delivers on the Chems reputation for making excellent dance music. It's followed by a song that's not exactly challenging, but thematically interesting. 'Das Spiegel' or the mirror as it would be in English is a mellow beat with all kinds of sound effect patches running throughout. You hear a girl giggling and making noises throughout. At one point you hear someone inhale and exhale. This is a groove you can really just sink into and enjoy. It gives the impression of someone smoking out and just being chill. Fat Lip appears on the next song, 'The Salmon Dance'. If you thought the rest of the album was strange, this song takes you to new heights of wondering what the heck is going on. Fat Lip raps about a new dance he's invented and how he introduces it at a club. All the while an electronic voice appears alongside him quoting facts about salmon. And we're talking facts. Like National Geographic facts. Now just from that description the song doesn't sound cool at all. It sounds kinda nutty and weird. And yet, it's easily one of the best cuts on the disc.
The next two tracks flow into each other and they're a dynamic duo! 'Burst Generator' starts off with a subdued beat and what I can only consider to be the electronic equivalent to vocal scatting. Once the build erupts into the full musical track, the energy leaps out of the speakers like an actual burst! I'm hugely fond of instrumental music with titles you can actually relate to the sounds you hear and this one does it. With natural builds throughout the song, the number is filled with climactic bursts that explode! Like all things that climax, the tune eventually fades out and 'A Modern Midnight Conversation' kicks in. Another incredible number with an awe inspiring tempo and ecstatic beats. The two of these together are simply unbeatable.
Willy Mason appears again on 'Battle Scars'. It starts with the repeated lyric, "There's no path to follow" and now you know where the first cut comes from. This was another track I didn't really like until much later. In fact, this is probably the track that took me the longest to appreciate. And it wasn't until the remix was released later on that I actually discovered how cool it is. 'Harpoons' is an ambient sound wave that just kinda washes over you. An interesting song coming off of 'Battle Scars'. In 'Battle Scars', Mason uses a couple lines that make you think of a beach and this track carries that over. In fact, together the two bring to mind sandcastle kingdoms at war.
The final track on the disc is 'The Pills Won't Help You Now' and features Tim Smith on vocals. Smith was working with a band called Midlake at the time. There's one thing you can say with absolute certainty... The Chems know how to create dramatic musical builds. All of their songs seem to have this organic, natural progression that builds and crescendos. Considering the medium they work in, (electronic music), that's an amazing quality to possess. There are all kinds of standard tricks electronic artists use. It's like a government issued howto manual some of these artists use to compose. They repeat certain counts, use certain beats to transition, etc. etc. Although you can hear things like that from time to time in Chemical Brothers material; more often than naught you hear something different. Something new and inventive. When I hear people compare The Chemical Brothers to other electronic acts I cringe. They're not in the same league as many of these other bands. They're so far ahead of their time it's impossible to categorize them. And this final number is the perfect example of how they create a truly moving and powerful build in a song. Like the final scene of a movie, 'The Pills Won't Help You Now' closes out the album on both a somber and energetic note. Thematically, you may think this is a rather negative record. Some of the songs venture into dark territory and the lyrics are sometimes confusing and at odds with each other. But therein lies the true theme. The night hides all sins. Each one of these songs is a moment happening in the night. Everything from a dance floor revolution ('The Salmon Dance'), sitting around talking ('A Modern Midnight Conversation'), walking along a beach ('Harpoons') to the quiet desperation of a lost soul ('The Pills Won't Help You Now')... Every song could be seen as a glimpse into a life of someone in this fateful night. On the cover, we see a far off mountain range. Our destination? And constellations mapped out in the sky to help guide our way or our destiny. But like the opening lyrics proclaim, we learn that in the night, there really is no path to follow.
I'm not convinced that's a bad thing.
My final words: A UNIQUE CONSTELLATION OF MUSIC BRILLIANTLY DESIGNED AND EXECUTED!
THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS - WE ARE THE NIGHT
01. No Path To Follow
02. We Are The Night
03. All Rights Reversed
04. Saturate
05. Do It Again
06. Das Spiegel
07. The Salmon Dance
08. Burst Generator
09. A Modern Midnight Conversation
10. Battle Scars
11. Harpoons
12. The Pills Won't Help You Now
