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Album Reviews
Album Review: Various Artists – 20 Years. Remixed (Strictly Rhythm)
By Paul Vig | Published on Tuesday 2 February 2010
Over 700 cuts have been released over two decades by premier US house label Strictly Rhythm. Distilled down to just 20 big hitters and remixed for the label’s 20th anniversary, this compilation is an interesting project, but will it live up to expectations? This all depends on what you think of the label’s current talent, and the amount of nostalgia you have for the originals. For me, tampering with some truly classic tracks does smack a little of sacrilege, and the results are a mixed bag.
Michel Cleis adds bland Balearic touches to River Ocean’s ‘Love And Happiness’, Rose’s remix of Hardrive’s ‘Deep Inside’ is passable but the bassline is far too loose, ‘I Like To Move It’ from Reel2Reel gets a banal modern wobbly bassline from Klaas, and Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State Of Consciousness’ gets retouched by Deep South, who take it a bit harder, but don’t build to the monstrous breakdown of the original. Worst of all, The Wamdue Project’s ‘King Of My Castle’, which was never my favourite anyway, gets a Europop make over by Fasano And Forest, a rework that simply reminds me how insipid modern dance music can be.
On the more positive side, Jimpster’s take on Photon’s ‘Generate Power’, while failing to use that killer vocal, does bump away well, while the classic ‘Follow Me’ by Aly-Us gets retouched rather than remixed by San Fran’s Fred Everything, and to good effect. Bob Sinclar’s remix of Ultra Nate’s ‘Free’ shows that Sinclar is truly a one trick pony, but his formula does fit this track well, and Tiefschwarz nicely make Phuture’s ‘Rise From Your Grave’ more menacing.
It’s not the worst thing you’ll ever hear, but refining the better remixes onto one disc, backed with a disc of originals would have made a better package. PV
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