Search - thievery corporation :: Versions (Rmxs)

The groove remains consistent

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 05/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The signature sound of Garza and Hilton resurfaces with more cool beats, jazzy riffs, Eastern-lounge and tripped out dub. By now Thievery Corporation has a fan base, including myself that loves their remixes. This disc , like many of their others traverses the globe to give the listener an aural experience that cannot be pidgeonholed; it is a mixture of layered sounds that delights the senses. On this excellent CD you will find a diversity of artsts that includes remixes of the Doors, Sarah McLaughlan, Bebel and Astrud Gilberto, Norah Jones Transglobal Underground, Herb Albert and others for an eclectic assembly that ultimately works because of Theievery Corporations technical expertise with the electronic groove. When putting out something of their own like on "Originality" which features Sister Nancy, the result is a mesmerizing reggae back beat and mashing vocals that sound like they come straight from Kingston. Another TC credit goes to "Revolution Solution" that is a cool mixture of Jamaican electro-vocal stylings with a strong fast paced upbeat clashing with a crashing back beat for a remarkable synthesis. Sister Nancy rapid fires her Jamaican-style-rap, backed by nice laid back horns while maintaining the lazy groove. When TC lends their own version or remixed version it is not all Jamaican reggae or dub as is evident on "Shiva" which has tripped out spacey beats blending with dreamy vocals for a otherworldly musical experience. Speaking of spaced out songs , check out " Angels" which features Norah Jones coming in and out on vocals as the electronic voodoo shimmers and wobbles through it's musical progression. One of the oddest remixed songs is the classic Doors song "Strange Days" that comes off like a reincarnated Morrison playing the dance circuit in a strange new world. The mix is haunting(the voice especially) and comes across like Morrison risen from the dead at the after hours club. If you liked the album "Bebel Remixed" than you wil probably like the Bebel Gilberto remixed "Cada Beijo"(Each Kiss) that features the seductive vocals of Bebel in a electro-samba groove. Probably my own personal favorite song (I hate faves really) is "Who Needs Forever" the Astrud Gilberto composition that is given the TC treatment with loungy-jazzy beats over the original vocals that are revamped with echoes of the original song. I've heard this song on other discs and am so familiar with it that that probably accounts for my fondness of the song. Anyway it is way cool. I love this disc, it is another in a fine line of recording by Hilton and Garza, aka Thievery Corporation that pleases the soul. It is kick back grooves for your summer days to start enjoying now. Get it , you won't be dissappointed if you like TC ; if you've never heard their remixes start now."

Versions

T. Snyder | AZ | 06/07/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Versions" is an album of remixes and reworking of existing songs by one of my favorite groups, Thievery Corporation. Thievery is one of the most consistent groups around. You know you're always going to get really cool beats.



This album, "Versions", doesn't disappoint when it comes to good, cool, head-nod-able beats. This is vintage Thievery even though some of the original songs are 40 years old.



The album features a nice mix of vocals (male & female) and instrumentals. The vocalists actually sound like they could be current guests who just recorded the vocals. Thievery has done a great job mixing in these sometimes-dated vocals into their blend of beats.



It's another cool album, one that is highly recommended to all fans of their previous albums. Unlike the albums where they just sequenced a bunch of old abstract jazz songs, this one is way better. This album "Versions" does not feel like a compilation at all; it really feels like and sounds like an actual album. Good stuff as always."

Very good but it depends on what you want...

nicjaytee | London | 09/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Thievery Corporation are very good... they can mix a song and, as most of these remixes show, almost any song, into something breathtakingly different and, when they're in the mood, they can produce their own stunningly innovative tracks. But above all, they know how to appeal to a market... which is, in this case, high quality "downbeat" music.



And, as with their "The Mirror Conspiracy" album, they know exactly where they're going here: laid-back, languid beats that are lifted out of the mire of "lift music" and put firmly into the "cerebral experience" category because the production and execution are, as with almost everything they do, excellent. Check out their stunningly beautiful reworks of "Who Needs Forever?" and "Dirty Little Secret", plus their clever and genuinely exciting version of The Doors "Strange Days" - all three of which are better than the originals - to see how good they can be. But, and here's the problem, they can, as albums like "DJ Kicks" and "The Cosmic Game" show, take things so much further.



So, it all depends on what you want. If it's something that breaks the boundaries then you're in the wrong place. But if it's something you can be genuinely "chilled" and "intrigued" by then you've found it.

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