Customer Reviews

Distortion on the Dance Floor

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like a long pop-fly to deep center field, Distortion on the Dance Floor, the first continuously mixed album by renowned chart-topping remixer Josh Harris, continues its upwards propulsive sonic trajectory to the final crescendo of cheers at the end of the boisterous re-do of Bad Religion's '21st Century Digital Boy,' dubbed '21st Century Digital Girl' by German Euro-trance duo Groove Coverage. Seamlessly mixed using Ableton Live, Josh's top notch production quality reverberates with a breath of warmth and tactile punch providing cohesive momentum vacillating throughout the 13 tracks spanning 75 minutes.

Aptly titled with a hint to the obvious, DOTD rounds out its smart A&R draft picks by touching all bases as it fluidly blends styles, genders, tax-brackets, world-class DJs (John Digweed, Gabriel & Dresden), hot-shot studio heads (Planet Funk, Mashtronic), UK stalwarts (Hybrid, Chicane), west-coast brethren (Taxidoll), old crooners (Tom Jones), young proteges (Jan Burton), sultry chanteuses (Colleen Kelly, Abigail), arena rockers (The Killers) & rising Broadway stars (Andrea Burns) into a modern day amalgam of booty shaking & Big Muff distortion.

While properly ingested as a complete whole, if one must dissect the parts from the sum, it would be best to bounce to the gut-busting Mashtronic White Sands remix of Digweed's 'Warung Beach,' revel in Victoria Gross' yearning plea on 'Melting' and ignite one's inner fisticuffs by cranking up the cocky swagger of Doxy's 'If I Was a Boy' featuring Ana Lovelis.

So, round the bases and head straight for home where a chunk of palpable distortion awaits to vibrate your Pergo, Wide Plank Walnut or Brazilian Oak dance floor.

I have to respect Josh Harris for this one. While it's a bit uneven, its finest moments are genius.

I especially like his take on "100 Stories" by Andrea Burns, the triple-shot of "Waiting" by Taxi Doll/"Girl Next Door" by Saving Jane/"Lay Down" by 10 Monkeys, and "Somebody Told Me" by the Killers. Harris has turned a fair amount of potential lead into edgy house gold.

It doesn't all work so well. "Stoned in Love" is a letdown when compared to Chicane's previous work, and the Doxy and Groove Coverage selections do nothing much for feminism, given that Harris felt obligated to include their lyrics. "21st Century Digital Girl" must be viewed as a lame postscript to the Bad Religion original -- even if you don't like Bad Religion -- and Garbage's Shirley Manson could walk all over "If I Was a Boy" without even donning her Nancy Sinatra boots.

None of which will get this album's better moments out of my head. Recommended without reservation for house fans, and with only the above reservations for non-house fans.

I know I may be partial since my best friend is Josh Harris' girlfriend but I really like this CD. The mixes are well done, lots of female vocals which I like...it is just a strong dance CD! Good work Josh!

I love the vocals with the dance music! It's a great "Pick Me Up" in the slow moving car!

Josh Harris has done it again. This is an amazing album of dance music that anyone wanting to bust a move should appreciate.