Customer Reviews

International Affairs

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

 

 

After putting together one of the most critically well-recieved mix CDs a year ago (no small feat in this DJ-saturated time), Philly-based producer Vikter Duplaix steps out from behind the mixing console and takes to the microphone...and the guitar, the drum set, the electric piano and the cool little egg-shaped percussion shakers. You could tell from Duplaix's "DJ Kicks" mix that his interests were diverse and decidedly world-wide in flavor, and his debut full-length record doesn't pull any punches in an attempt to sell more units. The album is daring and brave, and easily the R&B record to beat this year so far, just not for all the static, traditional reasons.

Labeling "International Affairs" as an R&B record is problematic. Sure, there's plenty of soul here and the guy has worked with more than enough R&B acts to build cement his reputation as a great funk accessorizer. But once you actually play the thing? From the first sixty seconds you know that you're in for something just a touch out of left field. The first track - the aptly titled "Departure" - is an African drum rhythm with African singing on top that goes on long enough to make you wonder if you bought the right CD. This is only compounded by the primarily house track that follows, "What We Want", which certainly doesn't sell the CD since it's not one of the album's strongest tracks either.

By track 3 ("Lust For Life") the electro-funk really kicks in, Duplaix figures you've passed the intiation, and we're getting the album we expected. He's not the best singer in the world but it's not like listening to a Babyface record, where you can picture just about anybody else singing the songs because you know the cat's primarily a producer. It's more like listening to a Sade record: sure, you can name better singers than the Queen of Sorrow all day, but NOBODY ELSE has any business singing those songs but Sade. These tracks are all Vikter's and the boy's got skills enough to know where his limits are and hit the right notes when it's important to do so, letting the music speak for itself for the most part.

I'm shocked that, with his lyrical content so firmly fixated on the subject of love, that there's only one hardcore ballad on here and it isn't the strongest track (the okay "Late Night Rendezvous"). The middle of the album soars and while it still bounces a little from genre to genre, his flavor is still set dead center in the work.

If you are familiar with the upsurge in Philly Soul over the past few years, you may be familiar with Vikter Duplaix. A noted DJ, he has worked with Erykah Badu D'Angelo, Eric Benet and Jaguar Wright, among others, and has played a key role in Philadlephia's resurgence to the forefront of "real" soul music.
It's amazing that it has taken this long for Vikter to put out his first album, but the wait was well worth it. His music is a zany mix of soul grooves, island vibes, rock based guitar and drum work, elements of rap and some seriously juicy funk. It might sound a little bizarre, but it all works. Works very well, in fact.
The best song on this disc is "Come See Me", which reminds you of the classic funk sounds of such masters as Larry Graham. This is a serious 70's style jam, with live instrumentation and some wailing vocals. Vikter also makes some great club music (an offshoot of his DJ'ing), and you'll be hearing "What We Want" a lot this spring and summer. It has the percussive drive that marks a great dance song. Among the other highlights of the set is "Tropical Girl" with a Carribean/African beat and arrangement, and a killer vocal performance.

It's hard to find a cd you can keep in rotation from the first track to the last, but I did! 'Looking for Love'-makes you long for soft kisses to be caressed into your neck, while dancing on a crowded club floor. 'Morena', makes all us brown-skinned girls feel truly loved & adored. If you can find a promo copy then you'll love 'Morning Fun'w/ guest apperance by Common...heck, that'll just make you want to have Vikter!

Every track is like honey dripping slowing on to your brain-stimulating all your senses. It's 'R&B' with a 'hip-hop' flare stirred up with a bit of 'house'. Just stop reading this and go get it!

This is one of my favorite albums and deserves more credit than it got. Great from beginning to end.

Oh dear! How sweet is this!So...international! Great fusion of house, soul, R&B, High acid jazz and "je ne sais quoi" of his that makes this album so, well, fantastic! Tight! Buy it!

...With Soul and with Chillout and Lounge we came to the creator of it all. This man is featured on so many lounge compilations and chillout compilations as well. Demonstrating his vocal skills, his euro feel, and exactly how he takes a variety of put-togethers and creates such a diverse sound.

If you're into a techno feel with a bit of soul or an insteresting play on instrumentation, this might be for you. His name is Vikter Duplaix and the evidence is International Affair. With a few tracks produced by soul producer, James Poyser. He definitely gives you International Affairs. With various cultures being fused together from African polyrhythms and chantings, a little bit of spanish being added to the melting pot, and of course your R and B ballads to season and drizzle passion over each track. Late Night Rendezvous, Morena, and Looking for Love are all prime examples of his "move your body, get up and dance" feel added to this EP. One of the chill tracks is the one produced by James Poyser, I Got You. He explores the sultry 3/4 beat by telling the listener with faint background and mocking basslines how Desperate one's heart can get. Definitely a must have for the lover of Turntabalism, DJ'ing, House, and techno.

But of course for those that are into instrumentation, diversity, and interesting ways of breathing life and exuberate Soul.

I commend Viktor for not fearing to mix different flavors of Soul, Funk and Electronica. This album is good for both crowd pleasing party music and individual listening. That alone puts it high on my list and constantly in my CD player.

After hearing Vikter on numerous other projects like Jazzanova, I found that he had his own CD that was released. I liked his songs such as "Wasted Time" and "Soon". On this CD you get the same kind of vibe. However, with mixed results in my opinion. Track #5, "Looking for Love", the Critical point mix. Is the best song on the CD. It's a funky kind of R&B song with his trademark influences. Another song worth noting is "Come see me". Where he once again comes through with some catchy hooks. Other than that, I found myself skipping the songs. They weren't bad, but they also weren't what I was accustomed to hearing from him. All in all, it's a decent CD, but for the $20 they want for it, I would definitely think twice.