Customer Reviews

Luaka Bop Remix

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I come to this album via two channels. I am a big fan of techno music and am entranced by DJs talented enough (and connected enough) to remix well known songs. I am familiar with the Luaka Bop label through Jim White's stellar album "How I Shouted Out Wrong-Eyed Jesus." So I stumbled across this and couldn't resist.

A big fan of mix albums, especially when it comes to an assortment of unknown artists (to me) on an obscure label such as Luaka Bop it's a great chance to tune into artists you'd most likely never otherwise hear. This album is a great way to tap into that.

Keep in mind that I come to this from a techno/DJ angle and not from the angle of knowing the songs on the CD. With the exception of a few artists (Shuggie Otis and Zap Mama, for example) they are all unknown to me, as are most of those doing the remixes. That being said it's a really enjoyable compilation covering a host of songs and styles and a host of interpretations in the remixes. Overall it's got a really cool groove to it.

The two stand-out tracks are Carl Craig's remix of "Bandy Bandy" by Zap Mama (featuring Erykah Badu) and Scratch Perverts' remix of Clinton's "Button Down Disco" (also remixed in another version on this CD). Several of the tracks stand out as well although there are a few that are basically disposable. But it has intrigued me enough to dig deeper and actually seek out some of this music from other parts of the world.

Remix albums always are like tossing a coin, you never know what will be the result, sometimes it is good, some other times it stinks. This album is in the middle low part. I purchased this CD because it was a reduced CD ($4.99), and on top of that, because of the LUAKA BOP name on it: David Byrne is a genius and i know most of his label groups such as "Los Amigos Invisibles", "Si-sé", "Los de Abajo" and many more, furthermore, I recognize that David Bimself (thru Luaka Bop) got a talent that lead him to discover and sign emerging bands, unfortunately, not all things that come from Luaka Bop are that good.
Half of the tracks on this CD doesn't worth the pay, but I can rescue a couple, the chillin "Bruja" from los Amigos invisbles, folky bossa sound of "afro blue" (susana baca) and the upbeat "The Rain" (from the Latin band Si-sé).
A CD for Collectors only, despite that, I will keep it just becuase of the tunes I mentioned above.

A label by Mr David Byrne that keeps exploring world music. Now making it accesible to a broader audience through these impecable remixes from great producers.

Great quality, great experience. Keep the series coming!!!!