Customer Reviews

Remix Album

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I was first introduced to Shirley Bassey courtesy of the Propellerheads with "History Repeating" a few years ago but it wasn't until of recently when I caught a glimpse of the video "Where Do I Begin" (awayTEAM Mix) from the "Diamonds Are Forever: The Remix Album" that got my full attention. I can say that I am impressed with what I heard. Shirley Bassey can be truly called a "diva" since that word is being thrown around recklessly with more well known but overrated singers nowadays. When I listen to Shirley singing I hear attitude and spunk in her voice which I don't really hear with a lot of female vocalists today.

"Where Do I Begin" is my very favorite track off the remix cd, next to the DJ Skymoo Mix of "If You Go Away". I found it unusual yet compelling to hear Shirley Bassey's vocals be put to a trance beat in "If You Go Away". Her rendition of The Doors' "Light My Fire" is excellent, particularly the Kenny Dope mix. The Propellerheads' mix of "Goldraker" and Mantronik's Diamond Cut Club Mix of "Diamonds are Forever" are also good. A terrific remix album overall as is Shirley Bassey as a singer. She is truly a first class diva.

Before this album, I was only familiar with Shirley Bassey from the Bond themes she sang (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker). I was in a store not long ago and saw the import box set from France, the 10 track CD with a bonus three song CD. I loved it.

Naturally, I was VERY happy to see that all 13 tracks made in on to an American CD. There are certainly no misses on this album. One of my favorite mixes is Propellerhead's funk soundng mix of Goldfinger. Moloko (DJ Skymoo) does an intense, fast-paced mix of "If You Go Away." awayTeam adds a sort of hip-hop sound to "Where Do I Begin" with much success. Superfunk does a twangy mix of "Moonraker" with dialogue throw in at parts. Mantronik contributes two mixes of "Diamonds Are Forever" which seem to both preserve the original song and add a good deal of substance to it by making it sound more modern.

The new mixes seem to make Shirley Bassey's powerful voice stand out even more and give a new electronica spin to some old classics. It's definitely worth checking out and this particular CD is the best value for the money.

when i first spotted this cd at other music in nyc, it was as if the rest of the store's contents melted away in a shimmy and the only item to focus on was this magnificent cd. it will have its detractors; killjoys who decrie re-interpretation of classics that, of course, can never stand up against the originals based solely on their composition. however, this album is as much a tribute album as it is a re-interpretation. i don't think any of the artists harbor grand illusions that their remixes surpass the original songs. i strongly advise against buying this album without first familiarizing yourself with ms. bassey's original recordings (and i'm not talking propellerheads here folks). it's hard to appreciate these remixes without first recognizing the starting point of each artist. listening to each remix, the admiration and respect that each artist has for the incomparable vocals of shirley bassey and the horns and orchestration of john barry, is obvious. the most loving touches are provided by groove armada, awayTEAM, nightmares on wax, kenny dope, wild oscar and dj skymoo. these are the highlights of the album. where do i begin has been sampled before, most notably on the classic jungle album "jungle warfare" but awayTEAM are way beyond sampling. they pull away each all orchestration then slam it back in with shirley's powerful voice right as the hardest lyrics hit. wow... the propellerheads, who i neglected to give proper credit to above, stretch out shirley's voice into an arc that would make babs green with envy (i doubt we'll ever see a barbra streisand remix album...shudder...) set against crazy carribbean rhythms, goldfinger feels as if it were feel right at home in live and let die. kenny dope's light my fire is slow and deliberate, very sexy. easy thing to do, remixed by nightmares on wax is simple, almost matter of fact but with a great underlying hip hop vibe. groove armada's never, never, never is lush and achingly gorgeous...a voyage of emotional highs and lows within a space of only 7 or so minutes. if you go away uses elements of trance to accomplish these high and lows...another beautiful interpretation...long live the art of the remix! (the uk import has much cooler cover art..featuring a black and white picture of ms. bassey rising up from the earth, eclipsing an exploding star...)

I was so wary of this release. In fact, I was HORRIFIED to hear that Shirley Bassey - correction, Legend Shirley Bassey - was going to have her extensive back catalogue slaughtered by current DJ's. Who could bring Goldfinger into the 2000?! It simply cannot be done! You cannot reinterpret what is an iconic symbol of the seventies into the current music world!

Well, I was wrong.

Instead of simply taking Bassey's tracks and replacing the backing with thumping Eurobeats (which actually I wouldn't have minded on anyone BUT Bassey ... you do not mess with Bassey), the songs here have been lovingly reworked. awayTEAM make "Where Do I Begin" the perfect opening track - intense, loving, and that wonderful breakaway part ("I don't need loooove...") is as fulfilling as its ever been. "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Goldfinger" (mixed by Mantronik and the Propellerheads, respectively) are wonderfully true to the originals, yet more Bond than ever, whilst Groove Armada take "Never Never Never" into a midnight lounge deep in the Amazon jungle. "Big Spender" is one of the more eccentric mixes from Wild Oscar, slowly down certain parts and pumping others up, generally giving it a boost and some delicious disco-come-porn licks here and there whilst Shirley teasingly purrs "wouldn't you like to have ... how's about a few?"

Award for strangest mix goes to Moloko's meddling with "If You Go Away". What starts off as an orchestral mix, soon transforms into a mind-boggling techno mix so extremely fervent I thought that if it didn't stop my heart was going to explode. For fans of "Light My Fire", you'll find two mixes here by Twelftree and Kenny Dope, my vote going to the Kenny Dope mix which slightly funkifies the original track but keeps the vibe of the record the same.

In fact, that's what the majority of remixers do on this sparkling collection. And it's in Bassey's favour ... she has never sounded better.

"Diamonds Are Forever" is an album full of 60's-70's originals remixed with the beautiful voice of Miss Shirley Bassey. Shirley's voice just has that sound of mystery and intrigue. "Where Do I Begin (Away Team Mix)" is a pure classic remixed for the millenium. Another favorite is The Doors classic "Light My Fire (Kenny Dope Remix)" where Kenny Dope adds a tightly knit acid jazz feel to the original song. The Propellerheads and Mantronix also contribute keeping the John Barry sound alive in "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds are Forever".

I was ridiculed by my friends for buying this CD, until I made them listen to it. I have always loved Shirley Bassey, along with many other rock/soul/blues and jazz singers. This album takes the great works of Shirleys and brings them into a format for a newer generation to love and still wonderful for the people who loved the original works. As always Shirleys vocals are beautiful and the music it has been put to makes it a whole new experience. I reccomend this album to ANYONE who likes music.

I'm 35 and I remember when was a kid and my mother would play Shirley Bassey records and other 60's singers! I remember the power and the majesty that is her voice and this woman can belt it out. She is probably one of the most forgotten or should I say most over looked Singers of the 60's and 70's!

So I was looking through my Mothers old LP's that my father had kept after her death and I saw the Moonraker soundtrack and I was compelled to pick it up on CD so I made a trip to my local record store but no luck! So I put a search of the music on I-tunes and I found this compilation so I down loaded it!

This music makes me feel like a kid again when my mom played her records. This compilation does not get old and it has re-sparked my interest in Shirley Bassey. I must agree with most if not all the posts here this compilation is worth getting.

I did not realize that the Propeller heads made a re mix of one of her songs on there first CD. I am now a fan of remixed music. I was for the logiest time a purest on not remixing music but this CD has made me change my mind. The remixes on this CD have given this music and Artist new life: it's like opening an attic and airing it out and rearranging the boxes. I am utterly impressed with this CD.

By far "Spinning Wheel" is my favorite song but "If you go away" is assume! I am now on the hunt for remixed CD's of this caliber. If you are a fan on funk, soul, electronica and women who can belt it out this is the CD for you. If you are a purist don't bother but then again it could change the way you see the remix art form!

I accidently found this album two summers ago in New York at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square and after just listening to the first track I was amazed. My favorite has to be "If You Go Away" the way it builds will send chills down your spine. You start to imagine how you would feel if someone sang this to you like she does. After I had shown it to my friend he took it to one of his friends who doesn't even like techno and she was even amazed. I can't say enough good things about this album. It's just magical.

I had no clue who Shirley Bassey was until "History Repeating" by the Propellarheads. After I heard that I found out who she was and I am glad I did (for all you 007 fans she did several of the theme songs!!). This album is a must have. The remixes are not all "cluby" but they are all good. #10 (if you go away) has become my new favorite song. It is a beautiful song and in my opinion it is the best song on the whole album.

These are great remixes, plain and simple, but it didn't hirt that they were great songs from a wonderful singer. "Where Do I Begin" and the other tracks here had been sneaking into DJ sets for a long time, so it's nice to get them all packaged for the US market. The less the remix tries to speed things up, the better the results usually are (the Skymoo/Moloko remix of "If you go away" tries to take things too far into trance territory, like some Oakenfold project gone wild.) The slower burn approach of "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Goldfinger" benefit the most, as they had a pretty strong feel to them already as cinematically themed music. The most surprising track may be the Groove Armada remix of "Never Never Never" which stretches out a slow beat and adds a touch of manipulation to the vocal which works better than I would have imagined. Yello proved that Bassey's voice went well with modern sounds (I guess they couldn't get the rights to "The Rhythm Divine" here) and most of these tracks go one better.