With the title “Fresh Cold Cuts: The Delicatessen Remixes,” one does not really know what to expect.
Wiremnky has produced a good album to chill out to, with a blend of different genres of electronica that creates a pleasurable journey through techno.
Various other elements come in, such as an evident jazz influence, which unfortunately detracts from the album as a whole.
Wiremnky has tried to be different, but honestly, where this DJ really should concentrate is trance styling.
The album suffers from a sense of being-different-just-to-try-to-be-popular, and it shows ? ignore the attitude, however, and a good album is found in the end.
What really makes this album worth a listen is its interesting mix of beats and melodies.
The beats are reminiscent of trip-hop, with a good feel and somewhat consistent pace.
The melodies and instrumentals are fairly well intertwined with this bass line, with a few instances in which the melody just seems off a beat or two.
The album seems to really shine, however, in the songs that have a straightforward and consistent background bass.
Where Wiremnky isn’t trying to be unique, in all actuality, he makes excellent music ? everything really seems to flow well.
Wiremnky should do less improvisation and concentrate more on the vocal trance sounds he has created.
The major flaw of this album, unfortunately, lies in the vocals. At first listen, the deeper, raspier female vocals are a refreshing change from the high-pitched voices from typical vocal trance.
However, the vocals deteriorate as the album goes on, with little or no variation from one track to the next in the vocals.
Each track seems very much like the last, which creates a very repetitive feeling to the album.
Perhaps if the volume was turned down a bit, the vocals would be much more pleasing and bearable.
The fifth track, “Airport,” is probably the best. This catchy song has a great trip-hop feel with a melody that seems to fit in perfectly.
The vocals seem to flow intertwined within, creating an overall sensation that is just right.
“Strong Winds” has a pleasing trance feel to it and is followed by another catchy song, “Unrequited.” With the best vocal track, the mixture of instrumentals and bass seems to be a seamless transition.
Unfortunately, things fall apart with track 13, a song that fails to continue on with the trance atmosphere and ruins the fine transitions.
This album is an interesting mix, with a unique spin on electronica, but suffers from trying to be unique in a way that is a genre in itself.
Credit should be given to Wiremnky, but I believe he falls into the category of an artist trying to be different, in a way that many others have been different before. Had this attitude been lacking, I believe that the album would really be quality trip-hop and breakbeat style music.
Re can be reached at sre@campustimes.org.
