At first glance one would associate remix and Shirley Bassey with the hypertension of the clubfloor. Both lend a certain drama to one another and therefore seem fitting. With the exception of the last track ("If You Go Away") nothing here gets the club diva treatment. Thank You to the remixers, since that would have been a waste of the warmth and depth of Shirley Bassey's emotive voice.
If you're familiar with the music of Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers you'll feel right at home here, exactly as these songs do in their very respectful Big Beat reinterpretations (all the best and most important elements of each song are retained and enhanced). This remix album is an example of how a reconstruction of a song can add lustre to an original track rather than technological tarnish. All ten tracks included here sound as if the song had hand-picked its remix as nothing here sounds garish or out of context.
The effects used in "Never Never Never" and "Big Spender", for example, enhance the former's atmosphere and the ladder's plucky attitude. The same is true for every track here, including the lone club mix, which adds an icy quality to the sadness of the lyric. Another issue that is addressed with great satisfaction on this release is the timing of each track. Nothing here is an awkwardly truncated version that would have been better represented in a complete form, nor is anything too lengthy while a remixer admires his own ability to manoeuvre studio gimmickry. So yes, I do recommend this album.
New fans will be refreshed with quality work informing quality original material, while faithfuls will be delighted by the new moods and playfulness of classic Shirley Bassey. Or vice versa.
Track Listing:
1. (Where Do I Begin) Love Story - Shirley Bassey, Lai, Francis
2. Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey, Barry, John
3. Light My Fire - Shirley Bassey, Densmore, John
4. Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey, Barry, John [1]
5. Easy Thing to Do - Shirley Bassey, Harris
6. Never, Never, Never - Shirley Bassey, Newell, Norman
7. Big Spender - Shirley Bassey, Fields, Dorothy
8. Spinning Wheel - Shirley Bassey, Thomas, Mansel
9. Light My Fire - Shirley Bassey, Densmore, John
10. If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) - Shirley Bassey, McKuen, Rod
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