Elly Roberts reviews
Freemasons: Shakedown
Distributed by
Loaded Records
- January 2007
- Rating: 8/10
Sweaty non-stop dance re-mixes from Brighton studio wizards/dance DJs James Wiltshire and Russell Small, aka Freemasons.
A whopping 28-track double CD is bound to thrill clubbers across the nation:
it proves the duo have been extremely busy over the past 18 months.
This clubbers delight hit the stores on Monday 29th January and will no doubt
make it big pretty quickly on the compilation charts. Not being exactly a
dance aficionado by any means, it is an excellent collection of work.
Beyonce’s Déjà Vu takes on a whole meaning, as does the sample of
Ride On Time (Black Box) via Loleatta Holloway’s Love Sensation.
One of the major highlights of CD 1 is the Freemasons themselves featuring
sublime vocals by Amanda Wilson with a glorious breezy I Feel Like<. At
a mere 1’44’’ their Pacific (Saxapella) seems almost pointless, though the
Fatboy Slim remix of Right Here Right Now is given a sultry Asian
flavour, at times becoming unrecognisable, but works beautifully.
CD2 continues the frenetic pace, as Amanda Wilson’s soulful and cultured
larynx adds real punch to Love On My Mind, a retro disco classic.
Perculiarly, balladeer Judy Tzuke has been commissioned to do the singing on a
chunky cover of Love Don’t Love Here Anymore - interesting Studio B’s
C’mon Get It On is a brilliant highlight, dripping with stylish funk.
Another odd inclusion is Luther Vandross on Shine, but yet again, it
works. Cooling off, there’s a sexy finish on mid-tempo Rain Down Love
(After Hours Mix) featuring a great vocal by Siedah Garrett.
Totally dancetastic!
Click on the Amazon link above for a full track listing.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
