Music : Verve Remixed, Vol. 4

Rating: - Mellow mixes, average album.
First off, I have to disagree with the reviewer who said that Diplo's "California Soul" remix "destroyed" Marlena Shaw's vocals. Yes, the original can't be improved upon, but out of all the remixes on this disc, Diplo's remix is probably the most faithful to the original song. It's almost like he was too timid to really mess with such a classic, so he just locked in the tempo, added some beats, low end, a few filter effects, and that's about it. The track sounds more like something Diplo would have done for his Ninja Tune album. Most of the rest of the remixes on this release range from poor to above-average. Surprisingly, the weakest remix on this album comes from one of the strongest artists: The Cinematic Orchestra. Their beatless remix of Fitzgerald's "Kick" amounts to little more than a solo guitar under Ella's treated vocal (there might be some added vocal contribution; it's difficult to tell), and some scratchy vinyl sound over the entire track. I expected a *lot* more from J. Swinscoe and company. For better or for worse, the entire album is a rather laid-back affair...there's not really a dancefloor-friendly track to be found here. It's an interesting change from the previous Verve Remixed releases, but for the most part it just feels like a missed opportunity. 3 stars, and that's being generous.

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Rating: - LESS IS SOMETIMES BEST.
VERVE PRODUCER DAHLIA AMBACH CAPLIN OFFERS US THE
FOURTH RENDITION OF VERVE/REMIXES WITH LESS TRACKS
AND LESS PLAY TIME THAN HER PREVIOUS RELEASES.

IN SAYING THAT SHE HAS WITH ASSISTANCE FROM HER
CO-PRODUCER TODD ROBERTS SUCCEEDED IN SELECTING
A MORE VARIED STABLE OF MIXERS TO WORK THEIR
MAGIC FROM THE VERVE VAULTS.

TOP TRACKS INCLUDE TRUTH & SOULS - CRY ME A RIVER
MIKE MANGINIS - GIMME SOME, KENNY DOPES - THERE
WAS A TIME. DIPLOS - CALIFORNIA SOUL AND PILOOSKI
EDITS - TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.

BEST TRACKS INCLUDE PSAPPS - BIM BOM , MOCKYS -
TENDERLY AND CHRIS SHAWS - TEA FOR TWO.

WORST TRACK THAT IS MORE THAN SHAMEFULL IS
UNDOUBTEDLY KARRIEM RIGGINS - EVIL WAYS FROM
WILLIE BOBO - POSSIBLY THE MOST RECOG ISED
CUT ON THE CD GUYS - SIGNOR BOBO WOULD NOT
OF BEEN AMUSED.

I LIKE WHATS BEEN ACHIEVED ON THIS 4TH RELEASE
THE REMIXES LEND WELL TO THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL
WITHOUT GOING OVER THE TOP.

DAHLIA LET'S TRY TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE A LITTLE
ON NUMBER FIVE - WITH SOME REMIXES FROM .

DE-PHAZZ - MISTER SCRUFF - WAX TAILOR - 45
DIP - MOCEAN WORKER - GOTAN PROJECT .

VERVE/REMIXES #4 - BUY IT OR FLY IT - IT'S A BUY.

PC - LA.

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Rating: - Too Much DJ Ego
Some things can't be improved on and the original Marlena Shaw version of "California Soul" is one of them. This remix destroys her soaring, lyrical original. Some of the other songs on the CD are OK, but the original versions are better in every way.

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Rating: - Best Verve Remixed to date...hands down
From the first drum crack and guitar lick of Truth & Soul's version of Dinah Washington's "Cry Me A River," I was sold. The folks at Verve have relocated their mojo with this installment in the storied Verve Remixed series. In a nod to current soul faves, Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and all things Mark Ronson, this album slices soulfully through some of Verve's best catalog material. There are some nods to more clubby sounds via Diplo and Mocky, but the mood for volume four is soul and this could be the sleeper lifestyle record of the year. If you dug the first volume in this series, you'll definitely appreciate this as a return to form for the series. Recommended!

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Rating: - Not Feeling it!
I loved the first 2 in this series but not the last 2, including Volume 4.
It sounds too much like the unmixed versions. It lacks the updated remix bass-line.