Search - John Digweed, Nick Muir :: Beautiful Strange

Unmixed is often uninteresting, but a few tracks excite

Christopher Culver | 05/18/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bedrock's BEAUTIFUL STRANGE release may be designed to appeal to DJs with its unmixed 8 tracks, but the disc is worth picking up also if you are a fan of Bedrock's productions."Beautiful Strange (original mix)" is like the complement to Bedrock's hit of two years ago, "Heaven Scent." Whereas "Heaven Scent" is melodic, explosive, and a perfect end to a set, "Beautiful Strange" is deep, subtle, and an energizing intro. It's wondering, and I wish I was hearing it more often at clubs.The Moonface mix of "Beautiful Strange" is a lot less deep and has much the same style as many of the tracks of disc two of Digweed's HONG KONG. Quite a lot of this track, however, is "vinyl stretch" and sounds pretty uninteresting if not mixed with another track.The Rui da Silva mix of "Beautiful Strange" is barely recognizable. It has a more of a nature-sound, but doesn't cross the line into tribal house.Voyager's Platium Remix of "Beautiful Strange" is minimal and whispering. Definitely an track with which to end a set.The last of the remixes of "Beautiful Strange" is Bedrock's Ambient Beats. It's indeed ambient, something like a Seefeel remix without the organic warmth."Forge (original mix)" is something of a B-side, and its trance style is too passe for this track to garner much recognition. It's really low in the BPM's, and it's only questionably a House track. Nonetheless, it's got a pleasing rhythm and after the Original Mix of "Beautiful Strange" the track that sounds best unmixed.Next up is Saeed & Palash's Breathless Remix of Bedrock's "Voices." It works a lot like their remix of Luzon's "The Baguio Track" and is highly unmelodic.Last is POB's Seismix of Bedrock's classic "Heaven Scent." When mixed into a set, this track is breathtaking, updating the original's slightly out-of-date trippiness into a metallic progressive funk."