Groove Armada: From The Vaults 1997 - 2007
Saturday, 10 Nov 2007 12:14
Upbeat and chilled remixes from dance pioneers Groove Armada.
Columbia, out now.
In a nutshell...
Solid. Decent. Good variety. Chilled.
What's it all about?
To celebrate a decade in the music business, Groove Armada have released two separate retrospective albums. While the Greatest Hits album is a straightforward collection of singles, Groove Armada have taken a selection of their best known songs and remixed them for From The Vaults.
The result is an album of two halves. The first CD is an uptempo mix chosen by Tom Findlay – one half of Groove Armada – while the second disc is designated as a downtempo affair, chosen and mixed by the other party in Groove Armada, Andy Cato.
The pair throw in a few mixes of other tracks over the years to create a unique look back over the last ten years.
Who's it by
Tom Findlay and Andy Cato formed Groove Armada in late 1996 in Cambridge and have had a number of chart successes ever since. Regulars on the DJ circuit individually and as a pair, the two have collaborated with a number of guests over the years, including Neneh Cherry and Fatboy Slim.
As an example...
"If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air/ Quaint little villages here and there" – At The River
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
It would be very unlikely. Mix albums very rarely cross into the mainstream so such success would be unheard of.
What the others say
"The great thing about the collection is that it will appeal to both the new fans and the old faithful. Especially, having the songs arranged in this way gives them a whole new life and you look at them completely differently." – Comfort Comes
So is it any good?
Greatest hits albums are usually either for the hardcore fan or for those that are simply intrigued by the band but don't want to buy the full album. In releasing two albums, Groove Armada can be accused of either selling out or offering an alternative to the tried and tested option.
Throughout From The Vaults, Groove Armada try to provide an alternative. They take a selection of their best songs – not always the most popular – and present them in a different and interesting manner. While most of the mixes have been done by themselves, they offer a new take on the song which, in the case of I See You Baby, is needed.
Designing the album into two distinct entities gives a fresh feeling to the collection. Disc one contains uptempo versions of recent hit Song 4 Mutya, Get Down, Superstylin' and Lightsonic. Disc two is a downtempo affair, a more relaxed collection very well suited to a chill out session. It includes mixes of the excellent Little By Little, At The River and the soothing What's Your Version.
As a concept, From The Vaults is daring but it succeeds. Cato and Findlay are good DJs and remixers and they pull this collection off perfectly. This mix will not sell bucketloads of copies but that's not the point. A thoroughly enjoyable retrospective album.
7/10
Richard Fox
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