MUSIC REVIEWS
Contact Francis Tanneur at:
francistanneur@hotmail.comBAD BOY JOE PRESENTS THE BEST OF FREESTYLE MEGAMIX:
“The Most Incredible Freestyle Mix Ever” (CD medley) WHAT IF PRODUCTIONS, LLC /
E-LASTIK RECORDINGS INC.
Score:
4 stars
Here
is a newcomer in the (Freestyle) music business if I can allow myself this little pun!
Joe
“Bad Boy” Marcano gained a certain reputation thanks to his numerous medleys
proposed in the course of his own career on the famous WKTU radio (in New York), but also
as a DJ. This medley gives you the opportunity to appreciate the rigorousness, the
fecundity, and the worth of his work.
During
1H13, he offers you a terrific panel of the best classics related to the Latin Hip-Hop
movement with the presence of artists who made the glory days of this music as Judy
Torres, Sa-Fire, Nayobe, Corina, Lisette Melendez, Johnny O, & More, Soavé, Lydia Lee
Love, Information Society, Shannon, Cynthia, Fascination, Noel, Coro, TKA, The Cover
Girls, Jellybean and Trilogy… to mention all of them! The main asset of this medley
is the mix between the tracks that contains some beautiful edits and emulators sessions.
The work is impeccable! So, you could admire his perfect control of the computer tool (he
seems to be very familiar with the Cubase and Sound Forge software?).
The
only criticism one can make on this medley is that Joe Marcano has preferred to turn all
his attention to the mix and not to have remixed and edited completely each track.
Although
the medley is far from being “The Most Incredible Freestyle Mix Ever” (as
indicated on the CD cover), “Bad Boy Joe” did an excellent job. This CD should
become without any difficulty a reference, and please heaps of Latin Hip-Hoppers.
BOBBY LEAL FEATURING SOLEIL: “For you” /
DANIELLE MARTINEZ: “All night long” / SOLEIL: “Pleasure and pain”
(Promo CD single) BLFY 2001
Score:
3 stars
Contrarily
to “This love” (produced by Slammin’ Sam Maxion) and “Misdirected
love” (produced by Jay Steel & Jeff Hernandez), both titles that were available
last year, only on a same promotional CD, under the Club Red Entertainment label (the
original label of “One more chance”’s gem released in 1990), this new EP on
BLFY (Bobby Leal For You) should be out pretty soon.
Bobby
Leal proposes us the single “For you” which is a beautiful duet with Soleil (his
real name is Rosalinda Sanchez) that is in the same line than his old tunes: a hoarse and
grave voice, nevertheless smooth and steady at the same time, accompanied with a slow Old
School rhythm beat. The style is really quiet and restful. We can even talk of a Freestyle
ballad. Very convincing!
The
long friendship between Bobby Leal and Soleil permits us to discover an unreleased track
recorded in 1992 by this young artist (she sang this song when she has 16 years old).
“Pleasure and pain” is a superb Latin Hip-Hop tune with a Miami Sound
orientation. Too bad that the recording of this song is so bad and confined because this
gem is off da hook!
Both
these tracks have been well produced by Fredwreck Nassar. He has notably produced and
contributed to the work of some artists such as Spanish Fly, Alexander, Daize, Debbie
Deb… Now, he is more involved in the Hip-Hop music and he is working with some
rappers as DR. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dog and Frost.
Concerning
Danielle Martinez’s title (produced by Ernie Medina, one of the original founder
member of Daize) the style is Progressive Freestyle but also oriented towards a Dance and
Groovy flavor. It is a weird mixing which remains very fair. Danielle Martinez’s
voice is magnificent but this production still is a disappointment.
This
new EP is an excellent way to see what you can best expect from Bobby Leal for his first
full-length album “Journey from the planet Freestyle” that should be available
for next summer.
CHICCO: “Freestyle hitmix” / “Why you
crying” (CD single) MIAMI BASS RECORDS / DMG (Germany)
Score:
3 stars
Since
his beginnings (in 1996) under the name of Chicco, nobody has been thinking yet about
doing a medley of this popular Freestyle German singer. Now this is done, since the Miami
Bass Records label concocted us an awesome megamix “Freestylehitmix” that is
entirely dedicated to Chicco.
You
will be able to appreciate his talent through eight songs that built his career. All his
songs are available on the medley, excepted for his best track “The great
commandment” (out on ZYX Music record company in 1998) which doesn’t appear on
this megamix for some questions of copyrights! In approximately 11 minutes, you can listen
frenetically to “Oh girl”, “Why you crying”, “Rendez-vous”
(a duet with Gina Dee), “Up & down”, “Freestyle step”,
“Strange love”, “My love” and “Love is not enough”.
If you are not yet very familiar with his raucous voice which sounds like a vocal mixing between Kenny Moulton and Bobby Leal, I advise you to ardently get this medley quickly. As a bonus, you’ll find a wonderful single “Why you crying” produced in 1999.
You
are really spoiled!
ELISSA: “I can’t stop – Freestyle
hits” (CD album) TI AMO RECORDS (Canada)
Score:
4 stars
It
is true that I can’t stop listening to this CD! Why? Because I simply adore the style
and the voice of Elissa (with a few exceptions), and this album is a smart opportunity to
corner her hits.
This is a remarkable singer who didn’t encounter any difficulties to make a name! Even if she is better known in Canada, Elissa is also much liked by the American fans who otherwise don’t have the possibility to hear and to discover all her tracks (out mainly on the Canadian market) since the start of her career. This album (even if I prefer saying that this is a compilation more than an album!) gathers 12 songs among which two different versions for “Bailando”, “When I’m gone” and “I can’t stop”. You can find most of her tracks with the great Old School Freestyle tunes as “Don’t say”, “Forbidden lies”, and “Show me how you love me”, the Freestyle genre in which Elissa excels the best (just my opinion). You will also listen to “Back to me”, “Mamboleo”, “Forever love”, “Without you”, “Something in my heart”, and “I’ll keep searching”.
Elissa
definitely deserves more attention and recognition from the Freestylers, hope this album
will help her obtain a bigger notoriety!
FREESTYLE
HEAVEN VOL.2 (CD medley) SPG MUSIC PRODUCTIONS LTD (Canada)
Score : 3 stars
Honestly,
this second medley compiled par Tony Monaco, and remixed this time by Danny D. Raponi, is
more exciting than the one released in 1999.
The reason is really simple: the selection is better and more eclectic musically talking. The local production is of course well represented (Elissa, Elucid, One Voice, Allison, Joelle, Sarina Paris, 2 AM…). But the megamix also brings us a torrent of American artists as Stevie B, Robin Fox, Eva, Lil Suzy, Paradigm/Stephanie Bennett, Synthia Figueroa, Leila Seimone and the group Freestyle and his not be missed “Don’t stop the rock”!
Danny
D. remixes the megamix with energy, the mixes are particularly efficacious thanks to some
special effects and edits well brought up. It’s too bad that Tony Monaco felt the
need to put three Euro Dance productions that have nothing to do here! This is the only
small town down to this nice megamix, once again very well composed and mixed. Check it
out…
FREESTYLE PROJECT: “From old 2 new school” (CD
album) MNF RECORDS / ZYX MUSIC (Germany)
Score:
2 stars
In
comparison to their first album released in 1998, Freestyle Project put to the front their
titles as artists and not as remixer as was the case for the “Free Styling”
album.
With
the exception of the titles “Cecilia” by Pandera and “Pump da beat” by
The Freestyle Crew, this CD gives you the possibility to discover, and especially to
possess, a maximum of their productions and remixes that they realized these past two
years. Freestyle Project is a very active and extremely well known Freestyle band in
Germany that releases a new single every three months, not to mention the several groups
that took advantage of their services. In spite of a big amount of new titles, the singles
contained on this CD are far to be accepted unanimously and the quality of Freestyle
Project’s latest tracks leaves a lot to be desired!
However, there are some excellent tunes as “Freak tonight”, “Electric reality”, “Cecilia” and also some old songs (already available in the first album but proposed in different versions) as “Rock your body” or “Get on da floor”. Of course, all the titles and versions are available on the CD singles.
They
have entered in a musical routine (they are always doing the same thing), which
doesn’t sound promising for the future. I just hope this band raises its head, and
the inspiration of yesteryear that made their quality and notoriety come back as fast as
possible!
FREESTYLE VOL.13 (CD compilation) ZYX MUSIC (Germany)
Score:
1 star
Unfortunately,
there is nothing more to say about this series of CD’s that made (a while ago!) the
pride of ZYX Music in Germany, and of which this thirteenth compilation is just a pathetic
and deplorable representation.
This
label just compiles to fill their CD’s with old titles or with some tracks already
available on CD singles most of them being mediocre. And the most important thing, the ZYX
compilations don’t have the same goal than in the past: doing the promotion of the
new singles to release them after on single format according to the demand.
Yes
indeed! You will find a few quite interesting products, but it’s nothing compared to
the bunch of insignificant and unbearable titles featured on this comp.
Forget
about it…
JULIA-EVITA HERNANDEZ: “Don’t walk away”
(CD single) ZYX MUSIC (Germany)
This
single sounds like two peas in a pod to her previous and first tune “Come back”
released last year at almost the same period. We can already talk of a Julia-Evita
Hernandez’s style!
It’s
the same crew (Carlos Antonio Gomez & Big Knows Al, living in Florida) who has
produced this track, and apparently, who decided to distribute this singer only in
Germany. It’s an intriguing but also clever choice that goes against the musical
stream of the current Electro German productions that only proposes (for most of them) a
Planet Rock beat.
Unfortunately,
it would also be preferable to renew her own repertoire instead of staying in the same
genre of Freestyle. The way she sings is practically identical to the tone of voice that
she used in the “Come back” song. The keys and the melody are less convincing
and original.
For
the 2-Step’s fans, two mixes are proposed, one of them (the “two x-tended
mix”) mixing some Freestyle tones to a 2-step beat and style. These are quite good!
A
little disappointment though!
LISA W: “Together forever” (CD single) ZYX
MUSIC (Germany)
Score: 1
star
Yep,
it’s the reprise of the superb New School hit, which has revealed Lisette Melendez in
1991 and pulled up to the tops of popularity. Originally produced by Carlos Berrios on the
Fever Records’ label, Adam Marano has decided to re-release this jewel of Freestyle
with a different artist.
The
final result is plain and simple a pale copycat of the original. He used practically the
same beat, the same melody and the same voice but Lisa W. doesn’t possess the same
vocal quality than Lisette Melendez, and Adam Marano the unique talent of producer Carlos
Berrios.
In
short, this is a remake that every Freestyler should avoid. I suggest you to buy or listen
again to the original song by Lisette Melendez; it is definitely more thrilling!
MAKE BELIEVE: “For the last time” (Promo CD
single) VAZRAM RECORDS
Score:
4 stars
It is very encouraging to note that Make Believe stayed so faithful during all those years to their musical approach.
With
this third single “For the last time”, we assist once again to a very nice job
by Damon Cain and Danny Sarinana (with the complicity of Mario Vasquez from Vazram
Records). We find again this seducing “Latin” touch and attitude that
characterizes their music and also this way of singing always imbued of sensuality and
human warmth oriented towards the Old School Freestyle genre. The version concocted by
Willie Valentin is particularly successful, even if my favorite one is the “Original
mix” the intelligence of which is to have mixed a Freestyle style to some tribal
percussion magnificently composed by Ernie Mendoza Herrera. It’s very innovative, and
a good brainwave!
For
the last time… buy this track. Pleaaaaaaaase! Or make acquaintance with Make Believe
if it’s not already done! This group from California deserves all your attention.
Reaaaaaaaally!
Thumbs
up!
STEVIE B: “Megafreestylemix” / “Young
girl” (CD single) A45 MUSIC / EDEL MUSIC (Germany)
Score:
2 stars
In
Germany, Stevie B is undeniably the Freestyle singer who got the most numerous medleys.
His huge popularity brings us irremediably for the umpteenth time to a megamix no more
exciting than the others that already exist.
Of an 8’43 length for the extended version (pretty short isn’t it?), the medley starts by the Spanish intro of “Baila (dance with me)”. After that, you will listen one after the other to the following singles “It’s so good”, If you leave me now” (a duet with Alexia Phillips), “You are the one”, (the awesome reprise of the Count To Twenty’s classic), “Young girl” and once again “Baila (dance with me)” to end with a flourish!
Remixed
by computer, this “megafreestylemix” appears naturally uninteresting as far as
the mix is concerned insofar as it doesn’t allow (as usual I should say!) any
supplementary edits or special effects, which will be very welcomed in this kind of
enterprise. Too bad!
In
this CD, you will also find the track “Young girl” available in two versions:
one mix using a typical Freestyle Planet Rock beat (it ‘s in fact the album version),
and the other mix is a ballad in which some vocoders a la Zapp are featured and is quite
different and not as groovy as the “Urban mix” of the LP.
It’s
really dull and insipid, even if the tunes proposed on this megamix still stay appealing!
SWEET TB: “Let me fly” (CD single) MNF RECORDS
/ ZYX MUSIC (Germany)
Score:
3 stars
It’s
assuredly the first interesting single from the German producer’s duo MC G. Gabriel
and DJ Pasi. They have kept multiplying their productions (often mediocre) for more than a
year and their style is close to Adam Marano’s work (the Viper sound notably!),
without forgetting to talk about the distressing rap available in most of their products!
This
second single unfortunately doesn’t escape the eternal use of the Planet Rock beat,
but otherwise is yet distinguishable from their previous song “Groove me” (out
last year) thanks to the grace and the vocal performance of this young female singer Sweet
TB. The chorus is particularly successful. We also denote in the musical background a
splendid melody, which is usually the hallmark of this tandem. What a perpetual
disappointment that they used the Funky Melody rhythm beat all the time. Hey guys, change
a little bit!
It
would be quite interesting to see them move in the New School or Old School Freestyle
genres, two musical domains in which they could maybe excels. Wait and see….
THE KROMOZONE PROJECT FEATURING RANDY LANCE: “Luv
with u” / “Want u near me” (CD single) TBC PRODUCTIONS
Score:
4 stars
In
the little world of music, Randy Lance is a character who really fascinates for several
reasons! He is incontestably one of the rare artists to have the faculty to take all the
possible functions (producer, remixer, singer, musician, and so on), and this new single
“Luv with U” is the living proof of my words ‘cause he did everything from
A to Z!
He
also possesses the good habit to offer us tons of remixes in every kind of genres where he
is always brimful of imagination and inspiration. All the musical trends (or almost) are
represented here through 11 versions for the “Luv with U” tune. Only the two
mixes for the bonus track “Want U near me” (one song that I really don’t
like on the LP) are without any interest.
But to get back to “Luv with U”, it is a track that mainly draws its source of inspiration and interest in the music, and not in the vocal performance. The artistic choice of Randy Lance is to have only sampled some “words” or to repeat the same chorus again and again as for instance “I think I’m in love…Luv with U”. The remarkable work done on every version is stupefying of creativity and you can find your favorite genre (Breakbeat, Euro, Trance, and Freestyle music).
My
preference goes to the Electro Freestyle sound (there’s no Planet Rock beat). The
“Good vibe mixshow” offers an Electro beat very often listened to in the
Progressive Freestyle productions mixed to some Euro Dance keys, and melodies in the same
style as “More & more” by Captain Hollywood, whereas the “Freestyle
fever club mix” presents an Electro beat with some melodies which sound more
Germanic. The Trance versions are also excellent and really exiting for all of you who
appreciate (as myself) this kind of music.
One
more success for KromOzone Projet! It’s as simple as that…
1]
Myrna Li: “Still I cry” Santana Music
2]
Sammy C: “My mother warned me” Roman Empire Productions
3]
Flying Steps: “We are electric” JetSet / Dance Street / ZYX Music (Germany)
4] Free System: “This love is not right 4 you” (psycho remix) Freefiles Records
/ SPV (Germany)
5] Sharyn Maceren: “One and one” Captaur Records
6] The KromOzone Project Featuring Randy Lance: “Luv with U” TBC Productions
7] Make Believe: “For the last time” Vazram Records
8] Anthony Norris: “Just 4 you” MNF Records / ZYX Music (Germany)
9] Sweet TB: “Let me fly” MNF Records / ZYX Music (Germany)
10] Elissa: “Back to me” Ti Amo Records (Canada)
1]
D.J. Damon Cain A.K.A. Devious D. Presents Vintage Freestyle Grooves:
“Collector’s Edition vol.1” (medley) MainSource Distribution
2] The World Of Electro (compilation) ZYX Music (Germany)
3] Silverback Records Presents The SBP Product (compilation) Silverback Records
4] Bad Boy Joe Presents The Best Of Freestyle Megamix (medley) What If Productions /
E-Lastik Recordings, Inc.
5] Freestyle Heaven vol.2 (medley) SPG Music Productions LTD (Canada)
1]
Sammy C: “Taking it through the millenium and beyond” Roman Empire Productions
2] Rockell: “Instant pleasure” Robbins Entertainment LLC
3] The KromOzone Project: “Love & energy” TBC Productions
4] The Underdog Project: “It doesn’t matter” Loops Dance Construction
(Germany)
5] Elissa: “I can’t stop - Freestyle hits” Ti Amo Records (Germany)