DC Talk

Item: Free At Last Extended Play Remixes
Author: Roger Appelinski

Free At Last Extended Play Remixes

(1994)

Reviewed by Roger Appelinski

Discogs YouTube

Label ForeFront RecordsThe LighthouseOctober 1994

dance pop electronic hip hop

Scott Blackwell is a busy man these days, yet he managed to contribute most of the creativity behind these new offerings-remixes of some of the industry's upbeat songs. He pulls off some excellent work, up there with his best.

The DC Talk project includes two remixes of "Jesus is Just Alright"-an energetic 'Techno Mix' and a funky, R&Bish version in the 'Retro Mix.' A stripped-down, but almost downbeat mix of "Luv is a Verb" and the video remix version of "The Hardway" round out the 22+ minutes on the album.

Two mixes of "Can't Take God Away" start the Audio Adrenaline project. The first, the 'Eternal Life Mix,' is an extended version of the original with long digital-effects based interludes in spots. The 'House Mix' relies more on some funky organ sounds with the synthesizers enhance the original. The 'Hardcore Mix' of "We're a Band" is a rather stark contrast to the original. Practically the vocals are the only thing left with a few drum and synth loops, leaving a slow grooving remake. Ian Eskelin adds an 'Aquatic Dub Mix' of "Big House." It also offers a fairly slow groove in contrast to the original, with much of the track being a slow loop with quick electronic effects, bringing this album close to 23 minutes.

The most artistic license is taken on The Code of Ethics mixes. Vocal effects are a force behind the 'House Mix' of "Without Reason," mixing heavy delay of the sped-up vocal with a sparse drum and synthesizer loop resulting in a light, intriguing mix. The eight-minute 'Trance Dub' of "Without Reason" is a bit more full and slow than the first. The 'Tribal Groove Mix' of "Follow On" is also on the slower side, with a slightly organic layer under the samples and effects. Barry Blaze and Ian Eskelin round out the almost 26-minute project with the 'Salsa Tribal Mix' of "Satellite Babies." It is a radically different sound than the original. Featuring a quick R&B background with plenty of samples and quick guitar riffs, most of the lead vocals are a sped up, and altered to sound like something across a bad telephone connection. The choruses feature a blend of the altered vocal with the more natural one, creating a very impressive sound.

While there are only four songs on each album, I thoroughly enjoyed the mixes and like most of them more than the originals. If you liked them once, you'll probably like them again in their new form.