Merry "Un" Mixmas
It seems every year there' s a whole stack of new Christmas
collections coming out for us the general public to purchase.
Most of them are basically just rehashed and repackaged
collections of the same old songs we've heard on previous years
collections. Within that tall stack of CD's there's always a
couple of fun gems that turn up. Which is the story with Merry
Mixmas from Capitol Records. It's an excellent collection of
Christmas Classics remixed by the hottest remix artists out
there. Of course these tracks are all available on Capitols
Christmas Cocktails CD collections volumes 1 - 3 in their
original forms. This CD basically collects the best tracks from
those CD's and offers them in the hot remixed format.
The CD starts fairly slow with a Bent Remix of Winter Wonderland
by Bing Crosby. This remix sounds so good it doesn't really
sound like a remix as it keeps the elements of the original
track in this version and it feels like nothings really remixed
or done to this track. It's a nice way to start a Christmas CD a
slower paced track and build up to the more upbeat versions
later on in the collection.
Up next is a fun and lively remix of Nat King Cole's All I Want
For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) by MJ Cole. I think MJ
Cole has come up with an excellent remix of this classic track
which utilizes all of the great vocals with an updated sound but
keeping that great retro feel of the original version.
Dean Martin's Baby It's Cold Outside remix by ARP is what
follows next. Again with this remix it feels like the original
version but there's that added extra beat that the original
didn't have. It's quite nicely done by ARP.
The Latin Project have done a wonderful remix of Ella
Fitzgerald's Sleigh Ride by giving it a Latin mid-tempo vibe to
it. Ella Fitzgerald's vocals sound so good within a remix as
we've heard in the Verve Remixed series and this track is
another winner as far as remixes of Ella Fitzgerald tracks go.
Next up should be a whole collection of Ella's classics on one
CD.
What comes next is one of the better remixes on this collection.
Santa Baby remixed by Alexkid & DJ Sleep and sung by the
original Catwoman herself Eartha Kitt. This track actually feels
like a remix which is what this collection is supposed to be a
Christmas CD of remixes. The beatz, clicks and bass just move
along with lovely Eartha's voice. That classic track is sung so
perfectly by Miss Eartha Kitt. The remix still has elements of
the original but it's quite good what Alexkid & DJ Sleep have
done. Perfected it for the Remix Generation.
Up next is a mellow chill remix of Lou Rawl's Have Yourself A
Merry Christmas by awayTeam. It's a lovely track with fun
electronic sounds and cute beats mixed in with his original
vocals.
Lena Horn's Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! remixed by
Suedojazz fades up to full effect with the beats already in
progress. Lena's vocals immediately start up and the jazzy
reworked track takes full effect. This remix clocks in at two
minutes and fifty five seconds and it's a groovy upbeat
reworking of the original. Fun and to the point as it's quite
short.
Malibu have done a hip and quirky update to Billy May's Rudolph,
The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo by adding the cute vocal snippets
to the track. This version pretty much stays true to it's
original form except for the added beats, vocals and record
scratches by Malibu.
Onto the next track we have Kay Starr's (Everybody's Waiting
For) The Man With The Bag remixed by Thunderball. Thunderball
are known for releasing loungy downbeat electronica and this
track was the perfect choice for them to remix. The beats are
loud and Kay's vocals complement them perfectly.
Psapp's Lady Remix of I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Les
Brown & Band is another quick and to the point remix of a
classic Chrstmas tune. This version has the upbeat Big Band
groove with the great female vocals. I like how they have
incorporated the sounds of casino tables into the track. I think
those sound effects work great with this track.
Fatman Is Coming, Fatman Is Coming yell out the backing vocals
in Johnny Mercer's Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town remixed by
Q-Burns Abstract Message. The version has been given a big
bouncy beat feel to the track and feels more like a remix rather
an update to the original track.
Nancy Wilson's upbeat reworking of The Christmas Waltz by
awayTeam is quite different in feel compared to Lou Rawl's more
relaxed and laidback reworking of Have Yourself A Merry
Christmas. This track has the big beats and the cute Christmas
feel and charm of yesteryear.
Ursula 1000's remix of Julie London's I'd Like You For Christmas
has been given the upbeat energy as the original is quite mellow
and it's one of my favorites. Ursula 1000 is known for producing
retro sounding loungy electronic music and this remix sure
sounds like it's right up his alley. It's a hip swinging remix.
The Merriest by June Christy remixed by Thunderball is another
fun upbeat energetic remix of the wonderful track. It has the
Big Band samples, the beautiful vocals of June Christies and
Thunderballs excellent production and remix skills. This one of
the better remixes on this set.
Finally we are up to the last track on this collection and it's
Vince Guaraldi Trio's Christmas Time Is Here remixed by Markus
Enochson. This unfortunately is one of the weaker remixes and I
was hoping this collection would close on a bang but it's
unfortunately a bust!
Overall Merry Mixmas is a fun CD. It has great classic Christmas
tracks updated and remixed by top Electronic musicians and
remixer's. Unfortunately most of the remixes don't really feel
like remixes and they are quite short in length. I was hoping to
totally fall in love with this collection like I have with other
remix collections in the past for example like the Verve Remixed
collection but this collection is 50 percent great and 50
percent just ok.