I tried, Lord how I tried…

…to fancy this album as much as any other Master’s Series production. But it just isn’t happening, and I have this distinct feeling I will never truly “feel” this mix. In the good name of EDM, I will further explain myself.

Though this is my first (and probably last) experience with him, I had high expectations for Sandy Rivera’s eighth Master’s series release – so much so that I had it imported from England for over thirty dollars. One thing I can immediately offer praise for regarding this album – the packaging is *spectacular*. I recall uttering something along the lines of “…Renaissance completely outdid themselves here,” as I freed the case from its plastic bondage. Graphically, INSECT made yet another immaculate work of art.

But on to the real meat – the music.

Rivera’s discs, simply put, are just too pop for me to take seriously! He possesses tasteful House beats – definitive, certainly worthy of the Renaissance label and definitely worth giving a listen to. So WHY, why, why then are there so many lyrics that are all so distasteful? Reciting the faded disco-glamour of women in high heels and satin and pompously flaunting the “hip” disco-club scene, the words make the music feel like a joke. And this comes from someone who enjoyed Sharam’s vocal-laced Global Underground “Dubai”. On top of such finely crafted rhythms, which I think Rivera does quite well as far as mixing is concerned, such ludicrous lyrics make the album a tasteless endeavor overall. Splitting my concentration to focus solely on the beats and instrumentation was difficult to do, too, since the voices are so mockingly piercing. At one point (I believe it was either “Crimes” or “Bonafide”) I actually thought that I was hearing vocal samples from a Backstreet Boys song.

So why cant I simply judge this album based on the tracks which are not infected by these vocal viruses?

Because there are none!

Believe it or not, at this precise moment I cannot recall a single track of the twenty-six he provides us with that doesn’t incorporate some sort of lyrical mutiny (save Tigerskin’s “Neontrance” and Buick Project’s “Luminaire”). Now that I’ve mentioned the two vocal-less tracks, however, I feel I should laud Rivera for inserting these gems into his mix, but wait! There are more caveats, yet. “Neontrance” made a fantastic appearance on John Digweed’s “Transitions,” but Rivera’s seems stripped down and anticlimactic by comparison. “Luminaire,” on the other hand, is one of my favorite electro tracks of all time. While the best versions that I have heard are on Buick Project’s “Productions and Remixes” and Dave Seaman’s “Master’s Series Pt. 7,” I cannot complain about Rivera’s. So, disregarding the inclusion of a track already released on the “Master’s” CD preceding this one, I do think that “Luminaire” works. As soon as those hauntingly beautiful melodies subside, it’s back to disco-weirdness.

Sandy Rivera does extreme instrumental justice to this Renaissance album. Utilizing very uplifting musical movement in a sensible sequence, this is quite simply a well-mixed, fantastically paced disco-house album marred by more-than-awful vocals.

I suppose I could still hang the packaging up on my wall…

…Better luck next time, Sandy.

-James Woodruff