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Before I start the review, I would like to personally thank Mario Vazquez of VazRam Records for hooking me up with an advance copy of this soon to be released CD. All of the good things that you might have heard about this album are 100% true!!!
Featuring production by Mario Vazquez, Shonn "Moox" Bonnet and Willie Valentin and superb songwriting courtesy of Kenny Freestyle, Michael Anthony Bertot Willie Valentin, John "Milo" Pro (of Spanish Fly) and Hugo Gomez this album features everything that a great new Freestyle release should...
Christina Marie
TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW
© 2002 VazRam Records
1. "IN MY DREAMS" - Willie Valentin delivers a nice blend of Old School and New School elements!!! It is very nice way to kick off the album...
2. "BEAUTIFUL NIGHT" - A solid Breakbeat/Trance/Freestyle record that will work nicely in the clubs and at home in your CD player. Some of the keyboards reminded me a bit of "I SEE STARS" by Robin Fox (I like that song)...
3. "SUMMER THANG" - I have listened to this song more than a few times already. Willie Valentin has outdone himself on this record and has given us yet another reason why he shouldn't leave the world of Freestyle!!! The song, while it feels Old School is almost entirely electronic in sound to keep up with current trends. Christina's vocals helps to make this song complete. The song is easily one of a few stand-out tracks on the album.
4. "TURNING AWAY" - Christina's first single released last year. It caught my attention last year and I like it even more now. This version, produced by Shonn "Moox" Bonnet, is little more stripped down than the version produced by Mario Vazquez. This version helps to showcase Christina's vocals while the beat and synths accompany her in the background...
5. "DO YOU WANT ME" - Like I told Mario Vazquez, this song should be pushed as the next single. The song is NOT Freestyle, but yet I still found myself loving it. It's nice mid-tempo Latin flavored Pop record that can definitely compete with anything currently out there by any of the "teen pop sensations" receiving heavy rotation. What makes this song even better is that it could work as a Freestyle song as well (Remix?)...Another Stand-out track.
6. "TEARDROPS" - A hard-hitting Trance/House record. Another one made for the dance floor. They did a nice job incorporating the vocoder vocal effect and it actually helps to make the song that much better. While I would have rather the song been Freestyle, I can picture this song being spun at the clubs...They did a great job!
7. "TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW" - Christina's current single...I only have one word for you: "BOUNCE"!!! To be completely honest, I wasn't feeling this song at all when I first heard it. I have listened to it a few more times since and my opinion has completely changed. The music and vocals remind me a bit of the song "DANCE WITH ME" by Debelah Morgan. That's why I think this song works. Although it tries very hard to be a Freestyle song, it has pop written all over it. This is why I hesitated to like it at first, then I began to think that if more Freestyle releases followed a formula similar to one used on this track, maybe just maybe, we might start hearing new Freestyle on the radio!
8. "NOW I KNOW" - Another example of how the Old School and New School sounds can co-exist. Once again borrowing some familiar sounding keys from "I SEE STARS" by Robin, this song combines Old School attitude, new school keyboards and another vocoder effected vocal. It's actually a lot better than the description sounds. Some people have said that Freestyle isn't creative, this record does it's best to prove that theory wrong!!!
9. "YOU'RE MY LIFE" - Pure Old School (complete with edits) while keeping the sounds current enough not to sound dated. Fans of Jocelyn Enriquez should absolutely love this song as it reminded me a lot of the great Freestyle tracks on Jocelyn's first album!!! Great Job!!!
10. "TURNING AWAY" - This version, produced and mixed by Mario Vazquez was the first version I ever heard of "TURNING AWAY" and it's still my favorite. Mario combines the best of the Old and New that helps to define the quality of music that his label to offer the Freestyle community...
11. "BEAUTIFUL NIGHT" - Mario Vazquez and Bill Williams offer a nice trip into Freestyle flavored Electronica with this very nice remix!!!
12. "TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW" - Again Mario Vazquez raises the stakes just a little higher. Offering a unique blend of Freestyle, House, Electronica and Trance to make a rather interesting (and very good) remix of an already superb song!
My recommendation to anyone reading this review - Run out to your local record store on September 10th and buy yourself a copy!!!
This album has only left me thirsty for more! I am looking forward to the many great things to come from VazRam Records...
🙂
Featuring production by Mario Vazquez, Shonn "Moox" Bonnet and Willie Valentin and superb songwriting courtesy of Kenny Freestyle, Michael Anthony Bertot Willie Valentin, John "Milo" Pro (of Spanish Fly) and Hugo Gomez this album features everything that a great new Freestyle release should...
Christina Marie
TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW
© 2002 VazRam Records
1. "IN MY DREAMS" - Willie Valentin delivers a nice blend of Old School and New School elements!!! It is very nice way to kick off the album...
2. "BEAUTIFUL NIGHT" - A solid Breakbeat/Trance/Freestyle record that will work nicely in the clubs and at home in your CD player. Some of the keyboards reminded me a bit of "I SEE STARS" by Robin Fox (I like that song)...
3. "SUMMER THANG" - I have listened to this song more than a few times already. Willie Valentin has outdone himself on this record and has given us yet another reason why he shouldn't leave the world of Freestyle!!! The song, while it feels Old School is almost entirely electronic in sound to keep up with current trends. Christina's vocals helps to make this song complete. The song is easily one of a few stand-out tracks on the album.
4. "TURNING AWAY" - Christina's first single released last year. It caught my attention last year and I like it even more now. This version, produced by Shonn "Moox" Bonnet, is little more stripped down than the version produced by Mario Vazquez. This version helps to showcase Christina's vocals while the beat and synths accompany her in the background...
5. "DO YOU WANT ME" - Like I told Mario Vazquez, this song should be pushed as the next single. The song is NOT Freestyle, but yet I still found myself loving it. It's nice mid-tempo Latin flavored Pop record that can definitely compete with anything currently out there by any of the "teen pop sensations" receiving heavy rotation. What makes this song even better is that it could work as a Freestyle song as well (Remix?)...Another Stand-out track.
6. "TEARDROPS" - A hard-hitting Trance/House record. Another one made for the dance floor. They did a nice job incorporating the vocoder vocal effect and it actually helps to make the song that much better. While I would have rather the song been Freestyle, I can picture this song being spun at the clubs...They did a great job!
7. "TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW" - Christina's current single...I only have one word for you: "BOUNCE"!!! To be completely honest, I wasn't feeling this song at all when I first heard it. I have listened to it a few more times since and my opinion has completely changed. The music and vocals remind me a bit of the song "DANCE WITH ME" by Debelah Morgan. That's why I think this song works. Although it tries very hard to be a Freestyle song, it has pop written all over it. This is why I hesitated to like it at first, then I began to think that if more Freestyle releases followed a formula similar to one used on this track, maybe just maybe, we might start hearing new Freestyle on the radio!
8. "NOW I KNOW" - Another example of how the Old School and New School sounds can co-exist. Once again borrowing some familiar sounding keys from "I SEE STARS" by Robin, this song combines Old School attitude, new school keyboards and another vocoder effected vocal. It's actually a lot better than the description sounds. Some people have said that Freestyle isn't creative, this record does it's best to prove that theory wrong!!!
9. "YOU'RE MY LIFE" - Pure Old School (complete with edits) while keeping the sounds current enough not to sound dated. Fans of Jocelyn Enriquez should absolutely love this song as it reminded me a lot of the great Freestyle tracks on Jocelyn's first album!!! Great Job!!!
10. "TURNING AWAY" - This version, produced and mixed by Mario Vazquez was the first version I ever heard of "TURNING AWAY" and it's still my favorite. Mario combines the best of the Old and New that helps to define the quality of music that his label to offer the Freestyle community...
11. "BEAUTIFUL NIGHT" - Mario Vazquez and Bill Williams offer a nice trip into Freestyle flavored Electronica with this very nice remix!!!
12. "TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW" - Again Mario Vazquez raises the stakes just a little higher. Offering a unique blend of Freestyle, House, Electronica and Trance to make a rather interesting (and very good) remix of an already superb song!
My recommendation to anyone reading this review - Run out to your local record store on September 10th and buy yourself a copy!!!
This album has only left me thirsty for more! I am looking forward to the many great things to come from VazRam Records...
🙂
