Warning!

‘A Lively Mind’
Oakenfold
(Virgin/EMI)
It’s hard to decide what to make of this album from one of the world’s most reputed DJs and producers. ‘A Lively Mind’ is really quite an eclecticism, drawing from electro and hip-hop, as well as Oakenfold’s original domain of trance, and includes collaborations with the likes of Pharrell Williams and Grandmaster Flash. Of course, technically, each song is undoubtedly a very polished construction. Artistically, however, the album has me wondering where Oakenfold is actually taking his music. Catchy as it is, some of it just sounds a bit “so five years ago”, and just not as innovative and exciting as one would expect. Nevertheless, highlights include the very grinding ‘Faster Kill Pussycat’ featuring actor Brittany Murphy, already popular in clubs, and the anthemic and trancey ‘Amsterdam’. Just WHATEVER YOU DO, SKIP TRACK 7. Its inclusion has me highly baffled and disgusted at the HORRIDLY HORRID BOY-BAND DRIVEL. Please, trust me on this one, for the sake of preserving the credibility of all of Oakenfold’s brilliant work over the years.

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