:: Various Artists - Uncovered: A Unique Collection Of Cool Covers

Various Artists

Ministry of Sound is synonymous with all things electronica, their annuals and compilations gracing almost everyone CD collections. So you could imagine my surprise when I discovered the diversity of musical genres in this particular compilation of unique covers. This two disc 43-song grouping of one of a kind covers crosses boundaries, mixing the old with the new to showcase talents from bygone eras dusted off, revamped and packaged for the now generation. Opening with a lively, urban flavoured cover of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons “Beggin’” Madcon’s smooth vocals and vibrant upbeat tempo create a masterpiece. The Norwegian urban duo brings something fresh to this old classic and this track is just the beginning, delving into the song choices revealing exciting surprises. Yonderboi offers a mellower, chilled out rendition of ‘Riders on the Storm’, staying true to the original melody from the very first bar whilst offering interesting keyboard and percussion additions. Pixie Lott’s haunting vocals and simple guitar are all that’s needed for this emotive ditty, taking Kings of Leon’s ‘Use somebody’ and slowing it right down, stripped back to the bare essentials. The same goes for a similar take on Jose Gonzalez’s twist on “Heartbeat”, the echoed vocals and simple guitar soft, unobtrusive, gentle and modest. Frente! adopts New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” and the child like Australian accented voice of lead singer Angie Hart is timeless and begs a listen. The Vines’ cover of OutKast’s Miss Jackson is an epic rendition and I was delighted to see it included. Slowed right down, Nichols’ vocals are powerful and effortless, their signature rock flavour taking this track in a direction the original artists may never have seen, but would surely be impressed by. One of the stand out tracks would have to be Yael Naim’s total makeover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” – Naim’s vocals are absolutely mesmerising; slightly accented, they are complimented perfectly by the simple, uncluttered sound of what could be a child’s music box as the only accompaniment. It’s the epitome of a good cover and rapes Britney’s version. Taking something plastic, poppy and revamping it into something worthy of consumption gets five stars. More exciting finds come in the form of “Tainted Love” done over by My Brightest Diamond, offering a fast electric feel with cool female vocals. The Third Degree takes “Mercy”, the song made famous by British artist Duffy (who also features on this compilation with her own rendition of ‘Live and Let Die’) and given it a soulful, big band flavour. The variety doesn’t end there, with Hollywood Mon Amore whipping up a brand spanking take on ‘Call me’, creating a Mediterranean, acoustic guitar-laden ballad, the sweet and sensual vocals of Skye lifting the sound to a whole new level.

As previously mentioned, Duffy features on this compilation with “Live and Let Die”, her distinctive long, drawn out vibrato capturing a romantic, soothing feel. The Dynamics’ Seven Nation Army revamp is sensational, softer and less in your face than the original, an electro rendition whose high male vocals and distinctive 80’s sound could feature on any number of risqué movie releases. A similar feel for Basement Jaxx on their take of “Magnificent Romeo”, that disco sound ever-present works wonders, and ‘Easy’ by Faith No More has received wide acclaim as an excellent cover; its inclusion is no surprise. A comical pick is ‘Signor Coconut’ and his orchestra taking Daft Punk’s “Around the World” on a weird wacky journey down the conga line with a whole orchestra of fun. An amazingly amazing standout is Sarah Blasko having a go at ‘Don’t Dream Its Óver’, her vocals are brilliant; an absolutely epic cover and deservedly included. The surprise of a chorus of what sounds like monks adds a touch of churchy charm. Groove Amada twist “Are friends electric?” with a strong, slow bassy core complimenting in your face vocals, I monster use “Daydream in B” and quirk it up, this is another of my favourites. I love The Prodigy and pretty much love everything they do – this cover of “Ghost Town” is no exception. If Aladdin and the Mario brothers joined a circus with their Rastafarian second cousin a bunch of this would be the fruit of their musical labour. There is so much here, all distinctly The Prodigy and perfectly executed. ‘Need you tonight’ is such an iconic track and Cassettes Don’t Listen has stayed true to the original, injecting an arrogant, electric-infused feeling. This one is a kicker - Tiga doing Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” - a hilarious camp vocalist mixing it up totally is fantastically tongue in cheek and being partial to anything funny, I find it hilariously entertaining and danceable to boot. Lady Sovereign can do no wrong on her mix up of “So Human”- its funky and fresh, her distinct vocal sound meshing easily with groovy, hip hop beats. Kiko & S Deschezeaux doing Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” is a modern electro house rendition, even more club friendly in my opinion, a winner for sure. I could go on and on and on – basically name every track and say how amazing it is because there are no fillers on this compilation. Moving from ambient, slow sounds to funky fresh to down and dirty – there is something for everyone. A good cover is taking the old and familiar, something we love and have a connection with and reinventing it – in this case for a whole new generation. Screw fishing around the nether regions of cyber space or your local record store to dig up cool new covers, Ministry of Sound has done all the leg work, and you get to reap the rewards.