Afro Celt Sound System - Pod (Bonus DVD)

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Music reviews of Pod (Bonus DVD)

Music Review: So much more than a "remix" album
Rating: 5 Stars

The Afro Celts have solved this problem by skipping the middleman altogether and doing most of the remixing on POD themselves. This is an excellent decision, because their guitarist, Simon Emmerson, also happens to be an acclaimed DJ in his own right who has a great track record for remixing and reinventing other artist's songs without completely destroying them (check out his Outernationalists project, for example). Afro Celts members Mass (keyboard/drum programming), Martin Russell (keys, engineering) and James McNally (an astonishingly gifted multi-instrumentalist) also had a hand in many of the mixes on POD, giving the project a vibe that is both familiar and new.

Together, the Afro Celts take "Rise Above" (originally from SEED) and transform it into a funky, string-laden dancehall track, while the title track from FURTHER IN TIME becomes a trippy electronic journey into sound. "Lagan," also from FURTHER IN TIME, eliminates most of Iarla O'Lionaird's vocals and brings both drums and strings forward in the mix to create a majestic album closer. POD's crowning achievement, though, is the amazing "Whirly 3," which is not so much a remix as a complete re-recording, incorporating new melodies and new instruments, including a drum kit. Just try to sit still during this one!

While the "guest" mixes on POD are quite good, they can't help but pale in comparison to the band's own work. The Rollo/Sister Bliss mix of "Release" thankfully retains the basic structure of the original song, but the brass and other urban-sounding instrumentation will likely appeal more to fans of Faithless than of the Afro Celts. And the Wren and Morley mix of "When You're Falling" unfortunately masks the rich, layered acoustic guitar of the original track in favor of what sounds like a static-ridden Casio keyboard circa 1984. The best of the guest mixes is DJ Toshio's "Full Moon Low Tide," a radical amalgamation of several tracks from SOUND MAGIC.

POD is a real treat for long-time Afro Celts fans, and if there is any justice in the world, it will draw in a significant number of new fans as well. Rather than settling for a standard remix album or a "greatest hits" compilation, the Afro Celts have taken familiar material and presented it in an inventive and exciting new light. Just listen to the way the Rollo/Sister Bliss mix of "Release," a very electronic, club-oriented song, segues seamlessly and beautifully into "Whirly 3," an acoustic jam that has more in common with a live performance than it does a remix. It all flows together perfectly, reflecting the boundless creativity of a group of true musical geniuses at work. Long live the Afro Celts!

Description of Pod (Bonus DVD)

Dance & DJ CDs

• Music > Styles
• World Music
• New Age
• Pop