Dzihan & Kamien: Refreaked : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Viennese producer-duo dZihan & Kamien "refreak" their 2000 landmark debut Freaks & Icons by inviting some popular friends to energize ten of their tracks for the global dance floor. On opener and formerly titled "Before," remixed by Matthew "J+M" Herbert, the original's creamy keyboards once bulged out while the lightly surfacing Arabic rhythms created a sexy downtempo romp. Now titled "Herbert's After Dub," "Before" drives a less caressing synthesized drowning and powers a House-feel of protruding percussion. In fact, this theme of turbo-boosting previously cruising tracks is the album's focus and strength, also evident on Atjazz's remix of "After" as well as the many trip hop or loungey songs, now abducted by remixers Hefner, Fauna Flash, Mum and others. But the most bizarre enhancement is of "Homebase." What was once a sunny morning mood of piano melodies is now UFO's territorial "Vienna Vista Sexual Dub." Centered around a Jamaican dancehall riddim with darker piano interruptions and a lesson in Near Eastern drumming, trying not to move any limb to this is as difficult as pronouncing or spelling the duo's names.

(MARLON REGIS)