BIM SHERMAN

BIM SHERMAN
IT MUST BE A DREAM (1997)
320 KBPS

The phrase "couldn't leave well enough alone" comes to mind when listening to this remix album of material from Miracle. A large part of what made the original album so great was its airy acoustic Indian touch, and inexplicably, someone comes up with the bright idea of dumping that sound in favor of a more modern, Western one, with heavy bass, digital effects, and sampled dance beats. While this actually works on a few tracks, the "Europeanization" of the songs ruins most. The best of these new versions are the ones that utilize subtle beats and effects -- quiet, unobtrusive changes that blend well with the placid nature of the original tunes. "My Woman," "Just Can't Stand It," and "Over the Rainbow," for instance, each add just a subtle bass line, drum, or echo. However, several of the remaining songs are dominated by dance/techno/drum & bass/trip-hop beats that overpower the vocals and drain any impact of the originals. The "Solid As a Rock" remix actually made the UK charts, but it is one of the worst cuts on It Must Be a Dream, and I doubt that the people that made that version popular were reggae fans.

1. My Woman [Groove Corporation Mix]
2. Just Can't Stand It [Youth Mix]
3. Can I Be Free From Crying [The Underwolves Mix]
4. Missing You [Tim Simenon Mix]
5. Lovers Leap [Skip McDonald Mix]
6. Simple Life [Adrian Sherwood Mix]
7. Solid As a Rock [Steve Osborne Mix]
8. It Must Be a Dream [Mr. Scruff Mix]
9. Bewildered [Steve Osborne Mix]
10. Over the Rainbow [Coco & The Bean Mix]
11. Golden Locks [Alon Adiri Mix]

Bonus Cd
Contributions
1. Lighthouse/Dreamers [w/ Singers & Players]
2. Free the Marijuana {w/ Audioactive]
3. Man Next Door [w/ Strange Parcels]
4. Over the Rainbow [Alan Adiri Mix]