Tedd-Z Cookbook - Boy (Sacred Remix)

Hear The Track Here

Take a Pop structure lovingly constructed by D-connection (aka Drainage) - after one abortive attempt - add some honey and sweetener to the mix by adding some Essence, throw in the anarchic, often chaotic top layer of one Tedd-Z and you have the Cookbook's remix. Somehow, along the way transformed from its Pop roots to Electronica. Take a listen to the original here because it is a neat track in and of itself. Quite what Drainage and Essence were thinking when they entrusted it to the sticky fingers of Tedd-Z we will never know but I know this musician/remixer for a great many years and I know that when he gets involved with a project anything can happen - and usually does. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because Tedd-Z has spent many years honing his particular sound and style, but it is something that should be treated with a certain amount of caution.

Now personally I can take huge amounts of Essence but almost a minute of her whispering sweet nothings in my ear couldn't stop me shouting at Tedd-Z to get on with it. It's almost two minutes before any meaningful musical contributions enter the picture and - for my money - that's one of the longest intros I've ever heard. Mind you, in a tune that stretches out over six minutes it might not seem much but to my ears it seemed very l-o-n-g. The track finally got some serious meat on its bones after the three minute mark and became a sort of drums and bass track, adorned with the same Essence sample that the track had begun with. As I say, I can take endless amounts of Essence but - to be honest - think the use of vocals on this is definitely overdone.

Having said that, I seem to be in the majority of one to think this, at least judging by the comments posted on this track. While I agree that Tedd-Z has put his own dark interpretation on the track, I still came away from this remix thinking that - musically anyway - I have heard him do much, much better. The thing about a Tedd-Z remix is that he has this habit (a good habit mind) or completely re-writing the track and while that often works, in this case I remain unsure. I say this, mind, after spending some considerable time prising the damn thing open and the intro STILL bugged the beejeebers out of me. There again, maybe I shouldn't have listened to the original in tandem with this but with remixes I always do that and found that I actually preferred the original D-connection/Essence version. There again I was always a cantankerous sort.

Recommended Electronica.