6 / 10
The long-awaited superstar DJ album has become a fixture of dance life. Ever since his
moronically excellent remix of Azzido Da Bass' 'Dooms Night',
bendy-faced German DJ Timo Maas has been in demand as a remixer, polishing the
silver for everyone from the sublime (Madonna, Kelis) to the
ridiculous (Placebo).
Now, Maas is the latest in a line of floor-shakers -
Fatboy Slim and Armand Van Helden
chief amongst them - to aspire to something more than a mix compilation: a record in his
own right, with guest vocalists and forays away from the dancefloor.
Like his predecessors', the results here are decidedly mixed. The daft, raw genius of
'Dooms Night' is barely reflected in 'Loud''s genre-juggling
14 tracks. There are nice surprises. Maas' moody collaboration with
Kelis, 'Help Me' is easily 'Loud''s most
impressive moment, but 'Loud' might have been a more intriguing album had it followed
the dark, propulsive Underworld instincts of 'Manga'. It would have been more fun, too,
with a touch of 'Dooms Night's rawness. As it is, 'Loud''s not quite
enough to shout about.
Kitty Empire
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