GU 20 Darren Emerson: Singapore - "Jet Lag"

[nlitnme]

CD1: “Ladies and gentlemen we are now 16th for take off, please relax and listen to CD 1”

Emerson never truly gets of the ground with CD 1. And as the Chelsea boys would say, “The boy stood too long in the kitchen and wasn’t cookin’ $#@%!”. There are some interesting tracks on the first CD though, experimental without blowing up the lab, he sheds light down some interesting paths, but nothing overwhelming and nothing that makes me smile more then a half a minute.

Track 1 & 2: Okay, what’s with the Polka, Australian Aborigine, Spanish, Loopty Loop Mix? - Different, not bad for an eclectic mix but too damn long. Your in your seat, seatbelt on, looking at your watch – “I really hope this flight takes off on time.” Track 3: The groove is kicking a little bit, your looking around watching the other passengers take their seats, nothing too exciting, you’re wondering if you packed everything that you needed for this trip. Track 4: gets a little on the hard side, your head is bouncing a little, they close the door and your taxiing out to the runway. The flight is just a couple of minutes behind, no big deal. Let Darren get into his groove. But you really want him to get out of this Rock n’ Roll/dance track already.

Track 5: “Welcome aboard Global Underground Airlines, we value you as one of our loyal customers, Unfortunately though we are marked as 16th on the runway” -

You grab for the magazine on the back of the seat in front of you. Reality is now setting in - your serotonin will not be affected for at least another 50 minutes or so, how annoying.

Track 6: “Girl shake dat ass and bounce those tit’s” Cute track - when did ’Ludacris’ do a track for a GU CD? At least there is some comic relief to this other wise uninspiring CD.

Track 7 & 8: Yawn, you are now getting very sleepy - You find yourself killing time by counting how many planes are in front of yours and guessing when this CD will finally &%$#@! take off.

Track 9: Another bright light in an other wise musical abyss, some Kung-Fu verses over dance tracks ala Wu-Tang Clan and the Africa Bammbatta nature of it all provides some semblance of a treat. It gets you bouncing but you still have your seat belt on, and there is no need to really take it off yet.

Because on Track 10 it’s back to ’monotony.com’ until he puts some break beats 2 minutes into it. Again there is some bounce going on in your seat but it’s accompanied by yet another yawn. Because Chef Emerson decides he wants to bang on some pots and pans for Track 11 to offer another taste of indifference to your soul. You’re reaching threshold but you stay quit and seated like a good little passenger in hopes of finding that musical bliss that you know Emerson to provide.

Track 12: “We have just lost cabin pressure” As you wish another plane would just crash into yours just to drum up something resembling an event on this otherwise boring journey through the Land of GU 20. On Track 13: “I wonder how much it would cost to use the phones that they have on these planes”, a question among others, as you start to come half a millisecond away from yelling and then something interesting happens, the next track.

Track 14, you can start to feel the engines roaring, as you realize you are marked for take off, and boy is it about time already. After you have read your GU Airline Magazine from cover to cover, when you know how to exit in the case of an emergency, when you have the fan blowing in the right position, when you are done with your 5th pack of gum and your shoes are off - then it is time to prepare for take off. And as Track 14 goes to 15 you find yourself moving your head to the groove but you are suddenly hit with an obvious yet highly annoying reality - “Hey kids welcome to your ‘Global Underground Read along Storybook’, when you hear this sound - “BING!” that means turn to the next CD”.

“BING!!”

CD 2 “Ladies and Gentlemen, We are going to try and make it there as soon as possible”

Track 1 starts off and your already hitting turbulence- your flight is finally taking off – but the plane is already swaying. After sitting at the airport for the past 65 minutes you are at least off the runway but the take off is still bumpy - how annoying.

Then goes Track 2: ”We are now climbing to an altitude of 25,000 feet, please notice that the seat belt sign is on, please remain in your seats, until it is safe to roam around” Your climbing baby and the previous track becomes a memory but the thought of the previous CD is still irritating.

By Track 4 your still climbing and it appears to be clear sky’s, your overlooking the water, realizing you still might make it there on time if the pilot cuts some corners and piggy backs on the jet stream…“This is your captain Darren Emerson speaking: Sorry for the delay on CD 1 we are still climbing as to avoid any further turbulence and delays, we will now be leveling off at about 30,000 feet - We will be handing out drinks and snacks shortly. I would like to welcome you to Global Underground Airlines and we hope you’ll fly us again -please relax and enjoy your flight”

Track 5 – you’re grooving already and you realize that the 17 or so bucks it costs to buy this ticket is now finally becoming worth it. You rationalize in your head that Darren must have eaten a little to close to taking his roll because he was not “ feeling it” until the 20th track. The delay you endured is now water under the bridge. Your getting into it and it feels good.

You definitely realize that by Track 6 your butt better have some room to dance because in a seat is not where you belong. Your heads starting to sway from side to side so damn much your hitting the other passengers.

By the beginning of Track 7 you know it’s worth it, you may get there late, you may be still pissed off that it’s taken so long but he’s playing catch up and the mellow sounds are being fused with more hard hits. ”Darren, say three Hail Mary’s and an Our Father and you will be forgiven….now go with God and make your GU fans proud”.

End of Track 7: Mid-Atlantic turbulence strikes again ever so slightly -this StevieB-ish track losses a few points for the other wise forgiven Emerson, but just add one more Hail Mary.

Track 8: back to the grove, the shiver runs up your spin, awhh yeah that shiver, you know which one I’m talking about, -he hits a mark, thanks Darren.

Track 9 & 10: “We are now cruising at an altitude of 30, 000 feet, your captain has turned off the seat belt sign feel free to dance your butt off through out the cabin space”

Track 11: brings in that Latin/Brazilian Flava’ – Wheepa!!! - “Oye mi amore, que tu hace aqui, tu tan solita?”

Track 12: ‘Voices’ - last visited by Howells on his NuBreed set -an oldie but goodie, this original track goes back to at least ‘96 with some new versions coming out now. Darren throws a nice version as the flight attendants are passing out Red Bull with your complimentary blow pops and Big Red.

Track 13: your still flying, your still smiling and then –the Tower losses the signal. Somebody please find the Black Box- the FAA has to figure out what happened to this flight! Someone call CNN - What’s with the ending? Who pulled the plug? Where’s the rest of the CD?? “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist …..and like that, he’s gone”

Not a bad GU CD altogether –There is truly none to speak of when it comes to the GU series. Even the DeVit compilations have their moments -Rest in peace Brova'. Not every one can be a Tenaglia or a Kleinenberg -where you can just press play and walk away. Some shine for a few tracks and then mellow out. Some have weak CD’s but who’s following or previous ones were so great you forgive them (i.e. Anthony Papa). There are CD’s that have their flare even when time has past -maybe CD 1 will be a great “while your driving“ CD. As for Darren’s second CD on this set: he tried, he shined a bit and I thank him for his efforts. Now on to Lee Burridge and those crazy Deep Dish boys.

-Alex Perez aka "Nlitnme"

hugs e besitos SG5 - one love mi cielo

PS: Hi Barbie, Chris, Lorraine, Frank, Marco, Renee, Danny, Edgar V (you rock big dawg!) and to all of SG5's friends that I have not had the pleasure of talking to or meeting yet, -All things beautiful to you.

[Nolimit]

not a bad cd IMO but it comes to me as no surprise that after 2 GU releases, Emerson doesn't really do it for me. i prefer him live any day.

[patrickl]

Interesting review. It's nice to see someone take the trouble to say exactly why they don't like a disc or a DJ.....unlike the current state of the Global Underground message board which is all about simply stating "____ is utter shite" as if some idiot UK punter's opinion is hard and fast fact.

I've only listened to the Singapore GU twice in its entirety so far, so it hasn't truly *hit me* yet, but from what I'm hearing, I am pleasantly surprised. To me, it seems to be a much more interesting double CD set than Uruguay - I'm hearing a lot more variation on both CDs with this one. On Uruguay CD#2, I felt like Emerson was pounding out the exact same harsh beats over the full 70 minutes......except for the French Kiss interlude. My thinking so far on Singapore is that he took the funky "fun" elements of Uruguay CD#1 and stayed more on that tip over the full 2 CDs. I am really liking Ramirez - Hablando and Medicine - Universal Personal on CD#1.

[mp3some]

Originally posted by Nolimit

not a bad cd IMO but it comes to me as no surprise that after 2 GU releases, Emerson doesn't really do it for me. i prefer him live any day.

I have to agree w ya; I beleive it might be his crowd reading on a live set that makes his performance that bit more appealing than his cd compilation...

[loraine]

Hey AP,

Interesting way of reviewing the album... I have not heard it as of yet, probably until stacey comes back. I'm guessing that Darren is much better live than he is on cd.

Loraine

[staceyg5]

see what happens when i let you watch BET?

[aeroplano]

well, what can i say about emerson... definitely on a different groove than the rest of the GU series. i like darren, but i must say his effort at uruguay was better than singapore (yes, i'm one of the few that think this). and i am also one of the few that think cd one in singapore is better than cd two. i like the intro on cd one and not to mention the last three tracks are amazing (i can't believe you didn't like track thirteen... circulation is tech-house at its best).

cd two just doesn't really do it for me. i can not stand the first track. not to mention that 'lifetimes' track everyone talks about... it REALLY sucks. really bad vocal. my only two highlights are the circulation track (again, i love these guys' work) and the grand finale of 'voices' (that pete heller mix is amazing and must sound out of hand live) and emerson's own mix of laurent garnier's 'man with the red face'. i would give this cd a 6.5/10, while uruguay would get an 8.

[Nolimit]

im with u on that slam - lifetimes track. it's one of those that u either love or hate. not feeling it like the rest are.

that ramirez track is a classic. we're talking almost 10 years ago guy...

if i were to choose which cd i like better from gu20, it would have to be cd2. i think it lasted less than a week in the changer.

[patrickl]

Originally posted by Nolimit

im with u on that slam - lifetimes track. it's one of those that u either love or hate. not feeling it like the rest are.

that ramirez track is a classic. we're talking almost 10 years ago guy...

if i were to choose which cd i like better from gu20, it would have to be cd2. i think it lasted less than a week in the changer.

I had no idea "Hablando" was so old. It sounds fresh to me. Count me among those who like CD#1 better - as a whole I don't think Singapore is my FAVORITE GU.......but there is one thing I notice about Emerson on his 2 GUs so far that I like (I've not seen him live).....he does seem to play some pretty cool funky tracks. I still wish the man wouldn't have quit Underworld, though. I think that all things being equal, I'd want to stay in an amazing band like that and do some DJing on the side like he was before........I don't really see why he wanted to quit and concentrate solely on spinning other peoples records - maybe he wasn't getting along with the other two guys, I dunno.

[bbflux]

Alex> LOVED your review, very creative! Now I have to check out the CD and judge for myself.

Stacey> HAVING FUN?????? MISS YOU!!!!!

[eviljav666]

That CD is phat!!!! i heard parts of it..Emerson plays some sick muzik...good review man...

another good CD is the ANTHONY PAPA NU Breed..

i realy enjoyed it...tough and simi hard...one of my favorite's..

[digital7]

Originally posted by aeroplano

well, what can i say about emerson... definitely on a different groove than the rest of the GU series.

yup yup, unique, Ive heard cd one and in comparison to his first one, Uruguay is better ...

[nlitnme]

Nolimt: Thanks for the compliment, man. Darren is still good - But I know CD 1 is staying in the case.

Patrick: LOL with the UK comment "Utter shite"- it's too true, got smashed for my review there "' 'cause mate, it was too bloody long", It's true CD 2 is so much better -especially if you just listen to that one by itself -it has those "Uruguay" elements to it through out the disc.

mp3: I agree -most great dj's will be much better live, that is where they were "born" (so to speak). Even the great ones are better (i.e. Howells, Tenaglia)

Loraine: AP?, how cute. just don't call me CM, someone might get jealous...Thanks for the comment.

SG5: I'm too down for BET boo. =0)

Aeroplano: Very interesting that you like CD 1 better, eclectic that is for sure, I guess I was expecting the sounds of CD2 off the bat and got stuck at the airport till then. I do agree with the scale comparison though. It's a 6/6.5

BBFlux: Oye, que tu hace aqi?, - thanks for the compliment b

EvilJav666: thanks, and nice save back on the Jersey board - some folks just don't like to read I guess.

Digital 7: ditto to that brova'

Okay folks mi voy (life's issues callin' me back)

Be safe, be happy, be smart - love yourself first.

Because Destiny is incapable of failure.

-Alex Perez aka "nlitnme"

[meng]

nlitnme, did you receive my private message?