Paul Oakenfold Perfecto Vegas Review
UK DJ/Producer Remixes Palms Hotel & Casino Club Experience on 2CD's
Sep 3, 2009
Casting a shadow that extends back to the 80's, Paul Oakenfold defined celebrity DJ before the celebrity DJ existed. Remixing everyone from Madonna to U2, Radiohead and The Smashing Pumpkins to Justin Timberlake, Oakenfold has become as much a pop star as the artists his sets push.
Following his massive success, the DJ temporarily stepped out of the booth to promote his original material and albums. But in 2008, back behind the turntable, the world-renowned DJ set up a weekly residency at the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas called “Perfecto Vegas”, creating a set of faultless remixes and hypnotic dance tracks geared to pleasing both die-hard fans and newcomers.
Oakenfold’s idea for the show was to bring the grandiose club experience of trance party spots such as Ibiza to “Sin City” – the biggest party town in the world. To commemorate his ongoing success at the venue, he releases a double album of the same name containing 21 exclusive tracks and remixes, hand picked by Oakenfold himself.
Palms Hotel & Casino Club Experience
Exuberant and carefree, Perfecto Vegas does away with the celebrity in favor of less familiar artists and tracks, similar to Oakenfold’s early days as an artist-breaking spinner. Core fans of the DJ turned-pop-star have much to crunch on with this extended party set, designed in the vein of classic Oakenfold discs such as his Creamfields compilation.
Oakenfold taps into the 80’s with a Shannon-on-acid remix of their one-hit wonder “Let The Music Play” that, for all intents and purposes, strips the track entirely of Shannon. He cuts straight for the 90’s jugular with a cover of “Sleeping Satellite” dressed up with trance beats and quirky synths, replacing British faux R&B singer Tasmin Archer with a generic female vocalist.
An odd choice that works great.
Perfecto Vegas Compilation Album
Other choice cuts include Barry Jay – “Infused” and Shawn Michaels – “Funktion Won”. With conflicting beats and deep layers of synths, these tracks take but one spin to induce ecstasy flashbacks.
“Fallen Angel’s Symphony” stimulates a state of trance that no substance will do. Build around over-the top orchestral synths and a larger-than-life wall of sound, this is Oakenfold at his best. This piece makes the journey one trippy ride. Fans of House, and especially Paul Oakenfold will not be disappointed with Perfecto Vegas, some of his best work in a long time.
Paul Oakenfold’s Madonna Celebration
Currently in the studio and on tour with Madonna, Paul Oakenfold has been working on several new tracks including new single “Celebration” for her greatest hits package due in September. Oakenfold also has a third original studio album, tentatively entitled Pop Killer, in the works for early 2010.
Perfecto Vegas is available now at all digital outlets.
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