Designer Music The Remixes Vol.1

Mojo - "...Craig's alchemical touch transforms the everyday into the fantastic..." Entertainment Weekly - "...Music as thrilling as it comes..." - Rating: A Q - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Rounds up the best of [his] rare and often commercially unreleased mixes..." CMJ - "...[His] ability to mutate acid jazz, trance, disco and synth-pop into modern tech-soul masterpieces makes this album a necessity for fans of original Detroit techno vibe..." Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...[He] sends a disparate array of tracks through his own electronic finishing school, and most of them come out looking as sleek as Bryan Ferry..." The Wire - "...Ranges from jazz to techno, all with Craig's precise instrumentation and attention to detail..." Alternative Press - 4 out of 5 - "...Full of his trademark layers of percussion and funky synth noise...this kicks most other dance music squarely in the face and laughs..." Spin - Ranked #6 in Spin's "Top 10 Reissues of the Year [2000]" - "...A decade's worth of his greatest remixes....first-class Detroit engineering, a return to the days when quality was job one." Spin (1/01, p.76) - Ranked #6 in Spin's "Top 10 Reissues of the Year [2000]" - "...A decade's worth of his greatest remixes....first-class Detroit engineering, a return to the days when quality was job one." Rolling Stone (9/28/00, p.60) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...[He] sends a disparate array of tracks through his own electronic finishing school, and most of them come out looking as sleek as Bryan Ferry..." Q (11/00, p.102) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Rounds up the best of [his] rare and often commercially unreleased mixes..." Entertainment Weekly (9/15/00, p.79) - "...Music as thrilling as it comes..." - Rating: A Mojo (10/00, p.101) - "...Craig's alchemical touch transforms the everyday into the fantastic..." Alternative Press (11/00, pp.102-4) - 4 out of 5 - "...Full of his trademark layers of percussion and funky synth noise...this kicks most other dance music squarely in the face and laughs..." The Wire (10/00, p.82) - "...Ranges from jazz to techno, all with Craig's precise instrumentation and attention to detail..." CMJ (8/28/00, p.26) - "...[His] ability to mutate acid jazz, trance, disco and synth-pop into modern tech-soul masterpieces makes this album a necessity for fans of original Detroit techno vibe..."

Nine Carl Craig remixes, dating mostly from the latter part of the 1990s, are gathered together on this compilation from 2000. DESIGNER MUSIC is testament to Craig's deftness and skill as a remixer; he can make a classic like Telex's "Moscow Discow", sound new and exciting, all while respecting the original. And while not all tracks are as uniformly successful as that remix, there are enough similarly exciting moments to mark this the work of a true innovator.|

Carl Craig resurfaces in mid-2000 with Designer Music, Vol. 1. Designer is a collection of hand-picked remixes Craig has done over the years, some of which were originally released only on 12" and using the alias "Designer Music," hence, the name of the series. If you are looking for the more popular Tori Amos and Deee-Lite remixes of past, you won't find them on this volume. Rather, Designer One is a collection of Carl's more intelligentsia efforts. Starting off the album with remixes of a spacy UFO and a Latin rhythmic Johnny Blas, Designer seems to be more of a funky instrumental than something from a techno label. By track four, Designer Music breaks out of its shell, when Craig returns to early techno with an incredible remix of Telex' "Moscow Disco." Other mentionables include a unique spin on Inner City's "Good Life" (or "Buena Vida," as called on the album) and Alexander Robotnik's "Problemz." It should be noted that most artists would be torn apart for remixing such classics, but Craig does it proper with class and most importantly elements of funk and soul. For those fans itching for more of the Paperclip People sound, elements show up on the last two remixes, especially the remix of Ron Trent. With each name that Craig works under, whether it is Innerzone Orchestra, Psyche, or Paperclip People, he displays a different side of his talent and artistic taste. With Designer Music, Vol. 1, Craig shows off his ability to break down the essential, recognizable elements of a song and put the pieces back together into a sound that is undeniably his own. ~ Diana Potts