With her debut CD, Alyson broke through onto the dance floors a couple of years ago and gave us a handful of great singles like "Feel You," "Nothing More To Say," and "Take A Good Look." This talented singer co-wrote all of the above mentioned hits and also lent a hand in production and released her initial singles on her own label. After taking a short break, she is back with a new single from her upcoming CD. "Forever" is given the remix treatment by Randolph, L.E.X., and JY & Zeb, who also lends vocals to the track. Unfortunately, none of these mixers can do much to save this song from itself.
First off is the JY & Zeb Club Mix. This version is basically a reggaeton mix that doesn't quite fit Alyson's vocals. Zeb's chanting vocals are distracting and the whole time I'm left wondering why she felt the need to go down this road. Not a good way to get started for me. Next up is the L.E.X. Big Room Club Mix. This is your standard late night tribal mix. Lots of bass and drums with the occasional synthesizer punch make this a typical remix from L.E.X. Nothing here is fresh or new, just dark beats and vocal effects. I wish I could say more about it, but there isn't really a lot to say. There is an interesting breakdown just beyond the halfway mark of the song, but that doesn't really make up for the rest of the mix. There is also a Dark Room Dub, which eliminates most of the vocals and is actually not so bad. It's also a typical late night song, but it somehow sounds better without Alyson singing. Lastly, the Randolph Club Mix goes off in a more electro direction. The minimalistic feel of this mix seems to suit Alyson's voice best overall. Lots of synthesizers and vocal manipulations are the primary focus. I haven't been a big fan of Randolph's previous mixes, but this one is okay. Hearing her rap during the breakdown is rather odd for me, but I can get past that. There are two versions of this mix, one with Zeb and one without, depending on if you like the chanting or not.
Overall, the return of Alyson to the scene is rather disappointing for me. After a string of hits, I was expecting more from this single. The beats are nothing new and some don't seem to fit at all. Hopefully, she can redeem herself with her next release. "Forever" is too long to wait.
