"Rapture"… surely you've heard this track countless times, whether in the club, on the radio, or on your favorite mix compilation, and surely you have some specific memory that it conjures up. In fact, to quote the CD liner notes: "Where were you? You know, the first time you heard "Rapture" from iiO. Working up a sweat on the dancefloor of the hottest club? Driving down the freeway blasting your radio? Lying on the beach, overhearing it in the distance from someone's summer boombox? Either way, as soon as that infectious hook kicked in you were hooked…an iiO junkie for life with no rehab on the horizon." For me, that memory is a fateful drive from LA to Vegas in which the car overheated in the desert with no help on the horizon… but back to the subject.
iiO, comprised of New York based DJ/producer/songwriter Markus Moser and vocalist Nadia, were initially known as "vaiio" after the popular Sony laptops, but changed the name to iiO when they released their first single to the clubs, "Rapture," in 2001. The song went on to huge commercial success and has accumulated over 70,000 spins at radio to date.
In honor of iiO's achievements, the good folks at Made Records have decided to release a deluxe iiO double CD called "Rapture Reconstruction Platinum Edition" which includes all the classic iiO remixes and some newly updated versions.
Disc two, the "Classic Enhanced Disk" contains all of the original remixes that made iiO a club staple, both stateside and overseas. Included are four different mixes from Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Deep Dish, Creamer & K, plus the Riva, Aloud, Soulside and Original extended mixes. They have even included the video. The mixes span the range from trancey to dark and minimal, even exotic in the case of the Van Dyk mix, which sounds almost middle-eastern. Van Buuren's mix is the standout here however.
Moving on (or backwards I suppose) to disc one, the "Reconstruction Disk" we find what the set is really supposed to be about – a new take on the classic. Remix duties here are handled by Starkillers, Hardware & Orue, Friscia & Lamboy, and Lametta. Unfortunately, however, like with Michael Jackson's "Thriller," it's very difficult to improve on a classic. All of the new mixes are solid and well-produced, but with 8 different original mixes to choose from already, the "Reconstruction" mixes don't break any new ground. They just don't sound that different. The epic Friscia & Lamboy mixes clock in at nearly 11 minutes apiece, and I was nodding off after 3 minutes without the familiar vocal. Even the Hardware & Orue Electro Remix doesn't stand out as anything especially unique, but does have the requisite builds, breakdowns and even a couple sirens, which was a nice touch. The Starkillers mixes are the most commercial, pop-sounding of the group, and are my personal choice in this lineup.
If you love iiO and never had a chance to get all the excellent original mixes of "Rapture" in one place and are curious to hear an updated take on a great song, then "Rapture Reconstruction Platinum Edition" is for you. It's a true homage to a veteran.
