After what some critics called a dark and boring turn on the dance floor with her first single "Call On Me," Janet returns with something old school and funky on the track "So Excited." The promo features mixes by Bimbo Jones and the legendary Junior Vasquez, who has decided to stick with the formula he used recently to mix Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man." Keeping with the original flavor of the song, Junior adds a lot of bells and whistles, yet manages to keep the basic feel pretty much intact; it could almost be an extended version of the album track. The trouble is, too many effects tend to make some mixes sound busy and cluttered, and this happens here. The background noises almost drown out Janet's vocals on the verses, and the distraction continues throughout the song. I understand what he is trying to do with his mix. It is supposed to remind us of the sound he perfected at Arena & Sound Factory back in the day. Instead, it reminds you of a subway station at rush hour…congested and sometimes annoying. As classic as Junior can be, this mix is not one of his best.
Bimbo Jones, on the other hand, turn this track into something funky and fun. With a chugging bassline and just the right amount of filtering effects, the UK duo make a sunny retro disco vibe weave in and out of Janet's vocals. They even manage to make Khia's rap sound lady-like… well, almost! This style has been displayed on many big tracks this past year, including songs by Mary J. Blige ("Be Without You") & Beyonce ("Déjà Vu") and this song wouldn't be out of place amongst them. Bimbo Jones take a song that, in its original form, is typical R&B and rather standard Janet fare of late and, with their added extras (and forgoing the Herbie Hancock sample) come up with something new and shiny. Kudos to the boys for creating a whole new feel for this song that somehow works completely with Janet's whispering come ons and Khia's ad libs. This will be the version you hear in the clubs. Here's hoping that this song returns Janet to the top of the dance charts where she belongs!
