Sarah McLachlan will go down in history as one of the most prolific female singers in pop music, mark my word. She's sold over 22 million records, won 3 Grammy awards, sponsored the Lilith Fair 3 years in a row, has been acclaimed by music critics and fans around the world, and has two remix CDs, the second of which just hit the record stores in early September.
Sarah's most recent remix CD "Bloom" brings together not only the requisite dance icons but also producers who explore her music in ways other than the club anthems she is mainly known for in the remix genre. Compared to 2001's "Remixed," which featured only the biggest producers in dance music at the time, "Bloom" covers just about every genre imaginable. Downtempo, ambient, hip-hop, breaks, trance and more – it's all there; there's something for everybody. Gabriel & Dresden, Junkie XL, Hyper and Tom Middleton turn in some dance-club fillers while Sly & Robbie and will.i.am (of Black Eyed Peas fame) bring a more urban sound to the compilation.
Talvin Singh's remix of "Answer" is absolutely beautiful; his use of the sitar to compliment her voice, to even mimic some of her vocal inflections and double parts of the melody, is brilliant. I'm definitely a fan of G&D, Hyper and Junkie XL but I think this mix stands out as my favorite. Wrapping up the track selections are downtempo, more atmospheric remixes by Dusted, Thievery Corporation and Junior Boys.
What stands out above else on this compilation is Sarah's voice. It fits amazingly well with so many different kinds of styles and productions. The people selected to do the remixes are all stars in their own right; the remixes are great and what they ultimately do is showcase her and her music, in different ways, without ever distracting the listener from the artist. It's a stellar showcase for one of the most beautiful voices in pop music today.
