Karsh Kale
Redesign
Six Degrees
Last year, this New York DJ/producer scored another hit for Six Degrees with his debut, Realize. Representing the Asian Massive sound, Kale’s album was treated as the opening salvo of yet another new wave of India’s music being mixed with the West’s. Critically acclaimed and a damned good listen, Realize was one of the best products released last year. Of course, now, in these infamous days of repackaging, the label has put together a remix package, Redesign, to mixed results.
Ming & FS (about whom I’m quite ambivalent) give “Saajana” an over-the-top, frenetic, slice-and-dice autopsy, leaving the corpse unrecognizable. Banco de Gaia throws up a cotton candy Babes in Toyland trance fluff in his treatment of “Distance.” Mighty Junn and Karsh give “Light Up the Love” a sort of dreamy R&B feel. Spooky is perfect with “One Step Beyond,” and Bill Laswell gets bassed up with his version of “Empty Hands” (another good version done by female DK Pyar Amor). “Home,” which was my favorite on the original album and apparently a lot of other people’s, gets three molestations. The most interesting version would have to be Mukul’s, who turns the song into a nightmare lullaby replete with murderous clown heads and glowing eyeballs beneath your bed.
Six Degrees Records: http://www.sixdegreesrecords.com
