Buscemi – Late Nite Reworks Vol. 1 (A Collection Of Remixes By Buscemi)

Like it or not, Buscemi's approach to remixes seems rather simple: take a looped vocal sample or two, toss in some deep melodic chords, and shake over a Brazilian-inspired beat. It's an easy formula, but in its application, Buscemi manages to conjure magic from the most prosaic of source materials. On _Late Night Reworks, Vol. 1_, we can hear his efforts. The first disc seems to focus more on his uptempo work. He goes from dreamy to upbeat in a single stroke on Tribalistas' "Ja Sei Namorar" and livens up John Beltran's otherwise typical "Kissed by the Sun." Madrid de Los Austrias' "Mensaje" chugs along like a Barcelona-bound soul train, while American indie-rockers Calexico get the full Carnivale treatment of "Crystal Frontier." The space-lounge of Esquivel's "Latinesque" sparkles in full effect, while Electro Coco's "Terra & Agua" is Latin house at its dreamiest. The second disc seems aimed towards a later-night crowd: a little deeper, a little moodier (even if Popmachine's "Che Calor" starts things off on a peppy note). "Celestial Blues" from Space Clique shows more of the deep house (and the aforementioned formula) of which I speak. And for variation, there's the mellow samba of Isabelle Antena's "La Pecheresse a la Ligne" and the speedy breaks of Daau's "Gin and Tonic." And "Mieke Houdt U Vast" goes Brazil by the way of the Balkans. But the real stunner is the remix of Airlock's "Face Down," which manages to be equally deep and emotive, even when only using 2 lines from the original. So call it formulaic if you must, but it's still marvelous.