- Outside of the DJ profession, Ricardo Villalobos is famous for his remixes of obscure world music and the like. So what to make of this remix of "Cafè del Mar" then? Perhaps he's bored, after a challenge or just looking to extend his repertoire of, "Oh my God, did you hear what Ricardo remixed?" tracks. Of course there's also his recent phase of feel-good selections in the DJ booth, such as an updated version of Cassius' "The Sound of Violence." Whatever the case, is it really much surprise to hear him taking on one of the biggest trance anthems of all time? The press release is careful to explain that Flying Circus aren't trying to change history, just show that the original song had more potential than people may have thought. That's a strange sentiment when one considers that "Cafè del Mar" is one of the most remixed songs in the history of electronic music. Were the label's intentions truly as stated, wouldn't it make more sense to have reworked an obscure track, rather than a bona fide chart hit? Coupled with Radio Slave's 2009 remixes of "Love Stimulation" from the same crew, logic says this is cheap sensationalism.
And the music? For someone known to be educated in complex rhythms, the two versions presented show a remarkable lack of...well, anything. Over nine and 11 minutes worth of material, bland kicks and percussion display little in the way of variation. There are no breakdowns or progression of any kind; just the same mundane beat. As for the famous riff itself, it's a stripped down, twinkly patch of notes that rise sporadically, little more than background noise. There will be those who say, "You just need to hear them on a big system!" That's probably true; the problem is that they're almost useless for those of us playing from home.
Tracklist 01.Cafe Del Mar (Ricardo Villalobos Remix)
02.Cafe Del Mar (Ricardo Villalobos Dub)