Cajmere Vs. Green Velvet Sessions

[Ministry Of Sound; 2006]

Rating: 2.5/5

Styles: Christian house, techno
Others: Derrick Carter, DJ Heather, Chris Coco

Ministry Of Sound has never done it for me. Aside from Bent’s Programmed To Love, pretty much everything with that famous official Ministry seal on it has been as vapid, trite, and mainstream-stale as electronica gets. It’s the label/venue for musicians who care more about being trendy than hearing even moderately challenging music. This preconceived notion of mine is left untouched by this installment in the Sessions series.

Curtis Jones is one of the biggest names to come out of the '90s Chicago house movement. He founded a moderately successful label with a sub-label to release, among other things, his own works under the names Cajmere and Green Velvet. However, past successes don't make these sessions any better. Each of Jones’ alter egos are given a dedicated disc here: the first being Cajmere’s slippery, soulful house, and the second showcasing Green Velvet's tendency toward more tribal basslines and acid/abstract sounds. Cajmere’s disc rubs me the wrong way. Despite Playgroup’s “Front To Back” and a James Holden remix, I simply cannot get into the happy Christian disco vibe. It’s just so hollow. Green Velvet’s outing is the true champion of this affair. Covered in pounding, pulsing beats and tweaking lysergic synths, Green Velvet's disc is generally more interesting than Cajmere's.

Let me put it this in a stereotypically gendered way; if you were at a party, Cajmere’s CD would be that girl in the front of the dance area, covered in hot pink, who aggressively pumps her fist in the DJ’s face every time the beat kicks back in. The GV disk is the more hippie-looking girl on mushrooms, with a hoodie and backwards cap, who spends half the time outside smoking and laughing at any random word she deems funny in that moment. Believe me, the latter is a whole lot more fun to talk to. Still, you prolly wouldn’t want to introduce either to your mother.

CD 1 – Cajmere:

1. Cajmere Feat. Dajae - Say U Will
2. Old Man Groan - Jovonn (Keyz Remix)
3. André Kraml Feat. Schad Privat - Safari (James Holden Remix)
4. Cajmere Feat. Dajae - Brighter Days (Underground Goodie Mix)
5. Copyright Feat. Song Williamson - He Is (Ferrer & Sydenham Inc Vox Mix)
6. Trouble Men - Crowd Control
7. Cajmere Feat. Dajae - I Need U (Mark Grant Remix)
8. Africanism Feat. Jeff Kellner - Ju Ju Beat
9. Chab Feat. JD Davis - Closer To Me
10. DJ Gregory - S2
11. Green Velvet Feat. Walter Phillips - Shake & Pop
12. Playgroup Feat. KC Flightt - Front 2 Back (Switch Remix)
13. Cajmere Feat. Walter Phillips - Midnight
14. Mark Grant Feat. Russoul - There For Me (Soul Bounce Vocal)
15. Green Velvet Feat. Jamie Principle - Choice

CD 2 – Green Velvet:

1. DJ Pierre & Green Velvet - AcidTraxx 2
2. Green Velvet - Flash
3. Soulwax - Accidents & Compliments
4. Sneaker Pimps - Spin Spin Sugar (Armand Van Helden Mix)
5. Green Velvet - War On The Saints
6. Jerome Baker - I Need
7. Hugo Moya - Move
8. Cajmere - House Work (Green Velvet Mix)
9. James Hammer - Three Is One
10. Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit
11. Paul Woolford Presents Bobby Peru - Erotic Discourse
12. Alex Marqx & Olivier Giacomotto - First Second
13. Green Velvet - La La Land
14. Green Velvet - Electricity
15. X2 - Zeta 1

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