A surprise drop yesterday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Infinite, had my head was spinning over how good this sounded. So many questions arose, how did they revive these songs so brilliantly? Was AI enhancement involved? A pre Slim Shady sounded so vibrant and fresh. Its as if his rhymes had been re-written, hitting harder than ever with that friendly lyrical acrobatics of the mid 90s era. I spun back to the original album, hearing the same crafty lyrics buried within that flat, muddy, bassy mix that for the time, somehow carried a soothing charm and mellow atmosphere.
Reviving six of its best numbers, leaving them in order, this EP remasters to perfection. Reinventing instruments and sample selections from scratch. Initially faithful, as the songs past by, more artistic articulations embellish these originals. Its inspired, a fresh breath of life that enhances the vision of the time. Tonite lands its intended House dancefloor energy. The darker Jazz Hop shades of 313, It's O.K. and Open Mic land well. The stacked lyrical rhyme schemes of its title track dazzle again, elevated through an instrumental illuminating its dense atmospheric angle.
Today, news broke of its creation. Jake, son of Jeff, one half of the original Bass Brothers production team, handled the revival from original recordings alongside Mike Wilder. Vocals come enhanced, spectacularly. Instrumentals were rebuilt from scratch with a detailed analysis of the originals to hand. The family connection explains its unprecedented charm, Jake sighting memories of its poetic nature from his childhood. The pair have done this overlooked debut more than justice. What a joy!
Rating: 7/10