Amazon.co.uk Review
"I don't want my music to be intelligent," explains Armand Van Helden. "I like making sex records." Hence,
Ghettoblaster, the New York DJ's latest album of pumping beats, hip-house attitude, strobe-lit breakdowns and diva soul power. Van Helden's pretention-free attitude proves to be an unexpected boon, as for the most part,
Ghettoblaster neatly skirts the perrenial problems that crop up when DJs turn their hand to artist albums. The few collaborations mostly with low-key names, although rapper Fat Joe supplies the vocal hook to "Touch Your Toes" are smooth and inobtrusive, and while there's a fair bit of variety here, Van Helden never succumbs to the urge to pull a slowie. Rather, the likes of "Go Crazy" and "NYC Beat" head straight to the dancefloor, pneumatic 4/4 numbers peppered with cheeky nods to "Planet Rock", "Pump Up The Jam", "Blue Monday", and "Music Sounds Better With You". That's not to say Armand Van Helden isn't without a few tricks of his own though hear how "I Want Your Soul" cheekily simulates a smooth DJ mix, crossfader drifting from robust electro thud to soulful '80s diva disco.
-- Louis Pattison