- Audio CD (29 Oct 2001)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Jumpin & Pumpin
- ASIN: B00005QITQ
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 51,855 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
That FSOL's Papua New Guinea is a classic record is an undisputed fact. Celestial choir voices, colourful bird song, nebulous synth swirls and wistful flute all conspire to conjure up images of a tropical paradise, and its iridescent beauty has touched many a soul over the years. Whether it justifies an entire album's worth of remixes though (all done by FSOL) is a different matter. The opening track is the original version--so far so good. The "Papsico" mix takes the tune up to even higher plateaus of happy escapism, while translation number three, "The Lovers", ushers in a slick jazz-funk groove and added bongos. However, at the end, a particularly lengthy electric guitar solo sneaks in. This is the turning point.
The initial chinks of doubt are widened as the "Wooden Ships" mix employs even more guitars for a slightly epic, prog-rock remix. Things get back to the dancefloor for a second on the breakbeat-fuelled "Great Marmalade Mama In The Sky" mix but less than a minute in and guess what? Yep, more Clapton-style squeals. By the time you hit the deplorable "Requiem", you realise the whole thing is an indulgent farce and FSOL have let the hype go to their heads. Do yourself a favour and stick to the original single, which has still never been bettered. --Paul Sullivan
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Future Sound of London have taken a new direction on Translations and a fantastic diversion it is too, I've had the CD on in my CD player and car stereo since I bought a copy!
12" original - There comes a time when you realise you don't appreciate a song until you hear it out of the blue. Hearing it again took my breath away!
Papsico - Truly a futuristic rendition. The baseline matches the synth fantastically, and the faded vocals add to the mix.
The Lovers - The funk guitar becomes part of the beat, not over the beat, creating a rolling flow interspersed with strings.
Wooden Ships - Filtered vocals and a slowed down version create a truly psychedelic feel to this track. Add the faster beat and great guitar playing over it and vocals slightly in the background - another great creation.
The Great Marmalade Mama in the Sky - In my view, the closest a live version of Papua New Guinea could ever come.
Requiem - My favourite translation. The choral vocal and the piano just meld so well together with light synth in the background. The introduction of a harmonica, and you have a laid back reflection of the new direction.
Things Change Like The Patterns and Shades That Fall From The Sun - organ tones and a light beat with saxophone. Truly an orchestrated work, involving bell tones, guitar, drums, etc. Totally chilled.
The Big Blue - funky, downtempo. Samples refiltered and the saxophone carries over into the big blue with all the psychedelia that was coming through.
The whole album is well ordered, beginning with an electronic masterpiece (12" original), on to an updated version (Papsico), run it through the 70s over two tracks (The Lovers and Wooden Ships), re-introduce an industrial element leftover from dead cities (The Great Marmalade...), and then slow it down, ushering in the new era. A remembrance of the past (Requiem), taking stock of the present (Things Change...), and a vision of the future (The Big Blue).
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Why did I wait so long in purchasing this CD from one of my favourite artists of all time? I thought they couldn't make Papua New Guinea with its excitement and rhythm any better. I thought there was no way one perfect track could be interpreted eight times. How I was wrong.
FSOL have always managed to bring beauty and life out of electronics to the point where the music and your mind meld into one. This CD is no different. They've ripped Papua New Guinea apart and used every single effect to enhance the flavour over seven new tracks.
The sum of Papua New Guinea's parts makes an even greater whole than even the 4:58 minute original could. And that's saying a lot.
(Oh, and if you've just joined us from Mars, the original's on there too.)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Its being 5 years since fresh Future Sound Of London material has being release, and this mini album 'Translations' focuses on music inspired by their classic early 90's track, Papua New Guinea.
Its clear after listening to this album that fsol are taking their music in yet another new direction (as they seemingly do with every album they release), with a more funky, instrumental sound. Indeed, after listening to tracks such as 'The Lovers', and 'The Great Marmalade Mama in the Sky', you get a 70's retro theme beginning to materialise. However, as with classic fsol material, there is so much depth in their music (and with many layers of samples) that its impossible to tie them down with one particular style or genre.
This mini-album has some good, catchy remakes of PNG, and fans of fsol will feel at home with this. I cant wait for the new Album (under the guise of Amorphous Androgynous, an alias they have used before for the album 'Tales From Ephidrena') Galaxial Pharmaceutrical early next year.
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