Amazon.co.uk Review
Erlend Oye, lead singer with Norwegian outfit Kings Of Convenience, likes to warble over tracks during his DJ sets. He also likes to tell stories. This, of course, making him an interesting choice for the latest instalment of the eclectic DJ Kicks series. No less than nine cuts here feature his vocal performances, three of which are unreleased records of his own, six of which are cover versions--everything from Opus 3 to Elvis and Morrissey to the Pet Shop Boys. The musical thrust of the compilation lies somewhere between 80s retro-clash rockers and quirky, rock-influenced classics, with tracks by Royksopp, the Rapture, Avenue D and Pheonix all providing more than enough atmospheric dancefloor business. Straddling the line between a DJ mix and a proper artist LP, it makes for a unique compilation that should appeal even to those who don't normally buy mix albums. --
Paul Sullivan
CD Description
Following up his electronics-based solo debut, UNREST, Erlend Oye strays further from the acoustic folk sound of his band, Kings of Convenience, on this DJ outing. Rather than taking the usual DJ-mix route of merely compiling his favouritesongs, Oye makes this an even more personal project by singing along to a majority of the album's tracks, either on hisown or, in the case of tracks by Cornelius and Minizza, as half of Kings of Convenience.
In addition to the solo track "The Black Keys Work", Oye sings the rave classic "Fine Day" over musical elements of his own "Sheltered Life", and replaces his vocals on Royksopp's "Poor Leno" with his rendition of lyrics from the Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out". Even when Oye isn't credited on a track, it doesn't mean he's not present. Listen closely to the bouncy "If IEver Feel Better" by Phoenix and the gloomy "I Need Your Love" by the Rapture, and his vocals are there, helping to make this installment of the DJ-KICKS series an unusual and inventive album.