Ricardo Villalobos – Vasco EP Part 2

I think Dexterfeng's review of this is a bit harsh. This record is a bit of a DJ tool, but isn't that the case for every Villalobos release? What makes Villalobos a cut above the rest is that he can make a DJ tool record, but still make it listenable outside of the club. 'Amazodrum' isn't any worse or better than his last few releases. It features a cool synth-line floating in and out throughout the track, and has that very satisfying kick to the snare that Villalobos is so good at. Of course it's monotonous, but you know this will be the case before you even slap it on the turntable. If I had a complaint it would be directed toward the Baby Ford mix which barely deviates from the original version. I typically love Baby Ford, but he takes the best parts of the original (the kick and the synth-line) and attempts to change the more straight-ahead original with a sampled loop and shuffle beat. He tries to strip down something that is already stripped to the bone and it doesn't quite work. Having said that, the Villalobos original is another quality slab of electronic booty-shaking goodness. Get it!

Dj tool with two mixes.
There's material that's far more fitting for Baby Ford to have a go at in Ricardo's catalog. Material that has more quirks in the right spots to engage in. Like go back to Miami. A Baby Ford mix of that could be painfully good. There's also material of Ricardo's that's just better period. For the listener at least. As a listener. It lacks enough development and motion for it to be worthy of it's initial and then only statement. Sad. This wants to be epic and wants to dance around and be big and important. But it's stillborn as the good idea that just never goes beyond that initial mental spasm that thought enough to press record. Ricardo seems to possibly hint at that by going to the drums without any sentiment with more than ample space for even the worst dj to get cued up. Which might just be the joke in the title.
That said. As a dj tool. This record is pure set up and/or bug out material. It's purpose is a bookend to the set phaser on kill records. On that merit. Yippy!
But yeah. Amaze or dumb.