★★☆☆☆
A peculiar mix, and a maker of decisions that in this day and age of the remix and the bootleg, comes off sub-par at best. Sharam Jey is trying to impress with alternative club versions of recognizable themes when a) the tracks they’re sourcing from aren’t in the least bit upfront and b) are not radical re-ups, just more or less a copy and paste of vocals. You understand that getting the party started is at the front of his mind, but the demeanor is of a budding first gig spinner who mixes pretty well or a house party hired hand rather than someone of experience and stature.
The rap sheet starts inauspiciously with SJ’s “Give It To Me” taking on Busta Rhymes’ “I Know What You Want” (utilizing Bus-a-Bus on the hook, rather than the more natural choice of Mariah Carey). A decent framing of the accompanying chords heads fair but rarely dynamic, ’80s-touched electro and disco flavors. The ensuing plod of artless pop-to-dance alterations become excruciatingly derivative, taking from Pharrell crooning on Snoop’s “Beautiful”, Timex Social Club, The Fugees (“Here I Come” is alarmingly uninventive), bygone guilty pleasures such as Cutting Crew’s “Died In Your Arms” and Tears for Fears’ “Shout” and samples best known to belong to King Bee and Truth Hurts. Jey loses the game of trying to appeal through the familiar, and this Bunny needs boiling.
File under: Tapesh, Phonique, Teenage Mutants