Shakedown
Freemasons
David Morales. Junior Vasquez. Hex Hector. Thunderpuss. Peter Rauhofer. And now the Freemasons. Comprised of James Wiltshire and Russell Small (formerly of Phats & Small), the Freemasons have become the next in a lineage of remix producers whose name is so synonymous with the creative re-working of a song for the dance floor that the presence alone of their name in a tracklisting elicits purchase without even having heard a thing. What instantly sets the Freemasons apart from the rest is their trademark sound - funky, soulful disco house. Amidst the trend of dark, chiseled Circuit beats, the Freemasons sound radiates like the million twinkling reflections off a mirrorball.
The Freemasons’ public presence began back in 2005 with a sleepy track called “Mesmerized” by R&B soulstress Faith Evans. In its original version, “Mesmerized” was straight “jook joint down at the Suga Shack on the bayou” - naked vocals with solo bass guitar, bare percussion, and minimal harmonies - pretty, but it was panting for a remix if it intended on making any kind of mark. A Freemasons remix was commissioned and, despite being released at the end of summer, “Mesmerized” became the most coveted dance track of the party season. Then, just weeks later the Freemasons released their first artist track, “Love On My Mind” featuring elements of the disco classic “This Time Baby” by Jackie Moore and newcomer Amanda Wilson, a vocalist the pair stumbled across singing karaoke in a pub, and the track became a UK Top 20 hit. (Incidentally, the pub was called Freemasons and is the origin of the name.) Since then, the Freemasons have released a slew of chart-topping singles and become the golden boys of dance makeovers. Demand for the group’s remixes is enormous, allowing them to be very selective about which projects they take on, and consequently to bang out an A-list resume including Fatboy Slim, Angie Stone, Jamiroquai, Heather Headley, Blaze feat. Barbara Tucker, Loleatta Holloway, Luther Vandross, and most recently Beyonc�. After only two years of working under the name, the Freemasons have already created a body of work large enough to drop Shakedown, the group’s debut double-disc full-length release. Shakedown serves dual purposes as both a “greatest hits [so far]” compilation featuring the legendary remixes of “In My Mind” (Heather Headley), “D�j� Vu” (Beyonc�), “Mesmerized” (Faith Evans), “I Wasn’t Kidding” (Angie Stone), and “Love Sensation �06” (Loleatta Holloway); and as a studio album with its ten new artist tracks featuring vocals by Amanda Wilson, Siedah Garrett, Judie Tzuke, Katherine Ellis, and Julie Thompson. The Freemasons’ groovy bounce has garnered an overwhelming fan base since their inception, and Shakedown rewards the fans’ devotion and will likely win over more than a few new ones. Six bonus tracks are included as MP3s as well.
