If It Wasn’t for Love
Deborah Cox
Just when it felt like all our true divas had been replaced with Auto-Tuned blondes, Deborah comes roaring back to blow those bitches out of the software-dependent soundscape. Not since 2009’s “Beautiful U R” and “Leave the World Behind” have we had a real dance floor offering from Cox, but this one more than makes up for those two years of radio silence. Presented in multiple flavors by Mixin Marc, Papercha$er, Razor & Guido and [Tracy] Young Collective, “If It Wasn’t for Love” is a clubland love song, citing love as the thing that saved her from an imminent downward spiral and destruction. Deborah’s voice is as powerhouse as it ever was, and her spiral staircase crescendo on the word “love” could pull any tragedy from his K-hole. All mixes are strong, but the trophy for best look goes to Tracy Young, who gives the track that heavily-produced Circuit sound that makes Young such a dependable staple. Look for several rumored forthcoming releases from Cox in 2012 with producers John Dahlback, Rune RK and Erick Morillo.
