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Mariah Carey: We Belong Together (Reconstruction Club Mix)
Really.
Many years ago, I worked with a guy who was very ‘into’ Mariah Carey. At that time I didn’t understand why and I still don’t. Every song she sang was basically a sub-standard backing track, plus her vocal meandering across all octaves about over the top. More a technical demonstration than something that actually moves you.
Artistically and personally everything went south for Mariah during Glitter and Charmbracelet. No matter, because there are only two ways out: you end up dead, or you start again. Despite my general dislike for her music, I’m pleased she chose the latter, with this year’s The Emancipation of Mimi. Always nice to name check my Mac mini.
From what I’ve heard, this album tones down the vocal gymnastics, providing sparse backing tracks on which to actually construct a vocally-led song. Which brings me to We Belong Together. I’ve pondered on this track for about the past three months. What makes it great ‘as-is’, are the simple piano lines, resulting in a backing which is barely there. Add a restrained vocal performance and if you can’t sleep at 3am, this track sounds like the best thing ever recorded. Even though, at present, she suffers from the Dido ‘anything outside this octave and my voice disappears’ syndrome.
Funny then, that this version is the one I bought from iTunes, despite it being a bit of a gamble since you barely get past the intro in the 30s preview. Still, it was a good choice. Essentially, the vocals remain from the original, but the rest is thrown away and replaced by sawing synth stabs, remnants from mid-80s house music, and a toe-tapping sine wave. All sounds nice and chunky, until the diverting chord changes, which work magically. A great remix.
