Sally Shapiro

Remix albums have a bad reputation for being uneven, uninspired and, really, just plain bad. However, there are always exceptions, Sally Shapiro’s Remix Romance Vol. 1 being one of them. This collection of mixed-up tracks from Disco Romance, the celebrated 2006 album by Swedish writer/producer Johan Agebjörn and gentle-voiced songstress Shapiro, avoids all the usual pitfalls, both on design and musical levels. Design-wise, Remix Romance keeps almost the same track sequence as the original and never makes the cardinal sin of remixing the same track twice. Musically, the record brings a solid roster of big-draw remixers (Juan MacLean, Junior Boys, Lindstrøm), as well as promising up-and-comers (Woodhands, Holy Fuck). Most times, they strip away Sally Shapiro’s Moroder-loving Italo disco and in its place, leave sexed-up, spaced-out electro jams, which put welcome twists on the songs while still keeping the spirit of the original Romance intact. With all the pluses and few if any, minuses, ten mixes for cash these are not.