One thing Washington DC production duo Thievery Corporation have maintained over their decade-long discography is consistency, never straying far from the down-tempo electronica of 1996's classic, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi. Thievery's sound is immediately recognizable to even the most casual fan, a sonic after-hours lounge exploration of dub, world and whatever else the chemists of chill see fit. Riding a wave of recent success, namely a spot on 2004's coveted Garden State soundtrack, as well as the triumph of 2005's politically charged The Cosmic Game, Thievery began to hit their stride. \nBut that wave has begun to break with Thievery's latest release Versions. Much like the gentle peaks of Thievery's live sets, Versions is simply a return to form after having taken it out a bit. The album is 18 dub remixes of artists as diverse as sarangi player Ustad Sultan Kahn and the Doors, with a couple Thievery "originals" dotting the mix. \nThe record begins its measured voyage with the Ustad Sultan Kahn track "Tarana". Tricked-out Indian vocals blend naturally with melancholic trip-hop reminiscent of Portishead's Dummy. The warm pop of vinyl hangs eerily in the background. Damien 03's "Habanos Days" receives a proper dub treatment and Nouvelle Vague's "Love Song" has that trademark cinematic Thievery vibe, a little swanky with a hint of Saint Germain jazz. The remixes have been taken so far out that it's hard to not call them originals themselves. This observation is never more apparent than with the remix of the Norah Jones track "Angels." Jones's airy voice delicately coasts along to the slow chug of a dub beat, the lyrics almost unrecognizable given Thievery's extensive rewiring. The group also lends their remix chops to the Doors "Strange Days." It takes great artistic responsibility to remix any work, but to take Jim Morrison and place him over a very highly produced dance track is blasphemous. Despite being a remix record, there are originals in the mix. Though few and far between, the originals all deliver. The track "Originality" is so authentically dubbed-out, it's hard to imagine that King Tubby could produce better results. \nAs diverse as the artists sampled, Thievery has the uncanny ability to make it all sound the same. This is a testament to having mastered their sound, but the end result is a mild album that one would expect to be full of risk. Versions will certainly serve as appropriate late night background music, but overall it's a clean production that lacks depth.
\n--Jeff O'Reilly
