Michael Oakley - California Remixed

(self-release 2018)

Michael Oakley is a talented new producer looking to make the FM-84/Midnight axis into a triumvirate. For me, his 2017 album California fell short of these aspirations, but was still a solid debut. So how will it sound when reinterpreted by some of synthwave's leading producers?




The answer is "mixed bag." By far the strongest remix is "Devotion," which comes courtesy of Brotherington. It features lush de-tuned synths and a smooth, pleasing vibe. For my money, it is better than the original version. My other favorite one is the Betamaxx remix of "Turn Back Time," which is lovely in an understated kind of way. I also enjoyed the Art Effects remix of "Rabbit in the Headlights," which has a nice mid/late '80s groove to it.

None of the other tracks really do it for me, though the Morgan Willis and Kalax remixes come close. However, in both those cases, Oakley's vocals feel superfluous--they'd work better for me as original instrumental tracks. Alternately, I could just listen to the originals, where the vocals sit better. It's downhill from there. I adore Robots with Rayguns as a producer, but his remix of "Turn Back Time" is quite boring, especially in comparison to the one from Betamaxx. The rest are forgettable.

Score: 5.5