Lina - It's Alright (Gang Starr Remix) (Promo Single) - (2001)

Atlantic ‎– PRCD 300669

I'm a big fan of Lina (born Shelina Wade of Denver Colorado), she's got a classy, classic jazz vocalist style, steeped in the traditions of Sarah Vaughn et al. She gets overlooked by many, I feel, which is a real shame.

If you've never investigated Lina before, I can't recommend her albums highly enough. Stranger On Earth, Morning Star (if you can get it for a reasonable price) and The Inner Beauty Movement in particular are amazing, but she's never put out anything less than great to my knowledge. 

This promo CD is a remix of a track allegedly from the Stranger On Earth album, although it's not on my copy of it! What's that about?

Anyway, the original is dope, and has a completely different, laid-back vibe. Sadly that versions not present here on this promo CD (you can find that here). What we have, though, is a simple stripped back, dirty, funky dance-floor friendly groove. Try listening without bobbing your head or even wanting to shake that ass. It's impossible.

My man DJ Premier (although I note Guru is listed as co-producer?) wisely doesn't overdo anything, and lets Lina's vocals shine through. It's essentially a drum track, with some reversed stabs and occasional rhodes style vibes. While the instrumentation is minimal, it helps propel the track by giving it some urgency and a real nice punchy feel.

The No Rap version is great and a really quick bullet of funky shit, weighing in at 2:20 and it's done. For my money though, track one is where it's at. It is still short, but has two verses from Guru who is admittedly going through the numbers here, but it's still wicked  (gotta have me some Guru, right?). The Instrumental is a welcome addition, but the call out Hook is a waste of time being just a small slice of the chorus, and not even in accapella! I'd have rather had an extended mix or the original version.

Still, it IS a promo (and seriously hot it is too).

Tracklist

1. It's Alright (Gang Starr Remix)
2. It's Alright (Gang Starr Remix - No Rap)
3. It's Alright (Gang Starr Remix - Instrumental)
4. It's Alright (Gang Starr Remix - Call Out Hook)

Download: L-IA-GSR.7z | Filesize: 20.3MB