Friday, 6 May 2022

Don-E - Crazy - UK CDS - (1993)

4th & Broadway – BRCD 272

Don-E-Craz-E-cover

The multi-talented Don-E found initial success, both here and stateside with the brilliant Love Makes The World Go Round, and associated album Unbreakable, back in 1992, which got to 18 on the UK charts.

His second album, 1995's Changing Seasons, didn't quite live up to the hype of the first and he parted company with the label, retreating into producing for others rather than being an artist himself. During this time he signed to D'Angelo's label, which is quite the honour!

Between these two albums he dropped the single 'Crazy' (or 'Craz-E' as shown on the cover). It featured on neither album though so I wonder if that was Don-E distancing himself from it?

He would return as an artist in a BIG way ten years later with Try This, in 2005, which is a wicked album, one my my favourites actually, and I urge you to go treat yourself to it. It's Neo soul at its best. More albums would follow: Natural (2008), Ladies Night Part 1 (2012), Little Star (2013), Future Rare Grooves (2014), Future Rares 2 (2015).

Don-E-Craz-E-OFC

Don-E-Craz-E-Lyrics

Despite our very own Mickey P being disparaging about this release, and the fact Don-E chose not to feature it on an album, I actually quite like it. Don't get it twisted, it is FAR from his best cut, but it isn't truly horrible.

The Brixton Flavour mix is probably the best option, but considering it is a Blacksmith production and features the always wicked General Levy, it isn't elevated much at all. The drums seem too weak and the bassline is pretty by-the-numbers. Shame.

Also included is a bonus rough n ready remix by yours truly, stripping out the drums and replacing it with the beats from Lords Of The Underground's classic cut Psycho. I used an AI to seperate the original track into stems and that's slightly affected the vocals in some parts?

Before I finish, Don-E is still active as an artist, both as part of the British Collective (please search out their album on Amazon or somewhere to support them) and go check out his personal BandCamp page. https://don-e1.bandcamp.com/ which has some heavy releases on there. 

Don-E is one of our own and deserves all the love we can offer him. 

Peace & luvizm x

Don-E-Craz-E-CD-Lyrics

Tracklist
  1. Crazy (Radio Version)
  2. Crazy (Brixton Flavour 12")
  3. Unbreakable (Radio Remix)
  4. Crazy (DON-E's Irie Version)
  1. BONUS: Don-E - Crazy (Kym B's Psycho Blend)

Download: D-E-C.7z | Filesize: 59.1MB

1 comment:

Shout outs