Search - Ultra Nate :: Free

The DIVA OF DESPAIR lets it rip again with this one!!

J. Ahern | Gainesville, FL United States | 06/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is chock-filled with goodies, contents are:

6 mixes of Free

1 mix of Feel Love

1 mix of Time of Our Lives

1 mix of Brass in Pocket

1 LIVE Version of It's Over Now

Some fab color shots of Ultra, liner notes, etc.



For a maxi-single, this is MAXED out! 'Free' is Ultra's biggest hit ever and it got a re-release this year. The packaging itself is definitely impressive, very professional coming from an independent dance label.



First things first, the LIVE version of It's Over Now is WORTH the purchase if nothing else. This is a live performance from 2001 at Shine in NYC, alongside Ultra is a human beatbox named Kenny Muhammed. While Kenny is creating bass beats with his vocals, Ultra is crooing away and moving the crowd! It's an awesome set, very improvisational....this will give you a taste of what seeing Ultra live is like (I haven't yet so for me it's a real treat.) Moving on- you could pretty much pick any of the Free mixes as being excellent quality-wise and each has its own uniqueness. My personal favorites are the Oscar G Afterhours Space Mix (a high energy dancefloor crammer ready to make you move) and the Craig C Bedfellows Mix (a somewhat more loungy mix, more chill with elements of piano and drums.) What I find though, these mixes are difficult to enjoy in the car or just sitting at home. They seem better suited for the clubs or for the gym, because they should act as a stimuli to make you move or do something. The Time of Our Lives and Feel Love mixes are great too. My only complaint is the Brass In Pocket mix they chose- the Karizma mix (more of a dub than a vocals mix) gets rather annoying and tiresome after a minute or so. Instead, the QK Session Tribalpella Mix should have been included- this is a hot tribal, drums mix (available for purchase on Ultranate.com.)



More releases from Ultra post-Stranger Than Fiction:

-Brass In Pocket (available on vinyl and mp3 only)- 13 remixes of this single available on UltraNate.com for $1.25 each

-Feel Love (available on vinyl and mp3 only)- mixes available through iTunes $0.99 each

-Time of Our Lives- under the name ULTRA DEVOTED (available on import CD only)- prices vary, check eBay, may take three weeks to get from Australia to the US, but well worth it





"

Ultimate Ultra

DJ @ The Worthington.Com | Ft Lauderdale Beach FL. | 05/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every mix unique, so I do not have a favorite, UN has always been a favorite of mine and now "Free 2005" released is not only great but dance floor friendly, there are disco-fied mixes as well as Diva Anthems. As well as some extra "bonus" track remixes. That are just superb, EXCEPT the "Pretenders" classic (Brass in Pocket)I am lucky I have the 12" with full vocals, and THEY are as diva as can be, but this BIPocket remix "really" should be labeled as a dub, since there are no real vocals, just clips, and in a club you really would not know this classic song at all. To bad the copy I have is no longer avialable, only released as a promo, it would have done great on the charts if released as a single possibly in the future? but for now if you like the original "free" remixes, you will be blown away at these new 2005 mixes, and for the $ it is kinda like a mini EP, I'd grab it before it's to late...U will love it Jason 33305@aol.com prof. DJ, Jason"

Craig C's remix rules!

One World | Denver, CO USA | 03/28/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Props to Denver, Colorado's Craig C formerly of the dynamic duo that was the Pound Boys. C-Boy and DJ Dealer have since gone separate ways.



In his mix, the C-ster uses George Duke as his inspiration bringing a Brazilian vibe. Of all the mixes, I consider this one the best because it is not so techno and has an old-school feel.



Dance music should not forget that it is a form of human expression and it should be made to feel like that and not like a bunch of computers and samplers. C' uses his instruments as well instruments to get a sound he feels will work for showcasing an artist awhile bringing a song to a dance level...or, in this case taking an already existing dance number and allowing it to continue it's dance legacy with yet another interpretation.



The other mixes are fine as well especially the one song where Nate re-records her vocal.



The live song is a nice one too."