In Strict Confidence - Seven Lives

In Strict Confidence have released a follow-up to their latest success album 'Holy' with a remix E.P called 'Seven Lives' where we not only get a wonderful digipack inspired from the Arabian countries, we also get four brand new tracks and nine different remixes from the earlier mentioned full-length album. This release went straight to the first place on our own Nordic chart NAC and I don't think anyone was left surprised by that.

First out is a remix of the title track "Seven Lives" which have been additionally named "Extended Version" which have a total time of 7 min and 16 sec. The same wonderful track, but a little bit extended and nicer. Other remixes of this track is the "Club Version" with the total time of 8 min and 13 sec, but unfortunately way to feeble in my thoughts and body impulses to fit the dance floor. De/Vision, Monozelle, Iris and The Crüxshadows have also left their personal mark on the track and I think the two last mentioned bands do it most successfully even though the other two bands don't make a bad work.

Other tracks from 'Holy' that have been remixed are "Eye of Heaven" which has been transformed to a pretty slow trip-hop inspired version. Lucas Boysen has managed to do a dance floor killer with the remix of "No Love Will Heal", a little more GO! with harder beats and a nice but simple loop. I think all the DJ's are happier with this one than the club remix of "Seven Lives". Finally we have "Babylon" which unfortunately are the dullest of all remixes with its "Drumgrip III"-version.

Further more than all the remixes we also have the new tracks. "Slowmotion" is a totally instrumental track and are pretty meaningless. We are therefore left with "Open Skies", "Der Teufel" and "Walking Shadows" where the last mention track is an absolute favourite with its classical In Strict Confidence-feeling and habit-forming refrain. You probably know its type, the one that really get stuck in your mind and you just have to hum on it as soon as you have some time over.

In the end it's a very mixed album with its light moments and grey zones.

This review was written 2004 and initially published on Neurozine.com Jan 01 2004