Record Rack

** 1/2 Shirley Bassey, “The Remix Album--Diamonds Are Forever,” Liberty. The Propellerheads’ 1998 collaboration with the Welsh diva on “History Repeating” may have been a surprise hit, but Bassey’s husky vocals seemed such a natural fit to a fast-paced dance groove that it made one wonder why other electronic acts hadn’t thought of it earlier. Apparently some of the Propellerheads’ peers felt the same. This collection finds 10 artists, including Groove Armada and Nightmares on Wax, taking their shot at remixing the Tigress From Tiger Bay.

Those expecting a lot of tracks similar to “History Repeating” are in for a surprise. Whereas the beat was the star of that tune, almost all of these remixes bow considerably to Bassey’s vocals, which are as bold and commanding as always. The tracks vary little on the surface, but the subtle nuances eventually shine through. The Propellerheads, who this time tackle “Goldfinger,” stand out with a calypso-flavored remix. Wild Oscar’s interpretation of “Big Spender” also provides a highlight. More daring remixes would have been nice. However, even if this collection serves no other purpose than to introduce a new generation to Miss Bassey’s considerable talents, it’s still a worthwhile endeavor.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.