Music Review: Paul Oakenfold – Perfecto Vegas

Perfecto Vegas is the newest release from world famous DJ Paul Oakenfold and is inspired from his celebrated weekly DJ residence at the Rain Nightclub in the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. Perfecto Vegas is touted as a return to form for the famed DJ, and indeed Oakenfold dazzles on this two disc release.

Having shifted his sound recently and seeming to be more concerned with his corporate sponsored tracks many fear he has abandoned his roots, Perfecto Vegas is proof he hasn’t. This release brings us through a diverse Electronica sound experience shifting from house, to trance, then to club mixes and back again. His effortless mixing and smooth transitions bring a vibe to the songs that have to be heard.

The two discs offer slightly different feels, all tracks are hand picked and mixed by Oakenfold. The first disc is a high energy affair perfectly suited to a dance floor or on your mp3 player for an energetic and effortless workout. A diverse group of artists are on display on this disc and most are bang on and work perfectly (in particular "Left Alone" and "Invasion"), but at times others (like "Let The Music Play") are simply too vanilla. When Oakenfold finds a good sound it is great, when he falls into standard tracks it seems like we have heard this too often in the past.

The second disc seems more vocal focused and features three tracks from DJ Robert Vadney. I have to say his choice of vocals and tracks interspersed on the album help propel the second helping from Oakenfold to the top of the listening heap. By and large this disc isn’t as high energy, but it does have a constant movement vibe to it that makes you want to listen over and over. Highlights are "Fallen Angel’s Symphony", "Sleeping Satellite" and "Eivissa" but this disc is packed with well mixed tracks that have that classic Oakenfold sound.

Perfecto Vegas is a great addition to his catalog and is expertly mixed and designed to make you move. It would be nice to see Oakenfold push the envelope a little bit more, but what we have sounds great. This has me greatly anticipating his next original release, Pop Killer, sometime next year. Paul Oakenfold is currently on tour with Madonna on her Sticky & Sweet tour and Perfecto Vegas is available at brick and mortar stores and all major online outlets.