Mariah Carey Connection

Rating: The Emancipation of Mimi (4/5)

When you go to hear an artist’s new album and the chairman of the record label (in this case, LA Reid himself) has flown over to meet and greet you know it’s a Big Event. And so it was at the unveiling of The Emancipation of Mimi. For this, which the Def Jam big wig are hailing ‘The Return of The Voice’ is a potentially major turning point for Mimi (the nickname given to her as a kiddie). After all, the noughties have been a tumultuous time for Ms Carey. Her last effort, Charmbracelet,- sandwiched between a Greatest Hits and a Remix album- turned out to be more like a curse, the previous Glitter flick fell arse over tit, and the mess of relentless bad press since then varying on a theme of ‘doolally diva’ would be enough to make most musicians go yodel in a cave for the rest of their years. But after 18 months in the studio she’s back- and working with all the right people.

Take Say Something, produced by the Neptunes and featuring Snoop Dogg. The spankingly up-to-the–minute production and chilled out groove make for a must have on the iPod this Spring.

Equally tomorrow-titled is Get Your number: gifted wrapped fort he gays thanks to its crunky, Daft Punky, electro-funkyopulse as the five-octaved Long Islander taunts:

‘Tell me how many times in your life will you get an opportunity like tonight?’.

She’s back, children, and she’s working it. On duet To The Floor, you can practically hear her pushing her tush up against Nelly as they thrust their way through some dance-floor dynamite. But it is, as ever, the ballads that unleash the bravura vocal performances that made Maz the biggest selling female vocalist of the 90s, and influenced a generation of young American vocal acrobats from Christina Aguilera to Kelly Clarkson.

Future single We Belong Together, stripped down to simple piano and acoustic guitar accompaniment, and Mine Again, with its sumptuous jazz chords and vinyl crackle, both showcase The Voice in all its melismatic glory. Madame Butterfly is back of form. Deal with it.

Source: Attitude Magazine | Text: Mariah Connection UK