Those Things

by Rick AndersonMake no mistake, Miguel Migs is a master of sound. His particular brand of electronic dance music incorporates a variety of elements and influences, and he blends them brilliantly, creating a bright and colorful tonal palette that puts many of his colleagues to shame. Where he doesn't seem to stand out is in his ability to either write or inspire lyrics that are worth hearing. His latest artist album is filled with sharp rhythms, beautiful textures, and catchy melodies, but deep lyrical banality is a constant problem. Every eye-rolling dancefloor cliché is present in at least one song: from LT robotically intoning that she wants to "get down tonight" ("Get Down") to Tim Fuller informing you that "it's on tonight" and bleating "baby baby baby baby" ("Body Never Lies"), the words are a constant disappointment. Luckily the sassy and percolating beats make it easy to ignore that aspect of the music, especially on such booty-moving grooves as the title track and the startlingly funky "Fire," on which reggae singer Junior Reid helps turn the song into a sort of breakbeat-reggae fusion that works brilliantly. Overall, this is a perfectly functional dance collection that achieves occasional greatness.