Euphoria: Nouveaumatic

by Jonathan WidranOne of the nouveau flamenco sensation's most appealing traits since his 1990 debut has been beautiful guitar melodies that capture the dynamics of the rhythms of life. In 2003, he seems to have chosen mostly to take a hiatus from composing and find unique ways to look back at his appealing catalog -- hoping of course that his hardcore fans and some interested bystanders would like a variety of newfangled twists on his classics. The Santa Fe Sessions was a studio recording which reflected the new, expansive live-in-concert character of ten classic tracks plus two new cuts. Nouveaumatic, the debut release from Ottmar Liebert's new SSRI label, is something of a follow-up to his 1995 hit Euphoria, which featured DJ-reworked versions of songs from 1993's The Hours Between Night + Day. This new collection contains new groove twists on songs from The Santa Fe Sessions, and his lullaby album In the Arms of Love. "Ottmar for club audiences" would be a good way to summarize the vibe, which ranges from the ambient, deep pockets of "Twilight Rain," to the bossa makeover "Sao Paulo," a plucky gem that features a new throbbing bass that won't quit. Colorful experiments abound, including the rolling, reggae-tinged "Heart Still/Beating," a disco/flamenco hybrid and a nearly nine-minute, atmospheric soul version of "In The Arms of Love," which contains a long sample from a recording he made in Boston in 1982. The creativity is impressive, even if Liebert traditionalists might prefer the simple, untouched versions. Now that he's riveted us with these unique sonic experiments, it would be nice to hear him get back to basics.