Vikter Duplaix - International Affairs (2002) flac

Tracklist:

[2:07] 01. Vikter Duplaix - Departure
[4:35] 02. Vikter Duplaix - What We Want
[4:34] 03. Vikter Duplaix - Lust For Life
[4:08] 04. Vikter Duplaix - I Got You
[3:54] 05. Vikter Duplaix - Looking For Love (Critical Point 58th Street Mix)
[6:16] 06. Vikter Duplaix - Morena
[4:26] 07. Vikter Duplaix - Yesterday's Pain
[0:28] 08. Vikter Duplaix - Fahmina Speaks
[4:26] 09. Vikter Duplaix - Wherever You Are
[4:25] 10. Vikter Duplaix - Come See Me
[4:02] 11. Vikter Duplaix - Tropical Girl
[4:56] 12. Vikter Duplaix - Desperately
[5:40] 13. Vikter Duplaix - Late Night Rendezvous
[3:36] 14. Vikter Duplaix - Looking For Love

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ABOUT THE ALBUM
1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
Total length: 00:57:19
Main artist: Vikter Duplaix
Composer: Various Composers
Label: Hollywood Records
Genre: Future Jazz, Downtempo
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo
© 2002 Hollywood Records, Inc.
℗ 2002 Hollywood Records, Inc.

Philadelphia's Vikter Duplaix has been equally present in the contemporary R&B scene in the U.S. and the dance scene in the U.K., but he's been more visible in the latter, releasing the occasional 12" and contributing remixes and vocals to a small assortment of artists' releases. In the States, he's been more of a background figure, lending production, songwriting, and instrumentation to records by Musiq, Jaguar Wright, Erykah Badu, and King Britt. His full-length debut is just as eclectic as you'd expect, and even more so -- and that's the only thing that makes it less than phenomenal. Duplaix is clearly a jack of all trades, but he's only a master of some, too anxious to show of his eclecticism. For instance, an identikit Latin track written with Bebel Gilberto sticks out like a sore thumb, and its vocal hook goes, "She's a tropical girl living in a digital world." After removing that and a couple of B-moments, there's a great 40-minute LP -- one of the better neo-soul records of 2002/2003. The tracks produced with 4hero's Marc Mac -- the exquisitely crafted "Lust for Life" and the smoldering "Looking for Love" (insert Eddie Murphy joke here) -- are definite high points, incorporating subtle inflections of the broken beat style pioneered by Mac's group. Most of the remainder is produced with frequent studio partner James Poyser; a good balance is struck between energetic, beat-heavy grooves ("What We Want") and more laid-back fare ("I Got You"), while some songs were obviously conceived with baby-making in mind ("Desperately"). Duplaix possesses one of those smooth voices that slides down the throat like meringue; you'll either get enough after five minutes or want to listen to it all day and all night. Here's hoping International Affairs isn't the last listeners hear from him in a solo capacity. He's got too much talent to remain in the shadows.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo


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