REVIEW: Bunkka

Paul Oakenfold
Bunkka
© 2002 Maverick

Love ‘im or hate ‘im, Paul Oakenfold is one of the most successful DJs in the world and at no time has his star been higher than at the turn of the millennium. And so he evidently decided that the only way to grow was to become more than a DJ; to become a musician in his own right. The result of this experiment was Bunkka his debut as just “Oakenfold.”

Instead of taking the easy route of producing an album of original music in the style he had become so known for, he stretched in a more populist direction. The album features a wide range of vocalists, with each track suiting that vocalist’s style, such as the hip-hop styled “Get ‘Em Up” featuring Ice Cube or the electro-rock “Time of Your Life” featuring rock vocalists Perry Farrell and Grant-Lee Phillips.

This, of course, leads to the question: how does a DJ—an artist not known for his voice or skill with an instrument—make an album where he deviates from his typical style and retain a musical identity? The answer is, he doesn’t. Long time listeners will find very little Oakenfold-ness to this album. But perhaps that was Oakenfold’s intent; to use his name as little more than a hook in the establishment of a new musical identity. In this, he is slightly more successful.

If, then, we take as the album’s mandate to create a sort of exciting, dance-pop party mix rather than full on dance album, perhaps the greatest success of the album is “Starry Eyed Surprise” which features rock-rapper Shifty Shellshock of Crazy-Town. The vibe of this song, as clearly reflected in the video, is one of a summer party. Upbeat lyrics play over melodic sounds, turntablism, and an eminently danceable hip-hop back-beat. Is it the best song ever made? No. But it is a fun song no iPod-DJ should be without.

“Starry Eyed Surprise (feat. Shifty Shellshock)”


Sandwiched between the almost-trance “Hypnotised” and “Starry Eyed Surprise” lie a trio of down-tempo tracks. Even compared to some of the pure dance songs on the album, these may seem the most familiar to Oakenfold fans; none would be wholly out of place as a build-up or come-down track on one of his trance mixes. This set also gives us one of the strongest and one of the weakest songs of the album.

Good news first: The last of the three, “Hold Your Hand” (featuring Icelandic artist Emiliana Torrini), while taking a different route, meets the album’s directive as well, if not better, than “Starry Eyed Surprise,” blending rock, pop, and down-tempo house stylings into a sultry, mysterious sound that perfectly compliments Torrini’s distinctive voice.

“Hold Your Hand (feat. Emiliana Torrini)” (Fan video)


The bad news? Before “Hold Your Hand,” comes “Nixon’s Spirit,” an awkward attempt at relevancy. The song features gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson reading a section of his obituary to Richard Nixon. Seen on it’s own, the track isn’t actually that bad; the tense music compliments Thompson’s withering appraisal Nixon’s post-mortem impact on American culture.

“Nixon’s Spirit (feat. Hunter S. Thompson)” fan video


However, in the context of an album that otherwise fosters a positive atmosphere, this harsh negativity is drastically out of place, its strengths corrupting into a glaring weakness right in the middle of the album. The inclusion at the opening of the song of an answering message from Thompson’s agent (presumably) indicating his interest in contributing to this album gives the impression that Oakenfold was aware of this problem, but decided to ignore it in favor of the thought “Hey look! Hunter S. Thompson’s on my CD? Pretty cool, eh? I know, right? I never thought he’d do it.”

(The third of this down-tempo trio is “Zoo York,” which features Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and a sample of Clint Mansell's Winter: Lux Aeterna. It is a mostly atmospheric song that provides a nice come-down after the first third of the album, but doesn’t particularly stand out.)

“Hold Your Hand,” “Starry Eyed Surprise,” and “Nixon’s Spirit” aside, most of the songs on the album fail to leave a strong impression on the listener. None of them are particularly bad, but in general they are all things that have been done better. Oakenfold does prove he is capable of producing music that is not trance, but fails to convince us that this is a worth while endeavor.

“Ready Steady Go (Feat Asher D)” (fan video)

Oakenfold tries to sound like The Crystal Method. A strong start, but doesn’t go anywhere new.

“Get Em Up (feat Ice Cube)” (fan video)

Ice Cube is good as always, but as a fusion of rap and techno it is fairly middle-of-the-road.

“Time of Your Life (feat Perry Farrell and Grant-Lee Phillips)

A competent blend of house and rock but, again, there are better options (such as Fatboy Slim).

RECCOMENDED IF… you are looking for a good party mix. While other artists may do most of these styles better than Oakenfold, this is still a fun, danceable album. It simply is not one that holds up to close scrutiny.

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