Since he's usually associated with the pounding house music of his
Club 69 project and remixing the likes of
Cher and
Whitney Houston, the idea of a down-tempo compilation from
Peter Rauhofer seems misdirected. Released in conjunction with the sexy Miami and New York City eatery Cafeteria,
Hear is deeper and smarter than expected.
Rauhofer lays out more vocal tracks than most comps of this type, choosing more straight-ahead but atmospheric tracks over abstract and trippy ones. If the disc doesn't work for background music, it's only because the strength and attractiveness of some tracks demand more attention than the usual chill-out selections. An especially luscious
Rauhofer collaboration with
the Pet Shop Boys on their version of
Raze's house classic "Break 4 Love" pulls new emotions out of the original,
Lydia Rhodes' take on
Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" is also sweet and delicious. When
Rauhofer's mix of
Yoko Ono's "Walking on Thin Ice" emerges out of the excellent and surprise choice of
Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness," it's an insightful and illuminating moment that validates the DJ's excursion into music more introspective than usual. A bit of filler keeps
Hear from being indispensable, but who would have thought
Rauhofer could provide such a gratifying headphone journey? ~ David Jeffries