If I Could Fly

The thing about nearly any genre of music is that there are going to be at least a handful of bands that are worth their weight in gold, even if you don't particularly care for the genre at large. In the world of dance music, much of what you hear is utter dross meant for mass consumption, physical response and absolutely no investigation into something deeper than superficial character. However, every so often a dance oriented outfit appears that actually has merit. Grace is one such outfit. This group is made up of noted dance producers Paul Oakenfield and Steve Osborne with vocalist Dominique Atkins. This collaboration led to a couple singles before the release of If I Could Fly, their debut. The music revolves quite a bit out of the sultry and sensuous vocals of Atkins. Her voice never overexpresses the mood of the song, which makes for some very appropriate performances. The music itself is a cross between danceable rhythms, tinges of techno and occasional touches of Orbital's style of electronic music. Many of the synth sounds are staccato and pulsating, especially on the instrumental "Orange". The songs to the letter are infectious and memorable. The liveliness and energy is thoroughly invigorating throughout. The best thing about this album is that you don't have to be tearing up a rug on the dancefloor to fully appreciate it. An exceptionally warm and enticing record, Grace should be on the list of "things to get" for fans of Olive, Moby and other likeminded outfits.