Don't confuse this artist with the one called "dB", who is known for introducing the sound of "drum'n'bass" to the dance clubs of America. Nope. The artist here is "DB". Notice the difference? The guy with the capital "D" is who we hear on the 2007 album "Cherry Mint", brought to us by indie label Vine Street Records. And whereas both of the dee-bees dabble with electronica, the guy here is more mellow; and, apparently, an audiophile with a love for 5.1 surround music.
DB wrote, performed, mixed, engineered, and produced most of the tracks. Per the liner notes, he states: "This recording is very accurate, so you can adjust your subwoofer volume until it sounds to your liking and leave it that way for best results for future use." I don't know if I'd go that far, seeing as how many multichannel music albums seem to vary in their channel levels; but, to be fair, I didn't need to stray from my typical channel level settings in order to get good bass. Additionally, the liner notes go to great lengths to educate the listener as how to ensure you are hearing the high-resolution DVD-Audio tracks, and not simply just the Dolby Digital or DTS versions.
The surround mix on "Cherry Mint" has extremely good sound. It doesn't seem overcompressed at all, and, despite its electronic nature, there is plenty of 'air' around each of the instruments. The focus of the 5.1 mix is up front, primarily in the main left/right speakers. And, in referencing the liner notes once again, it states: "You should hear almost nothing come from the center speaker other than ambient effects". As someone who has heard too many surround mixes ruined by over-utilization of the center channel, I wholeheartedly approve! What is more, there is still plenty going on in the surrounds. The rears contain lots of ambience, but also many clearly individual sounds.
Overall, I rate this DVD-Audio release a very respectable "4 out of 5". Mostly for its technical achievements rather than for its music. Some of the songs are pretty good, though. In fact, I find the best tracks here are easily "Liquid Black" and "Bending Up". A couple of other tunes, "Cool Green" and "Crystal Clear", while not quite as excellent as those first two, still manage to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
You'll get a much better idea of the music by visiting DB's MySpace page, but I've nonetheless tried to break down each of the track's attributes here:
Track #1 - "Liquid Black"
An instrumental track that begins with the sounds of running water coming from the surrounds. Like most everything found on "Cherry Mint", it is very ambient. This particular track also has nice bass lines and an occasional guitar whose airy, chorus-filled tone reminds me somewhat of Eric Johnson's work from his "Venus Isle" period. A woman's voice sings in the background; the words I do not understand, but it makes me think of Enya.
Track #2 - "Bending Up"
This has a woman (Jennifer Corday) singing lead vocals. She also assisted DB by providing the lyrics to this tune. The rhythm and the beat sound somewhat like an Ace Of Base song, but one that was done by a distant, much cooler cousin who is really laid back. It's a very enjoyable, almost pop-oriented track.
Track #3 - "Cherry Mint"
A mid-tempo electronic groove. Lots of short vocal samples taken from both a man's voice and a woman's voice that play over the music.
Track #4 - "On The Moon"
Apparently a remix of a Jennifer Corday song. She again assists DB by providing a lead vocal. This time, however, she seems to be channeling Chrissy Hynde (or am I thinking of Pat Benatar?) ever so very slightly. It's not a bad song, but I find it to be rather bland and not overly interesting. At least it breaks up the monotony of all those instrumentals. Jennifer Corday's contribution to this album is more impressive on the earlier track, "Bending Up".
Track #5 - "Cool Green"
Yet another instrumental track. This time the lead instrument, if I'm not mistaken, is some kind of rather fun-sounding synthesizer. Its quaintness, at least to me, comes from its resemblance to an old cheap Casio keyboard I once had. (Preset #55, if I remember correctly.)
Track #6 - "Those I Knew"
Another instrumental track. Pleasant, but nothing that really makes it stand out. Seems very much like mood music.
Track #7 - "Sands Of Time"
Has a man singing a lead vocal (Matthew James Walin). His voice, at least on this track, sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it. It's very ambient. I think, perhaps, it is reminding me of the vocalist for The Lightning Seeds? Regardless, this is a nice pop track with an electronica backdrop.
Track #8 - "Crystal Clear"
Nice solid bass. A good mixture of guitar (Matt Thone), piano, and electronica. Very ambient and overall seems enjoyable. One of the better tracks.
Track #9 - "Again"
Smooth, cool track; but nothing all that special. Seems like slightly upbeat mood music. I like the surprise ending.
Note: The DVD-Audio of DB's "Cherry Mint" also comes with a regular stereo CD. It can be ordered from one of the Amazon Marketplace sellers, or directly from Vine Street Records website.
