SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR
"Murder On The Dancefloor"
Universal Records (440 065 913-2)
Release Date: October 29, 2002

Sophie Ellis Bextor's "Murder On The Dancefloor" was an international dance hit in 2002. This single opens with the "Radio Edit," in which a girl tells a guy that he won't get away from her on the dance floor. Musically, this song sounds derivative of early 1980's dance music. However, Sophie has a decent voice that works with the music.

Next is the "Extended Album Version." Compared to the "Radio Edit," there's an extra minute of instrumental at the beginning (with the occasional "murder" sung over it), and extra instrumental near the breakdown. Overall, this extended version works well.

Next is the "Jewels & Stone Remix," which increases the tempo of the song. During the intro and the ending, there's a "spacy" sound in the mix (which sounds like a flying saucer going overhead). Also, some occasional cheering and distorted vocal (sounds like the word "murder" has been distorted) is thrown in, and these vocals add nothing to the song; in fact, they draw too much attention to themselves. At the end, the vocals stop abruptly, which is followed by tinkling bells. Overall, this mix is mediocre.

The last mix is the "Parky & Birchy Remix"; this mix takes too long to get started. It's obvious that the instrumentation is building up by adding a couple elements at a time over the course of the three-minute intro, it just takes too long. Once the mix gets going, it has a flat-sounding bassline and percussion mixed with strings, tinkling bells, and horns. When the mix concludes, the vocals just abruptly end. Overall, this mix is mediocre, but could be stronger if it was shorter.

Overall, this single is mediocre. If you like the song, but don't want to buy the album, then get this single. Otherwise, you should get Sophie's album.

(reviewed by Lesley Muir on May 9, 2003)