Favorites At Play

iTunes Review

Favorites at Play (2009) applies Ronnie Martin's love for vintage synthesizer sounds to a batch of recent pop hits from such disparate sources as Blink-182, the Killers and Nelly Furtado. Martin’s low-fi production approach and wistful singing style brings unity to these tunes. For the most part, original melodies and lyrics are retained, while the rhythms are given a shiny techno coating. Covers of Feist’s “1 2 3 4,” Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” and All American Rejects’ “It Ends Tonight” ride atop giddy ‘80s-ish beats, punctuated with robotic bleeps and chirps. “Falling Slowly” (from the film iOnce) and Keene’s “Somewhere We All Know” are lent a slower, more dreamy treatment. A revision of Furtado’s “Say it Right” connects with the dark gothic undertones beneath the surface shimmer of the tune. While Martin’s Christian faith is not emphasized here, the spiritual implications of certain tracks (especially “When You Were Young”) are hard to miss. Favorites At Play offers an intriguing wrinkle on Joy Electric’s quirky aesthetic.