Similar to
Keoki's earlier album for Moonshine,
Ego Trip (1997),
Jealousy features songs written by fellow Moonshine artist
Dave Audé yet is marketed as a
Keoki album. Much changed in the four-year sabbatical that separates these two albums.
Ego Trip dropped around the time electronica was being promoted as the "next big thing" -- around the time album artists like
Prodigy and
the Chemical Brothers were in vogue. However, in 2001 things were different -- the hoopla had simmered.
Keoki, a self-tagged "superstar DJ" -- and an album artist much like the aforementioned artists -- had to essentially recreate himself, particularly since much of his audience had outgrown him or forgotten about him. So it's not exactly a surprise to see
Keoki doing something as audacious as covering
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's infamous "Relax." It's not a particularly inventive version of the song, but it does serve as a revealing way to view this album: throughout
Jealousy,
Keoki is playing the role of pop/rock star, a sort of
David Bowie character for the post-electronica age. Many of these songs feature his vocals, and he does his best to make the music accessible and well-anchored within the already well-established pop/rock tradition. Therefore, if you appreciate pop/rock-style electronica like
Prodigy or
BT, there's a good chance you'll find something here to savor. Even if it's a departure from his past work,
Jealousy does find
Keoki moving forward and trying new things, for better or worse. [A bonus disc includes two remixes each of "Pass It On," "Jealousy," and "Relax."]