2005 was, at the time, one of the wildest and most uncertain years in Britneyland (little did we know what 2007 had in store!). From the hype and excitement (and later disappointment) over the promised 2005 release of Britney's self-hyped Original Doll project, to the surprise and professional uncertainty resulting from the pregnancy and resulting birth that dominated Britney's life in 2005, to the mixed-bag reactions from fans and critics alike that resulted from Britney and Kevin: Chaotic that Spring. It was a very peculiar year for Britney Spears 'the franchise' as much as it was for Britney Spears 'the individual'. The release of B In The Mix came as somewhat of a surprise, as every indication during mid-2005 pointed towards the Britney Spears brand name being given a rest, aside from her hugely successful fragrance endorsements.

Jive, despite the decision to release this album, actually had no real intentions of actively exercising the Britney Spears brand name with the release of B In The Mix.  It was provided the bare minimum of promotion; trade ads and promotional cuts to clubs/DJs made up the front lines of the minimal B In The Mix campaign. Even Britney's own signature face was nowhere to be found on the cover, save for one region.  It was a strange sight to see.  Even Greatest Hits: My Prerogative received a modest media blitz, and shared level of pomp close to that of any previous Britney Spears LP.  B In The Mix made most fans take a moment to wonder, "How WEIRD would it be if this was how Britney Spears releases were handled?"  I won't say it's a premonition fo an eventual era where Britney Spears might not be the huge icon she is today, but it could be a hint of a time when Britney may release projects in a more subdued manner.  So it felt like somewhat of a reality check; a realization that Britney Spears can be Britney Spears the recording artist without all of the confetti and pomp.  It's different, but it may prove to be worth looking back upon if the day ever comes when we're eying the prospect of a minimal Britney release. We can look back to B In The Mix as a reference of such a release taking place in her prime, and see that it did not negatively affect her legacy or status at all.

That said, once the actual release day came, what we were left with is an exciting collection of interpretations of various gems from Britney's catalog, including a previously unheard track (one of the handful of In The Zone leftovers to eventually be recycled later). Some of the most prominent and successful dance producers and remixers of our era participated and generated some of the most throbbing, pulsating, electrifying arrangements ever lucky enough to feature Britney's vocals.   From Peter Rauhofer (most famous for his globally successful Madonna remixes) to Junkie XL (most memorable for his contemporary take on Elvis Presley's A Little Less Conversation, which topped the charts in 20 countries) to Jason Nevins (whose interpretation of In The Zone's Early Mornin' MUST be heard by anyone who disliked the blandness of the original) and beyond. A world-class group of producers collectively assembled a world-class batch of dance arrangements on which the signature Britney Spears material and vocals were brought to new club life like never before.

The aforementioned In The Zone leftover, titled And Then We Kiss (mixed here by Junkie XL), effectively summarizes the experience of the album better than perhaps any other track as it covers the gamut of dance styles represented in each remix. It is similar structurally to In The Zone's Breathe On Me in that it lacks much in the way of chord structure apart from the same four bars throughout, but it's a much more versatile listening experience than Breathe On Me ever was.  In the verses, it's sounds like a song that could be a hit on the Pop charts, with a minimal arrangement bouyed by what sounds like an electric bass instead of the more traditional synthetic variety, moving into the chorus where the full-on club experience kicks in as the beat is kicked up to a throbbing sort with several layers of sweeping strings and synthetic pads tossed on top.  Meanwhile, Britney's voice can be spotted from a mile away; the song is heavy on her distinctive vocal nuances - more so than some of the other tracks featured here, where some of Britney's signature features become partly lost in the big exuberant mixes.  This is the defining song of B In The Mix, and listening to it before you hear the actual full collection of remixes truly sets the mood and gets your blood pumping and raring to hear more of Britney tacked onto bona fide club tracks.

Karen has already analyzed the original versions of the songs that were featured in the collection, and the B In The Mix remixes do little more to enhance the legacy of each, so I'll spare the track-by-track analysis.  The important aspect of B In The Mix to take home creatively is that it's legitimately a great dance record.  Not every song is well-suited for a club translation (Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know, for instance - it's warmth and heartfelt sappiness just don't carry over all that successfully when the tempo is amped up and a pulsating kick drum is tossed in), but as has proven true throughout Britney's career, her subtle emotional voice can THRILL any listener, especially when paired with a hot fast-paced club beat. B In The Mix is 11-14 (depending on your region) tracks worth of that.

Take this as an example that the pomp and hype of Britney Spears releases are not solely responsible for the thrill we as listeners have when hearing the final product.  The aural experience itself holds up on its own. In the case of B In The Mix, and what will certainly prove true if Britney's releases ever regularly receive a similar stripped-down promotional treatment, Britney Spears and her collaborators on the creative end are enough to make an album purchase worthwhile.  You don't need a cover-spread in Rolling Stone or a tour to make the sizzle of B In The Mix any more apparent than it already is upon experiencing it.

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