Boy George – The Martyr Mantras

The Martyr Mantras is a collection of dance singles, presented in various remixes, that feature Boy George, along with several other vocalists, though the real star is the groove. This is deep house music, which is to say that the beat moves in a fast shuffle, surrounded by a prominent bass pulse. Now and then, George emerges from the tracks, notably on the near-ballad “I Specialize in Love,” and on those occasions, his usual virtues as a singer — an aching, vulnerable tenor voice with a good rhythmic sense and clear articulation — come to the fore. The oddest track is “Bow Down Mister,” a celebration of Hinduism complete with chants of “Hare Krishna” and an ululating Indian singer. Elsewhere, the music is largely anonymous, if danceable. [In the U.K., The Martyr Mantras was credited to the group Jesus Loves You.]