More Random Ruminations

Title: In Theory Yes
Artist: Shlomi Aber
Label: Be As One
Genre: Techno

In Theory Yes
Efrat

Part of Mossad's digital wing, Shlomi Aber, along with Guy Gerber, Itamar Sagi, Chaim and Gel Abril (I'm sure I've forgotten somebody else here) have exported their own sound from Israel which, while not being stunningly different from anything else, is highly polished and does all the right things well. This is a typical piece of understated, restrained but competent and melodic techno from Shlomi which matches "Freakside" beat for beat in my opinion. Both sides are eminently playable, but my personal preference is "Efrat."

Title: Distant Brother Remixes
Artist: Pedro Cali
Label: Fine Art
Genre: Just when you need it big tune

Distant Brother (original)
Distant Brother (Rennie Foster remix)
Distant Brother (Ran Shani remix)

These are all so good it's difficult to pick one. I've played the Ran Shani mix on the radio and but the Rennie Foster one on a recent mix of mine (it didn't help that I took the mix off this blog because I hadn't listened to it before it went up and it was full of glitches but this was coming in straight after Patrice Scott's "Motions (sunrise dub)" and it sounded ace!) Excellent package. It's a bit big room/big sound and it veers just on the right side of cheese. But when it's pulled off with such aplomb who gives a shit.

Title: Nacho
Artist: BLM
Label: Fear of Flying
Genre: Techno of the Housier Extraction

Believe in Love (original)
Believe in Love Westpark Unit remix)
Oi Pedro Do You Do Chips
Nacho

The original of "Believe in Love" is pure Detroit. All the best bits are there. Spacey synth stabs, toms, subtle cymbals etc. Dunno if the vocals an original or a sample, sounds like a sample. This is definitely more than the sum of it's parts. Westpark Unit slow things down to walking pace but while this remix has swagger it doesn't touch the heights of the original. I can't imagine it's meant to though. "Oi Pedro . . ." has a daft title but makes up for a lack of seriousness by laying down the type of groove that is omnipresent in Mark Farina's sets. It's all good but the best is saved until last with "Nacho." A deep excursion through the alleys of the collective consciousness of all the best messy warehouse raves you've been to. Speeds up and gathers momentum at all the right moments. Some crafty editing in there. Very tasty.


Title: Seven Peanuts EP
Artist: Phillipe Autuori
Label: Hypercolour
Genre: Under The Influence

A1 Seven Peanuts featuring Thomas Meyers (original)
A2 Seven Peanuts (Skylark remix)
B1 Redemption featuring LN (original)
B2 Redemption (Shenoda BAG remix)

Now what does this remind me of? The original has a cold, narcotic feel . . . hold on . . it's the feeling I get when I wake up from a dream that involves me walking naked through a deserted city centre with feet the size and weight of diving boots. It's bleak and druggy. Good flat vocal, which sounds like a contradiction in terms. The "Skylark remix" keeps the vocal but has a more peppy backing track that could be termed as minimal P-Funk. "Redemption" also does the biz in both it's forms, despite sounding initially a little too "teutonically electro" for it's own good (that's the vocal specifically, pop pickers). The "Shenoda BAG remix" puts a tribal slant on things, fucks with the vocal (or changes the vocalist??) and calls to mind "Gravelifter" by The Foremost Poets, and that can't be bad can it?