Short sighted remix project
Long-View – Subversions
This is one of those records that gets cobbled together then bundled with a record and labelled "limited edition" in order to shift a few more units, in this case its the re-release of Longview’s debut LP Mercury. This compilation consists of “rare ’ (previously sent out on white labels to trendy DJ’s and not for the likes of us) remixes by an assortment of unrelated artists.
Third division previous big beaters Jackknife Lee illustrate why they’re exactly that by contributing a bog standard bass heavy rock/dance hybrid mix of “Further”. An instrumental version is also included, just in case you didn’t get the message first time round.
Aphex Twin once admitted to randomly picking up a piece of his discarded music and giving it to a record company that had requested a remix. A similar scenario might have occurred with Mogwais’ mix of “In a dream”. At just under 3 minutes long and comprising of a piano line, a few atmospheric pads and a couple of weird noises, it's probably the easiest money they’ve ever made.
Andy Votel’s mix of “I would” is slightly better: combining a Fisher Price keyboard sound and some neat drums with a general air of wrongness. He also has the good sense to vocoder the dreary battleship grey vocals of Rob McVey, drop them down into the mix and employ them sparingly.
Fellow Manc’s Elbow turn in a remix of “Further” that sounds exactly like, well, Elbow in fact. So much for diversity.
Which leaves us with Ulrich Schnauss’ efforts, four altogether; “Can’t explain” and “Will you wait here” (instrumental versions also feature). Schnauss’ work tends to make journo’s reach for their thesaurus’ to find other adjectives for “shimmering” and “ethereal’. His sound is akin to an electronic re-imagining of the shoe gazing bands from the early eighties, in particular My Bloody Valentine. A MBV with all the rough edges and sense of threat smoothed away that is. It's the sort of music that gets played in the background of BBC holiday programmes, and by slack jawed ecstasy dribblers on a comedown mission to blow what’s left of their minds.
An uninspiring collection of remixes that’ll have the die hard fans reaching once more into their already worn out pockets.