The last time I felt this prematurely unsure about a remix package Martin Landsky put me firmly in my place with his modern, tech-funk take on the John Tejada classic "Sweat." And so I approach with tentative ears here, as Dyed Soundorom and Gerd tackle "Blacklight Sleaze," Peace Division's gnarly ode to the stripping underworld. For those unfamiliar with the original, American writer Pleasant Gehman's monologue on the leery, everyday truths of life as an exotic dancer played out over a simple bed of brooding synths, penetrative kicks and freakish bleeps. Rarely in dance music was the union of music and vox so symbiotic.
Dyed Soundorom immediately lightens the load, replacing the Peace Division thump with something a little looser and more airy. Leaving the vocal untouched, he envelops it in his own subtly seedy film, letting his textbook rolling bass do its thing beneath freshly devised eerie chimes. It's a smart, considered attempt. Gerd's "Acid Sleaze" interpretation is similarly attentive, placing a strong emphasis on the power of the uninterrupted groove, this time draped in a robotic sea of 303s. His "Tough Sleaze" mix, however, is the most creative of the bunch, dehumanising the vocal to add an edge of unease, accentuated in turn by the abrasive mound of jagged synths and merciless drums. Better than the original? Not quite. But each offers a new perspective on a well-worn classic, rounding off a strong 12 months for Alex Arnout's Dogmatik imprint.
Buy Peace Division - Blacklight Sleaze Remixes at
  
Tracklist: Peace Division - Blacklight Sleaze Remixes
 A1 Blacklight Sleaze (Dyed Soundorom Remix)
A2 Blacklight Sleaze (Remastered)
B1 Blacklight Sleaze (Gerd Acid Sleaze Remix)
B2 Blacklight Sleaze (Gerd Tough Sleaze Remix)
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