DJ Mujava's kwaito banger "Township Funk" was a huge hit upon its release, leading a host of unauthorized remixers and editors to take a stab at reworking the tune. Which is why this 12-inch seems more than a tad belated. Nonetheless, Warp has commissioned Mark Pritchard, Matias Aguayo and Ikonika to give their takes on Mujava's memorable synth-riff and skippy beats and while the remixes span various genres and BPMs, what stands out is how each producer has seemingly struggled to turn the original's catchy refrain into their own sound.
Mark Pritchard's Version Excursion places the echoing vocal patois samples front and center. The synth chimes are cut up and echoed back and forth over a reverberating snare and a simple bassline, while slowly but surely a multitude of pads weave a melody around the echoing and skipping rhythmic elements. The result is an electronic dub hip-hop hybrid that fails to impress despite being well built.
Chilean Matias Aguayo leaves the melodic elements intact, but takes Mujava's kwaito rhythm and turns it into an electronic Latin American street carnival. Aguayo sounds like an '80s house producer wielding all manners of drum machines. And it's because of this that even as it shares the sonic palette of the original, it stands as the most memorable of the three.
Closing things out, Ikonika brings on a dubstep vibe. The synth line is sped up and interplays with various 8-bit melodies. With lines and riffs in various octaves of Ikonika's making spinning off each other, the sheer speed of Mujava's original sample feels wrong. The end result sounds like a half-forced affair, reflecting—in a way—the general vibe of this entire release.
Buy DJ Mujava - Township Funk Remixes at
  
Tracklist: DJ Mujava - Township Funk Remixes
 A1 Township Funk (Mark Pritchard's Version Excursion)
B1 Township Funk (Matias Aguayo's Comeme Mix)
B2 Township Funk (Ikonika's Nexus-6 Mix)
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