Erol Alkan proves his production prowess to be undimmed in this collaboration with Switch, and declares his continued interest in the cutting edge by commissioning remixes from two varied but reliably on-point contemporary operators. The original has all the ingredients of a bona fide party starter—cheeky scratching noises, ecstatic bursts of white noise, an acid bassline and a bloody enormous kick drum—but the duo ration out their materials mercilessly, sculpting a lean dance floor machine that keeps on giving well into its sixth minute. Those tired of Alkan's more brazenly melodic electro gestures will find plenty to get excited about here.
Bok Bok's remix reflects his recent fixation with the spartan aggression of ghetto house—admittedly, always a central pillar of the Night Slugs sound—stripping the original back yet further into an angular, dystopian banger. Somehow, decluttering the groove makes it all the funkier, while Bok's crafty percussive switch-ups keep the momentum high. Most striking, though, is the aura of evil that permeates the whole thing—the dissonant string pads and oddly reverbed background percussion, in particular, evoke the sinister intentions of the darkest grime.
Finally, New York house eccentric Willie Burns supplies the odd one out in his "Freedom" mix, a thoughtful slow-burner which, like much of his output, is scrupulous in its subtlety. Still, for those looking to wind-down after the more high-octane shenanigans elsewhere, its gently flickering background drone and oddly mournful melody will make for a satisfyingly deep listen.
Bok Bok's remix reflects his recent fixation with the spartan aggression of ghetto house—admittedly, always a central pillar of the Night Slugs sound—stripping the original back yet further into an angular, dystopian banger. Somehow, decluttering the groove makes it all the funkier, while Bok's crafty percussive switch-ups keep the momentum high. Most striking, though, is the aura of evil that permeates the whole thing—the dissonant string pads and oddly reverbed background percussion, in particular, evoke the sinister intentions of the darkest grime.
Finally, New York house eccentric Willie Burns supplies the odd one out in his "Freedom" mix, a thoughtful slow-burner which, like much of his output, is scrupulous in its subtlety. Still, for those looking to wind-down after the more high-octane shenanigans elsewhere, its gently flickering background drone and oddly mournful melody will make for a satisfyingly deep listen.
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Published /
Thu / 27 Sep 2012 -
Words /
Angus Finlayson -
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Tracklist /
A A Sydney Jook
B1 A Sydney Jook (Bok Bok Remix)
B2 A Sydney Jook (Willie Burn Freedom Remix)
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