- When it comes to bump and wiggle, "Mountain 011.1" is about as pure as it gets. The bassline's tone, swing and rhythm are so good that Mountain People could have put just about any atmospheric garnish on top and produced a winner. Yet this makes it tough to remix. You can't out-bassline the bassline and the rest of the track's elements don't offer much to work with—a dubbed out snippet of male voice and an eerie pad are about all there is. Spanning four sides of vinyl, this remix package can sometimes feel uninspired, but the quality of the originals and the remixers' instincts make it an effective set.
Makcim & Levi fair best by evading the original bassline on their remix of "Mountain 011.2." They opt for a slightly quicker tempo, a more penetrating kick and a subtly buoyant mood, which keeps it from dragging its feet. Where the other remixes are low-slung and druggy, theirs borders on sprightly early UK tech house. Cabanne keeps closest to the original version of "Mountain 011.1," skewing it towards fatigued paranoia. A low and wormy portion of the original bassline is there, plus the dubby vocals. It comes off slightly flat when heard in isolation, but it works better in the mix.
Ion Ludwig's mix delivers more engrossing sound design, switched-on pacing and dynamic drum programming, but it isn't as inspired as his recent productions. Artist Unknown's minor alterations of "Mountain 006.1" don't offer much to write home about, either. But like the other mixes, what it lacks in character it makes up for with heads-down shuffle. This isn't a flashy package, but it's difficult to argue with these grooves on a soundsystem.
TracklistA Mountain 011.1 (Cabanne Remix)
B Mountain 011.1 (Ion Ludwig Remix)
C Mountain 011.2 (Mackim & Levi Remix)
D Mountain 006.1 (Artist Unknown Remix)