Soulwax presents Nite Versions

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  • In a recent edition of Mixmag, some review doctors declared ‘As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2’ to be the Greatest DJ Mix Ever. Listening to it in the car last week reminded me why this album is somehow resisting time while other mixes from that era (I dunno, ‘Futurism’ or ‘Radio Caroline Pt. 1’ are popping to mind right now) are usually too epoch-tight to be truly appreciated out of their original temporal context. By being irreverential and oblivious to generic codes of conduct while holding down what defines dance in the first place (i.e. the beat, whether it is coming from Dolly Parton or Vitalic), the (in)famous Soulwax bunch have tapped into an aesthetic that is so formally predictable yet kaleidoscopic and fascinating it might be the purest way of accessing the aural equivalent of what Roland Barthes used to call “jouissance”. Radio Soulwax at S.A.T Incidentally, Soulwax were stopping by Montreal for the second time in a few months while currently touring North America (with Aussie weirdo Muscle and special guest DJs David P. and JDH). As soon as they take the stage, you quickly realize the Soulwax live experience is not that different from a 2 Many DJs set, really. The band, after a brief presentation by friend Tiga and in full-on defiant sonic mode and matching white costumes, opens with ‘Teachers’, and from then on, you couldn’t get any clearer declaration of intent. They follow by effortlessly switching from their own, recent material (the well-known and much-loved ‘nite’ versions of ‘E-Talking’ or ‘Miserable Girl’ or the bongo-enhanced DFA-sounding version of ‘NY Excuse’) to covering any free anthems in sight from ‘You Gonna Want Me’ and ‘Washing Up’ to ‘Move My Body’ (after all, I guess they’re allowed to do it, considering they hold producing credits to most of these anyway, right?). When the show is over and the gears, the drummer and the bassist are stored away, Dave and Steph Dewaele are back onstage to operate their ever-shining 2 Many DJs magic: it is still like listening to Radio Soulwax from five years ago, with just a bunch of other rare oddities and various self-produced remixes instead of ‘Fuck the Pain Away’. Same new scene. Same old thrills. Tiga is clapping and jumping around behind the decks. This could just be the greatest set ever. Radio Soulwax at S.A.T In both performances, Soulwax/2 Many DJs seem to truly understand the ethos of re-presentation (the prefix is important here): be it a live band act or a dual DJ one, pop music in the hands of Belgian brothers is always about making a scene out of itself, about making others' sounds sound your own, about making the ancient feel like new again and the very new appear like vintage. You get out of there and you might as well come to the conclusion you will never be in need of any other DJ any more. There are not too many DJs: there are just not enough DJs like them. Photo credit: Lucas Schumacher
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