DJ Hell feat. Bryan Ferry - U Can Dance

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  • Looking at the remix line-up for the third single from DJ Hell's Teufelswerk album, it's clear to see that he's a man with a lot of money to throw around. And when you've got that cash burning a hole in your pocket, who better to get on board than Carl Craig? What with his current dearth of original material, his remixes guarantee plenty of attention from his many fans, and he's proved to be quite consistent in providing popular and rousing re-rubs over the past few years. It's a shame then, that the first remix that he offers is capable but decidedly pedestrian, employing a tired synth stab to carry Bryan Ferry's vocal along, and offering very little in the way of interesting dynamics. Thankfully, his V2 mix succeeds where his first failed; its commanding rhythmic roll and modulating synth riff giving it the extra edge that V1 lacked. The Roxy Music man's vocal is also used in a much more interesting fashion, with repeated "ooh" sounds giving way to the subtly multi-tracked main vocal lines. Simian Mobile Disco plump for a dark peak-time techno take on the track, and while the huge breakdowns and druggy vibe should elicit a positive crowd reaction on dance floors looking for more of a maximal fix, the vocal sounds slightly off-key and the percussion is somewhat clumsy at times. However, DFA co-founder Tim Goldsworthy comes up trumps with easily the most interesting version of the four, forging a doom-laden electronic disco epic with multiple layers of additional analogue synthesis weaved throughout its eleven-minute duration. The tumbling drums and structural twists and turns highlight Goldsworthy's keen attention to detail, and its mixes like this which leave us wondering what exactly would happen if he finally put him name to some original solo material after so spending so long behind the mixing desk for others. The average nature of half of this inevitably expensive to commission remix package only serves to confirm the strength of Hell and Peter Kruder's original version, with its insistent Moroder-esque bass line providing the perfect chassis for Ferry and Fury's dramatic duet.
  • Tracklist
      U Can Dance #1 A U Can Dance (Teufelswerk Album Version) B U Can Dance (Carl Craig remix V2) U Can Dance #2 A U Can Dance (Tim Goldsworthy remix) B U Can Dance (Carl Craig remix V1) U Can Dance #3 A U Can Dance (Teufelswerk instrumental version) B U Can Dance (Simian Mobile Disco remix)
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