Not Many Experts

You’d be forgiven for assuming that I’ve been completely ignoring remixes that have been surfacing recently. In truth, I’ve just been becoming increasingly cynical regarding the inane amount of awful and utterly superfluous remixes that are churned out in a never ending cycle. Most depressing of all is the fact that hidden somewhere between the unimaginative bedroom producers and shameless publicity attempts are some unignorable pieces of work. Here’s my selection of the best from early April – May including some that I have only just picked up on.

You’d be forgiven for assuming that I’ve been completely ignoring remixes that have been surfacing recently. In truth, I’ve just been becoming increasingly cynical regarding the inane amount of awful and utterly superfluous remixes that are churned out in a never ending cycle. Most depressing of all is the fact that hidden somewhere between the unimaginative bedroom producers and shameless publicity attempts are some unignorable pieces of work. Here’s my selection of the best from early April – May including some that I have only just picked up on.

(Reposted minus streaming options since YYYs record label are being ridiculous)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ most recent long player was rush released digitally on March 10th after the most 21st century of crimes was committed – the album was leaked a good two months before it’s expected release date. Finally, after a month and a half of listening, I have at last come to some sort of conclusion about “It’s Blitz”; whilst it stoically aimed to be obstinate and challenging for Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ fans, “It’s Blitz” has proved itself to be a remarkable piece of work and has not only won back their original fans, but has earnt them many more. This gamble alone makes this haunting, pummelling, danceable record the most bold and daring of 2009. Where “Zero”, “Heads Will Roll” and “Dragon Queen” provide single potential and dance floor fodder, the effortless scope and range of the album is confirmed in the beautifully bleak “Skeletons” and my album highlight, “Hysteric”. Just listen to Karen O proclaiming that “Flow sweetly/hang heavy/you suddenly complete me” and try to disagree. Their fans placated, then, and their critics smitten; the next time you hear of “It’s Blitz” will be when thousands of critics are hailing it as one of the best albums of 2009.

Despite being a great album in its own right – “It’s Blitz” has also unknowingly prompted Erol Alkan to carefully mould first single “Zero” with his signature touch and create one of the finest remixes of recent times. When I heard him drop part of the remix a month or so ago in Chibuku, I really was completely underwhelmed. Having heard the song again though, I can only conclude that either:

• I was far too inebriated to properly appreciate the song or
• The song was unfairly juxtaposed next to Proxy’s “Dance In The Dark”