Pet Shop Boys - Inner Sanctum (Carl Craig C2 Juiced Remix) - X2 - Out Now
One of the key tracks from the tifter-donning doyens of synth-pop's recent Super album, Inner Sanctum's already ravey credentials are brought to the fore with this somewhat understated remix by Detroit's legendary Carl Craig. Rather than complicate matters, Craig merely buffs up and stretches out the best bits such as the hi-hats, synth hook and motorik bassline for seven minutes. For these reasons, the C2 Juiced Mix does the job without ruining the original - but the Jam and Spoon remixes of Young Offender it isn't.
New Order - People On The High Line - (Claptone Mix) - Mute - Out Now
Be warned - there are a handful of remixes doing the rounds on various formats, including two exclusive edits on a shaped picture disc. Here on the 12" pressing however, you get the beefed-up Claptone Remix which while being four-to-the-floor and all that, doesn't quite hit the discofied heights of the original album version or the Extended Version from the box-set, which is on the flip anyway. Decent enough though. I'd love to hear Photek or Ewan Pearson give this a mauling, but for now you'll have to content yourselves with Hybrid and Planet Funk looking for the perfect beat across numerous digital variants.
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - Anniversary 10" - Motown - Out Now
I normally baulk at the idea of updated re-recordings of classic songs and the sticker on the front of this limited-run 10" nearly had me cross-bowing my leg to a passing sports car. However, this commemorative platter doesn't skimp on quality by having some irritating prick mumbling "yo, yo, yo, word up brother" in the background. Instead John Morales has stripped it all down to a minimal bass and drum mix that springs into life halfway through with strings and Motown protege BJ and the Chicago Kid crooning sweetly alongside Marv. A needless exercise, you might argue, but surprisingly passable. There's an unplugged version from the box-set included and the whole thing looks the part.
Aphex Twin - Cheetah EP - Warp - Out Now
Out for a while now but well worth picking up, Cheetah is of similar lineage to Richard James' Polygon Window project from some 20 years before. Sparse kick-drum beats, off-kilter synth hooks, eerie melodies, processed hand-claps, both Cheetah T2 and T7 come from the same druggy mid-speed stable that draws from late '80s acid and early '90s techno. And when James isn't jacking the tabs, he's burning up the house with the bleepier b-side Cirklon 3 (Kolkhoznaya Mix). This is a rather more familiar slice of Aphex Twin, a sort of club anthem for anti-clubs, joints that might favour listening and toe-wiggling rather than being a mirrorball wanker on the pull. Things get a bit Juan Atkins on Cirklon 1, perhaps the EP's most danceable tune if you needed one.
Jesus Jones - How's This Even Going Down? - SpeedoWax - Out Now
A double 7" single issued in two colours (from their website) featuring two new songs and a re-recording of an old favourite, marking Jesus Jones' first new material for nigh-on fifteen years (if you discount the Robbie Riviera effort in 2005). Boosted by recent triumphant live shows, the band have cast off their skater garb and replaced it with a more earnest reflective sound that still boasts most of the old JJ routines, minus the Nintendo beats and neon pop riffs. The lead track represents the guitar side of their repertoire, Fall bears a few dubstep hallmarks in among the sad-face downbeat backdrop and Stripped (originally from 1990's Doubt) has been calmed down considerably and 'stripped' back to reveal an actual song, rather than the full-on mind-melting album version. It all bodes well for the album in the autumn.
The Glories - I Worship You Baby / The Opals - You're Gonna Be Sorry - Passion Music - Out Now
Strange that the most timeless of all the releases in this round-up should come from the '60s, a decade that offered up songwriting abhorrence and everlasting musical gold in equal measure. In fact by the time I Worship You Baby saw the light of day in 1968, psychedelia and rock were taking a grip and soul was steadily dropping off a cliff to be temporarily replaced by funk, boogie and disco. But not Northern Soul of course and any self-respecting UK DJ and collector would have been proud to own a copy of this fine stomper. Conversely, The Opals hail from 1964 when sashaying mid-pace Motown soul was all the rage with many acts knocking out ineffectual but sweetly trilled snippets like this.
One of the key tracks from the tifter-donning doyens of synth-pop's recent Super album, Inner Sanctum's already ravey credentials are brought to the fore with this somewhat understated remix by Detroit's legendary Carl Craig. Rather than complicate matters, Craig merely buffs up and stretches out the best bits such as the hi-hats, synth hook and motorik bassline for seven minutes. For these reasons, the C2 Juiced Mix does the job without ruining the original - but the Jam and Spoon remixes of Young Offender it isn't.
New Order - People On The High Line - (Claptone Mix) - Mute - Out Now
Be warned - there are a handful of remixes doing the rounds on various formats, including two exclusive edits on a shaped picture disc. Here on the 12" pressing however, you get the beefed-up Claptone Remix which while being four-to-the-floor and all that, doesn't quite hit the discofied heights of the original album version or the Extended Version from the box-set, which is on the flip anyway. Decent enough though. I'd love to hear Photek or Ewan Pearson give this a mauling, but for now you'll have to content yourselves with Hybrid and Planet Funk looking for the perfect beat across numerous digital variants.
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - Anniversary 10" - Motown - Out Now
I normally baulk at the idea of updated re-recordings of classic songs and the sticker on the front of this limited-run 10" nearly had me cross-bowing my leg to a passing sports car. However, this commemorative platter doesn't skimp on quality by having some irritating prick mumbling "yo, yo, yo, word up brother" in the background. Instead John Morales has stripped it all down to a minimal bass and drum mix that springs into life halfway through with strings and Motown protege BJ and the Chicago Kid crooning sweetly alongside Marv. A needless exercise, you might argue, but surprisingly passable. There's an unplugged version from the box-set included and the whole thing looks the part.
Aphex Twin - Cheetah EP - Warp - Out Now
Out for a while now but well worth picking up, Cheetah is of similar lineage to Richard James' Polygon Window project from some 20 years before. Sparse kick-drum beats, off-kilter synth hooks, eerie melodies, processed hand-claps, both Cheetah T2 and T7 come from the same druggy mid-speed stable that draws from late '80s acid and early '90s techno. And when James isn't jacking the tabs, he's burning up the house with the bleepier b-side Cirklon 3 (Kolkhoznaya Mix). This is a rather more familiar slice of Aphex Twin, a sort of club anthem for anti-clubs, joints that might favour listening and toe-wiggling rather than being a mirrorball wanker on the pull. Things get a bit Juan Atkins on Cirklon 1, perhaps the EP's most danceable tune if you needed one.
Jesus Jones - How's This Even Going Down? - SpeedoWax - Out Now
A double 7" single issued in two colours (from their website) featuring two new songs and a re-recording of an old favourite, marking Jesus Jones' first new material for nigh-on fifteen years (if you discount the Robbie Riviera effort in 2005). Boosted by recent triumphant live shows, the band have cast off their skater garb and replaced it with a more earnest reflective sound that still boasts most of the old JJ routines, minus the Nintendo beats and neon pop riffs. The lead track represents the guitar side of their repertoire, Fall bears a few dubstep hallmarks in among the sad-face downbeat backdrop and Stripped (originally from 1990's Doubt) has been calmed down considerably and 'stripped' back to reveal an actual song, rather than the full-on mind-melting album version. It all bodes well for the album in the autumn.
The Glories - I Worship You Baby / The Opals - You're Gonna Be Sorry - Passion Music - Out Now
Strange that the most timeless of all the releases in this round-up should come from the '60s, a decade that offered up songwriting abhorrence and everlasting musical gold in equal measure. In fact by the time I Worship You Baby saw the light of day in 1968, psychedelia and rock were taking a grip and soul was steadily dropping off a cliff to be temporarily replaced by funk, boogie and disco. But not Northern Soul of course and any self-respecting UK DJ and collector would have been proud to own a copy of this fine stomper. Conversely, The Opals hail from 1964 when sashaying mid-pace Motown soul was all the rage with many acts knocking out ineffectual but sweetly trilled snippets like this.
