On paper, hirsute, Funeral parlour dwelling Canadian duo DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 wouldn't exactly seem obvious fare for the more astute remixer to plunder. After all, their bass/drums/FX/ no guitars melee is a vicious racket seemingly intent on ripping your heart out and giving you a friendly Colombian necktie rather than a lovebite for your trouble.
But let's get a little perspective here. A couple of cursory listens to DFA 1979'S mighty "You're A Woman, I'm A Machine" album is enough to make the more adroit listener realise that beneath the relentless, pummelling volume, Jesse F.Keeler and Sebastien Grainger are setting up some filthily dexterous rhythms to hang their gorgeously gory songs upon.
This is a point that's become increasingly apparent to both the alt.rock set and the cream of cutting edge DJS/ clubland scenesters, and with the vigourously-remixed "Romantic Rights", players from both worlds get in on the reshaping act: with most escaping displaying valuable silverware under their arm(s).
Funnily enough, to these ears, it's the main track - JESPER DAHLBECK'S REMIX of "Romantic Rights" - that's the weakest. It inserts strategic breakbeats, refuses to fuck with the nihilistic vocal too much and certainly releases a surprisingly ecstatic club-friendly atmosphere, yet somehow it all seems a bit too clean.
Much better is EROL ALKAN'S remix. This one recently shot up Modular's "Leave Them All Behind" compilation in great style and remains percussive and chaotic. It cranks the excitement to the max, unleashes the slinkiest of basslines and ends up far sexier than any civil laws ought to allow.
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Of course, the one everyone's really talking about is JOSH HOMME'S "Black History Month" remix. I should point out at this juncture that it's a download only job (from 31st October, eager geezers) and I'd say it's worth the effort. Kicking off sparse and ambient with only the barest of beats, it's a mellow and opiated treat before the bassline enters from stage left and the behemoth finally stirs. It's got more dynamic than anything else here (Alkan included) and is again very different.
It's a tough act to follow, though JESPER DAHLBECK has a fair stab with his "Romantic Rights" DUB MIX. It's significantly crankier and more abrasive than his regular remix and gains ground when that hyper-crucial bassline gets an updated Joe Gibbs depth-charge job. Whatever, it's a respectable way to round off a decent round of renovations which do more than a spot of pointing but stop short of taking out walls and partitions.
Yeah, I grant you four remixes over 20-odd minutes is hardly enough to satiate fans clamouring for new material, but it's certainly not a dead horse getting a merciless flogging either, and - if nothing else - supplies you with the belief that maybe the art of remixing hasn't yet been completely exhausted.
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