| The idea of following an eponymously-titled full-length in 2003 with a mini-album filled with remixes of a single song might at first seem a too-limiting prospect but the remixes gathered here dispel that notion in short order. The horns and acoustic guitar elements of Pedro’s (James Rutledge) “Fear & Resilience” electronic original do surface on occasion, but in general the five contributing artists elastically transform Pedro’s material in provocative and usually successful manner. And considering the caliber of the participants—Prefuse 73, Danger Mouse, Cherrystones, Fourtet, and Home Skillet—it shouldn’t surprise that the album teems with ideas. Apparently, the project began as an idea for a remix single but became a full album, due in no small part to Fourtet’s twenty-one minute take. In spite of its diversity, Prefuse 73, Cherrystones, and Danger Mouse give the album its overriding hip-hop feel, which Pedro himself carries through on his own re-working of the song. Very much in his One Word Extinguisher mode and just as strong, Scott Herren’s first up with a dense Prefuse 73 remix that’s chock-full of slamming beats, violins and horns, all glitchily sliced and diced. Excellent too is the version from British hip-hop producer Cherrystones which oozes a deeply addictive trip-hop vibe of twanging guitars, frothy beats, and backwards phasing effects. Fresh from his attention-grabbing Grey Album, Danger Mouse’s mellower take emphasizes the warm pluck of the acoustic bass before kicking into heavier, head-nodding territory, while Pedro’s own rework sounds like a companion track to Herren’s even if Rutledge eases up on the stuttering skitter. Four minutes into Kieran Hebden’s epic overhaul, aggressive beats join the collagistic clatter of orchestral noise and electronics before the mix moves into a melt-down of furious free-jazz blowing that recalls the interstellar explorations of Coltrane’s final recordings. Thankfully, the intensity soon subsides, making way for a slightly less harrowing idyll of croaks and shuffles that Hebden stretches out for another ten minutes. The only clear misstep in the bunch is Home Skillet’s treatment might just as well have been titled “Shredded Cacophony Mix”; while one might admire the boldness of the approach, it’s ultimately an experiment one won’t likely want to hear more than once. Interestingly, the most satisfying pieces (Prefuse 73, Cherrystones, Danger Mouse, Pedro) appear first with Home Skillet and Fourtet holding up the more experimental and less accessible side of the project in its latter half. A strong collection overall, even if Pedro willingly takes a back seat to his guests. - Cyclic Defrost |
1XEP/Out Of Print