I got an email today pointing me to a new remix EP coming out for Altern8’s “Frequency”. I’ll admit, my first thought when hearing “brand new remixes of a classic rave track” is “do not want/nothx2u/kill it with fire/etc”. It’s just too easy for people to do quarter-ass remixes that take totally superficial samples/aspects of a track and staple them onto some existing trendy sound. That’s definitely not the case here though, most of these stay pretty true to the sound of the original… with the exception of AGT’s remix, which injects a bit of Squire of Gothos-esque k-wobble.
Rather than featuring trendier upstart producers with little connection with the track, you get three veteran producers who definitely know their way around some oldskool: Luke Vibert, DMX Krew and Killa Productions. You also get a remix by AGT Rave Crew who, while newer than the other producers, has been one of the primary pushers of oldskool rave at UK festivals like Glade for a while now. All in all, everybody involved seems to know their hardcore, and seems to have a vested interest in doing justice to the original.
MP3S (via junodownload)
Vibert’s remix takes the original melody but uses more restrained drums that switch to electro-bass and house in places, taming the Assembly Line break with a filter and making the whole thing more punchy and percussive. DMX’s Remix also keeps things pretty straight ahead- adding in Jungle Brother’s vocal samples and some melodic acid before going a bit mental later on, with some great portamento synth stuff. AGT’s remix is probably the “newest” sounding, maybe the roughest around the edges but it makes up for it throwing all sorts of changeups etc. Finally, the Killa Productions one sounds like the main “frequency” melody with an amen chucked into a blender – pretty crazy and noisy.
There’s also a limited edition color vinyl preorder, which includes mp3s of the release. All in all definitely one to look for, it doesn’t come out for another month and a half but you can pre-order /wishlist it now.
YELLOW VINYL PRE-ORDER (ltd 500)
Don’t rate the AGT Rave Crew version at all…. Surprising too as I’ve seen them loads of times at their wicked monthly old skool night in London called ‘I Love Acid’ where they smash the place to bits….
The Vibert Remix is the only one I’ll bag from this…. 😉