Leftfield Recommendations March 2010

Review: Todd Osbourne's eponymous debut album drew plaudits from across the globe, the American producer lauded for his blend of old and new in addition to his adaptation of varying styles.
Such was the appeal of this highly creative, nostalgia-soaked dance album that it has managed to lure a host of respected and influential producers into reworking the original tracks. Such is the quality and ingenuity of those remixes, that Ghostly International has decided to release them on a new EP of their own.

Bullion opens the release with their twist on "Afrika." The UK based producer swaps African percussion for warm, soulful electro whose humble bass makes it markedly more Americanised than its African influenced predecessor. Bogdan Raczynski's effort transforms "Ruling" from its deep Chicago sound into a frantic mellay of dots and lines built around a flopping bassline. Lukid brings an ambient and instrumental hip hop feel to what Osborne had woven a dream-like, 1990s sound into "There."

The digital version of this release also includes Luke Vibert's energetic, snappy version of "Outta Sight," not to mention an Arto Mwambe remix of "Wait a Minute." The Frankfurt duo retain the jazz chords that are merged with disco and funk in the original but give it a deep house makeover for the remix.

The original album's very creativity made Osbourne so special, that it spawned a remix EP all of its own. Yet, these remixes have managed to keep up the standard of creativity and innovation themselves. That is no easy feat and it is for that reason, that this release will turn heads for some time to come.