The Juan Maclean – A/V Remix Project review

Artist: Juan Maclean
Title: A/V Remix Project
Label: Scion/DFA
Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download

Opening with a surprising take on the desolate, down-trodden piano ballad, “Human Disaster”, House of House show exactly what a remix can do for a track – spin it around and turn it on its head so it becomes a completely different animal. And in this case a hungry one, gradually fattening itself up with every layered effect over the track’s eight minute sprawl. Blending together deep house tones with combination percussion and cut-up, looped together vocal distortions, the NYC pair maintain the momentum throughout beautifully.

Irishman Marcus Lambkin a.k.a. Shit Robot, stiffens up the more limber original of “No Time” with a deeper, more robust bassline which gives the track an oddly sinister feel. Combined with the pint-sized Nancy Whang’s aloof, icy vocals, the track becomes sassy, and starkly sexy. Meanwhile, having peeled away the surface polish of “Accusations” by re-recording the bassline with his own analogue synths, Gavin Russom replaces the rippling piano notes of the original with hollow maraca-esque percussion under lingering cosmic waves. The cruisy disco-funk vibe of the original is still there, but it’s less quirky, more otherworldly.

And speaking of otherworldly, Sydney duo Canyons, take “The Future Will Come” even further out to space, starting it off with a deep bass loop coupled with peculiar metallic echoes and sheepish robot wails before it kicks into gear with a retro drum roll and ghostly whisper.

Playing off skittering computer bleeps and a startling “woosh!” or two, the gentle quivering wails are alternated with eighties-inspired synths to give the forward-looking title track a slick-but-offbeat treatment.

Review: Bec Crew