Artist: Mount Kimbie
Title: The Remixes Part 1
Label: Hotflush Recordings
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy from: Juno Records, Juno Download

Bringing us the tastiest of flavours and the phattest of beats, this double decker remix sandwich of Hotflush Recordings’ hotly tipped heroes, Mount Kimbie, is well, what can we say…a bit of a treat. Delivered as a ‘part one’ and ‘part two’, the double EP release sees remixes of MK’s most delectable tracks from James Blake, Tama Sumo & Prosumer, FaltyDL, SCB and Instra:mental.

To begin the proceedings, James Blake revisits “Maybes” (coincidentally the duo’s debut release on Hotflush from early 2009) coating its progressively clapping, clicking, clunking rhythms, and intricate, heavily referenced tapestry of sounds in a warm, fuzzy glow. In doing so, Blake adds a suitable dash of soulful rigour over the top of what has been heralded as a blueprint for MK’s iconoclastic sound. The second track, “Serged” sees the New York-based, garage-house-IDM-electronica fusionist, FaltyDL, go in on the original with faultless aplomb, giving the tune a fresh trans-Atlantic flavour, all smoky riddims and snatches of deep, honeyed vocals. Then it’s Instra:mental’s turn; fresh from setting up their experimental Autonomic imprint with long time collaborator, D Bridge, the duo transfer their expertise to MK’s delicately evocative plink-plonk, hissing percussive number, “At Least”.

Moving on to the second part of the release, Berlin-dwelling, Panorama Bar’s Tama Sumo & Prosumer re-work the lo-fi minimalism of “William” into a more shuffling deep house number, with ticking beats and occasional nods to Burial. The final track of the EP means it’s time to take our hats off to SCB (the moody techno alter ego of Hotflush head honcho, Scuba) who revisits “Vertical”. It’s a deep, brooding number with gently pounding, steam-puffing rhythms, made all the more poignant by SCB’s unique touch and marking the final artistic flourish for a fantastic remix package.

Review: Belinda Rowse