Monday, March 29, 2010

Remix: Session 05 on Diynamic



Continuing my string of actual reviews, I'd like to review something that actually dropped today on one of my favorite labels: Diynamic. Solomun's 2008 debut album on Diynamic, "Dance Baby", has received the remix treatment on a few of the past Remix: Sessions on the Hamburg DJ/producer's label, and Session 05 looks to continue the trend of solid releases with the likes of Manuel Tur and Tobi Neumann on remix duties.

Cloud Dancer feat. Ilhem (Manuel Tur's Syphon Drum Mix): Manuel Tur is up first, and takes "Cloud Dancer" for a deep, majestic ride on his "Syphon Drum Mix". Tur slings the track through cloud cover for the first few minutes, the vocal line by Ilhem creeping in a minute or so in. Crisp hi-hats patter like raindrops over a solid, strung-out synth note, with a deep, jugular synth line buoying the entire track. Being a man of the flavor of deep house, it's only right that Tur plays an equal footing between tech house and deep house; heavy, plunging chords seem to pluck your very heartstrings as the melody gets stuck in your head and rides the groovy, lightly syncopated beat all the way to the end. Ilhem's voice crawls in and out, as if lost in the clouds himself. A suitably epic remix with girth, power, and a dollop of emotion for good measure in those bottomless, dreamy chords and melody. While not nearly a peak-time record, certainly a sexy, sensual deep house cut with just enough tech house to work at multiple parts of any set.

(4/5)




+++++

Cloud Dancer feat. Ilhem (Manuel Tur Instrumental Mix): Tur's Instrumental Mix is just like the original remix, minus the vocals. Just as delicate and heavy as the vocal mix, but with a little less drama. If you don't like vocals murking up your groove, this is the cut for you.

(3.5/5)



Hypnotize feat. Ilhem (Tobi Neumann Remix): Tobi Neumann turns up on the flip to rework Solomun's "Hypnotize". A bubbly, hypnotizing track, Neumann injects a hefty helping of rhythm and funk to the already groove-laden, ambient tech house cut. A short, choppy guitar riff takes center stage, surrounded by ghostly vocal samples that hover around the riff, keeping the track rooted in its deep tech house feel. A jet-like, pulsating bassline ripples underneath an equally squelchy, bouncy synth line. Neumann's drums are funky and groovy, and a bit more straight-forward than Tur's, and what you get is a more house-oriented remix in the end. But halfway in, the vocals and synths take over, as a funky bass riff keeps the low end chugging along. After that, its a funked-out, rhythmic freefall to the end of the track. While Neumann's remix is a little more straight-forward, it lacks the hook the A-side had going for it, but makes up for it with the groove it puts down, getting to the point much quicker than Tur's take does. It's a tough call, but this remix also gets a four, for the rhythms, groove, and of course, funky guitar Tobi Neumann wisely employs!

(4/5)






REMIX: SESSION 05 = (4/5)

Manuel Tur and Tobi Neumann both hand in stellar remixes; Tur's take being a well-balanced deep tech house cut with an epic, anchoring synth line, and Neumann's mix being a housier, funkier means-to-an-end, with the end simply being a groovy, vocal-centric remix. Both succeed, and that's why I recommend this EP for any fan of deep house/tech house/Diynamic. Another great Sessions EP.


-NL

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