DEPTH AFFECT – john cassettes EP

(free download, autres directions)

Remix-albums are a difficult thing. Next to all the apparent reasons, my main objection is that more often than not due to the varied number of artists involved the unifying measure of the music falls apart. Every other track things go in completely different directions. Having major problems coping with my own mind, I already find it very hard to get into some one else’s mind. But one dozen different and very uniquely thinking and working minds? Forget it. The same is true for Depth Affect's the “john cassettes EP” release of two outtakes and seven remixes by the likes of Mitchell Akiyama, Melodium, Deluge, Off the sky, and so on, that takes on the great “arche lymb” album of the French electronica duo that lately became a quartet including a visual designer as fifth part, who are concentrating on what is usually referred to as abstract Hip Hop beats but twisted into their own unique direction. (By the way, the denominator EP this time really hints at he “extended” the E in EP actually stands for. As if length would have anything to do with the quality of music…) But since most remixers don’t stray too far from the bunch, listening to the whole is still rather pleasant.

The dancefloor becomes a more important focus throughout most parts of the remixes. Especially the outtakes from “arche lymb” called “Basic Illitch”, which nicely drifts from microsplit and gentle IDM to a funky bassline and makes the ass move on the dancefloor. I want a remix of that! While the other outtake, “Crispy Breakfast” shouts out for the crowd before segueing into more laid back territory with tranquil keyboards and the heavy beats becoming more and more ephemeral. Please remember that it was the fusing of oppositions and the clash of contrasting elements at once that made up a lot of the fascination of Depth Affect’s music in the first place. The same is true for the remixes. Maybe the single remixers wanted to stay true to the source material? Something rare in the ego-driven modern world of electronic music, where leaving your own mark isn’t easy in the globalized, network oriented state this kind of music is in.

“Honey Folk”, the uplifting opener of the album, was the most favourite track of the album to remix, three times on here alone. With quite different effects. Maybe it is the folk guitar? Melodium focuses on the beat and the melody, but that is easy because it comes natural here. Mitchell Akiyama takes the track on a travel that leaves it warped and warbled. I don’t want to run down the list of remixers now, because you can easily read that on the website of the label (see link below) but let’s suffice it to say, that there is no bad track on here, many suprises and lots of good music to listen to.