Sebastian- Remixes

Sebastian
‘Remixes’
Ed Banger
October 27th
4/5

The electro/ house/ dance scene is a strange beast. It seems to live and breathe in just two realms- dark sweaty clubs and internet blogs. You don’t hear it on the radio or in shops and it rarely permeates the mainstream and into chart hits. Labels like Kitsune Maison, Ed Banger and DFA continue to churn out hit after hit though and one of the most prominent figures of recent times SebastiAn has finally compiled together sixteen of his best remixes in the shape of this compilation.

Sebastian Akchote is a French native and signed with the Ed Banger label, also home to DJ Mehdi and Justice. This compilation is a great place to start for anyone wanting to learn more about this music as includes a large number of indie bands being stripped down, put through a blender and re created using wires and things that bleep. Editors, The Rakes, Bloc Party, The Rapture and The Kills all come in for the treatment here, with many leaving undistinguishable from their original forms.

Editors own mothers wouldn’t pick the remix of Camera (Fader) from a line up it’s that different. What was once maudlin and epic becomes an absolutely huge breathy stop start smash. The same goes for The Kills with ‘Cheap and Cheerful’ transforming into a futuristic slice of robot rock a million miles from Hince and Mossharts retro filth. The Rakes however don’t really benefit from Sebastians treatment. It’s not clear why The Rakes fell from grace so quickly but there is something in Alan Donahoe’s voice that seems very lack lustre and unexciting, slowing ‘We Danced Together’ right down and emphasising said vocal then was perhaps not a wise move.

Having built his reputation up on the dance scene Sebastian’s remix album does boast a large number of names better associated with that scene. From the forefathers Daft Punk on ‘Human After All’ to the brutal re-edit of ‘Testarossa’ by Kavinski via a seductive Sebastian Tellier working Sebastian brings something fresh every time. Perhaps the albums finest moments however are the grinding and rambunctious ‘Bossy’ by Kelis and taking Klaxons ‘Golden Skans’, removing the art pop whimsy and giving it back as a heavy dark nightmare.

This music does not belong in the margins and hidden away on The Hype Machine, hopefully Sebastian can show the masses the light.

Sebastian- Remixes