AWmusic

So this mix album by Simian Mobile Disco came out a few months ago. Sorry, the timing of this post is neither early nor late enough to be cool but hopefully there are a few of you out there riding the slow train with me. I actually haven’t listened to any of their other mix compilations but I loved the Jameses’ work in both Simian Mobile Disco and Simian so I had pretty high hopes for FabricLive41.

The album is solid overall. Smooth transitions, decent content … but I feel like there’s a dip in quality around the middle. There’s only two tracks actually by Simian Mobile Disco on the album. One of them is awesomely addictive track #3, Simple. It’s very repetitive but I could listen to it on loop all day. It’s followed by another strong track, a remix of Hercules and Love Affair’s Blind. The original song is already pretty good but the remixed version makes it sound all eerie and ultimately more interesting. I’m usually ADD-ish and can’t listen to anything longer than four minutes but I’m sad to hear this one end after six and a half.

The next few tracks are alright but nothing to write home about. The low hits around #10 with Crack El. Even then, it’s not terrible – just kind of generic. The biggest disappointment of the album is the other Simian Mobile Disco track, Sleep Deprivation mixed by Simon Baker. Sleep Deprivation is probably my favourite track off Attack Decay Sustain Release. It has a wonderful buildup, rhythm, peak, ending, you name it – I love everything. The remixed version sucks because … well, it sounds nothing like the original. And I don’t mean they don’t sound the same – I hate remixes that sound like the original, what’s the point? To slap your name on something? But the Simon Baker remix of Sleep Deprivation is not even recognizable. I’ve probably listened to the original five dozen times by now and even then, I was like “what the hell is this?” and I don’t think that’s just my tone deafness talking.

But the end of the album picks up again. I especially like track #19, Pitch Control by Moebius Plank Neumeier. The beginning reminds me of the bizzaro-world version of a Battles song, sweet.

4/5

Simian Mobile Disco – Simple
Moebius Plank Neumeier – Pitch Control