Soulwax - 'Nite Versions' (PIAS) Released 26/09/05

After the phenomenal success of ‘2 Many DJs’ the Soulwax boys return with another blistering assault of top line dance music sure to get even the indie kids swinging their pants to the crazy techno beat. Essentially a remix album of their latest studio LP ‘Any Minute Now’ ‘Nite Versions’ features excellent interpolations and includes the Belgians version of seminal Daft Punk choon ‘Teachers’.

From the off this LP is superb, starting with the afore mentioned cover before mixing into the Nite Version of ‘Miserable Girl’. In fact all the tracks on here are mixed effortlessly into one another creating a unique techno sound only equalled by their barnstorming live shows. Anyone that was in attendance for the ground shaking shows at London’s Fabric or Barcelona’s Sonar festival will be wetting their pants for this CD. Particular highlights here include the club anthem remix of ‘E-Talking’, the astounding collaboration with the DFA mob, ‘Another Excuse’ and the ‘Funky Town’ mash up of ‘NY Lipps’.

They really are on their own level when they’re on this form creating a sound so distinctive and heavy, ‘Slowdance’ actually makes Techno Jazz sound like a good idea, an achievement in itself! ‘Compute’ rolls and funks beautifully, think the Get Carter theme played by Depeche Mode when they were good in the eighties and ‘KracK’ is a lesson in mental pitch bending electronica.

To conclude, ‘Nite Versions’ is a frenetically paced masterclass in what a remix album really should be. The trap that most bands fall into when commissioning such a release is lack of effort. Most don’t even oversee their music being remixed, let alone do the dirty work themselves. Not so with Belgium’s (only?) pioneering beat explorers ‘Nite Versions’ is actually better than 'Any Minute Now' and is easily the best remix you’re ever likely to hear...then again it might be the E talking…