(01.08.06) Originally destined to be the second CD of a 2CD set along with The Widnes Years album, The Widnes Redevelopment Project remix collection has now been released in its own right by n5MD. Featuring an impressive line-up of contributors including Mothboy, Detritus, Displacer, Ochre, Lackluster, Proem and Bitcrush, the album is a tantalising prospect on paper.
With such an impressive checklist of remixers reinterpreting Baker’s work in their own style, the range of diversity promises to be wide and varied. For example, Mothboy’s rework of the Baker’s mellow “Runt” has more urgency and massive floor shaking bass while Lackluster’s version opts for fuzzy breaks, weird effects and clock chime melodies. In contrast, while the original “Armed Snobbery” is full of soaring space age ambience and power noise beats, SubtractiveLAD and Proem’s takes on this track give it the cut-up experimental breaks treatment and a dark buzzing futuristic edge respectively. Similarly, “Castrovalva” was originally all ethereal choirs and massive static filled breaks yet Spark’s interpretation is from an alternate dimension where beats are faster and voices are electronically enhanced. Shadowclast’s version of the same track on the other hand stays true to the original, slowing it down with a militaristic beat whilst maintaining the epic choirs and adding sheets of static at the midpoint, only the annoying children’s electronic guitar effect in the last minute or so ruins the effect. True to form however is experimental noise protagonist Detritus who transforms “Betty Swollocks” (notice the cheap schoolboy humour of the title!) into an adrenaline fuelled 4 minute rollercoaster ride of drum n bass beats, densely swirling ambience and a memorable melody line.
Slowing things down a few notches, the radiant sweeping tones and beat interludes of “Ernie Unwise” transform into an experiment in crisp rattling beat exploration backed with soaring tonal atmosphere in Displacer’s capable hands. Ochre continues in the same vein, adding his calming influence to restore the languid fluidity the deceptively titled “Calmed Robbery” implies, the original having concealed aggressive distorted barrages of loud metallic beats. The Widnes Years‘ version of “Reckless Engineering Through Diamonds” is a breakneck drill’n bass dash backed by sparkling texture that self destructs before reinventing itself as a lush rhythmic ambient excursion. In the hands of Bitcrush – otherwise known as Mike Cadoo of ex-Gridlock fame – the track becomes a shimmering mass of fuzzy drones, rhythmic breaks and flowing texture.
As the line-up of contributors indicates, The Widnes Redevelopment Project is an album of contrasts, some remixers emphasize the breakcore and drill’n bass aspects of Baker’s output, some focus on rhythms or texture. Each brings out different elements of the original or reconfigures them in a way that compliments it but sees it through the eyes of another musician. Standout contributions come from Mothboy, Detritus, and Displacer with special mentions for Ochre, Proem and Bitcrush.
The Widnes Redevelopment Project is out now on n5MD.
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- Keef Baker
