(02.01.09) The rains and winds seem to draw in that bit heavier in the new year. Everything turns grey and dull with the sun deciding to leave off on its usual tonic of vitamin D. It’s no wonder that people get depressed and moany around this time. So without celestial rays, how are we going to get over this climate induced melancholy? A new record from a new record label sounds like it could remedy such ills. Pushing away the greyness is the disco electro-centered Perfect Stranger Records. A joint venture between France and Germany, Perfect Stranger have released their debut EP to brighten faces and dancefloors across the overcast continent; Keen K & P.Muench: The Spiral / Connection Flight.
Some may remember Keen K from his 2008 Structures EP on Das Drehmoment, P. Muench is an electronic artist who may be lesser known to many but has an impressive back catalogue. The EP is interesting, as it is more like a remix project. The record only contains one track by Keen K & P.Muench, the rest of the EP is made up of remixes by Polygamy Boys, Magina Girgir, Divider and Electrosexual. The record opens with one of the Das Drehmoment faithful, Magina Girgir and his twilight remix of “The Spiral.” The track is an analogue work of reverberating soft tones. The disco element is there, but in the Magina Girgir vein. The track has an echoing lulling aspect to it, haunting darkened dancefloors like only Magina Girgi can. The team of Michel Morin, Sneak-Thief, and Stephan Busche, DJ Gitano, aka The Polygamy Boys, offer up their pain remix of “The Spiral” next. The EBM duo give a dirty electro take, one of looming distorted vocals and shuddering sythesizers. The final track of Side A is the original version of “The Spiral.” Keen K & P.Muench construct a work of warm synthesizers and shimmering sound around cold lyrics to produce an alienated electro disco number.
Divider, aka Keen K, opens the B-Side with their version of “Connection Flight.” Divider’s usual downtempo disco style is replaced by an energy packed electro floor rocker. Vocoders fall and swimming synthlines swirl and swell to make for a track that will have ceilings shaking and walls dripping. Electrosexual ends the 12″ with his version of “Connection Flight.” The track builds quite slowly, feeling as though it may be the most traditionally electro piece of the record. This isn’t the case. When the synth melody breaks Electrosexual unveils an amazingly deep world of discotronix to leave the listener’s ears buzzing.
Perfect Stranger have released a record of perfect and strange disco, disco that has been electrified and splits through the dreariness of the early months of a new year. If this first installment is anything to go on there should be more amazing music to follow, music to bring smiles to electro fans during such dreary days.
The Spiral / Connection Flight is out now on Perfect Stranger
