- Süd Electronic was set to slip into obscurity after label co-owner Portable's 2007 LP Powers Of Ten. Now, after a surprise relaunch last year with the fantastic Zooz by Mary Boyoi, Süd returns to the album that looked like its last word. "Albatross," a clear favorite from Powers Of Ten, sounds rough around the edges in a way Portable hasn't in a while. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the smoother cuts he's issued since, but it's refreshing to hear. Sharply digital and densely stacked drums roil (and occasionally wipe out completely) as Portable's vocals preside, a presence at once mournful and mischievous.
Kowton loses the vocals entirely on his remix, and "mischievous" becomes something more like sinister. He turns up the melody, adds some serious weight to the low-end and shaves the drums down to one pitchy clang. If the original could make for a moment of clarity in a set, Kowton's take is certain to render the night even blacker. Ditto Anthony "Shake" Shakir's remix: he adds some extra knottiness to an already tangled arrangement and plops a healthy dollop of noise on top. His booming bass, though, assures you'll be dancing as you wade through the morass.
Tracklist A1 Albatross (Original Mix)
A2 Albatross (Kowton Remix)
B Albatross (Anthony Shakir Remix)