- "Pioneer" is a term all too frequently applied to anyone making music before about 1980, but it's a fair description of Laraaji, the American electric zither player who is one of ambient music's luminaries. With a discography that stretches back to the late '70s, when he was discovered by Brian Eno busking in Washington Square Park, Laraaji is currently enjoying a reemergence thanks to a series of reissues, live performances and an All Saints back-catalogue compilation (that includes a second disc of reworks by contemporary artists), as well as this remix EP.
Bee Mask, an artist whose music has something of Laraaji's twinkling mysticism, is an inspired choice for remixing "A Cave In England," a recording made inside a waterfall cave and overlaid with thumb piano. He foregrounds the cosmic tones and adds grainy textures, quivering synth lines and muscular drum hits that impart drama and heft without detracting from the original's subtle, spiritual quality. In contrast, on her rhythmic remix of "Kalimba" (originally produced by Eno), Ela Orleans uses the thumb piano melody of the original as a springboard and adds a worming bassline and vocals. It's less effective, sacrificing some of the original's elegance. Motion Sickness Of Time Travel's remix of "Space Choir" is more in keeping with the spirit of Laraaji's music. She adds drama to the sustained ambient stretches with warm, opaque drones. On his remix of the previously unreleased "Tilturn," Sun Araw introduces new textures and beats at intervals, overlaying Laraaji's thumb piano with a knotty patchwork of sound to surprisingly bleak effect.
TracklistA1 Cave (Bee Mask Version)
A2 Kalimba (Ela Orleans Version)
B1 Tilturn (Sun Araw Version)
B2 Space (Motion Sickness Of Time Travel Version)