- Following a pair of Luke Slater remixes from earlier this year, Rocker / Gate 23 (Tuff City Kids Remixes) is the second package of reworked Alter Ego classics. It's been 12 years since "Rocker" and "Gate 23" first emerged on Transphormer, an album of high-octane electro with dashes of the arpeggiated minimalism that shaped Alter Ego's '90s output. Nowadays, that sound is under-represented—some might say unfashionable—which could make revisiting Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke's project interesting at least. But these three remixes suggest otherwise. There's little affection here for the bit-crushed whistle of "Rocker" (a UK Top 40 hit) or the frosty tones of "Gate 23." With so little tying this record to the songs that inspired it, the EP is a puzzling reintroduction to Alter Ego.
Tuff City Kids discard "Rocker"'s compressed chirps, building their "Rocky Mix" from a countermelody instead. Crisp live drums and sweet kosmische overtones give it an impish cheeriness that, in a certain light, is more amiable than the brassy oscillations of the original. But since there's nothing in the "Rocky Mix" that calls back to its predecessor, the enthusiasm doesn't extend beyond itself. Something also seems lost in translation on the two remixes of "Gate 23." 12 years ago, Isolée's version of the track supported Alter Ego's wispy organs with neatly trimmed arps and micro-effects; Tuff City Kids' 808-centric remixes aren't nearly as complementary. The clutter of bass and claps on the "808 Mix" is especially gaudy. Old songs often do well when given fresh legs, but these ones seem hastily sewn on.
TracklistA1 Rocker (Tuff City Kids Rocky Mix)
B1 Gate 23 (Tuff City Kids 808 Mix)
B2 Gate 23 (Tuff City Kids Bonus Beat)