- There's something about the Texas group S U R V I V E that appeals across musical divides. A rock band and an electronic act, they occupy two niches in their hometown Austin scene. They're probably the only group that will release on the Italian electronic label Mannequin and the extreme metal label Relapse Records. Two of its members brought their music into the mainstream with Stranger Things, appealing to people who might not otherwise like electronic music. S U R V I V E look towards the dance floor on their latest EP, giving their noir-ish synth rock to producers associated with house and techno.
It's hard to imagine a producer more equipped to take on S U R V I V E than Lena Willikens, whose own music is also slow and spooky. Looping an anxious arpeggio from "Cutthroat" at 100 BPM, hers is the EP's most impressive remix. JK Flesh, AKA the extreme music pioneer Justin Broadrick, hits the EP's other home run with a shorter remix that rearranges "Other" into clammy industrial techno. The remaining two versions—a surprisingly restrained remix from Not Waving and a straight-up techno track from the Blondes member Sam Haar—aren't as strong. An act as distinctive as S U R V I V E will always be difficult to remix, but in the right hands their sound translates to techno surprisingly well.
TracklistA1 Cutthroat (Lena Willikens Remix)
A2 High Rise (Not Waving Remix)
B1 Wardenclyffe (Sam Haar Remix)
B2 Other (Justin K Broadrick As JK Flesh Remix)