- Apparently the double-pack of remixes issued last July of new takes on Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald's classic just wasn't enough. While Mike Huckaby's version does appear on the CD compilation of the vinyl releases, his deeper-than-space rework also gets its own limited-edition, color-splashed single release more than a year after the project first saw the light of day. Outside of the collectability factor of all Deepchord/Echospace-related releases, this is one well worth picking up for the material itself, easily two of the most DJ-friendly in the series.
Huckaby goes for a deep dive into Detroit/Berlin fusion, layering those famous cosmic chords over a propulsive, minimal kick and hi-hat combo in seemingly effortless fashion. Taking a less-is-more approach, Huckaby lets the raw material work for him rather than forcing the action—those shimmering, liquid synths wash over each other, phasing ever so slightly, hanging on for what seems like forever; when he finally makes his move and strips it all back to just the beat, the sensation is like what I imagine taking that first step into zero gravity feels like.
On the flip, Intrusion (one of Stephen "Soultek" Hitchell's solo monikers) strips it back even further into ambient territory. Hitchell's beatless odyssey unfolds itself in perfect slow motion over a full 18 minutes (the version on the CD is a mere seven), conjuring the infinite nature of space itself—cold, vast, empty, timeless, immersive—above it all and yet still light years away from everything. It's perfect fodder for an enterprising DJ to drop over and under just about anything that could use a bit more atmosphere, but I prefer to play it at home, where at low volume it really reveals its magic.
TracklistA Starlight (Mike Huckaby S Y N T H Mix)
B Starlight (Intrusion Dub)