- Twenty years ago, Orlando Voorn produced an EP simply known as #1. It was the first of a few numbered records under the moniker "Format," and the A2 track is now nothing short of a classic. Discounting some gaudy bells mid-way, "Solid Session" still sounds remarkably fresh today, which is perhaps why Night Vision have revived it for this package. Like many other hits, the appeal of "Solid Session" is in its hook: simple, catchy and able to withstand endless listens. Armed with this knowledge, Scotland's Vince Watson sharpens the timbre of original riff and clears out everything else: Not-quite-robotic squawks and both sets of bells. In their place, misty pads form an unobtrusive backdrop to let the famous hook shine. The result is both more restrained and focussed.
With his remix, Danny Wolfers—Legowelt—brings his personal style to bear in the same manner as Watson. The results, however, are entirely different. Taking things totally maximal, Wolfers reduces the original hook to a twangy bit player, rather than the star. His remix is a collage of sounds, a unified front in which nothing seems to lead. Dainty synths, transcendental pads and watery effects all jostle in place, like a slow-motion mosh pit. Neatly bookending the record, Voorn's own beatless mix slides into the B2 slot. There's more tension here than elsewhere, with jarring chord changes and frantic notes racing back and forth only in some loose approximation of the original hook. It's as good a DJ tool as any, and certain to continue the legacy of "Solid Session."
Tracklist A1 Solid Session
A2 Solid Session (Vince Watson Remix)
B1 Solid Session (Legowelt Remix)
B2 Solid Session (OV's Beatless Mix)