- Swedish duo Fishermen turned in a commendable effort with their debut LP Patterns & Paths. Martin Skogehall and Thomas Jaldemark's terse, gritty techno brought to mind dark alleys and seedy dancehall raves more than it did the ocean's depths, but that certainly wasn't a problem. A little over a year later, their album is back in focus with a four-track remix EP, which proves an uneven affair.
Amid flocks of seagulls, Cut Hands' remix of "Serpents" goes to work with clanging percussion, but it's mostly unremarkable otherwise, especially compared to the original's sinister, low-slung approach (and the tribal cacophony usually associated with Cut Hands). Steve Bicknell's "Dyspnea" remix is tunneling 4/4 techno that could do with having the first few minutes lopped off. As is, it demands a long blend in the mix, and the payoff—an amplified array of the original's long, tense pads—isn't quite worth the wait.
The remixes from Florian Kupfer and Ulwhednar easily win out here. Like Bennett, Kupfer takes on "Serpents," and like Bicknell, he opts for a lengthy version. But this one, which keeps the original's ragga shouts, is the record's bruising standout, reveling in overdriven and often-unpredictable masses of drums. Finishing the record on another strong note is Ulwhednar, AKA Abdulla Rashim and Varg, who rework the murky "Sunken Mosque." Their 160 BPM "Airokala" remix drips with nervous energy thanks to rapid-fire hand percussion, twitchy trebles and far-away moans. While the two veterans' remixes leave something to be desired, Kupfer and Ulwhednar's intense methods yield more convincing returns.
TracklistA1 Serpents (Cut Hands Remix)
A2 Serpents (Florian Kupfer Remix)
B1 Dyspnea (Steve Bicknell Remix)
B2 Sunken Mosque (Ulwhednar's Airokala Remix)