- Daso's debut 'Daybreak' first graced the turntables of the world a year ago, the melancholy loveliness of the track, with its warm, rumbling bass and soft, airy pads, making it the perfect soundtrack to the waning summer days. Now the track sees the light of day once more on the My Best Friend label, this time in the form of 'Daybreak Remixes', with new versions from Oliver Koletzki and Skat. Koletzki, having recently handed in remixes to the likes of Audio Therapy, Southern Fried, and Silver Planet, follows the spirit of Daso's original without boring us with a carbon copy. Skat, hot on the heels of his quality, funked-out remix of Noze's 'Kitchen' (also on MBF), chooses in this case not to bother remixing the track, but instead produces a brand-new one.
Oliver Koletzki gives 'Daybreak' a darker twist, trading in the tranced-out vibe of the original for a chunkier, less organic sound. For a producer whose work tends toward the more driving and energetic, he does quite nicely here taking things a little easier. Gradually and subtly incorporating elements of the original into his own particular groove, he finally drops everything and brings in Daso's primary arrangement to send the track to more blissful heights. Staying true to the essence of the original, Koletzki nevertheless provides a fascinating reinterpretation suitable for both househeads and techno junkies. Perhaps worth noting is that the remix comes to its end soaked in Daso's synth atmosphere but void of any beats - which is to say, it is probably not the best track to mix out of, though it should undoubtedly serve as a great set-ender.
Skat, meanwhile, offers a bouncy, clicky beat with a hint of a groove that never quite amounts to anything. The only suggestion that this track has something to do with Daso's is the splattering of vocals throughout, although even they are so chopped up and warped as to be almost unrecognizable. There are a couple of moments at which some atmosphere begins to emerge, but it remains buried under the beat and disappears as quickly as came. All in all, a lifeless arrangement of noise perhaps useful as a DJ tool but certainly nothing else.
In the end, MBF would have done better to make this release a one-sided disc featuring the Koletzki version alone. Essentially this is what it amounts to anyway, but at least in that case we wouldn't have Skat's epically lackluster "remix" bringing the whole package down.