Robert Babicz - Immortal Changes - The Vinyl Edition (Part Two)

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  • In the wake of his Immortal Changes LP earlier this year, the man also known as Acid has got a tasty collection of producers on board for follow-up remix duty. "Come Closer" was given the characteristically organic Stimming treatment on Part 1, and it's attended to again on this disc along with "Chordy," showcasing the fact that Babicz offers up prime material for constructing usable tech house. Maetrik's usual tough, electronic sound has all but departed in his contribution, but the cool darkness which accompanies it remains, pushing the original into deeper and more dream-like territory by softening the contrapuntal bass/chord stab combination. In the space that's created, the saxophone floats between FX that, although a touch brash at points, spritz the edges like cool soda water. The result is perfect early night Mediterranean house. Mannheim's Gorge takes a similar, accessible approach, with a syllabic vocal rhythm driving a track that has the same familiarity as the Maetrik, but without the same amount of personality. It's well-balanced and grooves—hell, this kind of thing has worked hundreds of times before—and picks up subtly after the break, but remains too pastel to get really excited about. The inclusion of the original version of "Come Closer" reminds us of Babicz's knack for making something basic sound polished and fresh. Warm and emotional, like a film soundtrack, buzzy synths punctuate an acoustic drum track washed over with shimmering and ghostly washes as the plip-plop of raindrops and ripples spread through a pond, with a lonely figure walking in its reflection. Kollektiv Turmstrasse turn it into an even more delicate thing, emotions floating above a churning, stony bedrock. A pensive riff wanders throughout the track, until the resonant pads emerge, the filters open and the clouds break, pouring sunlight onto the rain-drenched valley below.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Chordy (Maetrik Remix) A2 Chordy (Gorge Remix) B1 Come Closer B2 Come Closer (Kollektiv Turmstrasse Remix)
RA