The genius of Minilogue lies in their ability to formulate organic yet paradoxically regulated minimal, aligning vast swathes of atmosphere, hooky rhythmic sweetness and eccentric nuance to heart-achingly sublime effect. Their music is a beautiful canvas upon which many producers would love to scrawl and last week saw the release of Remixed, Traum Schallplatten’s 3 track EP comprising reinterpretations of some (well…a couple of) Minilogue classics.

Dominik Eulberg and Freska have both applied their talents to aspects of Certain Things, Minilogue’s first release on Traum way back in 2005. Eulberg’s instalment is melodic and haunting, spectrally drifting through an array of textures, melodies and intricate percussion, adding countless layers of depth and a glitchy, crushed charm. Freska’s effort takes a different turn however and buoys its source material to a jauntier and more optimistic plateau. The bassline and wonky vocals drive it like a sand buggy through a crowded town centre and the beat shines through, unashamedly waving itself in your face.

Dividing the two Certain Things tunes is Max Cooper, the man behind dancefloor banger ‘Wasp’. His effort expertly injects the anodyne beauty of ‘Seconds (Colour & Sound)’ with a dose of energy and movement, arousing the original’s hidden anthemic potential to produce the sure highlight. Relaxed yet uplifting, it conjures images of a stuporous night time stagger in a deserted big city district and the rise and fall of the relentless note towards the end lends it an epic quality that really tips it into the “something special” pile. I think it’s an incredibly beautiful track and were I not such a strong, masculine man, I’d probably get a little wet around the eye area right about now…

Short but sweet, this is a brilliant release which will surely placate all the heads patiently awaiting new Minilogue material. I would urge you to spend whatever you’ve earned in the brothel on this and turn it up really loud. As a wise yet possibly morally corrupt huge corporate entity once said: just do it!

Minilogue – Certain Things (Part 1 – Dominik Eulberg Remix)

Minilogue – Seconds (Max Cooper Remix)

Minilogue – Certain Things (Part 1 – Freska Merged Mix)

Buy Minilogue Remixed at 7digital.

Dentists should have this album playing on surround sound while they fuck about with your teeth. Who cares if they eventually get sick of it, I’m having my damn molars ripped out here. There is little to be said about this superb album that hasn’t been said already; even the Telegraph admitted it was bloody brilliant and it’s not often they use naughty words or have a clue what’s going on with people under the age of 52.

The album is made up of tracks right, and those tracks are made up of drums and bass and beeps and twangs and guitars and, most importantly, silence. The genius of Crooks & Lovers, therefore, lies in it’s sparsity and simplicity. At no point during this long player’s relatively un-long exploration of contemporary electronic dance music does a sense of uncertainty or bewilderment ever rear it’s ugly head (Editor’s note: better descriptive words needed here; shame author is retarded). Words are boring so here is the official video to ‘Would Know’. The ‘review’ continues after the drop.

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Check me using ‘The’ like I’m an integral, nay crucial cog in the Ninja Tune machine. I love playing dress-up; ties and stuff. Those cheeky otters over at Ninja Tune keep throwing out awesome treats every week in celebration of 20 years providing us with some of the best damn music ever made. It’s all getting a tad overwhelming. Like some fat kid who can’t catch all the Werther’s originals that his Grandad keeps throwing at him from across the room.

If you’re an idiot and haven’t done got involved with Ninja Tune XX then it’s really about time you pulled your finger out. This Kid Koala mix is really, really, really lovely. I mean top-notch. Prime cuts of spaced-out, trippin-balls, chill bones goodness. No mix that opens with Boards of Canada is ever going to disappoint.

Only potential downside for grumpy grumpers is you have to sign up to download the mix. However, if I remember correctly the last scheme that didn’t involve the ol’ electronic sign up left me one pinkie short of a once-useful right hand. No such thing as a free lunch.

Click here for the Ninja Tune XX homepage and links to the download. The goose is cooked.

As part of the Mixcloud Curators series, Fabric DJ Mackaveli has compiled a formidable hour long chronicle comprising tunes from the likes of Wookie, Dop, The Knife and more. At times relaxed, at others funkier than your Grandma in an MC hammer video, this has a little bit for everyone. The Mosca remix of Tempa T’s ‘Next Hype’ is particularly mad and I’ve also been enjoying Mount Kimbie’s take on Foals’ ‘Spanish Sahara’.

Listen below, the tracklist is snugly located inside the little widget.

ASC is definitely one of the most interesting dubstep/electronica producers currently inhabiting our glorious planet, his recent LP Nothing is Certain was a tranquil triumph and everything he creates seems to be more delicate and exquisite than what came before. He’s also a pretty prolific DJ and every now and again drops an intriguing ambient mix on his blog. The suitably titled ‘Deep Space Mix 15′ is essentially a 50 minute atmospheric soundscape that submerges you in aural depths as chasmic as infinite…well…space. Beautifully relaxed yet languidly interesting, this is one to slide on when you really need to take a step back and collect yourself.

Tracklist after the jump.

ASC – Deep Space Mix 15

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Rave had its heyday in the ’90s and unfortunately, I was just a little kid who was more interested in making Lego forts than spending all night in warehouses getting fucked off my face and dancing like a rag doll. Of course, I’ve made up for that since but it’ll never replace the fake nostalgia I feel when I listen to old school bangers. In light of this, I thought I’d compile a list of the 10 best rave/techno tunes from that period. They’re all seminal tracks in their own right, from the cathartic depths of Orbital’s ‘Halcyon + On + On’ to the comedic venom of Urban Hype’s ‘Trip to Trumpton’, but together they’d probably make one hell of a set…if the DJ was a bit of a schizophrenic with no particular focus. Still, in no particular order, I present to you ‘10 Rave Tunes That Should Never Die’.

Awesome 3 – Don’t Go

Cloud 9 – You Got Me Burnin’

Jonny L – Hurt You So

Prodigy – Everybody in the Place (Fairground Remix)

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