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.

I like Minilogue, I like Extrawelt and I also think Leopards are pretty fucking cool. Basically, this track has all the components it needs to leapfrog the other crap I rifle through and firmly position itself at the forefront of my existence. I guess the fact that it’s an amazing tune also helps…although not as much as the leopard thing, they sit in trees a lot and sometimes they eat monkeys. Monkeys are basically stupid people with cute faces.

Anyway, spacious and impelling, the distinctive clarity of Extrawelt’s percussion enhances Minilogue’s ambient leanings, giving birth to the reason I think minimal is sick. This song is better than the time I found a bucket and spade in Cornwall and spent the day building sandcastles with my childhood friend Elijah, who definitely exists because I have lots of friends…honestly…loads…

I have no idea how old this is, chances are it’s pretty ancient but it’s still worthy of a post. Listennnn!

Where am I? What’s my name? Who are you? Sorry it took me so long, it’s not easy getting all the way across from France with only 17 Euro cents and one of those tiny biscuits you get with a coffee. Someone then actually had the cheek to enlighten me that the internet exists in France.

Long story short, I’m a confused little soul who is mentally stuck in a No Man’s Land between the ages of 8 and 48 and the languages of French and English respectively. As much as I hate their beady little doom-filled eyes and dastardly looking beaks, sometimes I get quite jealous of birds.

As far as music goes, I must admit I’ve pretty much been surviving on the usual BM champion Minilogue alongside the stone-cold classic Endtroducing… combination. Plus whatever shiny new treasures I happen to stumble upon (Them Crooked Vultures for example). Let us crack on however, see what happens…

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I’m going to tell you about a couple of albums I’ve been listening to since we’ve been absent because, well, I don’t have anything else to write about at the moment. News doesn’t tend to get released at 2am on a Thursday morning, so I guess I’ll have to make my own.

Alongside my usual melange of dubstep, looped Minilogue and the occasional return to the metal days of old, I’ve really been getting into the folky/acoustic indie end of things. Bon Iver’s album For Emma, Forever Ago is one of the most heart-warming and inspirational records I’ve ever listened to and even though Justin Vernon looks like he should smell of leaves, his ability to communicate a sense of isolation and quivering intensity is nothing short of awesome. From the humble beginnings of ‘Flume’ to the whispering resolution of ‘Re: Stacks’, every track flows with its own sense of melancholic purpose. It gives me a cosy sense of security, as if I were holed up in a small wooden cabin with a roaring fire and no worries. Which is weird because when I looked the album up on Wikipedia, I found out it was all recorded in a log cabin in Wisconsin, a fact I found strangely satisfying. It also makes me want to grow a beard, which is something I can [sort of, and eventually will] do.

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