Depeche Mode - “Peace” (Ben Klock remix) [Mute] (buy)

Hidden away at the bottom of a five track remix CDR on Depeche Mode’s latest single, “Peace”, is where you will find Berghain resident, Ben Klock’s excellent remix. This is when the trusty ol digital card comes in to play, &  to great use whilst your at it.  As the the four other remixes on the EP are below mediocre & really don’t deserve to be purchased, say as a whole. However, the Ben Klock remix is most definitely a rose among the thorns, & could have quite easily slipped through your net up to now.

Sinister, syncopated textures and a nagging, raw, ringing set the track off with the up most tension and slow movement. Make way for a short wave of melodic outburst & the all important vocal from Dave Gaham, of which Klock uses to his full advantage, & you have something quite interesting indeed. As the vocal continues on top of the heavy handed hand-claps & warm, floating synth lines you cant help but fall into a hypnotic trance, from Klock’s, raw, signature beats & those soothing vocals from Gaham. A very well produced remix from the Berliner & one I dont think you would want to miss.

Peter Van Hoesen - “Past Revisited” EP [Morse] (buy)

Since late last year, Belgian techno producer, Peter Van Hoesen has been making waves within the house & techno scene with his straight talking techno - which has mostly been released via his own, blossoming label, Time To Express. 2009 has seen him cement his place in the scene with a handful of quality, single EP’s that have been released via different labels, including his own. Then there is the numerous mixes that he very kindly puts together for the many websites/ blogs out there that lurk in the vast blogosphere, and lets not forget all the DJ sets that he plays around the place, week in week out. It’s safe to say that PVH puts in a lot of effort and the work-rate is second to none, which this new EP, “Past Revisited” on Morse shows off very well.

“Past Revisited” EP is three tracks of no nonsense techno that are placed somewhere in between the past & the future, what I mean by this is that the sound that Van Hoesen is working with is that of the early, minimal techno sound, yet it still has a very, fresh - 2009 edge to it, which I like, a lot. Great chord structures, liquid - acid like basslines, & tight, slicing synths make up the best part of the tracks, which PVH has put together in such a way that you can hear every element ticking over like a finely tuned timepiece. I like this in house & techno & is part of the reason I liked “minimal” before it went stale. On a whole, the record is as solid as it comes & will suite many tastes, with -”Strikethrough” leading the charge & “Resol” not far behind on its coattails.

Rndm - “Third Hand Smoke” EP - [Laid] (buy)

When the news came filtering through the great house and techno grapevine that one of the most consistent & highly regarded record labels out there, Dial Records were starting a sublabel, Laid I was very keen to hear what they had planned. So after a bit of digging I came across the Laid press release from the Dial founders, Peter Kersten (Lawrence/Sten), & Carsten Jost, which reads as so :

“The imprint is called Laid, and the focus will be on the preservation of vinyl culture and, of course, quality music. To the question of the former, Laid will only make its work available on wax”.

Then it goes on to say that the music coming from the label will be that from such artists & musicians who have inspired them & those who don’t necessarily fit the Dial imprint, with the first release coming from Rick Wade & then the next three releases coming in quick succession, which was rather exciting news. So without any hesitation I  immediately got onto the record shop where I purchased both Laid 01(Rick Wade), & Laid 02 (RNDM), from which of the latter I will review below.

I think the most exciting fact about this EP for me was the very fact it was from Rndm, aka Oliver Kargl, one half of the live techno outfit with Efdemin, Pigon. I’d had a soft spot for Rndm’s music since hearing the excellent, Wakefield which was released on the equally excellent, “You Are My Mate” EP late last year on Dial. Something else that got me excited was the inclusion of a new John Roberts track with, wait for it, Rndm on the remix! Which for me is just perfect, as both their sounds are just what I look for, so to combine the two was a stroke of genius in my eyes and ears. As for the EP, as a whole its a solid house EP with a typical old skool house flavour running throughout. Lots of tight basslines, aural melodies, and deep drums, its laid back, grooving & deep, just what I’m looking for in a house record. Both the original & the dub version of “Third Hand Smoke” have different, but equally enjoyable qualities, but for me, personally its all about the Rndm “K271″ remix of John Roberts, “Relate”, which is in fact a teaser from John’s own, upcoming Laid release, Laid 04.

Prostitune - “Money Nugget” EP  [Just Another Beat] (buy)

Fresher than the wax its pressed on,”Money Nugget” EP by Prostitune, (an anonymous producer(s) who hails from Berlin), is two of the finest slabs of deep house that I’ve heard this year. Allegedly part of the Hardwax crew, Prostitune (he or she) has crafted one of the years best 12″ house records to date.

“Money Nugget” is a complex & intricate piece of deep house that’s been finely weaved together with the up-most care and consideration, you can really feel, (well hear) all the fine detail & complex structures throughout this brilliant piece of music. Beautiful,warm, house melodies play next to unpolished acid like bumps from the 303 & Prostitune’s choice of vocal,(which in this case is Barry White!), far from dated or sounding like its from the past which is not a bad thing but wouldn’t really work here. Instead, Prostitune uses elements from today’s house sound and blends them with sounds from the past to create a wonderful amalgamation of both sound and texture. Its the kind of record that when played at 6am, as the sun was rising you would have a “moment”.

On the B side is where you will find “Lotions”, whereas “Money Nugget” was a smooth journey through deep house territory this is much more of a bumpy ride, but equally as enjoyable. Soulful grooves intertwine with minute melodies, spacey synth riffs and a strumming percussion section.  What stands out about all the aforementioned is just how tightly they’ve been weaved in by the craftsman who has designed the music, I mean its all so intricate and complex, yet you can still hear everything component as clear as day. Without missing a beat the tracks starts to build by working itself up into a lather, but never really letting go, which works well. Eventually the track winds down with the 303, and the skewed melodies coming to a close & you find yourself going in for another listen… or five.

Levon Vincent - “The Medium is The Message” [Novel Sound] (buy)

It was late last September on a wet, summers evening  & I was out record shopping in London, when I came across NS-01, (or “These Games” EP) for those in the know. This was an introduction to a new & unfamiliar name to me which was that of Levon Vincent. I distinctly remember the (friendly) & quite tired looking record shop owner, leaning over his counter and handing me a plain looking vinyl sleeve that had nothing but a stamp on it & saying to me, “here mate you need this, its something a bit special”, to which I replied “who is it?” He just said “listen & see”. Yes, the record he handed me was NS-01 by Levon & the track in question was the mighty “These Games”, where on first listen I was instantly captured by this unique dub-techno sound that I’d previously not heard. And as I wasn’t the biggest dub - techno fan back then, this was like a breath of fresh air & I bought it then on there on the spot. Since that day I’ve awaited (along with what is now a fully figured following) every new release from Levon on both his own label (Novel Sound) & his co -run label, (Deconstruct Music) which he runs with his good friend Anthony Parasole. I’ve also been lucky enough to become friends with Levon & the man behind the music, which is an added bonus. Already topped by many (and rightfully so) as producer of the year, and after releasing some of years best  techno music  Levon is head & shoulders above most & has taken 2009 by the short and curly’s & made it his own. Fuck the economy, its all about dancing and with Levon & his music your sure to be dancing long into the night…

Taking us by the hand and leading us out onto a musical battle field is the title track ,”The Medium Is The Message” this is where we get a slow, & finely-tuned, orchestrated piece of techno that’s so dense and well coordinated you might find yourself marching along with the beat. Thunderous chords ring out as razor sharp synths slice across the syncopated drum patterns, which then make way for tight, rhythmic percussion. The chords continue to ring out as if something sinister is about to happen which is not far wrong, as things are about to get a whole lot darker. The way Levon builds the track as a whole is quite unique and will appeal to those who favour the purism of techno, but will also have you dub-techno fiends eagerly searching out the record, before it sells out, (which it will).

The apt titled “A Melody For Everyone”does exactly what it says on the tin, (well on the vinyl sleeve), this is where we see Levon using his love for, the deeper house sound & where he effortlessly fuses together the hypnotic elements of his techno sound and melts in, a more, melodic, housey sound -to the mix, which works wonders and shows yet another skill in Levon’s ever expanding producing skills. Before I had heard the track in question, my favorite track from Levon was the amazing “1000 Miles From Home”, which, for me holds some kind of magical power, I mean its just amazing, & now, after hearing ”A Melody For Everyone” I’m getting the same feelings & sensations that I did back when I first heard 1000 miles. I think A Melody For Everyone will raise the bar even higher for Levon & push the levels through the roof, as now its not just the techno community who are taking notice, its the house crew too! 

Bringing this brilliant EP to a close is “I Owe You Everything” which is one of the finest pieces of techno- house you will hear in a very long time. It has just about everything, deep atmospherics, luscious, vocodered vocals, lonesome piano keys, meandering synth lines, and in general, some quite exquisite production work. So unique and beautiful it is without a shadow of a  doubt the cherry on top of the cake.

Steinhoff and Hammouda with Dionne - Touch [Smallville] (buy)

How do you follow a bona fide classic? This is the question that must have had Julius Steinhoff and Peter Kersten (aka Lawrence) scratching their heads after the success of STL’s “Silent State”. Or maybe not, as Smallville has always been about doing things quietly, paying little attention to hype and concentrating on going their own way. And so it is with Steinhoff and Hammouda (with input from best buddy Dionne)’s “Touch”, an understated deep house record that only reveals its true depths after a few spins. An insistent and expectant piano vamp trundles away for a good few minutes, while a slightly woody bass drum reminiscent of Theo Parrish thumps underneath. So far, so solid, but when the Beach Boys-esque “doo-doos” come in, you realise that this is quite the early morning gem with its subtle (and subtly addictive) arrangement. Track Mode, with an art-pop twist, this is a refreshing cocktail just in time for the long hot summer nights.

The flipside makes the US house connection explicit, with a Jus-Ed remix. The Connecticut DJ has achieved the same trick this year as Move D in 2008, releasing a deluge of records with no let up in quality control. Underground Quality indeed, and his remix of “You Are” (previously heard on Smallville 6) is just the sort of floaty but bumping house that Ed likes to play every Wednesday on his My House Your House radio show.

Playing it cool, playing it right: it takes guts for a label to follow a hit in such a nonchalant manner, but Smallville have succeeded with aplomb. Oh, and further props for the Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy reference on the cover!

Brawther - “Asteroids & Stardust” [Ballance Alliance] (buy)

The second release from the Ballance Alliance camp (a sub label from Ron Trent’s highly regarded Prescription label) comes courtesy of a young & upcoming Frenchman who goes under the alias of Brawther.

“Asteroids & Stardust”, Brawther’s first record, is a good three track EP of deep house music that takes in influences from Chicago, Detroit, NY, & of course Brawther himself. So sit back and take in the delightful sounds of this young Parisian as we proceed to go deep.

Starting things off nice and laid back with a chilled house track titled “Endless” (deep mix). This is a lovely melodic piece that glides by with a gorgeous piano breakdown and some sweet melodic riffs & various samples.

Next up is the “ultra deep” mix of “Endless” which is fast becoming my favorite track on the record. Whereas the previous, “Deep” mix was melodic and quite chilled this is much more of a heads down house track complete with a lovely vocal sample, great arrangement, and in general some very nicely produced house beats. If you like deep pads, tight percussion and an overall warm house vibe you will love this record. Perfect for warming up with or, perhaps an early morning set. Lovely.

Bringing the EP to a close is “Asteroids & Stardust” which is a great piece of deep house music. Deep clicks and heavy synth lines get things moving just nicely for the incoming,hidden drums and an organic piano loop, which really sets the tone to the track as a whole.This plays out gently, but with great depth and composure. Brawther then brings in a good breakdown which cuts through the track to release a solid energy which will work well next to the piano & those tight drums and the now complex percussion. As a whole the EP is solid and will hopefully just be the start for this young & talented Frenchman’s career.

James Teej - Spending Life (Orig / Danny Fiddo & Affkt / Ripperton) [Rebirth] (buy digital)

Since his String Theory EP landed on Connect Four last summer (with THAT Cassy remix), James Teej has been gradually gaining a serious foothold in the CD wallets of some of the elite taste makers of house music (including Radio Slave who’s given Teej a real chance to shine with a forthcoming release on Rekids). Almost 12 months since that debut, Teej hits us with what may well go on to become one of the best releases this year.

The Rhodes may have been seriously pushed in the last 12-18 months but here you’ll witness the warmest chord pattern since it was decided that Strictly Rhythm was actually a rather fine record label and not a celebrity drumming game show. As well as this expert display of key control, Teej treats us to a wonderful vocal, which whilst not fully legible in places, adds a “its going to be OK” vibe to the proceedings. Throw in some great digital drum rhythms and a progressing array of electronic lines and you have a track that will still sound amazing in 20 years time.

Alongside the great original, Spanish producers Danny Fiddo and Affkt provide an outstanding dance floor oriented remix complete with squelchy low end and an almost freestyle jazz sound that sounds like it could have literally been a one take wonder. With a continuous build and bouncy live vibe, this is the perfect peak time accompaniment to Teej’s sunset/sunrise original.

Rounding things off is Ripperton with a rawkus Detroit influenced big room remix. If this had been on any other release then there’s a good chance that this would be the best track on the EP; further proving how much credit is due to Teej and his Spanish companions.

With their stock rising with seemingly every release, Rebirth have really struck gold here and with a strong EP from Stefano Testa on the way (featuring remixes from Brothers Vibe, Jacques Renault and Tevo Howard), it may not only be James Teej that reaches a new level of recognition with this EP.

James Teej MySpace

Rebirth MySpace

As our catalogue of fine mixes continues to grow, we decided it was only right that you be able to grab these from one convenient place: the Random Circuits podcast.

If you know what podcasting is all about and already use iTunes then follow this link. If not then head to apple.com and download iTunes and return to this page afterwards.

If you wish to use another player such as Winamp, then you’ll need the following link to subscribe:

http://www.soundshelter.co.uk/randomcircuits/rc_podcast.xml

Once you are signed up you will receive all future mixes from RC directly into your player as well as having access to wonderful mixes from the following:

Pied Plat
Rising Sun
Kann Records
San Soda
Tim Toh
Stereociti
The Off-Key Hat

Our 15th Random Mix of the series sees us take a whistle stop trip to Berlin, Germany where we get an expert lesson from Eren of Pied Plat on all things, techno, deep, & hypnotic. Sit back and take in this expertly crafted set as he takes us on a fantastic 1hr journey through all aspects of techno.

This mix also coincides with the launch of our new Random Circuits podcast which you can grab from either of the two links at the bottom of the page.

Pied Plat first caught my ear back in 2008 when they released the “Ode To Ede” EP on Rushour Recordings, which has since been used by Marcel Dettmann on the Berghain compilation, and has also featured on Rushour’s “Best of” 2008 comp.

We thought it was about time to invite Pied Plat (Eren) to come and mix things up for our series and tell us a little about their music.

Can you tell us a little about Pied Plat & your style of music ?

Pied Plat are Felix Osten and Eren Solak.

We´re friends since school and have listened and played music of all kinds, beginning with Jazz, HipHop, Broken Beats, DeepHouse, etc… and now were really into Techno.

I don’t know about our style. Maybe some releases later I could give you a description.
What have you been working on recently ?

Our recent release is the Friday Sessionz remix for Sasse’s album Toinen (Moodmusic).Besides that we’re working on our next 12″ for Rush Hour.

What can we expect from this mix you’ve done for us

With this mix I tried to manage a wide rage of styles in only 1hr, which you can’t obviously do in a club… from top to bottom.

1 STL - From A Distance (SMALLVILLE 12)
2 Silent Servant - Lo Profundo (H&V 001))
3 Daze Maxim - Deepcut59 (STORY 002)
4 Pepe Bradock - Mandragore (ATA 009)
5 Josh Brent - Turntribal (SCHAT VV02)
6 Patrick Gräser - Impressed (NIG001)
7 Jerome Sydenham - Darkroom (UKP 007)
8 D. Dozzy & Nuel - Untitled B2 (AQUAPLANO 000)
9 Museum - He Who Had To Clean It All (NUMB 12)
10 Scuba - Volt (Abucs 005)
11 Mike Dehnert - Umluft (FW 008)
12 Daniel Meteo - Pure I (James T Cotton Remix) (KALK PETS 14)
13 Planetary Assault Systems - Mark Me (Long Edit) (o-ton24)
14 Sasse - Friday Sessionz (Pied Plat Remix) (MOOD 073)

Click here to subscribe to the RC podcast via iTunes

Download Random Mix 15 - Pied Plat (direct download)

Cabin Fever Trax #Vol 5 - Don’t You Know? [Rekids] (buy)

Cabin Fever Trax is a series of limited edition vinyl wares that come courtsey of Matt “Radio Slave” Edwards, where he releases tried and tested dance floor fodder and quality DJ tools, that range from NY house, blissful Balaeric groovers, acid disco, & straight up party starters.

“Don’t You Know?” is one of those simple, but effective, late - night - house groovers that has a distinct 90’s warehouse feel to it. I think Matt was trying to recreate the early 90’s sound here,which if you think back to 92 & tracks like Liberty City’s - “Some Lovin” where it was all about the big, hypnotic house grooves, and the female vocals, which, 2009 has seen a steady return of with more and more producers looking back to classic house and techno from the 90’s for inspiration. Take “EQD 002” for a good example, as this, dreamy, breakbeat - given banger has influences from old skool techno/ breakbeat/ & the early drum n bass sound of the 90’s, yet, the producer, Shed, still manages to keep it fresh and exciting, I guess its a sort of “back to the future” moment. ”Don’t You Know” is more similar to “Some Lovin” than EQD  ”002″, but the principles are the same, anyway, enough nostalgia. The track is focused around a huge, looped groove, some 90’s rave keys, and that hypnotic female vocal, (which I mentioned earlier). It chuggs along, nicely with a positively- pumping- party- groove, which, will no doubt have ravers shuffling their feet, & in places like Panoramabar, jumping, with joy, whilst punching the air in sheer delight, (they love a bit of nostalgia on a Sunday afternoon in Berlin). The track continues to progress with some quality breakdowns & some deep - house rhythms, which, when layered with the vocals and that pumping groove become very enjoyable indeed. To put it into a nut shell, if you like your house simple, but effective, with a good groove, and a vocal that will get you dancing, well, this is for you. Oh, & did I mention it comes on Pink! Yes, Pink vinyl!

Neville Watson - (Bleeding Through/Up Yours) [Clone] (CJFD01) (buy) (mp3)

Clone Records new series, “Jack for Daze” kicks off in style with three, killer, Chicago influenced house tracks from Neville Watson.

Neville comes straight at you with” Bleeding Through”, a classic sounding, Chicago house track that draws you in from the very first moment the needle hits the wax. A deep & rubbery bass pattern toys with you before unleashing a waiting, wave of synth’s & some quite remarkable chords. Neville takes the bass, plays with it, then, carefully needles it through intricate, percussive elements, sweet - house melodies, vibrant hand-claps and gorgeous grooves. 

Next up, & tantalising your senses is “Up Yours” with its bouncy bass and tight melodies I really like how this comes together and how it sounds fresh today, but still has a, dare I say, “old skool” feel. The way Neville drops in samples on top of the groove is truly hypnotising  & when the melodies bounce back at you, off those pads, its quite breathtaking & I imagine it must be more so in a club. With a title track as brash as “Up Yours” you might expect it to be rough and ready, but not here, in fact, its very fresh, clean, and easy on the ear which I like a lot.

Bringing the EP to a close is a collaboration remix of “Up Yours” which comes via Clone front man Serge & fellow producer Gerd. Their take on things is much more rough, and not as polished, which works well, as a Chicago house theme. Tin-pot percussion and a simple snare kick things up into a minimal storm, which is eager to blow. Bring in some warmth from the now distorted groove and let it build up slowly and you have yourself a very handy track indeed. This continues to build adding various elements along the way all of which are layered to perfection & will definitely have you moving your feet. A quality EP & a great way to kick off the “Jack for Daze” series. I know I will be “jackin for daze” with these two beauties in the box.Roll on JFD02.

Reggie Dokes - “Chicago Pimp” [Clone CLSS01] (buy) (buy mp3)

Reggie Dokes kicks off Clone Records, “loft series” with two outstanding house cuts.

“Chicago Pimp”, should undoubtedly be a favourite for many when it comes to doing the all important end of year list. I’d go so far to say, that at this very minute, it stands tall at my number one spot. I’ve noticed with every “Reggie release” that you get something extra, something more fulfilling, like he’s really made an effort to sound unique, and gone that extra mile whilst in the studio.

When I first listened to “Chicago Pimp” I immediately thought wow! Shut the door, turned up the volume, and went in for another listen. I was listening to something so fresh and exciting I actually got goosebumps. It has this raw, un-polished feel from the outset, that gives off a glowing energy and a whole heap of charisma. Dramatic strings, tinkling cowbells, and a raw piano loop make up the best part of this wonderful piece of music. This may sound like just another “track”, but when you hear how Reggie has arranged all the components in a timeless like matter, you will see, (well hear) just how great it is. I still cant get over just how fantastic this is, I love all the intricate detail; the key changes on the piano, the string section that plays, dramatically in the background, basically the whole raw feel, which Reggie has achieved.

The flip-side, ”I Wear The Mask” is a great follow up to “Chicago Pimp”, and might even favour some. What I also find, when listening to a Reggie Dokes record, is that you cant tag it, its not solely house or techno, it has elements  of jazz, soul, broken beat, & live instrumentation,which is quite rare these days in electronic music (I think the only other producer who regularly uses this similar method is Henrik Schwarz) . “I Wear The Mask” uses all of the aforementioned and blends it effortlessly to create a “live” jazz - come house workout that will have fans of Reggie, Theo & KDJ rubbing their hands with glee. Light as feather strings, dramatic keys and intricate percussion, slowly build the track up. Reggie then proceeds to blow minds with luscious timbres, and magic energy from the violin, which, is now working side by side with the tight, hand-crafted percussion, and organic piano loop. As a whole this record will be a firm contender for EP of the year, & rightfully so. Incredible!

Ramon Tapia & Maxim Lany - “Highway” (Remixes) [We Play House] (buy)

Originally released last year on an mp3 download only, “Highway” by Ramon Tapia & Maxim Lany, sadly, sat in the shadows, but fear not friends as the blossoming, Belgian, house label, We Play House has picked it up, dusted it off, and recommissioned it with a tidy remix package from fellow Belgian house heads, San Soda & Red D & another from the main man like Jus -Ed.

The original, which has been remastered for this release is a peak time floor filler that breaks away with pounding chords, razor sharp synths, layered percussion & a brilliant breakdown in the middle. It has an early, European techno feel throughout that gives it an edge, & an edge that will work well on the floor.

Next up is San Soda’s & Red D’s take on things under their new guise, FCL. I like where this one takes you, even though there has been a vocal snippet added, “Highway” will be said every so often over those pounding chords, and that sharp, stripped back percussion, which, seems to fit, quite nicely. This time, when you get to the halfway mark the track takes a deep techno vibe with some nice chords, slicing synthesizers, and a deeper, more layered, 90’s, influenced piano section.

Jus-Ed’s “My Way” remix totally revamps things with some minimal, tribal esque house drums and a sample vocal, but its not the sample vocal saying “Highway”, its a completely different & quite hypnotic vocal sample, “Were gonna do this shit” &”Its my way” is repeated over the drums etc. A smooth key section is brought in bright and breezly and really gives the track a lift, it reminds me a little of early DJ Sneak which is never a bad thing. As a whole this remix package is good and should have something for everybody.

Tensnake - In The End (I Want You To Cry) [Running Back] (buy)

A month or so ago Running Back boss Gerd Janson posted the label’s demo policy on Myspace, for the attention of “young aspiring producers or old frustrated ones” everywhere. In typically deadpan tones, Janson lays down The Demo Policy Of Truth: “To put it in a nutshell: The Team consists of close or far friends and their friends or friends of their friends. Are you a friend?”

It’s fortunate then that Janson has friends in high places; last year household names Move D, Radio Slave and Mark E were all on the roster. This year, the names are less well-known but the quality is still just as high. Robert Dietz, Precious System and my favourite Dplay have all contributed stellar offerings, meaning that Janson has had no need to start digging through the demo slushpile. Another buddy, this time from Hamburg, Tensnake, contributes the fourth Running Back of 2009.

Slightly breaking from the house stylings of the releases by Dplay and Dietz, title track “In The End (I Want You To Cry)” is an epic disco floorfiller. Swinging claps borrowed from Jimpster, and a catchy riff all lead up to a good old singalong for the last few minutes as you conga out of the discotheque and into the night. Cowbell, ice-cool synths and a lonesome vocal as Tensnake grabs the mike make “Holding Back My Love” a slightly less hip Italians Do It Better cut (this is a good thing). “The Then Unknown” is a less immediate cut, opting for gentle throb and new waves melodies, illustrating the fantasy scenario of Bryan Ferry stopping modeling for M&S and instead associating with Mark E.

Digital bonus track (for shame!)“Can You Feel It” is, unfortunately for vinyl junkies, probably the best thing on the release, temporarily disproving Steve Albini’s maxim “Fuck digital – the future belongs to the analog loyalists”. Far from being a Fingers cover, this nonetheless shares a Chicago heritage, employing heavy drums and nifty acid lines in the service of choppy David Byrne guitar and a vocodered vocal intoning the title.

Running Back carry on their hot streak, proving that sometimes it really is who you know, not what you know. Long live nepotism!