If you were to ask me what I considered the most important record of 2013, it would be Midland's 'Trace'. If you were to ask me what song would be least likely to get a good remix, I would probably say the same thing. For the latter, I was gladly proved wrong. Almost a year after the original AUS Music is set to release the 'Trace Remixes EP', a timely reflection on how far the label has come in recent years.
Listening to these remixes, it's hard to imagine another way in which they could have been tackled. Using just the basic skeleton of 'Trace', Grain (aka Artwork) - known back in the day for his tribal techno - takes the most intricate elements that formed the original and proceeds to chop and twist them around a faster, yet subtle beat. The track follows a similar structure to the original, however this time Grain wishes only to tease the vocals. A departure from Midland's distinctive production, Grain chooses to have the instrumentation blend in and out from start to finish. The pay-off being a new build up of sliced synths resonating around a warehouse atmosphere.
De-constructing the original, Leon Vynehall's take on the B-side 'For (Yacht) Club Use Only' follows on from the rough and ready style seen on his previous AUS release. The rigid hi-hats from Midland's original have been shuffled around to create a loose and moody sound-scape and the warm synths have been manipulated to create a slight unease before melting back into the beat.
[AUS1456] will be released on 10th February 2014 via Juno.
Words by: Stephen Daniels
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