Various Artists – Heavenly Remixes 7

Description

Whats a remix for?
It wasnt too long ago that remixes were a vital part of a tracks journey from studio to record shop. Back in the 90s, the shelves of megastores and specialists groaned under the weight of multiple CD singles and 12s, each bursting with alternate takes from that weeks hip production teams.
Back then, a well-chosen remix opened an artist’s music up into another world. It showed that they were hip to different music scenes, worlds outside their own. Major labels would have remix budgets for each single off an album. Rocknroll bands could appear visionary through myriad alternate versions; pop artists could sneak themselves onto cutting edge dancefloors via the right DJ boxes. In some cases, the perfect remix would spark a complete creative overhaul and a phoenix-like rebirth (Im sure theres an alternate universe somewhere where Primal Scream fizzled out and gave up after ever-diminishing returns for their second album).
The digital revolution changed all that though. From paid downloads on your iPod to streaming on whatever piece of kit youve got to hand, the whole nature of how we consume music changed. And with that, so did the way many labels thought about remixes. If they were no longer a unique selling point on an extra format, then what
were they for? Why shell out for something thats only going to end up being given away for free online? Suddenly, that rocknroll band is back to peddling the usual meat and potatoes and the upcoming pop artist is no longer on the guest list.
Heavenly have always seen immense value in the remix, a value way beyond what it might bring commercially.
Since their first release in 1990 (where Andrew Weatherall overhauled a one-off single by club kids Sly and Lovechild) Heavenly remixes have been carefully curated and treated as a key part of the A&R process. Its an opportunity to view an artist through a different prism, to play out a musical what if scenario. Why wouldnt you want to do that? Its the kind of exploration thats happened consistently through the thirty plus years the label has released music.

Take a look back at Four Tets reframing of Beth Ortons Carmella, or Beyond The Wizards Sleeves deep-dive reanimation of Temples entire debut album. Or at the remixes that took Saint Etienne or Doves or Toy or Working Mens Club into multiple different club scenes in the space of one single release. These things werent afterthoughts, they were key building blocks for artists. And who wouldnt want to hear the opening chords of Confidence Mans Holiday booming out of different sound systems while wandering around a festival site?
The Heavenly Remixes series continues to showcase the very best remixes, versions, meditations, re-rubs and dubs from all around the world of artists right across the roster of the countrys most exciting record label. In most cases, the albums offer the first physical release for a remix, elevating them from streaming playlists to their rightful, spiritual home on super heavy vinyl (or shiny, super-packed compact disc).
Heavenly Remixes Volume 7 heads to Belfast, where David Holmes – a producer who first appeared on Heavenly in 1994 amping up the acid on Saint Etiennes Like A Motorway – appears as solo artist and as one third of Unloved, who get a lift right to the heart of a Vauxhall sweatbox by Horse Meat Disco. It draws a line between Amsterdam and Frankfurt as Ludwig A.F. amps up the electronics on Pip Bloms Keep It Together. It stops off in a south London studio where super producer Dan Carey plays the desk with Toy, then relocates L.A. psych rock band Fever The Ghost to an Ibizan shoreline as the sun sets on the horizon. It cements Sheffields reputation as the home of modern British techno with the return of true originators Forgemasters. And it pitches up in front of a renegade soundsystem late night at Glastonbury as Erol Alkans mighty rework of Con Man gets its third rewind of the night.
Heavenly Remixes Volume 8 opens with Space Afrikas lush, ambient reimagining of the Orielles BEAM/S before Justin Robertson stretches Amber Arcades Turning Light into eight minutes of electronic dub. Elsewhere, Baxter Durys peerless Miami becomes a string-laden electro skank in the hands of French producer Pilooski; Edinburghs
bedroom techno genius Eyes of Others Safehouse turns into an East End bathhouse courtesy of disco deviants Decius; Ashley Beedles Black Science Orchestra turns Unloveds heart worn torch song into seven minutes of glimmering dreamlike percussive house and Katy J. Pearsons freak flag is flown high thanks to The Umlauts throbbing filtered electro mix. It ends similarly to how it began as TONE takes Fran Lobos All I Want on a gorgeous slow motion spacewalk.
So, back to that earlier question. Whats a remix for? In Heavenlys case, its a snapshot from a musical multiverse and a reminder that music doesnt need to stop once a band leaves the studio with a track theyre happy with. Art evolves. Lets dance.

Tracklist

1. DAVID HOLMES & RAVEN VIOLET Its Over If We Run Out Of Love (Hardway Bros Live At The SSL Dub) *
2. UNLOVED Mothers Been A Bad Girl (Horse Meat Disco remix) *
3. PIP BLOM Keep It Together (Ludwig A.F. Under Pressure Mix) *
4. CONFIDENCE MAN Holiday (Erol Alkan OOO Remix) *
5. TOY You Wont Be The Same (Dan Carey Dub)
6. AUDIOBOOKS The Doll (Bruise Remix) *
7. THE ORIELLES The Room (Shy One Remix) *
8. EYES OF OTHERS Once Twice Thrice (The Orielles Remix) *
9. FEVER THE GHOST Source (Leo Zero Dub) %
10. WORKING MENS CLUB The Last One (Foregmasters Remix)

* first time on vinyl
% previously unreleased