a long long time ago, during more innocent times, i bumped into a record label boss who released lots of folktronica records via his fine melodic label.
he told me that he was hoping to move his beloved label into a more rock direction but was rather aware of the knock on effect as the label was known for its warm electronica.
one such name that he mentioned at the time was longcut.
as it happens a bigger fatter label snapped up the band, and released their well received debut, so i guess it is only right that the record label boss gets to release something by a band he has obviously been keeping close contact with.
now i have no idea how this cover version compares with the album, but damn, this is mad.
as someone once said something like : ‘ the problem with nu-rave, is there isn’t enough rave’, well, longcut obviously agree, as they have taken an old school hands in the air classic, candi statons you got the love and give it a total kicking into touch for the new era.
of course, there is still that stop-you-in-your-tracks bass line, that keyboard part that evokes memories of talking heads, but then that’s about it.
once we get past the opening 30 seconds, the post punk guitar kicks in and then the song just gets bigger and bigger as do the guitars and layers, but never losing that dance floor connection.
the original is a genuine classic, this is just pure class.
however, this is only half the story, for alongside the relatively straight forward revisit (ha!), is a remix by shadow dancer. and this is where the fun(k) really gets dirty.
the nasty electro noises that have dominated the blogsphere in the last few months are spliced and messed about with giving the track a whole new dancefloor edge that could kill a pill popping freakster dead.
it’s going to seriously upset the purists, and could possibly even terrify certain individuals of a certain age that have distant memories of smile happy events of the past, but the longcut have reclaimed the track for the haircuts and you know, i think i like it.
the other track, idiot check is superb as well with its processed synths and combination of guitars and machines, and is even more welcome in that it is the first appearance of one james ‘pedro’ rutledge on a record for quite a while.
i should warn you however, this wonderful record is to be one of those limited release things that labels love these days, but as the press release states, once its sold out, the wire will take care of the rest, and i don’t mean the magazine.
summary : fantastic electro’d up post punk laptop madness
more detail : here