The name is David Rubato. He lives in Paris. He’s in his twenties. Former rave kid. Not a DJ. Among his favorite books: The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization by George Russell. He studied composition and musicology, but dance music is something of a calling. Got into techno very young: at 15, Rubato writes to French techno legend Laurent Garnier to ask him how to use a TB 303. Garnier calls him up and invites him to come and meet him at Rex Club. Rubato wants to go but can’t, for reasons I want to disclose but can’t. CIRCUIT was his first release, recorded live in one take and edited down to 5 and 8 minutes versions. It’s House and Electro fighting for track domination, with Disco providing treacherous air support to both. It garnered rave reviews and acclaim from across the spectrum, from cosmic disco druids to hardcore electro enthusiasts. Rubato went on to remix Midnight Juggernauts, Alizée and Santogold and produced the official Institubes theme song: INSTITUBES EXPRESS 999, featuring Teki Latex and Manda Djinn. While waiting for his next record, we thought we could ask a couple of friends from all over the map, from Belgium to Berlin and Brooklyn, from Ed Banger to Eskimo and Boys Noize Records, to uncover the epic side of the original track.
DJ MEHDI needs no introduction. His hard-hitting, boom-bap remix is all menacing stares and clenched fists, building upon the dystopian synth riff of the original. A relentless piano motif, nagging strings: the whole thing sounds like revolutionary afrobots power-walking towards impending doom.
AEROPLANE are among the young dons of the newfangled balearic disco craze. In a short couple of years, after a string of perfect 12s and remixes for the likes of Das Pop, Sally Shapiro and local legends Allez Allez, everybody knew they were the masters of hooky bass lines and heartfelt synth shimmers. They deliver here one of their very best reworks.
SIRIUSMO’s Allthegirls and Diskoding EPs were among the very best records of the year. went for a Billie Jean drumbeat + disco-funk strings + brass comping + drunken rant combo and you know what? Not only does it work, it’s superb. It reminds us of Thomas Bangalter’s Club Soda, which is never a bad thing.
STEVE MOORE is one-half of US duo Zombi, proud alumni of the Carpenter/Goblin School for the Advancement of Solemn Terror. Under his government name, he writes equally epic and slightly less scary cinematic odysseys. He turns CIRCUIT into a huge, tense score fit for grandiose slo-mo demolition derbies, with undead Camaros spinning out of control into eternity.
DJ MEHDI needs no introduction. His hard-hitting, boom-bap remix is all menacing stares and clenched fists, building upon the dystopian synth riff of the original. A relentless piano motif, nagging strings: the whole thing sounds like revolutionary afrobots power-walking towards impending doom.
AEROPLANE are among the young dons of the newfangled balearic disco craze. In a short couple of years, after a string of perfect 12s and remixes for the likes of Das Pop, Sally Shapiro and local legends Allez Allez, everybody knew they were the masters of hooky bass lines and heartfelt synth shimmers. They deliver here one of their very best reworks.
SIRIUSMO’s Allthegirls and Diskoding EPs were among the very best records of the year. went for a Billie Jean drumbeat + disco-funk strings + brass comping + drunken rant combo and you know what? Not only does it work, it’s superb. It reminds us of Thomas Bangalter’s Club Soda, which is never a bad thing.
STEVE MOORE is one-half of US duo Zombi, proud alumni of the Carpenter/Goblin School for the Advancement of Solemn Terror. Under his government name, he writes equally epic and slightly less scary cinematic odysseys. He turns CIRCUIT into a huge, tense score fit for grandiose slo-mo demolition derbies, with undead Camaros spinning out of control into eternity.
Tracklisting
