For anyone who’s not familiar with the DJ Kicks series from German label !K7 Records, and is a fan of all things in music of the electronic variety, sort your life out! Fresh from the record vaults and turn tables of Germany’s own DJ/producer duo: Jens Moelle and Ismail Tüfekçi (AKA Digitalism) has come this splendid mix of tunes not only of their material, but of some of their most favored from their own personal music library too.
One of the joys of seemingly any mix album is that they provide an opportunity for artists to treat you to some obscure and little known tunes of their lives that you’d probably never encounter anywhere else, except they’ve enhanced those songs into something more beautiful still. From this point of view, Digitalism have dedicated a solid 16 songs to this virtue of the mix. A mix tape used to be something you’d make in your room back in the 90’s so you had a nice playlist to enjoy in your car but the concept of the mix tape has been rejuvenated. Today, they serve more as love letters of their inspirations from artist to fan so that the word of the world of dance may be spread further.
Once ushered in by a peculiarly crafted prelude of rap vocal cuts, 'Menace' from Axel Le Baron provides a an instant cut of rave fodder, backed by hair metal guitar squeals that naturally lead in to the rhythm and synths of 'Travelers' remixed by a little known DJ by the name of Sharooz. Moments later the head banging techno grooves of Hey Today’s '83' have taken over. Worry not, for you’re probably not the only one who’s never heard any of these songs or artists before either, and for most of the record you’ll feel the same way, but that’s the point! And with a mix so expertly put together and lovingly chosen as this you’ll be bouncing around in no time.
The record has its poppier moments too. There’s a helping of guitar driven electro indie thrown in at either end of the record too, in the form of Alex Gopher’s 'Brain Leech' (a much more enjoyable listen than the name suggests) and towards the end, you have one of the more well-known additions to the mix, with a Digitalism remix of The Raptures washed out masterpiece 'Sail Away'.
Picking your own material for a mix album must be a bit trying to write an application for an intense job interview, for It’s up to Digitalism to confidently but carefully choose which of their own songs to integrate amongst the work of some of their favorites in dance. Digitalism are more renowned for their more aggressive approach to electronica and 'Falling,' 'Simply Dead' and 'New Dead' hold up that reputation splendidly, sounding not very dissimilar to the more maddening moments from French veterans Justice.
The house and electronica infusions of 'Silenz' creates a gentler respite from the rave but its short lived before they plonk a slice of Vitalic’s pummeling 'Second Lives' in to the mix. This is followed by another highlight amongst a record of highlights that is Digitalism’s own 'So Totally Good'. The Rapture is used next to create that final break in the eye of the synthesized storm before a final send off with 'Keep it Wrong' by Autotune, another fantastic house dance floor moment which tails on to 'The Pictures' which quite appropriately fades in a gradual, cerebral fuzzed up bass induced death.
The honor of being invited to produce a mix album must be a challenge as much as a creative breath of fresh air and a chance to have some fun and fall in love with DJing all over again and it sounds like the German twosome Moelle and Tüfekçi have done just that. Whether you’re familiar with them or not, now is the time to delve in and dance around with your pants on your head and a drink in your hand and enjoy.
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One of the joys of seemingly any mix album is that they provide an opportunity for artists to treat you to some obscure and little known tunes of their lives that you’d probably never encounter anywhere else, except they’ve enhanced those songs into something more beautiful still. From this point of view, Digitalism have dedicated a solid 16 songs to this virtue of the mix. A mix tape used to be something you’d make in your room back in the 90’s so you had a nice playlist to enjoy in your car but the concept of the mix tape has been rejuvenated. Today, they serve more as love letters of their inspirations from artist to fan so that the word of the world of dance may be spread further.
