(Labels/EMI)

A top selection of remixes of Miss Kittin’s classic “Happy Violentine” from her 2004 album; I-com. The original was co-produced with Thies Mynther, Tobi Neumann, so even before the remixes it had been a favorite of mine. The vinyl single features four remixes.

Marco Passarani’s ‘San Valentine Mix’ introduces us with a tough drum and a jazzy analogue electro riff. The intensity builds as he lays the full vocal over a host of admirable top-end chatter. The hi-hats are crisp and superbly constructed and the bass is driving. This track is a definite floor friendly number. The lavishing of acid in the outro combined with the phasing of the vocal is the tracks highlight. 

The Mad Professor’s ‘Smiling Orange Dub’ brings a top quality, more left-field production to the single. Applying echo’s and filters to the vocal, the intro is light and dubbed. Into the body of the track the Professor lays chopped and bleeped samples of the original over an infrequent broken beat. If you like it trippy, left-field and dubbed this mix is for you.

Michael Mayer’s Mix is the pick of the single. He begins with a solid rumbling bass. As is his trademark there’s pop, cuts, glitches, zaps and messed-up Tetris sounds dropping haphazardly left, right and center! The smooth vocal layered over these twisted sounds works (dare I say), beautifully. The body of the track is a raw cocktail of glitches, swelling synth riffs and spacey sounds. The track is on more of a techno tip than Mayer’s other productions.

The LFO Mix opens with vocal snippet looped and echoed. This builds masterfully into padded drums. By the end of the track, it’s all happening. A real rich tapestry of layers.

Overall a great release, if you play electro-house, with a minimal cheese factor; then check the record out.