If you’re into nu-disco, house, techno or any similar sort of dance music, chances are that you’ve heard of Todd Terje. The ubiquitous Norwegian, who hails from the tiny town Mjøndalen but now seems to pop up in Europe, the US and anywhere in between, has been a prolific remixer in recent years. In recognition of the quantity and quality of Terje’s output, and in line with the announcement that Terje is to focus solely on producing music in the immediate future, Permanent Vacation has released a two-disc collection celebrating the best works in Terje’s enviable oeuvre.

As awkward as the album title, Remaster of the Universe, may be, the outer-space, interplanetary reference is entirely appropriate for the otherworldly music of Terje. His decidedly eclectic brand of disco borrows from genres and generations past and present, but maintains an otherworldly sense of bounce and playfulness. Terje, in other words, is a musical cross between Star Wars and Space Jam.

Disc 1 presents a snapshot of Terje the DJ. It’s a 17-song mix which features versions, edits and remixes by Terje, as well as several tracks produced by Terje under various monikers (such as Chuck Norris, Kacic Kullmann’s Five and New Mjøndalen Disco Swingers ). The mix kicks off with a cheeky (but well-executed) late ‘80s/early ‘90s feel. Terje’s remix of M’s Pop Muzik is an early standout, along with the Chuck Norris rendition of All That She Wants. It’s a delightfully crisp, dub-flavoured version of the cheesy pop number by fellow Scandinavians, Ace of Base, which grooves around, but cleverly never succumbs to, that well-known chorus.

A highlight of the DJ mix is the fact that Terje has provided alternate and hereto unreleased versions of his most well-known remixes. Sticking with the Scandinavian theme, Terje delivers an acoustic remix of Jose Gonzalez’s Killing For Love, which adds a sense of lo-fi cool to the mix. A fresh take on his spectacular remix of Shit Robot’s Simple Things is also provided, before the set temporarily adopts a Latin flavor in the form of Terje’s edit of On A Day Like This by Gichy Dan. Finally, as if to underscore his versatility, Terje rounds out the mix with a jazzy, swing-inspired version of his original, Eurodans.

In contrast to the rarities and alternate takes found on the first disc, disc two provides a selection of Terje’s most popular remixes. There is some overlap from disc one, with Pop Muzik, Killing For Love and Simple Things all featured in their most well-known forms. Some tracks on disc two have been out for several years, although it is great to see Terje’s work finally compiled on an album of his own. Furthermore, many of those older tracks still sound as fresh and exciting as ever, which is testament to the virtuosity underpinning Terje’s playful, happy-go-lucky musical persona. The remix of buddy Lindstrøm’s Another Station, with its commanding, electric bassline, unequivocally forces the listener to boogie, while the ‘Extra Døll’ mix of Dølle Jølle’s Balearic Incarnation, with its dreamy synths, bubbly beats and repeated use of the cow bell, is another highlight for the listener.

In traversing the often-treacherous world of disco-inspired dance music, where it’s difficult to sound neither cheesy nor derivative, Terje has managed to produce a sound that is energetic and inspired, and one that has garnered significant crossover appeal. Given the success of Terje as a remixer, DJ and occasional producer, I for one can’t wait to see what the Norwegian conjures up when he turns his hand to producing full-time. Remaster of the Universe? Before long, that title may need to be shortened.

Remaster Of The Universe is out now on Permanent Vacation through Inertia.