hrvatski (remixed), "RKK-13"

The long-awaited remix CD follow-up to 1998's seminal "Attention: Cats"LP on Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge has more big names than one wouldthink possible or necessary to stuff on a single CD: Cex, Fennesz,Thurston Moore, Pita, Pimmon, Push Button Objects, Kid606, FarmersManual, and many other lesser-knowns, with even more promised to be onthe upcoming LP release (consisting of, it appears, different tracksfrom the CD).
As to be expected from a compilation of 35 artists with each trackclocking in at around the 2 minute mark, it has a widely variedtopograhy. The premise of a multitude of short, hard-hitting trackkeeps in tune with the original "Attention: Cats", which presented tothe listener a large number of brief, distorted, often humorousnoise/drum&bass songs attributed to a flurry of unknown aliases,all ultimately traceable to one Keith Whitman, aka Hrvatski and head ofReckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge.
Although the sheer track variety keeps pigeonholing the style of therelease impossible, the remixes are roughly split between minimalglitch/laptop, "IDM", and loud, distorted drum & bass stylings,similar in feel to the "Kid606 and Friends Vol. 1" CD on Tigerbeat6 ofrecent memory. There are some flat-out duds, namely Thurston Moore'sdistracting 3 1/2 minute "remix" (longest track on the CD) which seemsto find the rockstar tuning a radio while fiddling with the outputjack. Such foolery aside, almost all the remixes have enough bite,composition, and originality to hold their own. Even taken as a whole,the CD is well-mixed and flows better than one might guess given thatthe number and diversity of songs. Wicked listening for the ADD-blessedteenager in you.

 

samples:

• Shifty's Cut Bait Shoppe (Blitter)
• 2m24 (V/Vm)
• Super G5 C-Clamp Retrofit (ESP)