Review: Hybrid Remixed

To me hybrid are an institution, a collective i have grown up listening to and probably the main reason for my love of breaks, so when i saw this album i had to have a listen! Firstly Iwas curious to see who had been remixing and once i had seen the names i was intrigued to see what and how they had done. I'm impressed with the album some of the tracks are too minimal and deep for even me, but hey different strokes for different folks.

First of all noticeably the track list is amazing, and the names who are remixing, deadmau5, jerome sydenham, elite force, kosheen dj's, tomas barford, keenan anderson, serge santiago, the orb, the cinematic orchestra, group therapy, and boy 8-bit.

cd1

cd1 is definitely the lighter of the two discs.

stefan anion and starfires rmix of "until tomorrow", i love this track using the vocal to its full capacity, to create the mood at the opening of the track sweeping pads haunting strings and driving bass make this an amazing piece of work, still keeping with the original breaks sound.

jerome sydehams remix of just for today is a progg dream leading the listener off and teasing them with sweeping pads and flowing basslines defiantly one for the box the dub mix on disc 2 (last track) is just as good. this track also makes an appearance on the forth coming "y4k, the 20th" distinctives latest y4k addition

keenan andersons remix of "falling down" also given the four four touch, with a heavier driving baseline and haunting hook, still using the vocal to good use. god strong track amazing melodies, another strong track

"i know", kosheen dj's remix, the first of the darker remixes on the album with a heavy pulsing bassline, and electro style hook, which takes its time to build, stick with it, its worth it to the end, one for the minimalists i think, the haunting vocal in the break pulls this mix back. another track to also makes an appearance on the forth coming "y4k, the 20th" distinctives latest y4k addition

joel zimmerman a.k.a deadmau5, he has tasked himself with remixing the hybrid classic, "finished symphony" it carries the distinctive deadmau5 bass lines and sweeping pads which have made his sound his own. amazing!

"if i survive" mixed by jerome sydenham is inspirational and could well be a floor filler, the use of the existing vocal is amazing layering it over the top of a heavy rolling bass line which on a big system is sure to rattle every bone the use of the original haunting strings reminds us of the origins of the track. possibly the best track of the cd!!

tomas barfords, remix of "keep it in the family" another of the four four tracks, an electro/tech based track which uses small pieces of the original track to break the sound up giving it almost two levels of listening, the dark deep electro and the floating guitar riffs. possibly another one for the minimalist guys.

the orbs haunting remix of "higher than a skyscraper" is truly a nine minute piece of genius, one of my favourite groups remixing another of my favourite groups and there was no disappointment, as expected the orb have added there abstract off the wall sound to an already amazing track. the use of the off key guitar hook in the middle on top of the original haunting hybrid derived strings is genius.

"blackout" remixed by the cinematic orchestra, is an amazing track originally but it has been given a totally different feel to it , not quite one for the record box but defiantly one for sitting down and listening to at a decent volume, the use of the piano, the acoustic guitar and the saxophone make it almost warmer than the rest of the tracks and more emotional especially when the violins and cello join, followed by the original sweet vocal.

cd2

The first thing that hits home is the fact that this cd will be more harder and darker than the cd1 if the first track is anything to go by.

deadset are the first inline with there take on "finished symphony" the first of two tracks to be given a showing twice on these two discs. again it is given the four four treatment with a definite tech feel added, not my favourite remix on the album, it takes what was an uplifting track and drags it down to heavy bassline depths of dirty tech electro, one for the harder dance floors i think.

"sleep walking" this is the original hybrid mix, nothing really more can be said it is as excepted from hybrid big room sweeping pads, abstract noises, a driving bassline with an amazing breakbeat pulling them all together.

serge santiagos remix of "until tomorrow" is a dark one from the start, again four four, with a tribal touch added to build the track a pulse bass line driving it along, some small touches of the original in there, another for the minimalists among us.

"i choose noise" elite force remix, one of my favourite producer takes another of my favourite hybrid tracks and gives it a kick up the arse the original haunting floatyness is gone and replaced by a driving bass laid over the top of a catchy percussion, possibly the strongest track on cd2. again this track makes an appearance on the forth coming "y4k, the 20th" distinctives latest y4k addition

group therapys remix of "last man standing" a driving dark bassline, with a four four under it, with haunting vocal pads on top ,make this track another favourite of mine it is defiantly an improvement on the original , if you love "dark and long" then this is for you , using the same formula it makes the best of the original track. a definite for the record box.

"higher than a skyscraper" mixed by boy bit8 another track to have two remixes on the two discs, and obviously a complete contrast to the orbs remix, but defiantly another of the stronger tracks on the album, given a heavier electro sound and combing the main four four with interludes of old skool breaks with a driving baseline, and stabbing synths, another for the record box.

hybrid have taken another go at the infamous "theme from wide angel" giving it a much heavier fatter feel this time, with a chunky four four kick, and a more industrial sound.

My General opinion of the album is that if you're a hybrid fan like me you'll love it, if you've never heard any of there stuff give it a go, then try the original albums and let us know what you think!