Yello – Eccentrix remixes

2 reviews for Yello – Eccentrix remixes

1. 

   J. Silvennoinen – 2022-11-22

   This timely release should really have been called Yello 1986-1998 The Second Mix in One Go. With only 11 tracks it is considerably less substantial than its predecessor – but make no mistake – Yello Eccentrix Remixes is a top album and belongs in every CD collection. The album is a compilation of old and new material and consists of 2 previously unreleased mixes of the hits The Race [Flag] and More [Pocket Universe] by Boris Blank, a previously unreleased track, Topaz, as well as 8 ‘hard to get hold of’ re-mixes of slightly older Yello material by Boris Blank, Fluke, Plutone, Mark Picchiotti, Teri Bristol, Doug Laurent, Olaf Wollschlager and Ian Pooley. Boris Blank‘s re mixes are a rare treat, and for those connoisseurs out there who feel that Yello started loosing the touch after Baby (1991) the ‘Break Light Mix’ of The Race sees Boris back in his best 1980s years. This mix is on par with the original full length version, released 1988, as well as Derek May‘s legendary ‘The Pits Mix’ of the same year. The ‘Rockabilly Mix’ of More and the new track Topaz continue the deeper techno sound of Pocket Universe and should absolutely not be missed. Fluke‘s version of How How [Zebra] sounds as radical today as when it was first released in 1994. This unmistakable Fluke retouch transforms the rather mediocre original How How to new rhythmic heights (compare this version of How How with Fluke‘s Atomix 5 of Atom Bomb, 1996 – the beat is almost uncomfortably similar). Other highlights are Doug Laurent‘s romantic journey mix of On Track [Pocket Universe] and the serene To the Sea [Pocket Universe] with Stina Nordenstam on the vocals. If you have ever wondered what a house version of Vicious Games [Stella] would sound like, try the Blank/Wollschlager mix. This version is a definite improvement to The Grid’s two ambient ‘Hands on’ re mixes, but the new vocals by Diana Boge are a far cry from the chilling voice of Rush Winters. My only real reservation concerns the choice of including Plutone‘s ‘In Silence Mix’ of How How from The Plutone Mixes (1994) which is superfluous and comes across as the weakest track – especially in comparison with the Fluke remix. I always felt Plutone made a better job at capturing the Yello sound with the Drummer’s and Saxophone versions. Instead of this track I would have preferred a new Boris Blank remix of a classic like Tremendous Pain (Suite 904), Blender, Dr Van Steiner, Tied Up, Domingo or the like. Unfortunately this is not a US release and the album is only available on special import which takes a few weeks – but it is well worth the extra wait. For those of you who wish to cover the very best of Yello or just indulge in an excellent techno/electronic album I strongly recommend Yello Eccentrix Remixes.

   2001. J. Silvennoinen

2. 

   Ben Riddle – 2022-11-22

   In case anyone is curious, I recently found out how re mixes of songs are made: the record label sends a tape, usually of vocal tracks, to the DJ, who then creates entirely new rhythm and instrument tracks. For my fello Yello connoisseurs and I, this CD is a great chance to hear some rare extended mixes of recent Yello songs, some of which were made by Boris Blank, the composer himself. The Brake Light Mix of The Race” sounds a lot more like NASCAR action than the version heard in “Nuns on the Run” in 1988. There are two versions of “How How” here: one by Plutone that turns a short little jazzy number into a deeply meditative mood