Customer Reviews

Hybrids

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the late 1990s the Creatures came back to life in a huge way. They released the ep Eraser Cuts and the album Anima Animus and this was among some of the best material ever. This is an album of remixes approved by the Creatures. A bunch of their dance music DJ fans decided to remix a lot of songs from this period and the Creatures picked the best of the lot. Its a really fun and interesting album yet should play second fiddle to the Creatures original material. Not an essential release but an excellent one indeed.

HYBRIDS is very interesting...it takes a few listens to get over the fact that this is just another "remix" album. once you do, you begin to pick out the subtle little sluicings of genius mixing - because it's all in the details when it comes to scratching and mixing and morphing and deconstructing....one unexpected benefit of hearing all the songs reiterated and regurgitated is that the original versions seem that much better. some mixes work better than others: "slipping away" is brilliant. "2nd floor" is intoxicating, i love it. the spirit of the original is not only present, it is enhanced with strawberry bliss. "turn it on" touches on something, but never quite attacks it, especially given the fact that budgie's fierce percussions are all but removed from the remix. which is sad. still, it's good...but when a remix is devoid of any of the songs original elements, it gets lost in the machine, so to speak. "exterminating angel" could have been a bit more powerful. the original version is so raw, so pure and grinding...the remix is a bit fluffy. "guillotine" feels like a mess - it's all jumbly and jumpy and siouxsie is nowhere to be found in it. but all in all, this is a tremendouis effort by all involved. it is apparent that the magic mixers are artists who have been inspired by siouxsie and budgie and who are having fun "babysitting" their incarnations. it's like when the parent comes home to find that the sitter has had a party - friends and food and chaos strewn about the house and the kids sitting in the middle of it all sipping a beer....

I gotta give this 5 stars because the stuff that works here is incredible. There are some fantastic mixmaster wizards on board to cut things up. The first track, "Prettiest Star" is so commanding and sexy it blows me away. The original really needed revamping, and it gets it here in spades. "Slipping Away," loaded with atmosphere, feels like wandering through a dreamhouse maze. "Guillotine" is the kind of experimental groove I really get into - very disconcerting. Only the Radio Friendly "Say" remix is somewhat less than compelling, everything else is out of this world!

If you love the original creatures music, you will be really really really disappointed by this CD! I think its awful. I feel that the producer who worked on this album took Siouxsie and Steve's work in the wrong direction, I am sorry I bought this.

Following the success of the electronic infused Anima Animus album, The Creatures released a plethora of remixes on singles, eventually leading to this album of electronic remixes, largely of the electronica, drum and bass, and trance varieties. While there are a few standout remixes here, most of them dissolve into substandard, repetitive mixes that have little to do with the original tracks other than sampling one or two lines of vocals...

Basically, fans of electronica might find this album worthwhile. However, most of the long-time Creatures fans I know dislike this album and consider it to be the band's worst release.