Customer Reviews

Vice Versa

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Funkstorung releases one of the finest electronic music albums of the year with VICE VERSA, a compilation of remixes the band has done for various artists in recent years.

If you are already familiar with Funkstorung's lastest release of original material, 2000's APPETITE FOR DISKTRUCTION, then it might come as a shock how accessible and "friendly" many of these remixed tracks sound. The band keeps the music funky and fresh throughout, yet retaining the "glitchy" elements and "crunchy" drum beats of their signature sound. (The word "funkstorung" is German for "interference".)

Here's the tracklisting (song/artist): "Eyen" (Plaid), "I Want Some Fun" (Jay Jay Johanson), "Solid Ether" (Nils Petter Molvaer), "Humanity" (A Guy Called Gerald), "Salt" (Beans), "Something For Your Mind" (Speedy J), "N.C.R." (Ike Yard), "Moron" (The NoTwist), "Spatial Convolution" (Funckarma), "Rome in the Rain" (Phillip Boa + The Voodooclub), "Morgen wird wie heute sein" (Tocotronic), "C'est la vie" (Jean Michel Jarre).

"Humanity" features beautiful vocals and melancholic lyrics while a heavy beat rythym keeps things in motion. "Salt" has a slow, slinky beat with a unique speak/rapping-style vocal in the mix. "N.C.R." is the record's most overtly funkiest track that's sure to keep your head bobbin'. The best track is saved for last, "C'est la vie", with it's odd filtering of a woman's voice and a swelling emotional synth melody. The rest of the material is all very good.

I'm not familiar any of the songs remixed for this collection, so I could not tell you how much of the original song's elements Funkstorung retained in their mixes. Yet I think being unfamiliar with the original material is ideal for listening to each remix with a fresh perspective.

Funkstörung's second album of remixes, VICE VERSA, picks up where the first left off, but finds them in a more considered mood. Plaid's "Eyen" is given a much less frenetic mix, matching, in part, the original; the same goes for their revision of The Notwist's "Moron." And their version of Jay-Jay Johanson's "I Want Some Fun" finds a strange balance between lounge easy-listening and a funky drum pattern. Funkstörung show much more range here -- listen to their treatment of Louise Rhodes' vocals on A Guy Called Gerald's "Humanity." Their stop-start cutting of the rap on "Salt" (by the Beans) or "N.C.R." (by Ike Yard) emphasizes their reconceptualization of hip-hop. A real treat for the ears.