Artist: Macho
Title: So Let’s Begin
Label: V.I.M. [VI.M.BREAKS036]
Release Date: 2009-11-25
Tracklisting:
01. Original Mix
02. I:lyke Remix
03. The Scientifics Remix
04. Toy Quantize Remix

Slovakian breaks remixed by Germans and Kazakhs, and Greeks? It’s a small world after all….

Original Mix
A didgeridoo-like synth loop reminiscent of the Prodigy or Aphex Twin kicks off this tune by Slovakia’s Macho, which is joined shortly by a fat, no-nonsense break-beat and a barrage of industrial guitar licks. The sinister, trancey pads slowly layered onto this tune, along with the 136 BPM tempo, give it a signature psy-breaks feel. All in all, this is a great original work, with the fusion of hardcore/rave and psychedelic synths making it a keeper in my book.

The Scientifics Remix
Tech-funk by design, this remix from the Greek trio is a slow roller at 128 BPM. Prevalent hi-hats amid an intricate percussion arrangement complement the groovy bassline well. Only past the mid-way point of the remix do we briefly hear a toned-down synth line from the original, but it seems to be more or less an afterthought.

I:lyke Remix
This rework by Germany’s I:lyke takes a rather leftfield approach, retaining virtually none of the original track’s elements. I:lyke slow things down tempo-wise, add a completely new samba rhythm, then layer on meaty bass stabs and a wealth of beeps and bleeps. Though not my style, or my favorite of the remixes, for that matter, this tune would be right at home beside tunes from the likes of Flore, Mephisto Odyssey, et al.

Toy Quantize Remix
Kazakh newcomer Toy Quantize put out quite a doozy with this remix. Acid synths from the original, staccatoed cymbal crashes, and new melodies layered on top of thick drums make this my favorite remix. It has one foot in psychedelia and the other planted firmly in the tech realm, but the track will be most appealing to the tear-out types.