CONTROLLED COLLAPSE
'Ruins After Babel'
'Ruins After Babel'
Poland's Controlled
Collapse released a forceful album in the form of 2013's 'Babel'. An
album which melded the band's decade of experimentalism with a clear
and focussed dance floor agenda that blended techno, rhythmic
industrial darkwave. It was a compelling listen, but will the new
remix EP 'Ruins After Babel' bring anything new out of a varied and
well executed album?
Kicking off with the
old school ebm orientated techno of 'Ruins (Mental)' the album takes
a brave step opening with an infectious instrumental rather than a
full-blown dance mix, however it works through the sheer power of its
grooving synths and toe-tapping beats. Die Braut's take on 'Change
The World' by comparison feels fresh and and suitably epic blending
big future-pop synths with slow industrial beats. The Paralyzed by
H.EXE mix of 'Numb' wanders into recent Gary Numan territory albeit
with a purer syth-based execution for a great dance track.
'Fragment Of Time'
featuring Aleksandra Burska on vocals was an undoubted highlight of
the original album, but the remix featured here just doesn't do the
original justice and by comparison sounds flat and uninspired. Volt
9000's take on 'Dzień Sądu' on the other hand is a dark and
stripped back affair that loses none of the menace of the original
and brings out the band's more experimental flourishes nicely.
'Change The World' contributed by remix contest winner Nick James is
a pretty straight-forward minimal and ambient mix that focusses
heavily on the rhythms and slowly breaks out the old school synth
sounds before throwing some dubstep embellishments. Absured Monkey
Project continue from the previous mix nicely with a more frantic
pace and more overt dubstep elements filling the track. Finally
'Phoenix' rounds things off nicely with a nice blend of ebm and slow
groaning bass for a subtle but catchy finale.
Although 'Babel' was a
strong album, Controlled Collapse and their partners in crime have
still managed to wring some new and interesting takes on the original
songs. The variety of the remixes means that even on it's own this
feels like a continuation of the main album rather than a mere
appendage. This should ensure some continued club play, but it's one
that casual listeners with certainly enjoy as well.