‘Soulwax. Most of the remixes we’ve made for other people over the years except for the one for Einsturzende Neubauten because we lost it and a few we didn’t think sounded good enough or just didn’t fit in length-wise, but including some that are hard to find because either people forgot about them or simply because they haven’t been released yet, a few we really love, one we think is just ok, some we did for free, some we did for money, some for ourselves without permission and some for friends as swaps but never on time and always at our studio in Ghent.’

Brothers David and Stephen Dewaele and Stefan Van Leuvan and Steve Slingeneyer return as the much acclaimed Soulwax in this collection of re-workings not so briefly described in their 104 word album title, which tells us what to expect from this double cd compendium. In recent years the Belgium foursome have impressed us with their genre bending drug inspired releases, their most successful being Any Minute Now and its extended dancefloor accommodated remix Nite Versions.
David and Stephen Dewaele also continue to subdue their boredom beneath the guise of 2 Many DJ’s, where they have received much critical acclaim mainly due to their hugely successful release As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 which succeeded in demolishing music snobbery by introducing such bizarre re-workings as the mash up of Destiny’s Child and Dolly Parton onto the dancefloor.

Now in this double cd both sides of their split personality collide to create an impressive assembly of dance inducing mixes.
The first cd exposes us to some well-needed Soulwax remixes collected over the years.
Initiated by the Gossip’s ruthless Standing in the way of control this eclectic mix sees Soulwax drag the likes of Sugababes, Muse and Lords of Acid all onto the same dancefloor. Robbie Williams also makes an appearance amongst these in the brilliant and bleep saturated remix of Lovelight, which is surprisingly one of the standout remixes on this album. Other highlights include Justice’s Phantom PT2 and LCD Soundsystem’s Daft Punk Is Playing at My House, which sees samples of various Daft Punk songs cheekily hacked into it. Soulwax also include a fusion of Human Resource and 808 State, a remix that evokes images of fields, dense with rave worshippers united by a confused elation and yellow smiley faces emblazoned on oversized sweaty t-shirts.

The second cd sees 2 Many DJ’s remixing these remixes (stay with me) into a awe inducing set including as the album title explicitly informs us, remixes ‘that are hard to find because either people have forgot about them or simply because they haven’t been released’.
Remixes such as Felix Da Housecat’s instructive Rocket Ride, Ladytron’s brilliantly youth embittered Seventeen and Playgroup who lustily suggest to ‘Make it Happen. Among all this deviant euphoria Hot Chip provide us with a well-needed synthy lull before its laidback vocals are strimmered apart by an aggressive base.
The set concludes with the flawless remix of DJ Shadow’s 6 Days where the B-52’s defiant guitar riff perseveres to the end of this compilation.

This release further endorses Soulwax’s dance credentials to an imposing degree proving that they really do know how to spoil us with music that could provoke even the most folk-ed up into uncoordinated displays of ecstasy. This is a fantastic remix album that threatens to instigate widespread boycotting of clubs in favour of Soulwax sound-tracked house parties.

Brendan McGuirk is the editor of Analogue, and former Chair of Trinity FM.
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