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Nitzer Ebb
Body Rework: Remixes

Mute

Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Given that Nitzer Ebb's recent Body of Work collection already contained a bonus disc full of remixes, one might question the wisdom of Body Rework, yet another remix CD. However, the primary difference here is that Body Rework contains newer remixes performed by a variety of today's EBM and electro stars, offering further indication to the scope of Nitzer Ebb's influence on today's underground electronic scene. As such, these remixes are hardly evocative of the band's distinctive brand of hard-hitting beats and repetitive synthesizer bass lines, but do offer some rather clever interpretations of some of their best known songs. The CD immediately gets to the point with Dubfire's remix of "Control I'm Here," replacing the militaristic pomp of the original with a simple dance beat and wispy waves of trancelike ambience. Black Strobe provides two remixes of "Getting Closer," the first of which is aptly titled the EBM Homage mix. Indeed, the track is as close to old-school '80s EBM as you can get without actually being the original track, complete with those fat-sounding bass loops and pulse-pounding beats that kick into high gear rather quickly. The Moderne remix is slightly more abstract, keeping the beat consistent, but playing with the synths to create a more atmospheric version that keeps your ears guessing. The same could be said of Xpress 2's dub-inspired remix of "Join in the Chant," while Thomas P. Heckmann's remix of the track speeds things up from the original, distorting the vocals beyond all recognition; interesting though it may seem at first, the mix wears thin too early and becomes an exercise in tedium, making Xpress 2's version all the more superior. MOTOR repay Nitzer Ebb vocalist Douglas McCarthy in kind for his appearance on their Klunk album with a gritty electro remix of "Lightning Man." The remix of "I Thought" is perhaps the strangest of all, full of analog glitches amidst a deceptively simple beat. When all is said and done, Body Rework is a good complement to Body of Work, showcasing not only Nitzer Ebb's seminal role in the formation of today's electronic underground, but also just what kind of variety today's stars are truly capable of. It's not a perfect collection, as some of the remixes can get pretty annoying really quickly, but it will certainly keep your feet moving well past the club's last call.