Following
on the footsteps of their 1999 Additional Productions,
Rosenheim producers Michael
Fakesch and Chris De Lucas, aka Funkstörung,
are releasing their second collection of remixes and
collaboration on German label Studio K7. Over the years,
their work has attracted interest from artists as diverse
as Aphex Twin, Björk,
Plaid or Wu-Tang Clan
to name but a few.
Funkstörung have always proven to be fascinating
remixers as well as accomplished musicians. Only accepting
an offer to remix a track if they have complete creative
freedom, their work is utterly unique and instantly
recognizable. If the material gathered on Vice Versa
doesn’t indicate any major change of direction in the
duo deconstruct the work of others by injecting glitches
and scratches to incorporate their abstract conceptualisation
of sound, the duo nevertheless present here funkier
structures and more accessible soundscapes than on previous
releases. Through short and sharp incursions into the
world of others, Fakesch and De Lucas open up to more
extrovert tones, bringing more subtle yet stronger beats
assemblages. On collaborations with Jay-Jay Johanson
on the beautiful I Want Some Fun, or Anti-Pop
Consortium rapper Beans on Salt, Funkstörung
summarise their expending production capacities, capacities
only discernable on some occasions on Appetite
For Disctruction. If the Johanson track is
a pure alternative pop delight, Salt displays
a dark Massive Attack-esque atmospheric backdrop on
which Beans weaves precise words and brings an element
of humanity to the mechanical production work. Elsewhere,
on the brilliant reworking of Humanity, N.C.R.
or Spatial Convolution, the duo embrace the
sound of each original track and turn it into more abrasive
displays, while on the more subdued Eyen
or Moron reveal smoother, silkier contraptions.
Funkstörung even entertain the idea of bringing
Jean-Michel Jarre to life with a serious reshaping of
the appalling C’est La Vie, and actually manage
to succeed against all odds, showing the vast talent
of the pair.
With this collected works, Funkstörung offer a
wider sonic range, finally showing the band’s true colours
and dissipating the tempting comparison with Autechre.
Here, Michael Fakesch
and Chris De Lucas introduce a funkier sound, based
on rigorous glitches and noises and abstract hip-hop
beats, indulging in more human temptations.
5/5 |
