Tundra Remixed

Irish techno duo Lakker received much acclaim for their intense, bracing 2015 full-length Tundra, and it was inevitable that the album would eventually receive the remix treatment. The best cuts on Tundra Remixed further deconstruct the duo's abstract, abrasive sound, delving into darker or more convoluted areas. Mark Fell takes the dubby, bouncy beat of "Oktavist" down a never-ending M.C. Escher rabbit hole, creating a delightfully perplexing sound construction that will thoroughly confuse most listeners. Spaces offer a shuddering, convulsing take on "Mountain Divide," which is impressive but doesn't quite hold a candle to the astonishing original. Primitive World and Acid Mondays offer more straightforward dancefloor translations, stripping away much of the eeriness of the more experimental originals. Ultimately, the duo's individual members, Eomac and Arad, know best how to rework their own material, respectively augmenting "Halite" and "Toneru" with spooky melodies and harsh, thudding beats. ~ Paul Simpson