This two-disc release acts as both a semi-single release for
Beat's "Fear of Flying," one of
Bowery Electric's stronger tracks, and as a remix collection featuring an interesting range of avant-garde techno and experimental music types. "Fear of Flying" itself is unchanged from the album, a lovely and powerful guitar line reminiscent of the similarly played-and-produced feedback swells from
My Bloody Valentine or
Slowdive over a strong, brisk hip-hop beat and Schwendener's low-key vocals. Also on the first disc is a remix of "Fear of Flying" by
Loop/
Main mastermind
Robert Hampson, which, after a slightly spookier beginning, more or less re-creates the original with a few extra vocal/instrumental drop outs, switches, and quiet additional melodies. A solid enough mix of "Black Light" closes things out, removing Chandler's vocal in favor of Schwendener's and often stripping things down to minimal shards of guitar and beat. The hour-long second disc is packed with some interesting goodies, which, while not always the most innovative, still nicely showcase what others can do with the band's original material.
Witchman's track, the 15-minute creep out mix of "Without Sleeping," grips with a chilling sense of foreboding, with dark ambient touches and mere flickers of cymbals interspersed with a clearer bass and big drum loop punch at points, semi-jungle rhythms elsewhere. The
Twisted Science take on "Empty Words" is equally strong, building from a quiet start to an at-once high-volume and thoroughly serene midsection. Schwendener's vocals come to the fore as things calm down again, static and hum filling out the mix, wrapping up on a nicely clattering note. Nigel Smith's squelching, truly gone vivisection of "Black Light" is fascinating, crossing what sounds like '50s sci-fi aliens communicating with a mucky mess of noise. Fine mixes by the
Third Eye Foundation and Hampson close out the release. ~ Ned Raggett