- Wait a second. Perc? On DFA? James Murphy's label has spent the past decade or so releasing lots of things: indie dance, electro, crazy synth epics, house, but never the kind of brutal, industrial-indebted techno Ali Wells makes. Perhaps not, but last year, it did give us a record from London three-piece Factory Floor, a trio whose cacophonous music has sometimes been referred to as "post-industrial." For remixing, it fits Perc like a glove—whoever dreamt up the pairing deserves a good pat on the back. And that's without mentioning the second, even more notable remixer—Richard H Kirk, former member of seminal industrial band Cabaret Voltaire.
Perc has an enviable commitment to making every one of his singles and remixes sound different. Doing over the throbbing intensity of "Two Different Ways," this has resulted in three versions. The first sees kicks and overdriven bass seamlessly welded to the original's spasming synth line. This cleverly keeps the track's identity intact, yet transforms it into a storming shard of techno—one sharpened by a vocal-less dub mix. In contrast, the "Noisy Mix" is beatless, but possibly more enthralling. Like a sun-lit sandstorm, it's both bright, warm and incredibly harsh. Key to its elemental power is Perc's characteristic use of texture, grainy static rubbing at the edges of the original's nymph-like vocals. Then there's Kirk's remix. Built on a siren-like pulse and euphoric chords, it almost sounds like a throwback to big beat. But don't let that turn you off. The original's unexcludable motif continues to throb away at the heart of the action, the other elements balanced atop in understated fashion. It's a nice contrast to Perc's harsher efforts, giving Two Different Ways a rounded and distinctive finish.
Tracklist A Two Different Ways (Perc Remix)
B1 Two Different Ways (Richard H Kirk Remix)
B2 Two Different Ways (Perc Noisy Remix)
Digital: Two Different Ways (Perc Dub)