- Here's an exercise: play these two remixes of "Every Minute Alone," from WhoMadeWho's new album on Kompakt blind—don't look to see who each is by. Then guess which one Michael Mayer made. Tough, right? The truth is that either track would be plausible as a Mayer re-creation, even though only one of them is.
Mayer's long been a sucker for moody, forlorn male vocals, such as Jeppe Kjellberg's here, around which he can build dark, dreamy synth chords and a hard, patient thump. That's basically what both versions here are, but it's the A-side by Tale of Us—Italian producers Karm and Matteo Milleri, who also had a standout remix on Life and Death's previous EP, Thugfucker's Disco Gnome—that really puts the mind toward what future volumes of Immer might have in store. It's a simple pastiche, but a smart one that never drops its guard for a second.
Needless to say, the above description of Tale of Us's mix could apply to Mayer's own as well. Only Mayer's version takes more time to rev up; it glides more but also feels a touch more hesitant, or maybe deliberate. The low "ahh" that punctuates the verses is turned into a kind of mile marker, and as Mayer gradually builds the arrangement up. He doesn't go for fireworks—more like a bonfire that keeps glowing on its own.
Tracklist A Every Minute Alone (Tale Of Us Remix)
B Every Minute Alone (Michael Mayer Remix)