fourfour: Best of '06

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January 05, 2006

Best of '06

Allien2_3

Five days in, and I already have a favorite song of the year:

~~Ellen Allien "Down (Drama Society Remix)"~~

Of course, I should add "so far" -- I'm not naive enough to think I can hold onto this one for the next 360. Although right now, it sounds so good that I won't be surprised if I do.

2005 marked a really sad breakup for me. After hearing Ellen Allien's undercooked, tracky Thrills (which, in my opinion, sounds more phoned-in than even Daft Punk's laughable excuse for a third album, Human After All), it became clear that she was no longer my girl. It sucks because her second album, Berlinette, was my favorite of 2003 and remains an all-time favorite. That album is so multifaceted, so contradictory (it's dance music, it's listening music, it's abrupt, it's emotional), that it pushed the boundaries of humanism and confession in dance music (insert Madonna-makes-me-seethe quip No. 1,538 here). To love it was to bond with it, and that's why Thrills hurt -- it was as though Allien was pushing away, saying, "I've told you all I wanted to. Now leave me alone and dance."

"Down," one of Thrills' few genuine, uh, thrills, is slightly less icy than the rest of the album, if only for the inherent fun in its salute to straight-up, old-school electro. In the above-posted remix, Italian duo Drama Society, however, take a few of Allien's vocals and melodic ideas and twist them into something that does right by their name and Allien's past. Their house beat may be a bit too clean and straightforward to belong on Berlinette (that record favored rhythms to splinter, holding onto a snare-as-shrapnel ethic). It's Drama Society's willingness to tell a story with their track that suits Allien's past persona so well. Their remix of "Down" sounds like an invasion -- a muted bass line sneaks in at the track's start, growing louder and more robust. It's arpeggiated to sounds like it's in constant coming forward. A sample of Allien's garbled vocals ("Down me, break down down, Down me . . .") creep in, predicting the future -- after the song's real break down (featuring, of course, little more than those same vocals), notes bend all over the place. The bass line comes back, the invasion has occurred and it's mutating and otherwise fucking things up. The harrowing display is, of course dramatic, and makes this song as listenable as it is danceable.

So, thanks to Drama Society for doing my girl right. Things may be looking up for Allien this year -- her site promises a new collaborative album from her and Apparat (who is rumored to have designed a lot of the beats that made Berlinette so rich). It's called Orchestra of Bubbles. I need a bath.

Posted at 11:22 AM in Dance music all night long, Music | Permalink

Comments

you were right (like 98% of the time). this track is a dark ray of skittery movement and i love it. did you make it through my craptastic second mix? cuz the last track is one of my faves from last year--joakim's remix of poni hoax's 'budapest' they remind me of each other for some reason . . .

Posted by: jeremy | January 05, 2006 at 12:24 PM

And what an infitesimal world it truly is...

Who knew we had the same taste in tv shows, men (YOU), AND fucking music. Not only do I love Miss Fraatz (I've had Wish and Sehnsucht on constant replay ALL year, so far =Þ), but Drama Society's Crying Hero is one of my favorite tracks.

I love you more than I did three minutes ago.

Thanks for posting the track.

Posted by: ♥dexcee | January 05, 2006 at 01:27 PM

I have to check this track out! The organization I used to do Comm Director work for, the Austin Museum of Digital Art, tried to get Ellen to perform in the U.S. but customs TURNED HER AWAY when she was en route to Austin.

I did finally see her later when she performed at Plush, but all I remember from her performance is that she *never* looked at the audience.

Posted by: Marty | January 05, 2006 at 01:27 PM

Oh yeah, and I need a bath too.

Yay!

Posted by: ♥dexcee | January 05, 2006 at 01:29 PM

uh, was that even music?
bing bloo bloo bling bow bow bow bow tugga tugga
?

Posted by: bob | January 05, 2006 at 01:56 PM

yeah sumtins wrong with the mp3.

after all that talk i wanna hear what's cookin!

Posted by: keraw | January 05, 2006 at 03:00 PM

Berlinette - I know!
Thrills hurt - I know!
And that post you wrote a while ago about seeing ellen fumble at the wheels - I caught her in T.O. and I KNOW! she did look damn fine up there though, all deathly serious and angular hair.

Can't wait to get off work so I can listen to this goodness. Thanks and spanks...

p.s. what did you think about the 04 remix collection? i loved that shit a lot.

Posted by: Neha | January 05, 2006 at 03:04 PM

Just checked and the MP3 is actually fine (no problems with the file -- it's supposed to sound all choppy). It's YO EARS that don't work, foolz!

The remix album is good shit -- particularly the "Rippin' Kittin" remix.

Posted by: Rich | January 05, 2006 at 03:08 PM

So which is it: Thrils, Thrills, or Trills? Personally, I like the sound of Thrilz the best.

Posted by: John H. | January 05, 2006 at 10:19 PM

Good question. Noted and fixed, John H. Editor!

Posted by: Rich | January 05, 2006 at 10:31 PM

ok youve lost it. the last daft punk record is fucking brilliant.

Posted by: princemoney | January 06, 2006 at 05:57 AM

I loooooove me some Ellen Allien - Thank you thank you thank you!!! Really looking forward to the Apparat collaboration - Berlinette 2006? Mmmmmmm I hope so!

Posted by: John B | January 06, 2006 at 12:20 PM

thank you for this remix
and that vitalic dima prefers new beat mix...wow. I think you have a great taste in music.

Posted by: snag | January 08, 2006 at 01:45 AM

God how I hate people who "break up" with their artists. Precious little daisies.

"Thrills" was fantastic. Shame you didn't get it but it hardly means she had a bad year 'things may be looking up' wtf?

Yeah Apparat wrote the whole record too, roll on Berlinette '06! (sarcasm). Did you even look at the sleeve credits for that 'rumour' or just pull it off slsk like this track?

that remix is pretty good but grrr @ people!

Posted by: goblin | January 15, 2006 at 12:25 AM

Hey Gob,

Thanks for writing in! I don't expect you to actually read this reply, as in my experience, condescending fucktards generally don't actually care about what those they put down have to say. But I thought I should leave a reply just for the record.

This should answer at least one question.

Also, if I wanted to get snotty about Thrills, I'd say it's not a shame I didn't "get" it: it's a shame you think there's anything to "get" in the first place. It's a collection of 10 tracky tracks, not rocket science.

But, yeah, you're probably right -- that I don't share an opinion with you about some dance music makes me stupid, uninformed and unable to manage my media properly.

Thanks for pointing that out!

Posted by: Rich | January 15, 2006 at 11:22 AM

Actually I care a lot. Thanks for replying to a trollish comment. And the picture.

"Thrills" was indeed tracky, gloriously so. And also really moving and involving for music of this ilk. That's a "shame" for me? Now who's being condescending?

Did it beat Berlinette? In some ways yes, in some ways no. But that's one HELL of a goal to hit twice in a row. I'd just like to give her room to evolve beyond it. People seem to want to box her artistically already and that's sad.

You didn't like it, that's not a problem. But it seems fairly sexist that people attribute everything good about her previous work to anyone but her. And her future work too? We'll see.

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January 05, 2006

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