Reich Remixed

Reich Remixed

ASIN: B00000I5LV

On this CD: 1. Music for 18 Musicians (remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Coldcut

2. 8 Lines (remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Howie B
with Bang On A Can
Conducted by Bradley Lubman

3. The Four Sections ( remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Andrea Parker
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra with Nurit Tilles , Bob Becker , Edmund Niemann , Garry Kvistad , James Preiss , Russ Hartenberger
Conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas

4. Megamix (Tranquility Bass remix after various Steve Reich works)
Composed by Michael Kandel
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra with Clive Malabar , Theatre of Voices , Steve Reich and Musicians , Simon Carrington , Neil Percy , Pat Metheny , Ray Northcott , Steve Reich Ensemble , Bob Becker , Frank Ricotti , Manhattan Marimba Quartet , Russ Hartenberger
Conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas , Bradley Lubman , Paul Hillier

5. Drumming (Mantronik Maximum Drum Formula after Steve Reich)
Composed by Mantronik
with Steve Reich and Musicians

6. Proverb (remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Nobukazu Takemura
with Steve Reich Ensemble , Theatre of Voices
Conducted by Bradley Lubman , Paul Hillier

7. Piano Phase (D'Note's Phased & Konfused remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Matt Winn
with Double Edge

8. Open Circuit (after Steve Reich's City Life)
Composed by DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid
with Steve Reich Ensemble
Conducted by Bradley Lubman

9. Come Out (remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Ken Ishii

10. Desert Music (FreQ Nasty & B.L.I.M. remix after Steve Reich)
Composed by Gervase Darin / Cooke McFadyen

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The beauty of Steve Reich's minimalist compositions can be found not in their repetition but in their evolution. Listening to the Kronos Quartet perform Different Trains, the listener quickly gets over the camp value of the conductor samples to discover an unfolding theme that harks back not only to bustling industrialism but also to the horror of the Nazi concentration-camp trains. Reich is a master of such subtle changes in sonics, and his impeccable timing turns simple phrases into musical tapestries. On Reich Remixed, some of dance music's more innovative artists pay homage to the composer in the way they know best: by sampling his works and remixing them into their own. Coldcut's take on Music for 18 Musicians adds a fast-paced techno flair to the classic composition, Howie B's Eight Lines respectfully keeps the integrity of the original piece, and Tranquility Bass peppers "Megamix" with voices and (eventually) beats. There are some misses here, and, most unfortunate, DJ Spooky's schizophrenic treatment of City Life lobotomizes a previously fine composition. No, you still can't dance to Reich, but you can see how others use him for source material. But after hearing these condensed and diced versions, you might find it's worth delving back into Reich's originals to hear what the fuss is all about. --Jason Verlinde

Entertainment Weekly
This anthology, on which techno DJs overhaul Reich's recordings, makes clear their debt yet is a remixed blessing.

Tracks:

Music For 18 Musicians (Coldcut Remix) - Steve Reich
Eight Lines (Howie B Remix) - Bang On A Can/Bradley Lubman
The Four Sections (Andrea Parker Remix) - London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas
Megamix (Tranquility Bass Remix) - Steve Reich/London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas/Theatre Of Voices...
Drumming (Mantronik Maximum Drum Formula) - Steve Reich
Proverb (Nobukazu Takemura Remix) - Theatre Of Voices
Piano Phase (D*Note's Phased & Konfused Mix) - Double Edge
City Life (DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid Open Circuit) - The Steve Reich Ensemble/Bradley Lubman
Come Out (Ken Ishii Remix) - Steve Reich
Bonus Track 1 - Various Artists

Amazon.com

The beauty of Steve Reich's minimalist compositions can be found not in their repetition but in their evolution. Listening to the Kronos Quartet perform Different Trains, the listener quickly gets over the camp value of the conductor samples to discover an unfolding theme that harks back not only to bustling industrialism but also to the horror of the Nazi concentration-camp trains. Reich is a master of such subtle changes in sonics, and his impeccable timing turns simple phrases into musical tapestries. On Reich Remixed, some of dance music's more innovative artists pay homage to the composer in the way they know best: by sampling his works and remixing them into their own. Coldcut's take on Music for 18 Musicians adds a fast-paced techno flair to the classic composition, Howie B's Eight Lines respectfully keeps the integrity of the original piece, and Tranquility Bass peppers "Megamix" with voices and (eventually) beats. There are some misses here, and, most unfortunate, DJ Spooky's schizophrenic treatment of City Life lobotomizes a previously fine composition. No, you still can't dance to Reich, but you can see how others use him for source material. But after hearing these condensed and diced versions, you might find it's worth delving back into Reich's originals to hear what the fuss is all about. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Boring and unimaginative.......2005-07-13

My opinion is that this compilation doesn't glorify Reich or electronica. I used to think that most techno enthusiasts and maybe even techno composers had probably never heard of him. While I've come to learn that this isn't true, I think this CD would be a good argument in favor of it. I certainly didn't expect Reich Remixed to compare with the originals. And there is certainly nothing wrong with a tribute. But everything here is against Reich's style, both too fast and too simple.

The Coldcut remix of Steve Reich's 18, unfortunately the best track on the disk, is laughable in comparison and a warning against the tracks that follow. After reading the reviews for the original Music for 18 Musicians, there are several people who can say nothing except that it is slow and boring. I think you might as well include Coldplay in that number. It is as if he recorded himself skipping forward through the first 5 or so minutes of the original and smiled at his creation.

He isn't the only one who obviously missed the point. Most of the remixes use some of the cheapest sounding instruments and methods I've heard; these aren't just bad tributes to Reich, they are bad tributes to techno! And don't expect to hear phasing, which was introduced for the first time in Come Out and Drumming, in their remixes. That would require at least some trivial knowledge of Reich's contribution to minimalism, which these artists obviously do not have. And anyway, Reich used much more than rhythmic, vocal/musical repetition and staccato notes, let's get that straight.

I wasted my money on this one. If you haven't been introduced to Reich, I envy you! Try Music for 18 Musicians and Different Trains, many agree that those are among Reich's most powerful pieces.

Children of Reich Create Loving Homage.......2005-04-16

The entrancing hobby of looping gave birth to essencially all forms of techno in existence today, and all followers should be thankful Steve Reich's cassette tapes messed up one day to create a looping effect. He soon became obsessed with overlapping sounds and varying tempos, a basic foundation for modern day electronic music. Such is the reason why a wide variety of artists came together to create a tribute album to this obscure classical composer, and the end result is a diamond in the rough.

If "Reich Remixed" has any style permeating through the whole album, it is the esoteric sounds of trance. Each track brings in a sentimental mourning, but also sings out hosannas of joy, hailing the appreciation of the father of techno. Tranquility Bass's "Megamix", succeeding fully in painting a mural of Reich's repertoire, Coldcut's loving recreation of "Music for 18 Musicians", and Howie B's "Eight Lines" tribute will draw you in with their joyful melodies. Yet darkness lies ahead as well. Andrea Parker brings in a creepy Trip-Hop version of "The Four Sections", perfect for committing a bank robbery if you get off on that. The bonus track from freQ Nasty & B.L.I.M. has the rough sound of Drum n' Bass without corrupting the original message, although it sounds a bit out of place on this album. The masterpiece is Nobukazu Takemura's "Proverb", which stacks the voices in one loop, which will make one double check the CD for scratches. It not only holds true to what Reich was attempting, but re-interprets.

To those who were already die-hard Reich fans, a word of caution. This CD will sound repititive, perhaps even like cheap rip-offs of the original tracks, as they cannot possibly recreate the massive pieces Reich composed in six or seven minutes of CD time. As well, there are slip-ups. "City Life" is butchered to pieces and essentially impossible to enjoy, and "Come Out" only highlights the limitations of techno's possibilities to create as compared to pen, paper, and a symphony orchestra.

The album explores techno's creative possibilities to new levels, and is an aural treat. Consider it Reich's first DJing experience, changing the world of music in the same way his originals shook the ear drums.

Highs: Techno symphony, with the same variety as an orchestra, skillfully mixed, loving and appropriate recreations of Reich's original masterpieces.
Lows: Reich's originals are better, sometimes butchered here, same repitive downfall of techno at times.
The Score: A-, Reich not Lost in Techno Translation.

Decent, but disappointing overall........2002-01-05

There are a few really good tracks on this CD. My personal favorites are Music for 18 Musicians, Four Sections, the Megamix, and Piano Phase. The Desert Music remix (the bonus track) is okay, not great, but okay. And then there's the bottom end of the spectrum, which is everything else. Unfortunately, what I like is overpowered by what I dislike.

Great music for an electronic fan.......2001-10-04

I enjoyed every one of these pieces on their own. I am familiar with most of the electronic artists and each one of these songs is beautiful. I had never heard Steve Reich's music before this. I enjoyed his music but, I didn't think that the remixes were completely true to his form. Reich's music has some good ideas that the remixer's somewhat expanded upon. I think the idea was to take some of Reich's ideas and put it in to a more modern style. If they wanted someone to rehash his ideas, then it would have been boring. I enjoy these artists, but there are artists out there that are using some of his ideas already, namely Plastikman and Tortoise. Overall the songs are great in any sense.

Proxy for a Reich's Greatest Hits CD?.......2001-06-16

Of all modern classical composers, Steve Reich is the one whose music is most likely to attract the rock-oriented ear. 'Music for 18 Musicians' was a ground-breaking album which closed out the 1970s, and it took much of the audience that had been nurtured on Tangerine Dream's 'Ricochet' and, before that, Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells'. It was only to be expected that other artists would start sampling Reich's works.

I can't get enough of 'Music for 18 Musicians' -- I bought it on LP in 1979, and two versions on CD. It is my No. 1 self-hypnosis album. So I was intrigued to discover how it would be re-worked for this album. I was disappointed, frankly. The Coldcut Remix provides no evidence that the DJ has listened beyond the first five minutes of the original.

But there's no heresy in modifying Reich's music. I welcome every effort to do so. I knew about half of the pieces selected here, so, for me, it's partly a Reich sampler. The great thing about the album is that not only did it get me buying more of Reich's output, but it also got me listening more to the originals.

For me, the stand-out track here is 'Piano Phase', which applies prog-rock values to a piece I didn't know at all well. It could so easily be Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson playing the synth lines over the piano loop!

The opening track has grown on me over the years. At first listen, the Megamix seemed to have too many different samples crowded in; it seemed too ambitious in searching for common musical themes between no fewer than nine of Reich's albums. But now it flows nicely.

The closing track, supposedly based on the Desert Music, is a straightforward techno track, almost Prodigy-like, whose relationship to Reich's music seems entirely tangential.

I believe every Reich fan should hear this album, even though a few will find perhaps nothing to like. And I'd recommend anyone who buys this album without knowing Reich to listen also to 'Different Trains', 'Electric Counterpoint', and of course, 'Music for 18 Musicians'.

Tracks:

Proverb (Alex Smoke Remix)
Drumming (Four Tet Remix)
Music For 18 Musicians (Ruoho Ruotsi's Pulse Section Dub Remix)
Come Out (Original Mix)

Average customer rating:

Reich-Remixed

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Easy Listening | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000H309ZG
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Average customer rating:

Reich Remixed - Tribute to Steve Reich
Coldcut , Howie B. , Andrea Parker , Tranquility Bass , Mantronik , Nobukazu Takemura , D*Note , DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid , and Ken Ishii
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MI6YDM

Product Description

Reich Remixed - Tribute to Steve Reich // 1. Music For 18 Musicians - Coldcut 2. Eight Lines - Howie B. 3. The Four Sections - Andrea Parker 4. Megamix - Tranquility Bass 5. Drumming - Mantronik (Maximum Drum Formula) 6. Proverb - Nobukazu Takemura 7. Piano Phase - D*Note (Phased And Konfused mix) 8. City Life - DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid - Open Circuit 9. Come Out - Ken Ishii 10.Bonust track - (hidden track)

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