In anticipation of Ela Orleans‘ forthcoming double LP Tumult In Clouds, to be released in mid-December (take a first listen right here), the UK-via-Poland artist’s label Clan Destine has summoned a bunch of musicians from various strands of underground pop, all appropriately attached to the darker side of things, to re-interprete songs from her rich back catalogue.
The remixers, among them The-Drum, Slim Twig, U.S. Girls, Fostercare, or Mushy (see the complete tracklist below), mostly succeed in exposing so far hidden facets of Ela’s delicate, sombre chamber pop, with results that range from relentless noise assaults (Skitter’s take on “Apparatus”) to murky lo-fi fuzz (U.S. Girls’ rework of “Living World”) or skittering post-rave explorations (Pyramids of MU’s “She Who Could BIND You” Remix). Cologne-based Silver Strain have delivered a particularly compelling effort, turning the quiet and restrained “Axon Terminal”, orignally on NEO PI-R, into a menacing, thoroughly unsettling occultist dance anthem that grabs you by the throat and won’t let you leave ever again. The accompanying (mildly NSFW) video is superb as well, perfectly encapsulating the rework’s subtext. Watch it exclusively below.
Ela and Thee Prophets is out on Clan Destine Records, strictly limited to 100 copies. Order yours over here.
Tracklist:
Side A:
(1) Axon Terminal Voices (Silver Strain Remix)
(2) Amsler Grid (Slim Twig Remix)
(3) The Season (The-Drum Remix)
(4) She Who Could BIND You (Pyramids of MU Remix)
(5) Apparatus (Skitter Remix)
Side B:
(1) Something Higher (Dan Melchior Remix)
(2) I Know (Mushy Remix)
(3) Planet Mars (Os Ovni Remix)
(4) Light At Dawn (Nattymari Remix)
(5) Walkingman (Fostercare Remix)
(6) Living World (U.S. Girls Remix)
Take a listen to The-Drum‘s take on “The Season” as well:
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