rump recordings releases

Icarus Sylt Remixes

Release date: July 6, 2009

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Digital: Klicktrak | Boomkat | Beatport | Emusic | iTunes

"Given the feeling of flux that imbues Icarus’s music a remix album makes perfect sense, while judicious choices regarding the producers chosen to carry out the task mean this feels more like a collection of brand new music than reinterpretations … so much inventive and engaging work."

- Chris Power, BBC (UK)

"Sylt Remixes is a consistently challenging record which opens up the already vast sound world of Icarus to entirely new textures."

- The Milk Factory (UK)

Sylt Remixes is a varied collection and (...) you do get your money's worth.

- Textura (Canada)

"It's almost impossible to place this album anywhere other than in the 'slightly uneasy listening' bracket. In an age of mass-conformity and mainstream music-by-numbers, such non-conformity can only be a good thing."

- Whisperin and Hollerin (UK)

"Die Menschen, die diese Musik machen und jene, die sie hören, können keine schlechten Menschen sein."

- Partysan (DE)

"Overall the listening experience is as invigorating as it is unsettling."

- DJ Mag (UK)

"Icarus’ Sylt på nye hænder forvaltes kompetent og kærligt." 5/6

- Gaffa (DK)

"Es klingt nach minimal-dubbigem Schaltkreisglimmen, romantischern Stromkabelschunkeln, pulsierenden Tonsignalen, acht-bittedem Gruscheln und finster verlorener Beatforschung. Nichtimmer Abstrakt, aber immer öfters. Hörenswert."

- Raveline (DE)

"Hier wird nicht zitiert, hier wird tiefgreifend, ehrlich und substanziell neu gemischt und dekonstruiert."

- MTV (DE)

"Eine recht gute Remix-Edition mit dickem Stuff von tanzbar bis chillig oder krude elektronisch."

- Ae-Pool (DE)

"Die Menschen, die diese Musik machen und jene, die sie hören, können keine schlechten Menschen sein."

- Partysan (DE)

"Our old pal John Twells (Xela) avoids the sort of pitch-black drone studies we’ve become accustomed to in favour of BOC-like beats, brightened synth basslines and layered, harmonising vocals. It’s actually incredibly poppy, and underlines both the diversity and overall quality of this fine compilation."

- Boomkat (UK)

Icarus' 2007 album 'Sylt' further consolidated the band's exploration into remixing recordings of live performances, which were in turn remixes of earlier studio tracks (a trait first explored in 2005's 'Carnivalesque').
With the 'Sylt Remixes' album, this reprocessing passes over to third parties, gathering contributions from Denmark (home of Rump Recordings), the UK (home of Icarus) and further afield.
The collection opens on a dancefloor tack, kicking off with teenage prodigy Nabo's wonky mix of "Volks!", and passing via Björk-collaborator Opiate's abstract mix of "Keet" into Frank Bretschneider of Raster-Noton's pulsating edit of the same.
Karsten Pflum's bass-driven take on "First Inf(E)Rænce" strips the hoover bag out of a frenetic crescendo to create a minimal dub-funk work out, while ISANs version of "Keet" adds glockenspiels and an almost shoegaze vibe.
Elsewhere, Planet Mu's Ital Tek puts the dubstep into "Selfautoparent", while Svartbag extends "Rugkiks" with guitardrones and noise and Throbbing Gristle-collaborator Ivan Pavlov (aka oxy/CoH) gives a minimalistic take on Keets lop-sided beats.
The remixing then pushes out towards more abstract territory with electro-acoustic improvisers Isambard Khroustaliov / Lothar Ohlmeier, cyber-jazzers Badun, Xela (in a surprisingly hip-hop workout of "Second Inf(E)Rænce"), and Swedish 8-bit wizzard Goto80.
Finally, Icarus themselves also provide a pre-original mix of 'Sylt's opening track, "Keet", redecorated with fragments of orchestration, before Digitonal finishes off with a soothing take on "Jyske".

The artwork weaves London parakeets into the mix, courtesy of a video created by Alice Scott to the track "Keets", which is available as a download from the band's website as an accompaniment to the album.