Artist: Highland
Title: No Way Out (Remixes)
Label: Vapour Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 3 November 2003
Tracklist:

• A1: Ocean Wave Mix
• B1: NuBreed Mix
• B2: Acapella

Highland "No Way Out (Remixes)"

Following on from the original 12" of the long anticipated and often delayed 'No Way Out' by Highland comes this remix disc of new mixes by some of Australia's premiere talent. Vapour label boss Kasey Taylor gets to flex his muscles as Ocean Wave whilst currently hot trio NuBreed get to let loose with one of their unique breakbeat smashes. All in all, a phat package. Or is it?

Kasey Taylor the original and adds a serious groove into the equation with his 'Ocean Wave Mix'. Digging in with some driving beats, the vocal is introduced and then carried along by big sweeping layers. Things don't really develop until a melodic line is slipped in underneath, adding an emotive edge to the vocal as it climaxes, dropping into the main chorus, with a tremendous sub bass effect changing the mood, as the beats take on an intense edge leading into the outro. Not Kasey's best work, but certainly one of his more uplifting mixes.

'NuBreed' take the reins for the other remix, delivering another of their unique breakbeat productions which retains all the trademark sounds and vocal of the original and drops them in the middle of a fierce bouncing soundscape. Big bass stabs send ripples through the tight groove, dispersing the beats and creating a rather dubbed out vibe in the process. Melodic keys emulate the chords of the original, blending into the electronic sounds of the mix nicely, with one final vocal sitting amongst a clashing of strings and drifting beats, leading into a grumbling gnarly outro that only NuBreed can create. A dark and twisted remake that matches the original and in several ways improves upon it. The added 'Acapella' allows for more experimentation and is a welcome addition.

Both mixes are slightly more dancefloor friendly than the original, with NuBreed's interpretation being a smashing update indeed. If you are looking for a big vocal number to drop into your sets, you could do a lot worse than these mixes, and with the familiar vocal, this will do the business time after time.