Artist: Lee Burridge & Dan F
Title: Treat Em Mean Keep Em Keen (Exercise One Remixes)
Label: Almost Anonymous
By: Nick Williams | 27 November 2007
Tracklist:

• A: Exercise One Mix #2
• B: Exercise One Mix #3

Lee Burridge & Dan F "Treat Em Mean Keep Em Keen (Exercise One Remixes)"

It has been nearly a year since the original of Lee Burridge & Dan F’s ‘Treat ‘Em Mean, Keep ‘Em Keen’ has hit the shelves. The dancefloor carnage that has ensued from this song over the past year has yet to be tallied, but you could imagine my excitement when I found this remix package come to my desk! To top it off, none other than techno extraordinaires Exercise One are the ones bringing the pain with two of their remixes making the vinyl cut. The Berlin duo of Marco Freivogel and Ingo Gansera have had recent success with their own Lan Muzic label, as well as contributing frequently to Anja Schneider’s Mobilee Records with their signature powerful and intricate minimal techno productions. They now step to the table to take on the gritty, twisted original, providing two interpretations that will inevitably make their way onto many dancefloors around the world.

Exercise One choose to use a majority of the original samples to build their ‘Remix #2’ of Lee Burridge and Dan F’s original. This version features a solid rolling groove, and made a great addition to Ewan Pearson’s recent Fabric compilation. The twisted melodies from the original make their way in sporadically yet forcefully take presence every time they jump in. The arpeggiated bassline and relentless groove tailor themselves more for peaktime use, yet for all the energy the song brings, the mix stills seems uncluttered and crisp.

Their ‘Remix #3’ takes a different direction all together, with pulsing sub bass and a sinister vibe that suits the original samples so well. The build is strong with minimal percussive influences and syncopated rhythms taking this track in a somewhat groovy direction, yet still managing to keep the mood dark and driving. Taking the subtle approach, the mix builds in energy with effected synth rises and noise gates, moving into the breakdown without much fuss. From there, Exercise One build a sound scape of zips, zaps, squelches, and launch us right back into the groove. This may not be the heavy hitter of the bunch, but it takes the cake for dancefloor destruction, leaving nothing in its wake.

Almost Anonymous Records are now up to their fourth release, showing no signs of faltering anytime soon. With Lee Burridge behind the scenes of his label, expect more of the same to come, excellent dance music. Exercise One have a burgeoning career of their own to manage, with a release on their own Lan Muzic at the end of the month, and if you have an opportunity to catch these two in a live act, make the effort to check them out.