Artist: Steve Lawler
Title: Courses For Horses
Label: Renaissance Recordings
By: Andrew Bilen | 27 November 2007
Tracklist:

• A1: Original Mix
• B1: GTR Mix
• B2: GTR Reprise

Steve Lawler "Courses For Horses"

With the release of Steve Lawler's latest mix compilation 'Viva London' on Renaissance, the previously unreleased 'Courses For Horses', featured as the concluding track on disc two, has made its way to being a stand-alone single. Renaissance, always having a taste for killer dance music, was quick to snatch this one up for their own catalogue and with good reason.

Steve Lawler's 'Original Mix' warms up rather slowly, as it builds up several layers of beats and percussion on top of the kick drum, with a slight off-beat and some rather odd samples that somehow manage to sound a bit like a galloping horse. This beat pattern builds up until around the three minute mark when the full body of the track is unleashed into an energetic techno-based frenzy that adds a bass-heavy groove into the mix over those same beats. The track later enters a third phase that features a dark, reverberating string line that makes for a truly eerie but undeniably addictive element to this well textured track.

With the incredible pieces of the original that Lawler has presented here, the remix is entirely disappointing, failing to take it into any new or creative territory. GTR essentially takes all the same components of the original and rearranges them without any additional production or effects. Given that the original is superb and isn't in dire need of any additional tweaking, 'Courses For Horses' creates some great remixing opportunities that seem to have been missed with this remix. The only distinguishing factor to note is that the remix focuses on that same eerie string element more so than the original did, which may appeal to some. In addition to the remix, we also have the 'GTR Reprise' which is a DJ tool that merely isolates the same string element found in the two mixes, allowing DJs the flexibility to use it in combination with other tracks during their sets.

Steve Lawler and Renaissance have a pretty hot little techno number on their hands here with 'Courses For Horses' and it's unfortunate that the accompanying remix was not a strong enough addition to the package. The energy and momentum of this track lead me to make a comparison to Dubfire's recent hit 'Roadkill,' so fans of that track should make sure to check this one out. Indeed I wish Dubfire had been assigned remix duties on Lawler's latest release. Much credit to Steve Lawler for this strong tech-house production.