Artist: Various Artists
Title: Great Stuff - The Unreleased Remixes EP
Label: Great Stuff Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 19 September 2006
Tracklist:

• A1: Coburn - Give Me Love (Andrea Doria Mix)
• A2: The Egg - Walking Away (Dusty Kid Pop Ga-Ga Mix)
• B1: Trick & Kubic - Easy (Jean Claude Ades Mix)

"Great Stuff - The Unreleased Remixes EP"

Germany's Great Stuff Recordings label has become one of the success stories of the past few months, with their blend of crossover electronic pop tracks and also their fair share of underground hits proving to be a winning formula. Success stories in recent months include Coburn's 'We Interrupt This Programme', in addition to The Egg's massive 'Walking Away' and Trick & Kubic's 'Easy', with the first two being used in advertising campaigns by the car manufacturer Citreon, and the latter sub-licensed for widespread release by the Ministry Of Sound. With that in mind, it's no surprised that the label has racked up a wide range of material and remixes, and as such they now present their first 'Unreleased Remixes EP'.

First off the bat is Italy's Andrea Doria, who takes Coburn's 'Give Me Love' to new levels. Whilst the original was fairly simplistic, this reinterpretation is a pure delight. Retaining the original's heavy bass lead, Doria constructs some moody synth arrangements and dark ambience around it, dropping the main vocal hook over the top hap-hazardly as the track shimmers up to it's final crescendo, and kicking off the EP in subliminal fashion.

Bringing up the rear of the A-side, fellow Italian and Boxer Recordings artist Dusty Kid delivers a stunning electronic pop rendition of The Egg's massively successful hit 'Walking Away'. As I mentioned earlier, Great Stuff's ability to bridge the divide between the underground and the electronic pop scene has brought the label it's fair share of success, and Dusty Kid's remix nods it's head to some of the early 80s synth pop classics, whilst that unmistakable chorus and bridge of the original is used perfectly, keeping the momentum of the mix running from start to finish.

The final remix of the EP comes from Munich's Jean Claude Ades. Trick & Kubic's 'Easy' is one of the label's latest successes, having been featured on John Digweed's inaugural 'Transitions' compilation and sub-licensed to Data Records for widespread release more recently. Whilst the instrumental has proven to be incredibly popular, JCA opts for an epic peak time version of the vocal version. Imagine if Blondie were to meet Soul Mekanik, and you have a fair idea of what to expect here, as the original's guitar riff is dropped in place of some crazy synth action instead.

Whilst everyone seems to be of the impression that Berlin has the monopoly musically at the moment, Great Stuff and it's subsidiary labels are proving they can hold their own, and at the same time achieve a more far reaching and diversified audience. As such, expect more of these quality EPs sooner rather than later.