Artist: Chris Coco
Title: Albatross (Remixes)
Label: Distinctive Records
By: Simon Jones | 15 January 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Hybrid Mix
• B: Christian J Mix

Chris Coco "Albatross (Remixes)"

Chris Coco has been widely accoladed for his radio work on Radio 1's The Blue Room as well as productions with Rui Da Silva as Coco Da Silva. In addition to this he has produced remixes for artists including The Doves and most recently released his debut album 'Next Wave'. One of the standout tracks on the album was 'Albatross', a cover of the Fleetwood Mac track of the same name and featuring a man from that very band, Peter Green on guitar. A varied remix package has been comissioned for the single and here we look at the 'Hybrid' and 'Christian J' remixes.

Swansea boys Mike Truman and Chris Healings deliver another remix as Hybrid, but you'll be surprised at the direction taken here. Throughout their dj sets across the world Hybrid fuse together breakbeat, 4 over 4 beats and progressive house into one nucleus, and this remix draws from those influences, an uplifting beat arrangement forming the underpinning groove as emotive spanish guitars melt softly over the top. Spacial ambience and deep blissful sounds wash against the house groove like waves crashing upon a sandy shore, and that thought sums up this melancholic remix perfectly, as Hybrid still manage to incorporate their own trademark arrangements into what could quite simply be called balearic beauty.

You may think, but I wanted breakbeat, but fear not because the b-side remix comes from Christian J. Seagulls and guitar solos lace the intro, but things soon drop into a tough no nonsense breakbeat rework, the pace and beat arrangement sounding like pistons on an industrial machine systematically kicking into motion, guitars seeping through the delays in between to add some depth to the track. As the second stage sequence kicks in, a nu skool influence becomes evident and this remix kicks it's way to outro with grandeur and ease.

With the 'Next Wave' album having several tracks with the potential of being singles in their own right, expect to see more singles in the near future, but in the meantime keep your eyes peeled for Chris's remix of 'New York' by The Doves.